REDFISH SECRETS
The Ultimate Guide To Catching More Inshore Redfish
Table of Contents
Introduction
2
Chapter 1 - Redfish Lifecycle & Migration
12
Chapter 2 – Where To Find Redfish
15
Chapter 3 – The Best Water Temperature For Redfish
31
Chapter 4 – The Best Tide For Catching Redfish
41
Chapter 5 – The Best Moon Phase For Catching Redfish
54
Chapter 6 – The Best Time To Catch Redfish
58
Chapter 7 – Advanced Redfish Finding Tactics
59
Chapter 8 – How To Assess An Area For Redfish
68
Chapter 9 – The Only Two Lures You Need
73
Chapter 10 – The Best Live Bait For Redfish
85
Chapter 11: The Best Rod, Reel, Lines, Knots For Redfish
88
Chapter 12 - Other Essential Equipment
96
Chapter 13 – Targeting Redfish Via Boat
98
Chapter 14 – Targeting Redfish Via Kayak or Paddleboard
101
Chapter 15 – Targeting Redfish From Shore
104
BONUS #1 – Summer Season Game Plan Cheat Sheet
106
BONUS #2 - Fall Season Game Plan Cheat Sheet
108
BONUS #3 - Winter Season Game Plan Cheat Sheet
110
BONUS #4 – Spring Season Game Plan Cheat Sheet
112
BONUS #5 – Lure Selection Cheat Sheet
114
BONUS #6 - Overall Redfish Catching Summary
116
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1
Introduction
The Day My Redfish Game Changed Forever…
By: Joe Simonds
March 1, 2015
I was a nervous wreck...
It was getting close to midnight and I was upstairs in the two-story island house that
would be our home for the next thirty-one days. Tonight was our first night on the island.
It should have been pure excitement, but instead, I was anxious and worried. All I could
think about was how badly I was going to embarrass myself over the next couple of
days.
One of my fishing rods was propped up against the bed. I watched the rod begin to float
in the air while I held it up with nothing but my teeth biting down on the braided line. My
hands frantically tried to wrap 25lb fluorocarbon around the mainline, but it was no use. I
had messed it up again. To make matters worse, the scariest fishing day of my entire
life was merely hours away.
I had been up the last hour practicing some new knot called the FG knot. It was
definitely different from the double uni knot that I had been using for years. In fact, it felt
completely foreign. However, my brother Luke had just proven that this Chinese finger
trap looking knot called “The FG” was the strongest line to leader knot out there.
I took a quick break from the knot-tying lessons.
“Hey Luke, what do you think about this?” I asked while holding up a futuristic looking,
neon-bright pink and purple artificial shrimp. It looked like a mix between an alien and a
teenage girl going to her first Madonna concert in the mid-’90s.
Luke rolled his eyes. “I guess any lure can get lucky and trigger one out of a million fish
to strike it, but you probably wasted your money. There is a much more effective shrimp
lure at a much lower cost,” Luke replied. He was probably wondering how in the world I
had forgotten so much about inshore fishing.
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Over ten years had passed since I had been a die-hard inshore angler. Years prior, all I
did was dream about, talk about, spend money on, and go fishing. Fishing was my drug.
It was what held our family together. It was what I lived for, and we were pretty decent
anglers for everyday weekend warriors.
However, all of my fishing time disappeared quicker than a finger mullet getting slurped
up by an over-slot redfish. What had happened?
Life happened. A job happened. My wife happened. Kids happened...
After growing up my entire life on or near the water in Florida, I moved up to Atlanta for
college. In case you’re wondering, this isn’t exactly the saltwater capital of America. I
then ended up landing a job that required ​ALL​ of my spare time, met an amazing girl
from Savannah, married the girl, moved to Texas, had a beautiful daughter, traveled like
crazy for work, and you can probably already guess the rest of the story. Fishing took a
backseat to my crazy life.
Meanwhile, in Florida, my prized collection of fishing rods, reels, hooks, lines, boxes of
tackle, and kayaks collected dust and rusted over. I was busy raising a family, trying to
keep up with bills, and hoping and praying that I would be able to get down to Florida
again soon.
So here’s the scoop on this 30-day island trip that we found ourselves on:
Luke and I had just walked away from our six-figure jobs in the financial services
industry to start our dream fishing company called ​Salt Strong​. It was a nerve-wracking
time in our lives; especially considering my wife had to quit her job, we uprooted our two
young girls from their lives in Georgia, said goodbye to all of our friends, and sold
everything we owned to move back to Tampa to begin a new chapter.
The craziest part is, none of that was as scary as what was about to happen on this
March fishing trip I began telling you about.
You see, I hadn’t fished in almost six months! Now, all of a sudden, I found myself on a
remote island, following these rules for the next 30 days:
Rule #1 ​- We couldn’t leave the island. There are no cars, stores, shops,
restaurants, or anything except a bunch of homes on stilts on the entire island.
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Rule #2​ - We had to catch enough inshore fish to feed ourselves.
Rule #3​ - We had to use artificial lures (live bait could only be used as a last
resort).
Rule #4​ - We had to try new spots every day.
Rule #5​ - We had to document the entire thing (including the good, the bad, the
ugly).
It’s important you know that at this point in my fishing game, I had a couple of issues
that made these rules seem a bit daunting:
● I was primarily a live bait guy.
● I fished the same handful of spots over and over and over again.
● I rarely caught enough slot fish to feed myself for two days, let alone a month!
Did I already mention that the entire trip was going to be filmed?!
I was deathly afraid that I was going to look like a fool in front of my friends, peers, and
whoever else might be watching. I couldn’t even imagine catching an inshore slam on
artificial lures. Yet now I found myself as one of the co-owners of a fishing company
who was going to be put on display to the entire Internet doing something I couldn’t
even see myself accomplishing. Not my idea of a fun time.
It gets worse. A lot had changed in the last decade with fishing. I felt like I was starting
over in terms of learning the best knots, what lures worked, best lure colors, best reels,
best braided line, etc.
Little did I know that I was focusing on all the wrong stuff. I would soon discover
something about inshore fishing that I will never forget thanks to my brother Luke, aka
my fishing coach.
Do you want to know what happened on the trip?
On one of our first full days of fishing with the cameras rolling and the pressure on, I
personally went from not catching a single redfish in over six months to catching one of
my first legit inshore slams on artificial lures (in a spot I had never fished before). But
wait, it gets better!
The next 9 DAYS we caught inshore slams. Yes, 10 days straight of catching inshore
slams on that island. That's a redfish, trout, snook, and/or flounder every single day for
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10 days. This was all from Luke’s teaching. My confidence was SKY-HIGH. To say I
went through a complete transformation was an understatement. I finally knew the
secret to consistently catching redfish, as well as other inshore species, quicker than
ever before. I’ve gotta tell ya, it felt amazing!
What’s really cool is that most of these inshore slams happened in three hours or less,
and nearly every single fish was caught using artificial lures. Pretty awesome, right?
On a side note, we actually did have to work every day. A big reason we were there was
to form a business plan on how to teach the world to catch more fish in less time.
Now let me ask you a personal fishing question.
Do you really believe that it’s possible to catch double, or even triple the amount
of redfish in the next 30 days if you knew a couple of special secrets about them?
Quite honestly, I’m not sure how I would have answered that question just a few years
ago.
However, I'm here to tell you that it is possible.
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Not only is it possible, but catching consistent redfish is something you can master even
in as little as 30 days. I know because I witnessed it first hand in my own fishing game
(and it all happened after just a handful of days following the scariest fishing day of my
life).
Yes, it will take you reading this book and doing a bit of practice, as there is no “magic
pill” you can swallow to catch more redfish, but just imagine how good it will feel when
you can consistently catch redfish in less time than ever before. Imagine being able to
PREDICT exactly where the redfish are throughout the year; regardless of tides,
temperature, wind, moon phases, etc. Imagine the look on your fishing buddies’ faces
when they see how many more redfish you are catching than them!
That is why this book was written; to help you ​consistently​ catch redfish and find
yourself in the feeding zone—rather than in the dead zones.
Now, I want you to picture the following scenario...
Your Trophy Elk Hunt
Imagine that you are about to go out on a trophy elk hunt—but not just any elk hunt.
You have traveled across the country to a remote place in Utah and invested a lot of
money in a special tag to hunt on this exclusive property. Plus, you only have ONE DAY
to find your trophy elk. This is the chance of a lifetime!
So here’s the big question: Over the next few days, which would be a better use of your
time?
1) Spend the next few days at Bass Pro/Cabela's looking at new camo patterns,
checking out their ammo selection, and buying a bunch of new hunting gadgets
and bottles of elk urine so you can smell like one of them…
Or
2) Study the feeding habits and biology of elk, map out a defined plan on where you
plan to hunt, and form a solid game plan that takes into consideration the
weather, wind, and ideal area to get off a clean shot.
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Of course you would study the elk’s daily habits, trends, and biology, wouldn’t you?
You’d develop a solid game plan and spend hours looking at maps, right?
Listen, if you only have one day to track down a trophy elk, you better know everything
about where elk should be found during the day. You’d want to know when they eat,
what they eat, when they sleep, when they mate, what temperatures they like the best,
and even how often they go to the bathroom. Ok, maybe that’s too much information,
but you see my point.
If we can both agree that ​STUDYING THE OPPONENT​, or the hunted, in terms of how
they act, interact, react, and respond to different situations is the most critical piece of
the puzzle, then why is it that:
● Most of the fishing magazines focus solely on new lures, gadgets for your boat,
and the need for fifteen new fishing reels?
● Most of the fishing shows on TV and YouTube focus on what rod, reel, and bait
they are using, instead of telling you ​WHERE​ they found the fish. Not to mention
WHY​ the fish were there during that specific time.
● Most of the chatter you hear in fishing forums and fishing Facebook groups are
all about lures, tackle, and other fishing gear and equipment?
Here’s the ​TRUTH​:
You’ve been misled. We’ve all been misled. However, it’s not your fault.
Fishing shows, magazines, and fishing forums are 100% dependent on tackle
companies and other related sponsors or advertisers to stay in business. It’s no secret.
It’s just how fishing magazines, shows, forums, and pretty much the entire fishing
industry make a living. Once again, no fault to them. However, it is the #1 reason that
most anglers spend more time “fishing” than they do “catching.”
Think about this. If you are more knowledgeable on your equipment than you are with
understanding exactly where a redfish will be at any given time and day, then you will
never be truly consistent at catching redfish. It’s as simple as that.
In hunting, the rifle you use, your camo, and your ammo are certainly important.
However, they are practically useless if you don’t fully understand ​how to find​ the
species you are targeting. The same goes for catching redfish.
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Your lure, your bait, your line, your reel, your rod, and your knot strength are all
important. However, if you own a $90,000 flats boat with the best live bait known to man
but are unable to find feeding redfish, then you are just an angler who’s got lots of bait
and a nice boat. Personally, I’d rather be the angler who’s good at getting tight lines all
day. I presume that if you’re reading this book, then you are a lot like me. You want to
maximize your valuable time and all of the money you’ve invested in fishing.
Inshore fishing legend Frank Sargeant said, ​“Catching inshore fish is 10 percent
knowing HOW to fish, 90 percent knowing WHERE to fish.”
A truer statement has never been spoken. If you are having trouble catching redfish, it is
NOT a problem with your reel, rod, lure, bait, kayak, or boat.
Did you see the video of the girl who caught a slot redfish with a McDonald’s Chicken
Nugget? How about the dude that caught a redfish with a lego? What about the guy that
caught a nice slot redfish with surgical pliers attached to a hook? The reason they made
it look so easy is that they were in a ​FEEDING ZONE​! Once you find the feeding
redfish, 90% of the job is done.
Of course, you must still know a few tips on how to approach them without spooking
them, how to best retrieve certain lures, and what lures and live bait will give you the
best chance of hooking up—but that all comes second to ​FINDING the redfish.​ In
particular, finding the feeding redfish.
So let’s all agree that we MUST focus on finding and understanding redfish before we
even talk about lures, rigs, live bait, reels, etc.
Catching Redfish: What’s Really Important
Before you get to see the ​REDFISH SECRETS ​that my brother Luke is going to uncover
and deconstruct for you throughout this book, I want to make sure we are both on the
same page about why these secrets will be so important to you.
Let’s explore the game of baseball real quick. Can you tell me what normally gets the
most attention on the highlight reel when it comes to baseball?
It’s the home runs, isn’t it?
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Heck, they even have an event before the All-Star game called the Home Run Derby.
This probably attracts more viewers than the actual All-Star game itself! We like home
runs. They are exciting to watch. They make us feel good. They make the crowd cheer
just like seeing a beast of a redfish hit a topwater plug or fly on Instagram or Facebook.
However, home runs are usually​ ​not​ ​what wins games.
More often than not, base hits win games. Ask any MLB owner or manager if they would
rather have a guy capable of hitting a home run 5% of the time while striking out the
other 95% of the time at the plate, or a batter that will consistently achieve base hits?
Every single manager will tell you that they want the consistent batter who can get on
base. They are the real heroes that win games.
Do you know the only thing worse for an MLB manager than a guy who can only hit
home runs? A guy who can only hit home runs from a perfectly pitched fastball. This
describes me in high school—once the other teams found out I couldn’t hit a slider to
save my life, curveballs were all I saw for the rest of the season.
So what does this have to do with fishing?
Think about what gets the most attention, likes, comments, and emojis on Facebook
and Instagram when it comes to redfish. It’s the BIG BULL reds, isn’t it?
Because of all the attention monster redfish get, many weekend warrior anglers set off
to focus solely on catching record redfish. Sadly, more often than not, they end up
getting skunked and wasting a ton of time and bait. They are kind of like the amateur
baseball player that focuses solely on hitting a home run, but ends up striking out and
popping up all day long. That batter is the exact same person as an inshore angler that
can only catch good redfish with the perfect bait, on the perfect tide, on a perfect day.
To be honest, that’s not how life, or nature, works. Curveballs are constantly being
thrown at you in the real world. Examples of fishing curveballs can include not being
able to find bait, bad tides, no tides, red tides, wind, cold air, etc. If you can only locate
and catch fish in perfect conditions, then you are missing out on some of the best fish
catching times of the year. We know this from experience because we used to give up
in the winter thinking that the redfish had lockjaw. Boy were we wrong!
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That is where my brother Luke wants to help you out within this book. In particular, he
wants to help you become a ​CONSISTENT​ redfish angler. All year long and in any
condition.
Here is what I’ve found after talking to, hearing from, and emailing countless inshore
anglers about redfish. I discovered that ​most anglers just want to be​ ​consistent​. Yes,
they want to catch some lunker over-slot redfish as well, but deep down don’t we all just
want to have tight lines and maximize our time out on the water?
Let’s face it, most of us are blessed with things in life such as a job, a spouse, kids, and
other extracurricular activities that make our time on the water-limited and precious.
This means that it’s critical we maximize our time. Not to mention, spending the majority
of the day getting skunked isn’t fun.
