Fall Redfishing From The Breakers…..

Fishing for Redfish in the warmer weather is great fun. Fishing the shallow creeks and estuaries with popping corks and jerk baits to get those big bulls to bite is the way most inshore anglers like to spend their summer and fall. But as the temps get cooler the Redfish tend to head out the inlets in search of bait migrating along the coast. That bait hangs along the breakers as a means of protection from the many species out in the deeper water.

It’s an amazing site to see the sometimes hundreds of Redfish near the surface just off the beach seeking those baitfish, many times breaking the water or swimming in the breakers. While fishing for them can be both exciting and productive, special cautions need to be taken.

Special Cautions

1. Someone always stays at the helm in the event the boat is being pushed too close to the breakers.
2. Keep a safe distance from the breakers. Casting from a distance is less likely to spook the Redfish and the baitfish.
3. Never turn your engine off; you may need to make a sudden maneuver from the schools, breakers, or shallow water.
4. Constantly monitor your depth finder, looking for shoals and other changes in the water depth.
5. Never cast from the bow or platform. Stay inside the boat.

Finding these breaker Redfish is actually pretty easy. When the water temperature gets around the 68-70 degree range, just ease out the inlet and start following a stretch of coastline with a somewhat consistent depth. Start looking for breaking baitfish or Redfish near the breakers. Ease up to them and start casting. I prefer lures like a jig head rigged with a swimming mullet or curly tail artificial bait. Sometimes I may even use shrimp. Start sight casting, and make sure to keep your distance not to spook the Redfish or the bait they’re chasing. In this environment, the fish are hungry and ready to bite, so you need to be ready to set the hook. It’s a blast.