Here’s the best news. Once a solid baseball player learns how to hit the ball
consistently for base hits, home runs will start coming naturally. This is the same for the
redfish master. Learn how to find and catch redfish consistently and the “big reds” will
naturally find their way to the end of your line. You’ve got to begin with consistency as
the goal, and that is the basis for this book.
One last thing before Lukes finally reveals the big redfish secrets.
I want to make sure we are on the same page before we move on. Here’s a litmus test
to make sure you will get the most out of this book. If you agree with most or all of these
statements below, then I encourage you to read on. If not, this book will not be a good fit
for you.
●
●
●
●
●
●
You hate getting skunked
You hate being held hostage to live bait every trip
You hate not knowing where the feeding fish are
You hate not being able to consistently catch redfish when you’re targeting them
You value your time on the water, and you want to maximize it
You want MORE amazing fish pics to show off when your friends share theirs.
Let’s face it, we are competitive and like to WIN.
Do we all agree? Perfect.
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Finally, this book is not a fluffy “think like a fish” scheme. That gives the redfish way too
much credit. In reality, redfish aren’t putting a whole lot of actual “thinking” into what
they do. They are just ​reacting​ to what they feel, see, and smell.
This book will teach you how to accurately ​predict ​where redfish will be based on their
biologically-ingrained tendencies so that you can consistently put yourself in the right
spot at the right time.
Once you can find the feeding zones for redfish, catching them is the easy part.
Best of all, you’ll be rewarded with a lifetime of catching even when exploring new
waterways in regions you’ve never even been to.
Now, here’s my brother Luke.
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Chapter 1 - Redfish Lifecycle & Migration
By Luke Simonds
Twenty-three thousand dollars is a lot of money for a flats boat back in the mid-’90s.
Heck, that’s a lot of money for a flats boat today, but that’s how badly we wanted to
catch more redfish back then. I still remember the day our dad came home with our very
first flats boat. It was a 21-foot custom flats boat made by Release.
Looking back, it seems crazy how much money we spend on our boats, kayaks, rods,
reels, tackle, yet will rarely invest money in ​fishing education.​ I don’t know if it’s our
inherent stubbornness to want to figure it out on our own the hard way, but it still baffles
me how much money we spent on fishing without really studying the fish itself. Knowing
what I know now, I wish my dad had just bought us a bunch of fishing books or online
fishing courses instead. These would have saved us a ton of time and money back
then...
Sadly, the excitement of having the new boat quickly faded once we realized that we
weren’t seeing any noticeable improvement in our redfish catching. Not one bit! We
were now forced to accept the TRUTH that our lack of fish catching was on us. It wasn’t
our tackle, equipment, or boat… WE were the problem… this was a painful reality to
face. However, it was very much needed because it’s what forced us to stop looking for
the next new reel or piece of equipment to buy in order to solve our redfish problems.
Want to know what we did instead? We started putting our focus on learning the
behaviors of redfish​ so that we could start finding them. As my brother Joe stated in
the prior chapter, ​the ability to FIND redfish is what’s MOST IMPORTANT​.
If you’re ​NOT​ able to find redfish, then you will ​NOT​ be able to catch any redfish,
regardless of the quality of your bait, your boat/kayak, casting ability, rod/reel combo,
etc. ​And it’s NOT about SPOTS… it’s about the TYPE of SPOTS based on weather
and trends​ (this alone will change your fishing game forever if you truly grasp it).
Throughout this book, we’re going to get really deep into redfish biology and the science
behind predicting their every move. Before we get going, let me share an important rule
that I don’t want you to forget. In fact, it’s one of the main foundations of this book. I call
it the 90/10 rule.
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The 90/10 Rule
The rule is simple: ​90% of the redfish are holding in no more than 10% of the water
at any given time.
This might sound crazy, but we’ve found this rule to be true time and time again. It’s true
from Texas to Florida to South Carolina to Virginia regardless of how big or small the
area is. Once you can find the 10% feeding zone, your entire fishing game will change.
Knowing this 90/10 rule to hold true, our core goal as fishermen should be to maximize
the amount of time we spend in that 10% zone (where 90% of the feeding fish are
hanging out). This means not only finding the 10% feeding zone, but it’s equally
important to be able to quickly eliminate the 90% dead zones both on and off the water.
Think about it… the more dead zones you can eliminate, the better your chances of
finding the 10% feeding zone.
Imagine if someone gave you a massive 6-foot bail of hay and asked you to find a small
needle hidden somewhere inside the 6-foot bail. Pretty intimidating, right? Now imagine
if they removed 90% of the hay and then told you the needle can be found in the
remaining 10%. Now it’s much more manageable, right? The same thing applies for
dissecting a new fishing area. Eliminating the 90% “dead zone” makes finding the
feeding fish so much easier.
Once you can do this consistently, you’ll be able to catch more redfish than ever before!
Redfish can inhabit a huge expanse of waterways across many different regions, but
the best news is that they all have the same biological makeup and tendencies. As we
say here at Salt Strong, a redfish is a redfish is a redfish… regardless if it’s swimming in
Texas, Florida, or the Carolinas.
When you’re able to truly understand the actual reasons why they react to these core
factors that control their behavior and feeding tendencies, you’ll have the power to
achieve redfish catching success in any body of water that redfish inhabit.
Before we dig into the real fun stuff, such as the science and biology details for
predicting where the top redfish feeding zones will be, it’s important that we first start
with the high-level overview of their lifecycle and migratory tendencies.​ ​This will set the
foundational knowledge for the future chapters to build upon.
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Redfish Lifecycle
Redfish inhabit different places depending on their age. ​This means the small rat reds
hang out in different areas than the big breeder bull reds based on their life cycle​.
That’s why understanding their life cycle is a key factor in determining where the
different size classes of redfish will most often be found.
Although redfish can live for over 40 years and get close to 100 lbs, they start out as
tiny eggs. These small larval fish float with the tides offshore after the peak redfish
spawning activity every fall.
The little juvenile reds that survive their journey to the inland waterways will eventually
inhabit the rocky shorelines, grass flats, oyster bars, mangroves, and any other form of
structure that can provide them cover from a wide variety of predators. By the end of the
first year, they’ll generally be about 12 inches long and will typically be feeding on small
shrimp and crabs in the inland bays and brackish rivers/creeks.
As they continue to grow, their diet will begin to include small baitfish, larger shrimp, and
crabs. This next growth spurt is also when they start moving closer toward the passes
and inlets to water with more salinity and more food.
It generally takes three years for a redfish to reach 30 inches in length. During that time,
they’ll spend most of their life in inland waterways and estuaries without traveling long
distances. However, they will gradually shift closer to the passes and inlets during the
warmer months and then further inland during the winter.
Once they are roughly 30 inches long, they’ll start joining the big schools of breeder
redfish and spend most of their adult lives offshore with occasional visits inland around
the spawn. The spawn generally occurs in the fall. Note that there are some unique
areas where large quantities of breeder redfish remain inshore all year which means
there are certainly going to be some opportunities to catch really big redfish inshore
throughout the seasons. A great example of this is Mosquito Lagoon in Florida.
Since this book is all about getting ​consistent results​ in the inshore waterways, it’ll put
a lot of emphasis on the redfish in the 18 to 30-inch range because those are the fish
that can be caught all year long.
Don’t worry though, we’ll cover the needed information for you to catch the big breeders
(aka “Bull Redfish”) later in the book. Ready to get started?
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Chapter 2 – Where To Find Redfish
Dennis Aust was our Savior, or at least he was for a day.
After getting our redfish dreams continuously squashed in our expensive new flats boat,
we finally caught a much-needed confidence boost. His name was Dennis Aust.
Dennis was an ex-pro MLB pitcher who married one of my mom’s best friends. This
dude knew how to catch fish just as well as he could throw a curveball. A quick fun fact,
Dennis held a pitching record for the University of Florida for decades. Since Dennis
had heard we’d been struggling to catch consistent redfish, he took us out to show us
how it’s done. He showed us a few of his spots where we caught a half dozen redfish.
This was way more redfish than we had ever caught in a day at that time! We also
caught some good speckled trout and snook, which made for a thrilling day for us.
The best news was that these spots were all in the Gasparilla Sound, an area we
traveled to frequently. Even better, Dennis gave us full permission to fish the spots as
much as we wanted. Holy smokes were we pumped! Our problems had been solved
because we now had a couple of spots!!!
That excitement quickly faded though as we continued going back to those same spots
over and over and over again. Yes, we did catch some more redfish there, which was
great, but we never caught as many as we did that first trip. More often than not, we’d
catch nothing at all. We were so confused!
My initial thought was that the redfish were merely outsmarting us, so I did what most
anglers do in tough times. I went and bought all of the latest and greatest lures in hopes
to find one that could fool these “super smart” fish. This pattern of going to the same old
spots, getting frustrated, and then blaming it on the bait, lure, or equipment went on for
multiple years. Sadly, our fish catching did not see much improvement.
That’s when I finally asked the question that I wish someone had told me years ago…
What ‘s the ONE THING I can do, that if done properly, will make everything else
so much easier to catch redfish?
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The answer was clearer than I had realized. The ​ONE THING​ that made consistently
catching more redfish easy was to get better at ​finding redfish​.
That’s what we’ll cover in this chapter. Before we dive into the details, it’s essential to
keep this cardinal rule in mind when pursuing redfish:
Deep down, redfish only have TWO CORE NEEDS on their mind:
1. Where can I catch my next meal?
2. How can I avoid becoming the next meal to something else?
It’s these two primal instincts that will play a huge role in where redfish will spend most
of their time, as well as where they will ​not​ be found. It all goes back to the 90/10 rule.
Best of all, there’s one key element that redfish use to solve both of these needs.
STRUCTURE
Structure can be used for finding a steady supply of food since small baitfish, crabs, and
shrimp most often hold close to structure for protection from predators. Structure also
serves as protection from predators like dolphins, sharks, birds, humans, etc. that are
targeting them.
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Therefore, it’s extremely important to ​MAXIMIZE​ the structure in a given area when
targeting redfish. Here’s a quick list of different types of structure that I find redfish really
like:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Oyster bars
Seagrass
Potholes on grass flats
Docks
Points
Coves
Rocks
Mangroves/Trees/Plants
Depth Changes
Shadow lines
You might be wondering, what makes one spot or one piece of structure better than
another? Well, there are tons of factors that come into play, but the ​#1 factor is the
ABUNDANCE of structure in a given area.
Let me explain. Redfish are ambush predators. The squared-off shape of their tails are
specifically designed to make quick bursts of speed to quickly grab their unsuspecting
prey. Just like most other ambush predators, the general rule is that ​more​ forms of
structure present in a potential redfish habitat means that it’s ​more​ likely there will be
redfish there.
For example, a single dock in a line of docks could certainly hold some fish, but the
odds will be much higher if there is an oyster bar right next to the dock. Now we have
two types of structure in one spot. Then again, the odds will be even better if there were
mangroves along the shoreline because that’s three types of structure in one spot. Even
better yet, is if it’s all surrounded by a nice healthy grass flat that has many potholes in
it. In summary, a spot continues to get better and better as more types of structure
come into the mix.
So, the general rule of thumb is that you’ll maximize your fish catching success
when you focus your time in areas that have lots of structure that redfish use to
find food and to seek protection.
I personally shoot for a ​minimum of THREE pieces of structure in the area.
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Knowing just this very basic fact about “maximizing structure to maximize your results”,
you’ll have a huge advantage over others who blindly cast baits or lures out into the
water without thinking about exactly why a redfish would or would not be there to feed.
Of course, the other piece of the puzzle is trends. This includes why redfish will be
hanging out in different types of structure during different tides, moon phases, weather
patterns, etc. We will cover this later in the book so let’s hammer home structure first.
How To Find Areas With Structure
The traditional way to find structure for redfish has been to spend time on the water
exploring around. This allows you to see firsthand what types of underwater structure
and above the surface structure are in any given location. Underwater structure can
include oyster bars, aquatic grass, and rocks, while surface structure would include
items such as docks and mangroves/trees.
To find structure via boat, some people use a trolling motor and put it at full speed to
quickly cover ground while being quiet enough to not spook fish. To do this via kayak or
paddleboard, some simply paddle around the areas they plan to fish keeping their eyes
peeled for that target species and/or great structure that’ll most likely hold their target
species.
Once fish are located, they simply slow down and begin fishing, or continue scanning
the area to note the top spots for coming back to after 30+ minutes (when the fish calm
down again due to getting spooked).
The problem with this traditional method is that it requires a lot of time. And time is the
one thing that we all seem to never have enough of, right?
Before I joined the real world with a full-time job, this traditional method of finding fish
worked fairly well for me because I was able to dedicate a lot of time out on the water.
As the responsibilities added up once I got out of college, the “put in your time on the
water” mentality was causing me to feel that I’d never get much better because I simply
didn’t have enough time to search for new areas.
One way to find spots is from buying the multitude of “spot” maps that reveal zones
marked for holding fish. I have tried many of these over the years and they did help me
boost my confidence. This was false confidence though because I still found that my
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results were poor. The good fishing zones were often very large and still required a lot
of time to weed out the good spots from the bad spots.
I began thinking how nice birds have it given that they can quickly fly over the water and
see exactly what is down there—making it almost impossible to end up in an area with
no fish. That’s when I stumbled upon some clear satellite imagery maps. One day when
using MapQuest.com for driving directions back in the 90s, I quickly realized how
powerful these images can be for finding good fishing spots.
Although these maps are static pictures, they are ​extremely​ useful for showing the
structure that’s both above and below the water’s surface.
Since we know that maximizing structure will maximize our results, these online maps
can be a ​huge​ time saver since they allow us to see exactly where the structure is. Just
as importantly, these online maps show where there isn’t any structure so that we can
make sure not to waste our time in those areas knowing that the odds of success are
lower there. Again, it goes back to the 90/10 rule and eliminating dead zones.
After a couple of years of using MapQuest.com to identify prime spots within the zones
marked on the maps I was buying, I started realizing that my results got better and
better. I chose to focus more time on the free online satellite imagery and less time on
the expensive “fishing spot” maps.
For the past 15+ years, I no longer bother with the purchased maps because I’m now
able to find more spots in less time by simply using the free online satellite imagery
maps. Once you get the hang of using these free online maps to find new fishing spots,
it’s shocking how effective they can be.
For example, one of my passions is fishing areas that I’ve never been to before using
some quick online map research while also factoring in the tides, weather, and feeding
zone trends. I have had countless days where I have caught quality fish within the first 5
minutes simply by going to a particular spot that caught my eye on an online map the
day before the trip. In fact, it is now very rare that at least one of the spots that I
selected for the day based on the tide & weather forecasts don’t produce some fun fish
catching.
Let me describe a location in Charlotte Harbor (Central Gulf Coast of FL) that I selected
as my first spot to fish while exploring a new area shortly after moving to Bokeelia.
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The latest feeding trend that I had been seeing elsewhere was that most fish were
holding on wind-blown shorelines that had exposure to some current flow. My goal the
night before the trip was to identify some spots that had good structure with exposure to
the wind and current based on their respective forecasts. While scanning the map, I
noticed a small island that had these different forms of structure all within close
quarters:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Seagrass flat
Mangrove trees
Points
Depth changes
Knowing that we’ll statistically maximize our results if we maximize the amount of
structure that we fish, I was very confident that this spot would produce.
It was very close to where I was launching from, so I put it at the top of my list to check
out that morning. Since I knew the wind and tide forecasts, I had already planned my
fishing route at this spot. The wind was strong from the east, so I turned off the Yamaha
about 200 yards east of the island, and then used the wind and my MotorGuide trolling
motor to quietly take me to the island.
I could tell on the online map that this area had mostly shallow water, 1 to 2 ft, but it had
some areas with deeper holes and a small cut through the island that appeared to have
a 3 to 5 ft channel through it due to the constricted current flow.
I tied on a 3/16​th​ oz jig head rigged with a 3” Slam Shady paddle tail to cover the deeper
zones, and I used a 1/4​th​ oz weedless spoon to cover the shallows. Both of these are
lures I have a lot of trust in. In the end, I had a very productive morning of fishing even
though I had never fished the areas I selected from the map. That was even after my 90
lb yellow lab named Otis was creating all sorts of commotion while I was reeling in the
fish! Best of all, there wasn’t any wasted time of having to spend hours on the boat to
“learn the water,” nor did I have to waste any time or money catching/buying live bait.
The route I planned and executed is shown below in red. My first cast was on the
wind-blown point that I had identified, and I caught my first red on the 3​rd​ cast.
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Then I caught another redfish about 50 yards farther, followed up with a snook that was
sitting in the small cut that caught my attention on the map. My 3​rd​ redfish was caught
after simply continuing along the wind-blown side of the island that I was exploring.
The reason I share that story is that it’s an example of something I thought was
impossible for 10+ years when I was putting a ton of energy into inshore fishing with
minimal results.
I was getting up super early so that I had time to catch bait. Then I’d stay out for most of
the day to increase my odds of having success. Sadly, many of these days ended in
total embarrassment and that’s even when I was fishing areas where I’ve spent
hundreds of hours on the water. However, once I finally learned how to predict where
redfish will be feeding based on the seasons, tides, and weather conditions, the results
totally changed.
This led me to the point where I can now go out to areas I’ve never even been to before
armed with just 2 rods and a small tackle bag of select lures that I trust and I’m totally
confident that I’ll catch some redfish. That’s even if I have my very loud and energetic
dog, Otis, with me out on the skiff.
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All I do is simply use the online map reading tactics explained in this book while
factoring in the tide and weather forecasts to identify the spots that had the highest
chances of success (which is what we teach in our ​Insider Fishing Club year-round​).
Here’s a picture of the 3​rd​ redfish I caught during the trip described above:
Notice that the mangrove point in the top left where I started fishing is still within 500
yards of my first cast.
Best of all, the ability to do this is something we all are capable of doing.
The key to success is to put your focus on knowing how fish react to the changing tides
and weather patterns across the seasons.
Once you know how fish react to the conditions, you’ll be able to consistently put
yourself in the right spot at the right time, even if you’re fishing in unknown waters.
We’ll cover it all in this book, so let’s get started.
How To Use Online Maps - Basics
The most effective use of online satellite imagery maps is both a science and an art.
In case you are brand new to using online satellite imagery maps, here are some tips to
help you get started.
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First, I’d recommend starting with google.com maps because they are often the most
user-friendly.
Simply go to ​google.com/maps​, and search for the city that you plan to fish.
Once it loads, you should see a “Satellite” option show up. This will turn the street view
into a satellite view.
From there, you now have a birds-eye view of that area with the ability to easily zoom
and pan in different directions to look for areas with good structure both above and
below the water.
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Using Online Satellite Maps – Intermediate
Once the basics are complete, it’s time to start identifying specific types of structure and
water depth changes.
Again, let’s address different types of structure that were highlighted in Chapter 1:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Oyster bars
Seagrass
Potholes on grass flats
Docks
Points
Coves
Rocks
Mangroves/Trees/Plants
Depth Changes
This next image shows a great spot that has a lot of different forms of structure in a
single area. Spots like this will almost always have redfish and other inshore predators
like speckled seatrout, flounder, and snook for the regions where those species live.
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The identification of the various types of underwater structure, including water depth
changes, is something that you’ll develop over time as you continue to use the satellite
imagery to pick areas to fish. Then compare what you saw on the water back to the
imagery.
Here’s an image of a grass flat with many different depth zones that can be seen from
the satellite map:
To see images in full color and claim your other free bonus videos that accompany this
book, please go here now: ​www.saltstrong.com/redfish-secrets-bonus
Notice how the coloration of the grass changes as the depth changes? The darker
grass is a sign of shallow water while the lighter-green color means that it’s deeper.
What’s The Best Online Map For Finding Fishing Spots?
This is a question I get all the time from fishermen who I coach in our “Insider” club.
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There are many great mapping platforms that are completely free to use on the internet
and they all get updated images every once in a while so there is never a concrete
answer to that question.
Also, there are many instances when these images were taken at a time in which cloud
cover got in the way, or it was simply taken at an inopportune time for allowing
sub-surface visibility. It could be murkier than normal water, bad glare, etc.
So, the answer I give to that question is “all of them” because it’s important to be
comfortable using as many map platforms as you have time to explore. There will be
times when only one will have a really good image of the spot you’re trying to analyze,
but you don’t know which one it is until you’ve checked it.
The most popular mapping platforms are Google Maps, Google Earth, MapQuest, Bing
Maps, and even county provided GIS maps.
Here are some examples of how different the same spot can look across the various
mapping platforms.
Google Map image of Cabbage Key, FL
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​Mapquest image of Cabbage Key, FL
Bing Map image of Cabbage Key, FL
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For this location, Mapquest provides the clearest view of the bottom structure and
contours.
The sandbar on the right of the image is a brighter white, so the image was likely taken
while the water was low. This allows for a much better look at the deeper grass
formations just above the popular restaurant’s big dock.
Also, both Google and Mapquest show that the mangrove point (just left of the big
dock), contains nice-looking grass with potholes near a mangrove shoreline. This
makes for a great combination.​ I​ ’ve personally never fished that point before, but I’ll
definitely give it a shot next time I go there for lunch!
For this Cabbage Key location, Bing had an unfortunate glare so the top half of its
image is not nearly as useful as the other two. However, it does give the clearest view
of the trough along the southeastern edge of the island towards the bottom right.
Here’s another example using Sebastian Inlet as the point of interest.
Google Maps image of Sebastian Inlet
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Mapquest image of Sebastian Inlet
Bing image of Sebastian Inlet
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Note: to see images in full color, and to claim your other free bonus videos that
accompany this book, please go here now: ​www.saltstrong.com/redfish-secrets-bonus
For analyzing Sebastian Inlet and its surrounding flats, my vote goes to Bing during the
time these images were pulled because the one from Bing provides the clearest
definition of the bottom contours.
Google has very clear water in the inlet itself, allowing for the best view of the inlet’s
bottom contours. However, the left half shows an image that apparently was taken at a
different time when the water was unfortunately very murky. It is not as useful as the
other two for the west side of the inlet.
The ability to be consistently good at correctly identifying particular objects seen on the
maps is just as much an art as it is a science in many cases. Unfortunately, it’s difficult
to teach someone how to most effectively use online maps to find redfish via print.
There are a lot of nuances to the maps plus the technology is rapidly changing so the
interfaces will continually be changing. In fact, it’s probably already been changed by
the time you read this book. There will likely be newer and better mapping services that
come in and make the mapping services available today look archaic.
Given the importance of being able to consistently find the best feeding zones along
with the fact that technology and equipment is ever-changing, we started an online
fishing club that is focused on showing real-time feeding zone trends.
One of the free bonus perks is an interactive online course on advanced satellite map
reading and it is constantly updated as the technology changes.
To learn more about our Online Fishing Club, go to ​https://www.saltstrong.com/pricing
Note: This fishing club is the absolute quickest way to go to get inshore fishing mastery
status, and it actually guarantees you’ll be catching more fish per hour than you ever
have before joining.
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Chapter 3 – The Best Water Temperature For Redfish
One of the most common questions relating to redfish that I receive from our Salt Strong
website and YouTube channel is, “What’s the best water temperature to target redfish?”
Just like most things in life, there simply isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer because there
are so many other important variables at play, such as tides, weather, current, etc.
What I’ve found to be true is that water temperature really does matter, so it must be
considered when determining where redfish will be holding at any given time...
However, where I see most anglers running into problems with the water temperature
variable is that their focus is misguided. Specifically, they are too focused on the
absolute​ value of the water temperature (70, 75, 80, etc. degrees), instead of the
relative​ trend of the water temperature compared to nearby spots in a given area, or
even the prior couple of days. Between the absolute and relative, I’ve found that paying
attention to ​the​ ​relative temperature is MUCH more effective than the absolute.
An example of how this applies to us, I moved up to upstate New York for a 6-month
work assignment when I was in the corporate world. As a Florida native who loves warm
weather, I wasn’t very excited about this because my move date was in September and
I had to stay there until February. I knew I was in store for some REALLY cold weather!
When I got there it was around 50 degrees and I was wearing a long sleeve shirt, jeans,
and a jacket because it was uncomfortably cold for me since I had been accustomed to
warm September weather down in Florida.
As the winter fronts started coming in over the preceding months and the crazy amount
of lake effect snow pushed through the region, my body started becoming normalized to
the colder conditions. Pretty soon, the days when the temperature got back up into the
40s seemed warm enough to the point that I didn’t even need a jacket at all. Compared
to the 20-degree weather that I was faced with during the winter fronts, the uptick to
40-degrees felt great. My level of comfort wasn’t due to the absolute temperatures at
those two points. Instead, it was dependent on the relative temperature compared to
what I had just felt previously.
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Although the human body is much better at adapting to different weather conditions
than a cold-blooded fish, the trending temperature fluctuations still play a much larger
role in the comfort level of redfish compared to the absolute value at any given time.
For redfish, the only way they can control their body temperature is to swim around in
search of more comfortable water. When a redfish comes across a spot with 60-degree
water in the winter, it will feel much better if it just came from a 55-degree zone
(compared to a redfish that swam into that same 60-degree spot from a 65-degree
zone). Long story short, the trending temperatures should not be overlooked.
In fact, I personally believe that the “relative” temperatures are what will most often lead
you to finding the ideal feeding zones much more consistently than any absolute
temperature.
For me, the biggest breakthrough came when the water temp gauge on my depth finder
stopped working. I still don’t look at the actual water temperature to this day.
Since I could no longer look for a specific temperature, I began focusing my attention on
relative temperatures. Once I dialed in the general basics on what type of
features/areas retain more and less heat and shockingly, my results skyrocketed!
Over time, I realized that I was getting much better at honing in on areas with the most
feeding fish, aka happy fish, throughout weather fluctuations. I did this by focusing on
general features based on the relative temperature at any given point in time; especially
in the winter. The trends became more and more clear as the seasons continued to
pass.
One day, in particular, I was fishing with my dad during the winter. We were fishing in a
small bay after a cold snap had pushed (this was the type of day that we’d never even
bothered fishing in the past because we falsely thought that when cold fronts pushed
through causing significant temperature drops, the redfish had lockjaw). We were on
vacation at Little Gasparilla Island and decided that we might as well try to fish since the
boat was in the water and we didn’t want to just sit in the rental house all day. It was
around 11 am, and the wind was strong from the north with clear skies (as we normally
get after a cold front pushes through). We decided to fish a cove that was back in the
mangroves simply to find some protection from the very strong winds that were ripping
from the NE. This was a spot that we had fished a few times with minimal success
under good weather conditions, so we were going to be thrilled if we had any bites at all.
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We came into the cove from the south and as quietly as we could with the trolling motor,
but it was still louder than we’d like because the trolling motor was maxed out trying to
push the boat northward into the wind. As we started fishing on the western side of the
cove, we gradually felt the benefit of the mangrove trees blocking the wind. Even though
it was starting to feel nicer, this didn’t produce a single bite (nor did we even see a
single fish in the water).
However, the moment we got to the wind-protected zone at the northern tip of the cove,
we started seeing some signs of life. There were some mullet jumping and even some
signs of glass minnows in the slick calm surface where the water was totally protected
from the wind. My first cast into that wind-protected zone with my soft plastic jerkbait
resulted in a nice slot redfish. Then my dad followed up with a cast and pulled out
another nice redfish. We also caught a snook and a mangrove snapper, plus we had
several other bites before deciding to continue along the shoreline in hopes that the
whole area was loaded with fish. But the minute that we passed by that small zone with
total wind-protection & sun exposure, the bites ceased completely. We hardly saw any
other fish in that entire area.
Here’s what that cove looks like from above (image from Google Maps):
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As you can see, the fish were all positioned on the northern tip of the cove where the
wind was totally blocked by the trees. At the time I didn’t realize why that occurred.
I did note the wind-protection position as something to seek out in the winter, and it
proved time and again to help me more quickly find feeding redfish during the winter
months.
Best of all, it turns out that the driving forces behind these trends weren’t a fluke. The
same exact strategy worked just as well when I applied it to the Indian River Lagoon
system along the Atlantic coast in the winter months. It wasn’t until years later though
that I understood WHY the redfish were all in the wind-protected sun-exposed areas in
the winter.
These noticeable trends are actually driven by the biological makeup of redfish along
with scientifically proven aspects of how the oxygenation level of water fluctuates. For
instance, redfish in the winter are looking for areas with the warmest water relative to
everywhere else in their area. Cold wind can cool down water upwards of 5-6 degrees
depending on duration, depth, and wind force. With the combined wind protection and
sunshine, it was no wonder every redfish in the area was packed into that one little
cove. Once again, we see the 90/10 rule working.
Knowing the general trends that we’ll address in this book will benefit anglers in any
region where redfish live because they all have the same biological makeup and
tendencies.
These core factors that we’ll be focusing on in this book are equally effective if you’re
fishing in FL, TX, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, VA, MD, and all other geographic regions
where redfish live.
Don’t worry, you won’t be getting a boring lesson on biology or science in this book
because I’ll discuss it all in actionable ways that we non-scientists can easily
understand and apply to our fishing activities going forward. Let’s start with 5 core facts:
5 Core Facts To Know About The Science & Biology Of Redfish
1. Redfish rely on dissolved oxygen (DO2) in water to energize themselves
2. Hot water does not hold as much DO2 as cold water
3. An increase in water temperature increases a redfish’s metabolism, which requires
them to need more DO2
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4. As the water temperature drops, a redfish’s metabolism slows down—allowing them
to not need as much DO2
5. Redfish cannot moderate their internal body temperature, so their only option is to
move around when the water temp or DO2 levels get out of their comfort zone.
Knowing these 5 core science/biology facts, you already have a huge advantage in
predicting where redfish will be holding at any given time based on the season.
For example, when the water is on the hot end of the spectrum during the summer, we
now know that redfish are craving areas with more D02 because the DO2 levels are
lower than normal in the summer.
So in the summer, we simply need to put our core focus on finding areas that have the
most DO2 because the redfish will subconsciously travel around until they find the most
comfortable water in their area. Find that area and you’ve found the 90/10 zone!
On the other end of the spectrum in winter or fall, finding areas with maximized DO2 is
no longer as important because the colder water general has sufficient DO2 levels. In
the winter, redfish are simply colder than they prefer so they will travel around looking
for warmer water.
This is what I stumbled upon that winter day fishing with my dad. The fish didn’t care
about the absolute water temperature of that warm pocket in the cove. They simply felt
that it was warmer than the surrounding areas.
These examples are of course very basic, but just knowing these general guidelines can
make a huge difference in being able to consistently find good redfish feeding zones.
Now that we know the general basics, let’s dive into the core factors that can influence
the water temperature of a given spot so that we can start knowing how to select our
spots based on scientific reasoning instead of mere hunches.
Core Factors That Can Alter Relative Water Temperatures
Here’s a quick list of factors that can make noticeable swings in water temperature
relative to surrounding areas.
1.
2.
3.
Depth Changes
Current
Bottom Color
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4.
5.
6.
Bottom Composition
Wind
Sun
Let’s cover these first 5 core drivers of relative water temperature one at a time with the
sun playing a role in most of them.
Depth Changes
As the sun shines down on the water, it’ll heat up the top layer of water. The amount of
penetration depends on water clarity and the number of particles in the water.
The sun will also heat up the bottom, assuming that the water is clear and shallow
enough for the sun’s rays to penetrate all the way to the bottom.
So in a shallow area, the skinny water will be the hottest on a sunny afternoon because
the entire column is getting scorched (top, bottom, and in-between).
As the water gets deeper and deeper, the sun’s rays will not be able to penetrate to the
bottom so that the lower portion of the deeper water will not be as affected by the sun’s
energy relative as the top layer of water.
What this means​:
When I’m fishing in the heat of the day during the summer months, I’ll often shift my
focus from the shallow flats to the edges of the flats where it’s deeper and cooler. A
bonus structure would be a line of docks or trees that provide constant shade from the
sun; making that section of water even cooler than the surrounding areas exposed to
the sun.
When fishing in the winter, I’ll focus on deeper areas in the early hours of the day
because the cool air during the night affects the top layer of water more than the deeper
zones (5ft+), which causes the redfish to seek deeper water to moderate their body
temperature. However, as the day progresses and the sun starts shining bright, the
shallows will become an incubator of heat from the sun exposure. This often results in a
great afternoon bite as the redfish push up into the shallows and get in their prime
temperature zone. It happens because the shallows are now warmer than the deeper
water that they relied on overnight and in the morning.
Current
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Current is a very important factor for two reasons:
·
·
Temperature moderator
DO2 facilitator
Current is the horizontal movement of water, so it essentially acts as a moderator of
temperature because it forces the upper and lower depths to interact with each other as
it pushes water across uneven bottom contours.
This provides needed coolness in the heat of the summer, and it can be used as a
source of warmth during the winter at strategic times/places that will be discussed later
in this book.
Given that the DO2 levels increase as more water is exposed to the surface, an area
with current can help generate higher levels of DO2 into the water.
Personal Preference
The fact that an incoming current pushes cooler water from the deep up onto the flats
during the summer is why it is so common for anglers to claim that fishing the incoming
tide for redfish will get the best results.
This claim is backed by science in the summer months because as the cooler water is
shifting up in the shallows, the fish get energized with the increased DO2 levels in the
water. This will often trigger some good feeding activity.
However, this “Incoming Tide” guideline is less helpful during the winter because the
water getting pushed up onto the flat does not address their top need at that time, which
is warmth.
In the winter, I actually prefer fishing the outgoing current in the afternoon. It pushes the
warm water that has been getting warmed by the sun in the extreme shallows towards
the deeper zones of the flats and into the nearby channels, which often generates a
great bite.
Best of all, the winter bite is often found in easily identifiable zones such as edges of
large flats or channels that are formed from water flowing in and out of a shallow bay
with dark/muddy bottom.
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Bottom Color & Bottom Composition
These two factors work together to make a very big impact on the water that you must
understand. I’ll explain them one at a time, and then show how they combine together to
form a compounding impact on the water.
Bottom Color
As you surely know, the attraction of the sun’s energy increases as the color of the
bottom gets darker. It’s just like how a blacktop road gets hotter than a white sidewalk.
We can apply that basic knowledge to a dark bottom knowing that it will ​attract​ more
heat from the sun than a white bottom in otherwise similar conditions.
Bottom Material
The storage of heat is the 2​nd​ part of this equation.
The important thing to know is that muddy bottoms hold onto heat much longer than
sandy or rocky bottoms. Therefore, we know that a dark muddy bottom will create the
warmest pockets of water, while the light sandy or rocky bottoms will create the coolest
pockets of water. That is assuming all else is consistent.
Personal Preference (Bottom Color/Material)
During the winter, I focus my attention on areas with dark and muddy bottoms, knowing
that they provide the most warmth to the water.
In the summer, I shy away from areas with dark and muddy bottoms because those
features most often cause the water to heat up too much—leaving inadequate levels of
DO2.
Pro Tip: This is why shallow bays with dark muddy bottoms are often devoid of fish
during a hot summer day while they can serve as a haven for redfish during the winter.
Wind
Last, but certainly not least, it is essential to understand how the wind can impact both
the water temperature as well as the DO2 levels in the water. Fortunately, this is very
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easy to understand because the wind’s impact on temperature and DO2 both involve
the same thing: ​waves​.
The wind creates waves from friction with the surface of the water. The resulting
movement increases the exposure of the air to the water, which allows it to pass its
temperature into the water more than it would if there was not any wave activity.
This allows for the formation of more DO2 in the water.
Personal Preferences:
When fishing after cold fronts in the winter, I focus my time on the wind-protected
shorelines since the colder air is less likely to penetrate into the water compared to the
wind-blown shorelines (which have a lot of air to water interaction from the waves).
However, when fishing during the middle of the day in the heat of summer, I seek out
wind-blown areas in many cases because the wave activity creates the very important
DO2. This gives redfish more energy, which often leads to a better bite relative to calm
areas.
Ideal Temperature Conclusion
Now that we know the importance of focusing on relative temperatures, we can shift our
energy towards isolating the areas that are most likely to hold redfish at any given time
of the year. ​This is because the redfish that stay in our inland waterways all year long
will most likely NOT travel extreme distances in search of better water temperature
during a common short-term cold/hot spell. Instead, they’ll simply move around their
general area and hold in the spots that feel most comfortable.
For example, a redfish in a circular bay that becomes uncomfortable due to being too
cold in the winter will most often cruise around in search of more warmth. As the water
gets more comfortable, it’ll keep going in that direction. But as the water gets worse, it’ll
turn around and stick to the best area it came across. Here’s what I’ve found to work
best when considering the water temperature while determining a plan for a day of
targeting redfish:
● Split the year up into the 2 seasons… cold and hot
● In the cold months, concentrate on areas that foster warmth
● In the hot months, concentrate on areas that have cooler/moving water and
increased DO2
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● In the spring and fall when the water temperature is most often at a region’s
relative norm, the water temperature factor is not a driving factor
As discussed in this chapter, there are a variety of things that make water cooler or
warmer ​relative to the surrounding areas​.
Make sure that you understand the impacts of the following temperature drivers
because you’ll be way ahead of the other anglers simply by knowing how redfish will
react to each of them during the hot and cold seasons.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Depth Changes
Current
Bottom Color
Bottom Material
Wind Speed/Direction
Sun
Just like the fact that the color of the bottom combined with the bottom material can add
a compounding impact to the water, the same holds true to these drivers of relative
water temperatures.
When you keep these 5 core factors in mind as you’re fishing in the summer or winter
months, you’ll undoubtedly find that they can be very good predictors of where redfish
will, or just as importantly, will not be found.
For an organized set of in-depth tutorials with interactive online videos showing how to
use these factors in your pre-trip planning to find the top feeding zones, be sure to
check out the “​Finding Spots Mastery Course​” that’s available to members of our Salt
Strong “Insider” Fishing Club members.
Learn more here: ​https://www.saltstrong.com/pricing
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Chapter 4 – The Best Tide For Catching Redfish
Tides play a very big role in the feeding habits of redfish in almost all fisheries and are
one of the most common factors that anglers rely on to predict when the best bite will
take place. In fact, tidal fluctuations are the most impactful of the factors to consider
when targeting redfish.
First, let’s start with the bad news about tides. There is NOT a single best tide to rely on
throughout the year to catch redfish. If finding the “perfect tide” is your main goal, then
you’ll continually have inconsistent results because your focus is aimed at finding what
we’ll call a unicorn in this book. It’s something that seems good but simply does not
exist.
The truth is that top anglers aren’t constantly catching more fish than others simply
because they fish during the best tide every trip—and it’s not because they have the
fanciest boat or any other type of gear.
They are better at consistently catching fish than others because they know how redfish
react to the changing tidal fluctuations. They put themselves in the 90/10 zone
throughout all tide periods across all seasons.
So, if finding the “perfect tide” is at the top of your mind, then quickly throw that unicorn
thought away right now.
Seriously, do not read any further until you completely reject the idea of a perfect tide
for catching redfish...
This alone would have saved me many years of frustration had I realized it sooner.
Therefore, I believe it’s worth the extra emphasis here to take a strong stance so you
don’t waste your time and money searching for a tide unicorn as I did.
Now that we all agree there is no such thing as the “perfect tide,” we’re not going to
waste time thinking about it. The next question is, where should the focus be in regards
to tides?
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Your focus should be on learning how to successfully adjust your tactics based on tidal
fluctuations across the seasons and different weather patterns. That’s the only way to
consistently catch redfish.
To do that, we must understand why redfish react to tidal fluctuations, and then learn
how to predict what they’ll be doing throughout the tidal movements.
Before we address those specifics, let’s first cover the basics on tides and currents to
establish the essential foundation that we’ll build upon later in this chapter.
First, it’s extremely important to understand what causes tides and currents so that you
aren’t 100% reliant on tide charts. This understanding of tides and currents will also
enable you to know when the actual tides and currents will differ from what the tide
charts predict. Yes, there are more factors involved than just the gravitational force of
the Earth, Moon, and Sun.
What Drives Tides/Currents?
There are a lot of factors that can impact tides and currents, but here’s a quick list.
·
·
·
·
The gravitational pull of the Moon [#1 Driver]
Wind
Air Pressure
Recent Rainfall
Of these factors, the gravitational pull of the Moon is by far the most significant for most
regions. The oceans respond to the Moon’s gravitational pull by creating a bulge
towards the moon. Since Earth is constantly spinning, the side of Earth directly opposite
from the moon has a bulge of its regional Ocean(s) towards the moon as shown in the
image below, aka High Tide.
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This gravitational pull of our oceans towards the Moon is why we experience the largest
tidal fluctuations during the Full and New moon phase. The reason for the large
fluctuations is that the moon is at its furthest point from being directly overhead or on
the opposite side of your location on Earth at that point.
To illustrate this concept, the chart below shows you at the top of the simple depiction of
Earth from above when the moon is at the horizon, thus rising or setting.
As you’ll see, the moon is always directly over the next quadrant of Earth relative to you,
so you’ll always realize a low tide where you are since the water will be bulging out
towards the Moon as the Earth spins.
The Earth spins 360 degrees in a 24-hour period while the moon only rotates around
the Earth every 27.322 days. This means the directly touching Oceans will always have
two Highs and two Lows in a given day due to the bulge effect on our Oceans from the
moon.
For understanding day-to-day differences, it’s important to know that the Earth must
rotate an extra 12 degrees for the moon to be directly over the same place as it was the
day before. That extra 12 degrees of rotation will take roughly 50 minutes.
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This results in the tides arriving at the same location about 50 minutes later every
day compared to the day prior.
So if you experience a great bite on the first day of a multi-day trip, then you’ll know that
the same bite is likely to take place at that same spot the next day 50 minutes later,
assuming the bite was triggered by the Moon-driven tidal movement.
Although the gravitational pull of the Moon is by far the main driver of tidal fluctuations,
other factors such as wind, pressure changes, and recent rainfall can alter the “normal”
tide and current levels/movements that the standard Tide Charts forecast.
Wind Impact on Tides/Currents
Wind plays a much stronger role in tides than I used to think because it causes friction
that moves the top layer of water with it. This is hardly noticeable on small bodies of
water, but a constant wind on a huge body of water like the Atlantic or Gulf will shift
water towards the direction that the wind is blowing.
For example, a sustained wind of 15+ mph or more coming from the Northeast that we
often get in FL during the winter will cause the water level along the Gulf Coast of
Florida to be significantly lower than if no wind was present. This makes low tides much
lower than they normally would be.
When that NE wind finally slows down, the water levels get back to its norm, which
creates a stronger than normal incoming current that essentially brings water back to
normal levels as shown in tide charts.
Air Pressure Impact to Tides/Current
Air pressure can impact tide levels too. A low-pressure system will cause the water level
to go up, while a high-pressure system pushes the water level down.
Example 1:
Hurricanes are very large low-pressure systems, and one of their most dangerous
aspects to coastal communities is the tidal surge that it creates due to how low its
pressure is relative to the norm.
The quadrant where the hurricane’s wind is blowing towards the shore is the most
dangerous of all because of the compounding tidal effects. Wind blows water towards
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the shore while the air pressure is dropping. This is because the wind and pressure
factors combine to take water levels much higher than the norm given the high winds
blowing/pushing water towards the shore on top of the low-pressure environment.
Therefore, a very dangerous tidal surge is created.
Example 2:
The ultra-low water levels that Florida’s Gulf coast gets after a winter cold front brings
strong winds from the Northeast along with high pressure. In this instance, both the
pressure and the wind combine to push a lot of water OUT of the inland waterways,
resulting in ultra-low tides relative to the norm (and very skinny water).
Note: this used to be my least favorite time to target redfish. However, after
understanding the trends in how redfish react to this type of weather, the winter is now
one of my favorite times to fish (we’ll discuss more a bit later in the book).
Recent Rainfall Impact to Tides/Currents
After periods of intense rain, the coastal waterways often have higher water levels due
to all of the water from inland draining out towards the Ocean/Gulf. This is less and less
noticeable as you go from inland creeks out towards the Ocean/Gulf, but it’s important
to keep in mind if fishing after periods where multiple inches of rain recently fell.
Now that we’ve addressed the core drivers of tidal fluctuations, let’s turn our attention to
the differences between Tides and Currents.
Difference Between Tides & Currents
It’s ​extremely​ important to understand the difference between Tides and Current
because they need to be thought of as separate factors when putting together your plan
for targeting redfish. Many people make the mistake of grouping them together as being
the same thing, but they are very different. Redfish will react differently to each of them,
so you really need to think of them as two separate factors.
Here are their official definitions:
·
​Tide​: The regular vertical, upward and downward, movement of the water level
·
​Current​: The horizontal movement of water most often caused by water having to
shift one way and then back another as the water levels go up and down from the tides.
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So ​Tide​ is the measure of the ​vertical​ movement of water and ​Current​ is the measure
of the ​horizontal​ movement of water.
The tide graph below shows how to determine both of them. Current movement is at its
peak slightly after the time where the tide levels change most quickly. This is seen by
the slope of a tide graph.
Tides – Quick Facts
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have diurnal tides which means they have two high tides
and two low tides of similar heights every day.
● The tides/currents from day to day are easy to predict because they are typically
very similar in level and just delayed from the prior day with higher peaks around
the Full and New Moon periods.
The Gulf of Mexico region has semi-diurnal tides which mean the tide peaks, valleys
and durations are not consistent from day to day.
● Therefore, the tides/currents from day to day are more difficult to predict without
a good tide chart because they fluctuate in both heights and timing every day.
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Tidal Movement Does Not Always Match Current Movement
I used to believe that an outgoing current always meant that the water level was going
down, and vice versa. However, that is not always the case.
For instance, when a large inland body of water is fed by a relatively small inlet/pass,
the change in current is always lagging the change of tide because it’s impossible for
enough water to flow through the inlet/pass fast enough to keep up with the changing
water level of the Ocean/Gulf at all times. This is especially true around the high and
low peaks of the Ocean/Gulf.
Since the current is slack, with no current, in an inlet/pass only when the water level of
the two bodies of water it connects is equal, this often occurs well after the official max
or min tide height levels of the Ocean/Gulf.
This is because the inlet or pass simply cannot let enough water in or out fast enough to
ensure that the inland waterways always the same height as the larger Ocean or Gulf
that are driving the tidal movements.
I personally learned this lesson the hard way when wade fishing a flat at the northwest
end of Sebastian Inlet. This is a narrow inlet on the east coast of FL that connects the
Atlantic Ocean to the Indian River, which is also a good-sized body of water.
Normally a narrow inlet or pass isn’t a big deal, but in this instance, there are no other
inlets within ~20 miles north or south of this one. It’s literally the only place for water to
move in and out of the massive Indian River ecosystem.
So as the ocean level goes up due to the Earth’s gravitational pull from the Moon and
Sun, the ocean level will rise much higher than what the Indian River level can get to
because the amount of water it needs to shift into the Indian River to keep the two
bodies of water at the same height simply cannot pass through that narrow inlet fast
enough.
Although the current is incredibly strong through Sebastian Inlet in an effort to equalize
the two big bodies of water, the change in the water level of the Indian River is just a
fraction of what changed on the Atlantic side. What I never thought of was the fact that
there is a significant delay in the timing of max/min tidal levels in the river compared to
the current direction of incoming vs. outgoing. It’s literally impossible for enough water
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to flow through the narrow inlet to lift the massive Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway system
to the same highs/lows of the ocean.
Note: This is similar to a sand timer made of two larger areas with a small opening
between the two for sand to pass through over an extended time before it fully moves
from one side to the other.
How I Finally Realized The Current Delay
It was a cold February morning and my plan was to fish a flat that required wading
through a fairly shallow channel. Of course, that’s depending on the tide levels. When I
arrived, I saw that the current was going out towards the Atlantic, so I assumed that it
would only get shallower as the water continued to move out of the river into the ocean.
However, after a couple of hours of fishing, that same channel was over waist deep so I
had to get completely soaked in cold water to get back to my car for an hour ride home
soaking wet.
I was completely baffled as to how the water level rose while the current was going out
of the Indian River into the Atlantic Ocean the entire time I was fishing. That’s when I
finally realized that the current direction and tide direction don’t always go hand in hand.
Why Does This Matter?
Passes and inlets are often best to fish right before and after the current
switches​. About 30 minutes before and after the slack current is when I catch a vast
majority of redfish in passes/inlets.
Knowing that there is a lag time from the horizontal current change to the vertical
change of the tide height, based on tide charts, can help you more effectively plan your
trip so you’re in the right area at the right time.
Most Tide Chart services only show vertical Tide projections, but very few show Current
forecasts. This means you’re on your own to know how to factor in the delay.
How Long of a Delay Between the Turn of Tide vs. Current in Inlets/Passes?
Every inlet/pass is slightly different. Plus, other factors like wind, recent rainfall, and
barometric pressure changes can impact the timing.
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What is consistent is that the passes/inlets, such as Sebastian Inlet, which connect the
Ocean to a large body of inland water have the largest lag times between when the tide
level changes and when the current changes. A much wider inlet/pass, like Boca
Grande, with other passes nearby, allows for the lag time to be much smaller.
For example, the lag time at Sebastian is typically around 2.5 hours a tidal high/low,
while Boca Grande’s lag time is often around an hour.
How To Use Tide Forecasts To Predict Feeding Times & Feeding Zones
Now that we have the basic foundation addressed, let’s start to dig a little deeper and
apply tidal swings to the feeding activities of redfish.
For many years, I put all of my focus on measuring my results based on the incoming
tide and outgoing tide.
Being a bit of an analytical nerd, I actually printed out a chart of the tide swings for the
days I’d fish and I tracked my catches by marking the points of the curve where I caught
a redfish, snook, and trout so that I could see which tide was better and what spots
produced best at different times. After a couple of years of doing this, I was getting
frustrated because my results weren’t improving very much.
I caught most fish on the incoming tide, but that was mostly because I’d try to plan my
trips around incoming tide phases since that’s what I heard was the best tide to fish. I
began taking a different approach and started thinking about when the fishing was the
worst and that’s when it clicked. The fishing was always the worst at slack current, or
the period in which the current stops moving as the tide fluctuates. I then started
focusing my analysis on current, instead of Tide, and my results began to steadily
improve.
To this day I’m a firm believer that​ ​current (not tide) is the most important factor
to consider in regards to knowing when the best feeding times will be.
Today, I don’t plan trips based on the tide going in or out. I just want the current to be
moving one way or the other because the current is what triggers the bite.
The changing height of the water level is still important, but its importance is mostly for
determining where the fish will be positioned while they are feeding due to the current
movement.
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What I’ve found to work best across all seasons is to schedule my fishing trips around
the times when the current is strongest. I use the periods in between incoming and
outgoing current, known as “slack current,” to take a food break or to travel from one
spot to another. I’m typically moving towards the Ocean/Gulf since that’ll be the area
that gets water movement first after slack.
Another way to make the best out of a slack period is to go to an inlet or pass that has a
very strong current during the peak current period. This is because inlet and pass
redfish often bite best as the current is slowing prior to slack, as well as right when the
current begins moving again after slack.
Although the current is the most important factor to consider, we still need to factor in
the tide height for (1) our own safety and (2) to better position ourselves for getting in
front of as many feeding redfish as possible.
Safety Consideration
If you’re not paying attention, the tide height movements can literally leave you stranded
with no place to go. If you find yourself up on the flats as the water level drops, you
could very well end up grounded for an entire tide cycle. That’s never a good thing.
So when fishing during an outgoing tide, make sure that you know exactly how deep
your exit path is and how long you can stay before it’s too late. My recommendation
would be to always give yourself an hour buffer so that you have room for error if the
water level goes down faster than you projected based on the wind speed/direction or
change in air pressure.
Also, if your exit requires being able to see a narrow channel on a flat, make sure to
keep in mind that it’s more difficult to see in the water as the sun gets lower on the
horizon or as a storm approaches with increased wind and less sunlight.
Using Tide Level Forecasts To Find Feeding Fish
Although current is the one factor that consistently produces results across all seasons,
the tide height fluctuations also need to be considered because they will help you
determine exactly where you’ll most likely find the most feeding fish.
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If you’re like most anglers that I consult with, you’ve heard time and time again that the
incoming tide is when you should target redfish.
This seems to be the general consensus of many online forums and even TV shows
that recommend the incoming tide above the outgoing tide more often than not. This is
NOT true. It’s another one of those fishing unicorns and these unicorn mindsets can
often do more harm than good.
Although incoming tide truly does have a scientifically proven advantage during some
parts of the year, it has a scientifically proven shortfall during other parts of the year. If
you don’t know when this is true and when it’s false, then you might as well not even
consider it as an advantage or disadvantage because it’s a coin flip. By now, you’re
surely wondering when the incoming tide is scientifically better and when it’s
scientifically worse.
To do that, we’ll need to consider the science of water along with the biological
preferences of redfish. Before getting technical, let’s cover the basic tidal height rule
that is consistent throughout all seasons when it comes to finding redfish. I call it the
“push up and shift out” rule.
The “Push Up & Shift Out” rule
As the water level is going up (incoming tide), redfish will push up shallower than normal
to feed on the small baitfish and crustaceans that have had their guards down for
predator fish the past few hours because the bigger fish had to retreat to deeper waters.
My theory on why this happens is because redfish have learned that the first one to the
previously dry ground gets the spoils. It’s just like how we get so excited when we can
get out on a weekday or after several days of very bad weather knowing that the fish
have seen less pressure, making them less guarded and easier to approach.
This is also due to the many small organisms that get stuck out of the water during low
tide and die. As the water rises back up, the dead organisms leave an attractive scent
trail for redfish to pursue.
Conversely, redfish will shift out into deeper water as the water level is going down in
order to make sure that they don’t get stuck in a tidal pool as the water level declines.
In general, redfish will push up into shallower water on an incoming tide compared to
the depth of water that they’ll be holding in on a falling tide.
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Just like tides, there is never a perfect unicorn depth, so I always recommend doing
Z-patterns on a flat covering different depth zones so that you can hone in on where the
majority of fish are holding at any given time.
The picture above shows a Z pattern fishing plan that ensures you can cover a wide
variety of different depths so that you can most efficiently hone in on the redfish feeding
zones at any given time.
Once you find them, just know that they’ll be pushing in or shifting out as the tide
fluctuates. Therefore, you’ll need to continually note what depth you’re seeing and
catching the most fish so that you can stay in the ideal zone as it shifts.
This general rule is helpful, but like all general rules, it alone will not help you master the
redfish. What will really separate you from the majority of anglers is when you’re able to
successfully factor in the following items when targeting reds.
·
·
·
·
·
Science of water
Biological preferences of redfish
Tidal fluctuations
Seasonal patterns
Weather patterns
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When you can account for all of these variables, you’ll be able to put yourself in the right
spot at the right time in any region where redfish live. Join us in the Salt Strong Insider
Club to get weekly updates on trends in your area: ​www.saltstrong.com/pricing
Best of all, you will be able to do that throughout all seasons.
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Chapter 5 – The Best Moon Phase For Catching Redfish
Another common question I get from Salt Strong members is, “What’s the best moon
phase for catching redfish?”
Similar to the “Best Tide” question, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer because
there simply are so many different factors that come into play.
Before giving my personal favorite moon phase for catching redfish, let me first restate
the importance of not getting caught up chasing unicorn ideas like focusing on the “Best
Tide” or the “Best Moon Phase” or the “Best Spot.”
Instead, focus on continually improving your ability to predict where the top feeding
zones will be based on the tides, season, and weather conditions that you’ll be facing at
any given time because this is what will help you consistently put yourself in the right
areas at the right time.
When you combine that skill with the “How To Assess An Area” chapter that’s coming
up next, you’ll be in the top 1% of anglers who can consistently catch redfish even when
fishing in regions you’ve never even been to before.
Now that we clearly understand that the “Best Moon phase” is a myth, I’ll explain the
moon phase that I’ve found to have a more consistent bite.
What’s My Favorite Moon Phase?
Although I rarely ever plan trips based on tides or moon phases anymore, there is one
Moon Phase that seems to outperform the others when targeting redfish during the
daylight hours.
It’s the days before, during, and after the New Moon.
So why is this moon phase better than the others?
My theory is that it all boils back to the topics that we’ve already covered in the fish
finding section of this book.
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In the tides and currents chapter, we addressed the fact that current movement is what
most often triggers feeding activity. Knowing that current movement is a driver of
feeding activity, it makes complete sense to target the time of the month when the
current movement is maximized.
If we refer back to the graph showing the pull of our oceans due to the Moon’s
gravitational pull on Earth, you’ll recall that the maximum and minimum tidal heights
were both at their extreme levels during the Full Moon and New Moon stages.
Therefore, the resulting current movement required to move all of the water in and out
of our inshore waterways will be at their strongest points during those two moon
phases.
Since a lot of feeding takes place when the current movement is strongest, we’re left
with the full moon and new moon phases as being the time when the most feeding
should statistically be taking place.
So what differentiates one from the other?
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Moonlight!
Yes, the amount of light at night is what I believe to be the core discriminator on why
fish-catching seems to be better the day after a new moon compared to a day after a full
moon, especially a full moon on a clear night.
This is because a clear night on a full moon often makes for a binge feeding throughout
the night since redfish essentially have twilight conditions for many hours.
During that twilight period, they have a huge advantage over small baitfish because the
predators can easily pick out the baitfish swimming above them while the baitfish are
unable to see the predators below due to the moonlight not being strong enough to
penetrate very deep into the water.
In contrast, a new moon offers the least amount of light at night making it more difficult
for redfish to feed while the sun is down. Therefore they’ll feed more during the day,
making them easier to catch for an angler who fishes primarily during daylight periods.
If fishing at night, then I highly recommend a full moon given that the bite seems to be
strongest during the nighttime periods when they have enough visibility to see their prey
more easily.
How To Test This Theory
There is an easy way to test this theory. All you have to do is compare your results over
time to a new moon day of fishing compared to that of a full moon day of fishing.
If your results are like mine, you’ll likely see that the mornings after a clear night full
moon can start off very slow since the fish are full from binge eating at night.
As the day after a full moon progresses, the bite will generally improve with the 2:00 PM
until twilight period typically being the best daytime bite. When comparing a ​cloudy​ night
full moon to a ​clear​ night full moon, I often see that the bite is better on the days after
the cloudy night full moon vs. a night where you can see all of the stars.
This is typically what happens because the fish did not binge eat throughout the night.
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But like everything, this is not an absolute rule because there are certainly some days
after a clear night full moon when the fishing is extremely good.
Conclusion
Given the large number of variables that come into play for triggering feeding activities, I
recommend not putting too much focus on one Moon phase, tide, or any other single
factor because doing so will most often cap your overall results.
In reality, fish continually have feeding on their mind so they can generally be caught at
any given tide, moon phase, time of day, etc as long as you put yourself in the right
spots at the right time.
Your long-term consistency will be dependent on your ability to adjust your tactics to the
continually adjusting conditions. The only way to do that is to practice utilizing the tactics
discussed in this book during various tidal and seasonal conditions so that you can
continually hone your skills.
Do you want to know what I believe is the true answer to the “best moon phase to catch
redfish” question?
The next open slot on your calendar to get out on the water.
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Chapter 6 – The Best Time To Catch Redfish
Now that we’ve discussed tides and currents, let’s address how the time of day can be
factored into the equation to optimize the amount of fish you catch per hour.
Just like the other factors, there isn’t a make-or-break time of the day that you have to
aim for each trip to catch redfish. It’s all about your ability to put yourself in the right spot
at the right time based on the tide and weather conditions you’re fishing.
That being said, I do feel that there are some times of the day that consistently
outperform the others regardless of tides, weather, seasons, etc.
If I only have two hours to fish and I can go at any time, I’ll go with the hour before the
sun rises to an hour after it is up in the morning. Either that or I’d go the hour before the
sun sets to the hour after dark if in the evening.
This is because the twilight period always seems to trigger good feeding activity.
If I could only make it out for one of the two, I’d go with whichever one had the best
current flow at that particular time for the spot I planned to fish. That combines the
optimal time of the day for feeding along with the optimal prey movement, meaning that
the fish will most likely be feeding heavily.
The great news is that redfish can be caught throughout the day, so it is not a
requirement to wake up really early to be at your spot as the sun is coming up or to stay
out late waiting on the sun to go down. If you’re like me and you really enjoy sight
fishing, it requires that the sun is higher up in the sky to see the fish.
Of all the various factors involved in triggering feeding activity, the twilight periods seem
to be the most consistent in producing results. Therefore, I am always very eager to be
out on the water during those times whenever possible.
This is especially true in the summer months since the water will have maximized DO2
and won’t be too cold to make them sluggish.
So if I had the choice to fish the ideal tide during the middle of the day in the summer or
a weak tide at twilight, I’d go with a weak tide at twilight.
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Day Time Fishing
Day time fishing is most common by far because it’s simply easier and safer given that
navigating waterways at night is much more dangerous than during the day.
Fortunately for those of us who enjoy catching redfish, they can be caught during all
daylight periods, so strictly fishing during the day can be very productive.
To achieve consistently great results during day time hours, it’s important to understand
the biological preferences of redfish along with the scientific makeup of water so that
you can know where to focus your energy throughout the seasons in finding the most
feeding fish.
Again, the purpose of this book is to give you the knowledge and tactics to maximize
your results during this safest period of fishing so that you can maximize your results
while minimizing your safety risks.
We’ll dive into more details in the upcoming chapters.
Night Fishing
Fishing at night for redfish can be very effective, but the safety risks skyrocket once the
sun goes down. Even for anglers who are experienced boat drivers, the first few times
navigating at night can be a very intimidating experience.
I recommend that you gradually accumulate yourself to navigating during the twilight
periods before planning a night fishing excursion because it’s simply not worth the risk
given that redfish feed very well during the daylight hours.
If you do decide to go night fishing, make sure to bring back-up lights as well as backup
communication devices.
Finally, always fish the area during the daylight period multiple times before going at
night.
Chapter 7 – Advanced Redfish Finding Tactics
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So far in this book, we’ve addressed some of the top individual factors that determine
when and where a redfish will be feeding during a given time. Knowing those individual
factors is a huge step in consistently catching redfish throughout all seasons, but those
factors alone can only help you to a limited extent. Your goal should be to continually
hone your skills in combining the various factors together for the given day. That way
you can consistently find feeding redfish throughout all seasons and all bodies of water
where redfish live.
Best of all, it’s something that will continually improve as long as the fundamentals that
we’ve covered so far are understood and considered while you’re deciding which spots
to fish and when to fish them.
The Redfish Success Formula
Here’s the redfish success formula that I used when planning my trips:
Structure + Current Speed/Direction + Relative Water Temps + Wind
Speed/Direction = Redfish Mastery Success
Yes, these FOUR key variables are what I consider to be the most important things to
keep in mind when selecting the spots that I’ll fish on any given day.
For maximized results, you need to assign priority to the individual variables. This will
help you keep the most important ones at the top of your mind. These variables are not
to be considered equal, and their relative importance changes throughout the seasons.
So I recommend putting them in order based on their importance so you don’t get
caught off track.
In order to keep that as simple as possible, break the year up into three segments
based on the relative water temperature:
1.
2.
3.
Hot (summer)
Cold (winter)
Neither Hot Nor Cold (fall & spring)
This way, the relative water temperature factors that are seasonally dependent are kept
at a high priority only when they truly do make a big impact as they get closer to the
extreme hot and cold spectrums.
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For example, the DO2 levels of water need to be a high priority factor in the middle of
the summer given that redfish will naturally be drawn to areas with higher DO2 in the
hot months.
But during the winter, the DO2 factor is not nearly as important because the cooler
water will typically have sufficient DO2 making it a non-issue. In the cold-water months,
the big factor to consider is the water temperature because redfish will naturally be
shifting to the areas with the warmest water.
When the seasons are transitioning to spring and fall, the water temperature is typically
closer to the norm so this temperature factor becomes much less important. They won’t
be reacting to the water temperature as much since it’s in the comfort zone.
Here are the general strategies that should be considered during the 3 core phases of
the year when planning out the spots that you’ll be fishing:
Hot Weather Season Game Plan [Summer Months]
This section will provide the overall hot weather fishing game plan for consistently
putting yourself in the inshore redfish feeding zones.
Spot Selection
During this time, the big thing to keep in mind is that the DO2 levels in the water
decrease as the water temperature increases. As the water temperature goes up, it’s
more and more important to target areas that have the following DO2 booster features
relative to the surrounding area:
DO2 Boosters:
● Higher Current
● Healthy Sea grass
● Deeper Water
● Shaded Water
● Wave Activity
Each of these boosters helps increase the DO2 level of the water on their own merits,
and the benefits compound as they are found together in one spot. As the temperature
gets closer towards the extreme, it’s more and more important to target spots that have
more than just one of the factors listed above.
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Timing
During the hot weather months, the best bite is typically the hour before and after the
sunrise or sunset. Most of all, I like the hour or two before and after the sunrise because
the water will be at its coolest temperature—and the fish will in turn be at their most
active state during this time.
The best game plan is generally to start fishing in the shallows, such less than 3ft deep,
targeting high probability zones with multiple types of structure where the redfish will
most likely be feeding.
Once the sun starts heating up the water, it’s then time to shift out towards deeper
zones (3ft+ in depth and/or areas where there is cooler water). For experienced skip
casters, targeting docks or overhanging trees/mangroves during the middle daylight
hours can be extremely productive.
As the sun’s energy dissipates in the late afternoon hours, the redfish will generally get
more active and shift up in the shallows again.
Favorites:
● Best Bite: Twilight hours in the morning
● Best Tide: I mostly look for maximized current flow, but I do give incoming the
preference because it generally moves colder water from the depths up onto the
shallows. This also provides more DO2.
Daily Game Plan:
●
●
●
●
Morning: Target the shallows where there is a lot of bait and structure
Mid-Day: Target deeper areas with multiple DO2 boosters
Evening: Target the shallows where there is a lot of bait and structure
Night: Target the shallows where there is a lot of bait, and be sure to also try
shadow lines of docks and bridges that have bright lights
Cold Weather Season Game Plan [Winter Months]
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This section will provide the overall cold-weather fishing game plan for consistently
putting yourself in the inshore redfish feeding zones for any body of water that you plan
to target redfish.
Spot Selection
During the winter, the big thing to keep in mind is that the only way for fish to moderate
their internal temperature is to swim to another area. So as the water temperature drops
below their comfort zone, they’ll undoubtedly be moving in search of warmer water.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll be moving miles and miles away though. In
many cases, they’ll simply shift over to the warmest section of whichever area they are
holding in.
This means that it’s essential to keep in mind the following factors that contribute to
warming up the water.
Heat Incubators:
●
●
●
●
Dark Bottom (attracts heat)
Mud Bottom (holds heat)
Wind Protected Shoreline (makes it tougher for cold air to cool down the water)
Direct Sunlight Zones
○ Northern Shorelines often get sun exposure all day if in the northern
hemisphere
○ Western Shorelines get warmed fastest in the morning
○ Eastern Shorelines stay warm longest in the evening
● Water Depth
○ Deeper depths in the morning are often best because they hold heat from
the prior day.
○ Shallower waters get warmest during the day assuming that the sun is out
and warming up the shallows. However, at night, they’ll often get the
coolest due to exposure to the cold air.
Each of these items can contribute to warming up the water and the benefits compound
as they are found together in one spot. As the temperature gets further towards the cold
extreme, it’s more and more important to target spots that have ​more than just one​ of
the heat incubator factors listed above.
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Timing
During the cold weather months, ​the best inshore bite is often in the mid-morning
as the sun is starting to warm up the water​. That means waking up super early in the
winter for inshore fishing is not nearly as important as it is during the summer months.
I found that the 9:00 am to noon range is best because the sight fishing can be
extremely good as the fish move from the deeper water up into the shallows seeking
food and comfort as the sun’s rays warm them up.
The best game plan is generally to start fishing in the areas with a good amount of
structure in, or at least near, deeper water that they can use for safety during extreme
cold fronts.
My ideal winter spots are areas that span from shallow to deeper water, 1 ft. to 8+ ft,
with lots of structure such as docks, oysters, sea grass, trees, rocks, etc. These types of
areas enable the redfish to shift up and down as the temperatures fluctuate throughout
the day without having to leave the comfort of structure.
After the harshest of all cold fronts push through, I’ll typically focus on docks in
wind-protected canals and/or shorelines.
Once the sun starts heating up the water, it’s then time to shift in towards shallow zones
that the redfish will seek out for feeding.
The prime areas to target are shallow flats that have a lot of bait on them.
Winter is when the water is often at its most clear state, so this is often the ultimate time
to target redfish while sight fishing.
As the sun’s energy dissipates in the late afternoon hours, the redfish will generally shift
back towards the deeper zones again, seeking comfort in the deeper water.
Favorites:
● Best Bite: Mid-morning hours
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● Best Tide: I mostly prefer maximized current flow periods. But I do give the
outgoing tide phase an edge up. This is because it generally is moving warm
water from the shallows out to the channels and edges of the shallows where the
redfish will often be positioned.
Daily Game Plan:
● Morning: Target deeper areas with some of the heat incubators listed above
● Mid-Day: Shift into the shallows with the most bait activity as the water warms up
● Evening: The shallows will often stay warm until dark, so the shallows can often
be very effective. I give priority to spots that have good shallow spots as well as
good deep spots in the same general area because you can quickly shift back
and forth to hone in on the ideal depth.
● Night: The shadow lines of docks and bridges with bright lights can be very
effective. I also like targeting the outside edges of healthy grass flats and/or
oyster bars too.
Mild Temperature Season Game Plan [Spring & Fall Months]
This section will provide the fish finding game plan for consistently putting yourself in the
inshore redfish feeding zones during the mild spring and fall temperature months.
Spot Selection
During this time, you don’t need to worry much about the water temperature because
it’s safe to assume that the fish will be comfortable in terms of DO2 levels and body
temperature.
Therefore, this is the time to put the sole focus on finding areas with the most food for
them to eat (along with enough protection from predators). This means that the need for
targeting areas with good structure for both bait and for themselves is at its highest
point.
Since the range for redfish can be anywhere during these months, it’s extremely
important to be able to quickly identify if a spot is good or bad when you get there so
that you don’t waste time in dead zones. We will cover this in the next chapter.
Note: The spring and fall months, particularly fall, are when many of the big spawning
reds will come inshore to feed. Otherwise, they spend most of their time offshore in big
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schools. So if you want to target big bull redfish inshore, this is typically the best time to
do it. The most probable areas to find them will be in or near the passes and inlets that
connect the inshore estuaries with the Atlantic or Gulf.
Timing
During the mild temperature months, the best inshore bite is often in the twilight periods
(within a couple of hours before and after the sun rises and sets). Since the water
temperature in the spring/fall never hits an extreme hot or cold, they will often feed
throughout the day and into the night as well.
The best game plan is generally to prioritize the twilight periods overall, and then heavily
factor in the tidal movements to determine when the optimal feeding times will be. As for
the tidal movements factor, the core focus should be on the max-current periods with
equal preference given to both incoming current and outgoing current.
Favorites:
● Best Bite: Twilight hours & max current periods
● Best Tide: I don’t favor incoming or outgoing during this time. I just want
maximized current flow.
Daily Game Plan:
● Morning: I try to get out as early as possible and focus on the shallow flats and/or
shorelines with lots of life. Examples include birds, bait, and any feeding activity.
● Mid-Day: The fish can be both shallow or deep at this time. Typically the best bet
is to target the zones with the most bait near structures such as oyster bars,
shoreline points, potholes on grass flats, etc.
● Evening: This is often a great time to target redfish up on the flats or along
shorelines in the shallows because they’ll often be actively feeding just like they
were in the morning.
● Night: The shadow lines of docks and bridges with bright lights can be very
effective. I also like targeting the same zones that were effective during the
twilight periods because they’ll often hang in those same areas to feed
throughout the night.
Conclusion
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Redfish react to their changing environment in a very predictable manner regardless of
which region they are living in.
Once we know which core factors cause them to react, we’ll be able to predict what they
will be doing based on the conditions. The easiest way to get good at predicting where
the top feeding zones will be is to utilize the formula described in this chapter.
The key to success is to consider these factors on every trip when both planning where
you’ll be fishing as well as when you will go.
Practice makes perfect, so expect to see improving results as you fine-tune your skills
by identifying the core factors to consider along with the types of spots that produce the
most action in the given scenarios.
To see these game plans put into action every week, be sure to ​join the Salt Strong
Insider Fishing Club​.
We show exactly where to go catch inshore slams in your area every weekend based
on the current trends so that you can know the exact type of spots to seek out and when
to go there.
Learn more here: ​https://www.saltstrong.com/pricing
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Chapter 8 – How To Assess An Area For Redfish
So far we’ve now covered the strategies and tactics for finding good spots to target
redfish based on the seasons, tides, weather, etc. This is by far the #1 most important
task for consistently catching redfish.
But now we need to address the 2​nd​ most important need which is learning how to
quickly assess if an area is likely to hold lots of redfish when you get there.
Although you are now capable of selecting high-probability spots from your
understanding of map reading, there will always be spots that look good, but the fish
simply won’t be there. This is what we call a “dead zone.” In most cases, there simply
are not many fish feeding in the area, aka a “sleep zone” spot, so it’s smarter to move to
an active “feeding zone” spot to maximize the results.
So rule #1 is to know that spots that look great on maps are ​NOT​ always going to have
redfish on them at all times.
Rule #2 is that it is absolutely impossible to always select good spots to fish on every
trip. Don’t get frustrated if you pick a bad spot, it happens to even the best of them.
Even full-time fishing guides have trouble locating fish some days. This is why it is
essential for us to have multiple spots picked out for each trip.
We must be able to evaluate each one for being worth our time in fishing as quickly as
possible so that we can minimize our time spent in dreaded dead zones (and sleep
zones) while maximizing our time in the feeding zones.
There are three things that help me quickly identify if I’m likely to catch a redfish in a
certain spot. If I don’t see these, I pack up and move to the next one. Here are the three
things I look for.
In short, they are called the​ 3 Bs:
1. ​B​irds: Any bird that feeds on baitfish or crustaceans
2. ​B​ait: Any sort of baitfish or crustacean that redfish eat
3. ​B​oils: Seeing plumes of sand or mud while you are moving along a shallow area.
This is the core sign of a predator fish that you scared while searching.
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If none of these are present in the first 15 minutes of exploring the spot, then the odds
are extremely high that it’s time to leave because it’s dead/sleep zone territory.
If only one of the B’s is present in the first 15 minutes, then give it a little more time.
Maybe spend another five to 10 minutes searching for another “B” while trying to get
strikes.
If two B’s are present and there is some good structure in the area that redfish like, then
it’s smart to slow down and fish the top looking areas to see if you can get some strikes.
If all three B’s are present and there is some good structure that redfish like, then you
are likely in a good spot, so it’s time to slow down and actively fish the area.
The reasoning behind this all boils down to the core two things that redfish always have
on their mind:
1.
2.
Food: Where is my next meal?
Safety: Where can I be protected from something bigger than me?
Since the spots we select to fish all have structure that help them stay safe from larger
predators, we are most interested to know if there is a good source of food present in
the area. If there is not any food, the odds of there being many redfish significantly
diminishes. Safety without food is not a winning combination. The same can be said for
food without safety, too. The core focus should be to ​isolate the specific spots that
have both food ​AND​ safety.
Although this seems overly simplistic, very few anglers have this on their mind while out
fishing because they are only focused on spots that they have had success in before.
I know this fact all too well because I spent over 10 years going back to the same
half-dozen spots over and over again in the various regions that I’d fish. I’d go without
any plan to assess the water nor any thought to how the conditions will increase or
decrease the odds of redfish even being in the spots at the given time.
Although I did have some really good fish catching days, I also had a ton of total skunk
days where I couldn’t get a bite or even see a single redfish.
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As I turned my focus to learning the trends and behaviors of my beloved redfish, I finally
started realizing that I was not accounting for their seasonal movements nor how they
react to their changing environment.
As for the 3 Bs, here are some extra details to help you maximize your results.
1​st​ B: Birds
The reason that birds are the first of the 3 Bs is that they are the easiest to spot. For
that reason, they are typically the first factor to look for when approaching an area that
you plan to fish. Plus, the presence of birds lets you know that the odds of food in the
area are very high, especially if they are actively feeding. Any type of bird that feeds on
fish or crustaceans is great to see including species like:
-
Herons
Pelicans
Ospreys
Spoonbills
Cormorants
Cranes
And pretty much any other bird that is stalking the area by foot or while in flight
Just like the structure rule, more is better. The more birds that are actively feeding in a
particular spot, the more likely that the spot is a feeding zone for fish too.
2​nd​ B: Bait
Bait is listed at #2 because it’s generally the 2​nd​ thing we see when coming up to a
target spot to fish. Bait is very important to see because we know that the redfish will
only be in the area if there is food for them to eat nearby. Here are the most common
types of food that I look for when approaching an area:
● Mullet: most easily seen because they jump out of the water
○ Any size mullet are a good sign, even the really big ones
● Pinfish: most easily seen when they flash on the bottom while eating
○ I especially like seeing the 1 to 3-inch pinfish on a flat because that’s the
perfect size for most inshore redfish
● Pilchards/Herring (whitebait, shiners, greenbacks, etc.): most easily seen by their
propensity to make water droplet like imprints on the surface of the water
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○ Any sizes are good to see.
● Crabs: most easily seen on the bottom (ex: blue crabs) or near the water’s edge
on the shore (ex: fiddler crabs)
○ If seeing a lot of crabs, there is a VERY high chance that redfish will be in
the area
There are many more forms of bait, but these are just the ones that are typically the
easiest to spot.
Best of all, you don’t need to worry about seeing any particular bait… you just want to
see signs of life of any kind from something that could fit in a redfish’s mouth.
3​rd​ B: Boils
Other than actually seeing a redfish in the water, this is the next best thing to see
because it generally means that predator fish are in the area. When fishing up in the
shallows (1 to 3 ft. of water), the boils that the predator fish leave behind is often what
you’ll see first when approaching a good area. First, let’s cover what a “boil” is:
It’s the plume of sand or mud that a fish leaves behind when it quickly moves from a
spot near that bottom.
If you are in water shallow enough to see the bottom, this is often the best way to
distinguish a spooked fish from a predator, such as a redfish, seatrout, snook, etc., vs. a
scared mullet.
Mullet will most often be swimming up closer to the top, so when they get spooked,
they’ll leave more of a sign on the surface with little disturbance of the bottom.
Conversely, the predator fish like redfish that roam the shallows are often holding close
to the bottom. So when they get spooked and swim off quickly, they’ll leave a
pronounced plume of sand or mud that we refer to as a “boil.”
Predator fish generally won’t leave much of a disturbance on the water surface when
they get spooked except for a v-wake moving in a straight line as they swim away from
danger.
There are three types of boils to keep an eye out for and here’s a quick list along with
what they likely signify:
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1. Trailing Boil: sand/mud disturbance that generally goes in a straight line away
from you
a. Most often created by a stingray or flounder
2. Standing Boil: plume of sand/mud without any other sign of life
a. Most often created by a smaller predator fish (redfish, seatrout, snook,
etc.)
3. Boil + Wake: plume of sand/mud with a v-wake on the surface
a. Most often signifies a big redfish, snook, seatrout, or small shark (this is
what you want to see)
On a side note, sheepshead will often be up in the shallows, and they leave a boil very
similar to redfish. This can make it tough to tell them apart without actually seeing the
fish. However, any type of boil, even if it’s a stingray or sheepshead, is a good sign
because they all signify signs of life.
To learn more about on-the-water assessment strategies from detailed video tutorials,
be sure to give our Insider Fishing Club a try. We made a very detailed “Finding Fish
Mastery” online course exclusively for Club members. This course shows video footage
of the various boil types as well as weekly spot dissection videos that will make sure
you know the latest trends to help put you, and stay, in the feeding zones every trip.
Learn more about the Insider Club here: ​https://www.saltstrong.com/pricing/
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Chapter 9 – The Only Two Lures You Need
After years of struggling to catch redfish with anything other than live bait, I was
shocked to finally learn the truth about lures. To put it simply, “​Less is more.​”
What I finally realized is that it’s much better to be an expert at one or two lures for a
given water depth than to be decent at working a whole tackle-store full of lures.
Had I known this sooner, I would have saved hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars
buying lures that were simply not needed.
You see, I was buying all of the lures that I saw guys on TV using. To make matters
worse, I would get multiple color options of them all so that I was ready for any and all
conditions. This is because I assumed that’s what the pros were doing.
However, what ended up happening is that I was always second-guessing my lure
choice while out fishing. That led me to never get good at consistently generating strikes
(even when I was seeing fish because it always seemed to happen when I had a
different lure on so I didn’t know the precise retrieve to use).
What finally changed my results is when I moved to Melbourne, FL after college. I no
longer had the luxury of my dad’s boat to fish from, nor did I have the endless time to
fish like I did when I was in school. So I invested in a kayak and was forced to learn an
entirely new region of the expansive Indian River Lagoon system.
Given that I didn’t have room for much tackle in a kayak, I decided to simply use a soft
plastic jerk bait and nothing else—not even a 2​nd​ rod to switch to.
The lure I went with was a Zoom Super Fluke rigged on a worm hook because that’s
what I spent a lot of time using for largemouth bass growing up. I was quickly shocked
by how effective it was for redfish, seatrout, and snook once I started using it up on the
flats.
What I eventually realized was that the improved results were mostly due to the fact that
I covered a LOT more water per hour of fishing because I stopped wasting time
changing lures, and I was no longer forced to fish slowly with live bait.
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Unlike the years before where I spent the most time just trying to find and catch bait, I
was finally devoting my focus to the most important variable to consistently catching
redfish.
Finding the Best Feeding Zones!
It also helped that I was very experienced with retrieving this particular lure due to the
amount of time I had used it for bass fishing. In essence, I just did exactly what I would
do when I was targeting bass.
Fast forward to today, after years of testing out new lures to make detailed product
review videos for our Insider Fishing Club, I have come to a full realization that the
location trumps the lure almost all of the time.
What I mean by that is the results we get are much more dependent on the areas we
decide to fish compared to the lures or baits that we decide to fish with.
So as I do these various product reviews, I am very confident that I’ll be catching fish as
long as I can locate a good feeding zone that particular day.
I have tested this out many times by immediately switching to a different lure after I
have caught a redfish in a good looking feeding zone. In many cases, I’ve found that
they’ll hit the other lures too. This even includes ones that are a totally different color
and size.
One such example can be seen on this web page where my dad and I caught over a
dozen redfish in one general spot with a wide variety of lures (which even included a
freshwater bullfrog lure).
www.saltstrong.com/articles/best-lures-for-redfish
What I’ve realized after years of trial and error testing out new lures in a variety of
different regions is that these two core variables of lures stand out as the most
important of all:
1.
2.
​Action​: Does the motion in the water look attractive to redfish?
​Size​: Does the size & shape resemble their prey?
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Here are other variables that do make a difference, but not nearly as much as action
and size:
● Color​: Does the color enable the fish to see the lure in a favorable way, such as
the proprietary Slam Shady ® color?
● Scent​: Does the lure smell like a potential meal?
● Vibration​: Does it put off an attractive vibration in the water?
So when I am selecting lures to use on a given day, I focus mostly on matching the
action and size variables to the bait that I believe the redfish are targeting.
As for the color, scent, and vibration factors, here’s a shortcut guide for factoring them
in without overcomplicating things:
● Color​: Consider color options based on water clarity.
○ Clear Water: White is the only color that takes on the color of the water,
which is why Slam Shady® has proven to do so well in clear water
○ Dark/Murky Water: It’s generally best to keep it dark such as black, gold,
or root beer (and you can’t go wrong with some chartruese)
● Scent​: Redfish will often rely on their scent to locate food, so it’s smart to use
lures that appeal to their olfactory glands.
○ Clear Water: Redfish can rely on their eyes in clear water, so the scent is
less important in clear water.
○ Dark/Murky Water: Redfish rely more on scent in dark/murky water, so it’s
important to use scented lures, or add scent to a lure that’s not already
scented
● Vibration​: Redfish rely on their lateral lines to locate food, so vibration is a factor
that needs to be considered.
○ Clear Water: I generally do best using lures with minimal vibration in clear
water. Especially if it’s clear and calm.
○ Dark/Murky Water: I generally do better using high vibration lures in
dark/murky water because it seems to help them hone in on the lure
without over-stimulating them as can happen in clear/calm water
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The Two Lures To Always Have
As promised in the title of this chapter, I believe that there are only two lures that you
need to have in order to consistently catch redfish in the inland waterways…
Ideally, there would only be one so that there is zero distraction from finding the feeding
zones, but we have to open it up to two because there is no such thing as one lure that
can adequately cover all water depths. So to be the most efficient yet effective inshore
redfish angler, you just need one lure that can cover each of the following depth ranges:
1.
2.
Shallow (0 ft. – 3 ft.)
Deep (3 ft. or more)
As for the individual lure that you want for each depth range, it’s important that it abides
by the general rules listed above about action, size, color, scent, and vibration for
whichever body of water you fish most.
To give yourself the best odds of catching redfish every trip with artificial lures, it is
essential that you become extremely skilled at a lure that covers the two core water
depth ranges. One that can cover the shallows for when the redfish are feeding in the
shallow water and one that can cover the deeper zones when the redfish move off of
the flats/shallows into deeper water.
Here are some that I have found to be consistent producers for each of the two core
water columns:
Shallow Water Redfish Lures
Here are two of my absolute favorites when fishing the shallows, or under 3ft.
​1. Jerk Shad or Paddletail Rigged On Weighted Hook [My #1 Favorite]
My most trusted lure for targeting redfish in the shallows is a 4” to 5” soft plastic jerk bait
or a 3” or 4” soft plastic paddletail swimbait rigged on a weighted hook. This
combination has proven to consistently catch redfish in all regions that I’ve explored so
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far. The two lures in particular are the 5” Scented Alabama Leprechaun Jerk Shad and
the Slam Shady Paddletail (in either 3”, 3.5”, or 4”).
Top Benefits:
These two shallow-water lures can be rigged weedless so that they can work in areas
with a lot of thick seagrass, oysters, or other types of structure that redfish will often be
holding in and around.
They can also be easily altered to mimic a smaller baitfish or shrimp. If you only see
small prey in the area, all you have to do is simply pull, or cut, off an inch or two off of
the tail. This works for both a jerk shad and most paddletails. The smaller remaining
amount can still have great action in the water and catch some very big fish when they
are honed in on the smaller bait.
Top Cons:
The biggest con of soft plastics is that the small fish like pufferfish and pinfish can tear
them apart making for an expensive and frustrating excursion if you have to continually
replace and re-rig your baits.
Another problem is that the results are totally dependent on how well the baits are
rigged onto the hook and how well they are retrieved. It’s essential to be diligent in
rigging them properly.
Rigging details for soft plastics on a weighted hook can be seen on this web page:
https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/alabama-leprechaun-lure/
And you can find rigging tips for Slam Shady here:
https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/how-to-use-rig-retrieve-slam-shady-paddletails/
Retrieve Style:
There are a multitude of retrieve styles that can work with soft plastics, but my absolute
most trusted style is what I refer to as the “double twitch” method, in which you quickly
twitch , or pop, the rod twice; and then pause before repeating the steps.
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The twitches cause the lure to do two quick darts up off the bottom, and then the pause
allows it so slowly sink back down. The reason I believe this action works so well so
consistently is that this action resembles both an injured baitfish as well as a scared
shrimp. It’ll attract strikes if the redfish are honed in on either baitfish or shrimp, which
are two of the most common prey for redfish across all seasons.
If using a paddletail on the weighted hook, then a great retrieve for that is to simply reel
it in with a slight twitch and then a short pause before repeating that process.
Detailed videos showing this in action can be found here:
Jerk: ​www.saltstrong.com/articles/alabama-leprechaun-lure/
Paddle: ​www.saltstrong.com/articles/how-to-use-rig-retrieve-slam-shady-paddletails/
Product Details
Here’s a shortlist of my favorites as of the time I’m writing this book (this may very well
change as I continue to test out more and more products for the ​Insider Club
members​):
·
·
·
·
·
Clear water: I prefer split tail scented jerk baits and the Slam Shady paddletail
Dark/Murky water: I prefer scented paddle tail baits due to more vibration
Best scent: Gulp products (5” Jerk bait is my favorite)
Best durability: Zman products (Slam Shady is my favorite)
Favorite weighted hook: Owner TwistLock with 1/8​th​ oz weight on 3/0 sized hook
These baits can be extremely productive, but they absolutely have to be rigged
properly. If not, they will look bad in the water and will not catch many, if any, fish.
The key to rigging your soft plastics properly is to have them as streamlined as possible
so that they don’t end up helicoptering in the water. They must ​not​ have any turns or
curves in their core body because that will undoubtedly cause them to have a very
unnatural motion in the water.
This is extremely important, and this is something that’s very tough to teach in text, so I
highly recommend watching our video tutorials listed earlier on this page that show
exactly how to properly rig the most popular soft plastics.
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2. Weedless Spoon
Even though I personally have more confidence in a jerk shad or paddletail, I’d be
remiss if I didn’t include a trusty gold spoon in this book. A weedless spoon is one of the
traditional lures that has continually proven to catch redfish for decades. The reason
why I specified “weedless” is because we’ll have to be able to cover even the extreme
shallows without getting snagged.
Top Benefits​:
The biggest benefit to weedless spoons is that they can help you cover an absolute ton
of water since they cast far, require very little maintenance, and give off great flash and
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vibration to draw fish to them. Another benefit is that they produce their own action in
the water so anglers of all experience levels can effectively use them.
Top Cons:
The weedless spoons aren’t as effective in sight fishing, and they don’t seem to produce
the same amount of strikes consistently across all seasons and weather patterns as the
soft plastics mentioned above.
Retrieve Style
Most spoons require very little energy from the angler, making them great search lures
for exploring new waters. Just the simple cast and retrieve sequence is all that’s
needed. I’ll often just give it a slight twitch every 5 or so seconds to give it a little extra
action and to help knock off any weeds that may have attached itself to the lure.
Product Details
There are a lot of options for weedless spoons. Although I have primarily gone with the
standard gold-colored spoons, the colored ones can work very well, too.
My all-time most trusted spoon is the 1/4​th​ oz Johnson Silver Minnow in gold.
Deep Water Redfish Lures
When fishing the deeper zones, the shallow water lures listed above simply won’t be as
effective because they simply can’t get down deep enough to enter the deeper strike
zone.
The redfish that are holding in deeper water, defined as more than 3 ft. for fishing
inshore saltwater waterways, are almost always going to be holding to the bottom, so
our goal needs to be to get our lures down to them.
Here are my favorites as of right now.
Soft Plastic Paddletail Rigged On A 1/4oz Jig Head
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My most trusted lure for targeting redfish in the deeper zones is a 3” to 5” soft plastic
paddletail rigged on a jig head that allows it to dive down deeper than the weighted
hook option for the shallows (which means minimum 1/4oz jighead).
Like the shallow water setup mentioned earlier, this combination has proven to
consistently catch redfish in all regions that I’ve explored so far.
Top Benefits:
This lure can be effectively used in many different situations, so it’s one that is smart to
have ready for action while out fishing. It can cover a variety of depths while bouncing
along the bottom or simply having a straight retrieve.
Just like I mentioned above, they can be easily altered to mimic a smaller baitfish or
shrimp if you see that only small prey are in the area. All you have to do is simply pull or
cut off an inch or two off of the tail, and the smaller remaining amount can still have
great action in the water. This will still catch some very big fish when they are honed in
on the smaller bait.
Top Cons:
The biggest con of soft plastics is that the small fish like pufferfish and pinfish can tear
them apart making for an expensive and frustrating excursion if you have to continually
replace and re-rig your baits.
Another problem is that the results are totally dependent on how well the baits are
rigged onto the hook as well as how well they are retrieved.
Retrieve Style:
There are a multitude of retrieve styles that can work with soft plastics, but my absolute
most trusted style is what I refer to as the “double twitch” method as explained earlier in
which you quickly pop the rod twice, and then pause before repeating the steps.
The rod action causes the lure to do two quick darts up off the bottom, and then the
pause allows it to slowly sink back down.
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This retrieve creates a lure action that resembles both an injured baitfish as well as a
scared shrimp, so it’ll get a lot of strikes if the redfish are honed in on either baitfish or
shrimp, which are two of the most common prey for redfish across all seasons.
Product Details
Here’s a shortlist of my favorites as of the time I’m writing this book. However, this may
very well change as I continue to test out more and more products for the Club
members:
·
Clear water: Slam Shady paddletail is the most consistent lure I’ve used
·
Dark/Murky water: I prefer scented paddletail baits
·
Best scent: Gulp products (3” Gulp Shrimp is my favorite)
·
Best durability: Zman products (3” MinnowZ is my favorite)
·
Favorite Jig Heads: 1/8​th​ oz to 1/2 oz. range (Zman Trout Eye & DOA CAL are my
favorites)
These baits can be extremely productive, but they absolutely have to be rigged
properly. If not, they will look bad in the water and will not catch many, if any, fish.
Here’s a link to see a video tutorial showing exactly how I rig my favorite of them all:
https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/how-to-use-rig-retrieve-slam-shady-paddletails/
2. Bucktail Jig
The bucktail jig is another great lure for targeting redfish in the deeper zones.
Similar to a spoon, it is surprisingly effective given how simple they are. They have been
used for many generations, so they have a lot of history in catching quality fish.
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Top Benefits:
Bucktail jigs can quickly get down to the bottom where most of the strikes will take place
so you can cover a lot of water to increase your odds of finding the feeding zones.
They are tougher than soft plastics, so I’ll often switch to them when pufferfish and other
small fish are tearing up my soft plastics.
Also, they don’t require any special rigging or maintenance when in use, so anglers of
all experience levels can have success with them.
Top Cons:
The biggest con is that they don’t put off much vibration in the water, so their
effectiveness goes down as the water gets less clear.
However, many people rig them with a soft plastic paddletail lure for vibration when
needed.
Retrieve Style:
My absolute most trusted style is what I refer to as the “double twitch” method as
explained earlier in which you quickly pop the rod twice, and then pause before
repeating the steps.
The rod action causes the lure to do two quick darts up off the bottom, and then the
pause allows it to slowly sink back down.
Product Details
I don’t use bucktails nearly as much as I used to now that I’ve found stronger soft
plastics. I like to use Zman when the junk fish are tearing up my other favorite soft
plastics.
When I do fish them, I prefer to use Spro bucktails.
You can buy Spro bucktails ​here
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Best Lures Conclusion
Overall, you’ll do the best by forcing yourself to use only one shallow water lure and one
deepwater lure every trip because you’ll get better and better at triggering strikes from
redfish by different variations of the retrieve tempo and style based on changing
conditions.
Best of all, by becoming a specialist with one or two lures, you’ll force yourself to put
your focus on covering more water and finding areas with the most fish.
If you’re interested in purchasing the lures listed above, you can find them on our shop
page: ​https://fishstrong.com/
Remember, it’s he or she who can consistently put a lure/bait in front of the most
feeding redfish who will be consistently catching the most redfish.
Over the years of using mostly lures when targeting redfish, I now find that my
consistency in catching quality sized slot redfish is better with lures than it is when I use
live bait because I can cover so much more water per hour.
This is especially true when I’m not able to fish often or when I’m exploring new regions
and am not sure exactly where to catch good bait or where the redfish will be.
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Chapter 10 – The Best Live Bait For Redfish
Redfish are one of the most adaptable of all inshore game fish. One clear example of
how truly adaptive they are can be seen by simply highlighting the impressive span of
where they can be caught.
Redfish can be found from south Texas, around the tip of Florida, all the way up the
Atlantic coastline to the New England states.
Given the redfish’s ability to survive and thrive in so many different regions, their diet is
not focused on just one or two things. They’ll most often be eating whatever is in the
area at that particular moment.
The best way to determine which bait is best is to simply use whatever bait is most
prevalent in the area you’re fishing at that particular time. Here are some great baits that
redfish will inhale:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Shrimp
Pilchards
Crabs
Mullet
Pinfish
Grunts
Pigfish
Croakers
Ladyfish
Ballyhoo
Any of these baits can be great options. ​The key thing to know about using live or
cut bait is to match the hook size to the size of the bait being used​. For instance,
small bait like a shrimp will require a much smaller hook compared to a mullet.
In general, the baitfish are most prevalent during the spring, summer, and fall seasons,
while their size generally goes from small in the spring to larger in the fall.
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During the winter, shrimp are often a very big focus for redfish because there is
generally less baitfish around (so shrimp can be especially productive in the winter
months).
Live Bait Rigging Tip:
A very big factor in having success with live bait is in rigging it properly based on the
conditions.
For example, you need to hook your baits toward their nose if the current is moving fast
(or if trolling), so they appear to be swimming naturally when getting pulled through the
water.
Conversely, hook baits towards the tail when fishing light current so you can direct the
fish to swim away from you towards the structure by simply pulling on the line. See the
example below for a live mullet.
Conservation Tip: Make sure to use circle hooks when live bait fishing for redfish because they
will help keep out-of-slot fish from getting injured.
Using Dead/Cut Bait
An extremely common practice for catching redfish is using cut bait, or dead natural
bait, and soaking it on the bottom.
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This works well because redfish are designed to eat off of the bottom. Combine that
with their good sense of smell, reds are very prone to be caught with chunks of bait that
fishermen soak on the bottom.
The key is to do this in areas where you know redfish are frequently found because this
type of fishing does not allow for covering a lot of water.
Some of the best types of spots for cut bait fishing are deeper cuts off the flats,
channels, inlet/pass mouths, and any other deeper pocket or cut where redfish inhabit.
This type of fishing will often have a lot of catfish and other bottom dweller bycatch, so
be mindful to size your bait chunks and hook sizes accordingly to keep the bycatch at a
minimum while still enabling your target redfish to eat the bait.
I’ll often use a chunk of mullet or ladyfish that is slightly too big to fit in the mouth of
most catfish, while still being enough to fit in a mid to upper slot redfish’s mouth. I’ll use
a 6/0+ circle hook as well which makes it tougher to hook small fish while being plenty
big enough for hooking target redfish.
Please make sure to not use J-hooks for this type of fishing​ because they will gut-hook
too many fish. Circle hooks are absolutely the way to go for this type of fishing.
How To Get Bait
The most popular method of getting bait for redfish is to use a cast net. It’s easy to learn
and can result in a lot of great baitfish in the livewell.
The other option is your local tackle shop. It is smart to call the tackle shop you plan to
go to the day before to make sure that they have whatever you’re planning to get. In
general, the bait that they have the most of at any given time is often what’s best to use
because that’s most likely what the redfish are keyed in on.
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Chapter 11: The Best Rod, Reel, Lines, Knots For Redfish
A common fishing mistake is using equipment that is not properly suited to their
particular needs.
Although this doesn’t seem to be discussed as often as it should, it’s extremely
important for us to always match our equipment to the type of lure/bait we’re using as
well as the area we’re fishing.
For example, it would not be practical to use 20 lb. leader on a rod spooled with 10 lb.
line to fish an inlet for bull redfish in heavy current with lots of structure around because
that would lead to break-offs.
Likewise, it’s also not practical to use 60 lb. leader on a rod spooled with 50 lb. braid
when fishing shallow flats in low-current areas because fishing line that heavy/bulky
would significantly hinder casting and retrieving performance.
Given that the mouths of redfish are not very rough, using a very heavy leader is not
needed in most cases. Therefore, going lighter will increase strikes without much risk of
break-offs.
So the big lesson is to ​match gear based on the conditions​.
The best news is that redfish are extremely diverse so there are a lot of options that can
work great.
For this section, we’ll focus on traditional equipment since it is more applicable for
maximizing the amount of redfish caught per hour of fishing regardless of skill level.
Below are specifics for the following core equipment items and reels that I have found to
be the most productive for consistently catching redfish across all seasons:
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● Rods (type & size)
● Reels (type & size)
● Lines (mainline & leader)
Best Rods For Redfish
Of all the equipment items to have for targeting redfish, I believe that ​the rod is the
most important​ (so that’s pretty much always what I spend the most money on
compared to everything else).
I used to spend more on reels until I started realizing that my results didn’t change much
if I was using an expensive one or not. On the other hand, my results absolutely did
change when I began testing nicer rods vs. the cheap ones that I used for so many
years prior.
This is due to the fact that your fishing rod is responsible for a wide variety of
essential things including:
●
●
●
●
●
●
Casting distance
Casting accuracy
Giving motion to the lure
Feeling strikes, bottom bumps, & potential snags
Setting the hook
Controlling the fish once hooked
Hopefully, you can see just how critical your rod is. Here are some quick tips on
effectively navigating through the thousands of rod options.
Spinning vs. Casting Rod?
Your first decision is to use spinning gear vs. casting gear. Like many of your decisions
for the equipment that you’ll be using, the answer generally is specific to your likes and
preferences.
I began fishing at a young age with spinning gear. Then my dad introduced me to
casting rods/reels when I was around 12 years old, and I soon switched 100% to
casting reels. I felt that it would help me catch more fish because that’s what all the top
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bass guys were using on TV. I mean, if the advanced pros were using casting reels, it
must be better right?
For many years, all through middle school, high school, and most of college, I totally
looked down at spinning tackle thinking it was just for rookies.
However, that all changed one day when I got invited to go fishing with a friend I met in
college named Chip Tharpe. Chip and his dad are both great anglers who inshore
fished around FL for many years, so I was very excited to fish with them to see how
they did everything.
As soon as I met up with them, I quickly realized that all they used were spinning outfits.
My first thought was why in the world did they have these sissy sticks. My second
thought was how much of an advantage I had because I brought my two favorite casting
setups with me.
However, that quickly changed once we began fishing. We were using 3-inch whitebait,
and we were fishing some shallow grass flats. We anchored the boat down in a grassy
spot with a half dozen good looking potholes within casting distance. The area looked
awesome. As I was putting on a popping cork to enable me to cast out the light baits, I
noticed that they didn’t bother with a cork—instead they were free-lining their baits. This
made me even more confident that I’d be catching the most fish because I knew that I’d
be able to cast my bait out a whole lot further.
Sadly, my fishing confidence quickly faded once they both began catching way more
fish than me. What I overlooked for way too many years was the benefits of spinning
tackle over bait casting because I was so focused on my perception that casting gear
was only for advanced anglers.
Instead of considering the pros and cons of these two very popular rod/reel types for
different conditions, I simply assumed casting was better because it was known to be
more advanced. That day in particular totally opened my eyes because they both
caught way more fish than I did.
The advantage they had over me with the spinning gear was that they were able to get
good casts with the very light baits into the strike zones without needing a popping cork
for weight like I did. So while my popping cork was crashing with a splash in the shallow
water, their baits were landing softer and not spooking any fish.
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Plus, their baits were able to swim more freely in the water, making them look more
natural in the water all while covering more water since their baits were constantly on
the move. Conversely, my baits were essentially pinned within 2 ft of my bobber so I
couldn’t cover nearly as much water as they could.
To make matters worse, the water was clear and calm, so my loud bobber was doing
more harm than good given that the water was very shallow as well and these fish were
spooking from it.
Once I realized my bobber was a problem, I took it off. However, I quickly realized I
couldn’t cast anywhere near as far as Chip and his dad. Their light spinning outfits had
great rod tip speed and lighter line compared to my stiff rod and heavy casting line.
Shortly after that trip, I bought a spinning rod to have it ready for whenever I was in
need of throwing light baits or lures. For multiple years afterward, I’d use a combination
of spinning and casting gear depending on the situation.
Then I finally tried braided line on my favorite spinning outfit, and I was blown away!
Finally, I had the benefit of being able to cast light baits long distances while also getting
good hooksets. Plus, I could feel my lures during the retrieve with this new line that was
much thinner than mono. The boost in casting distance while not having any stretch
allows for a much better feel.
Over time, I gradually shifted over more and more towards spinning because it simply
seemed to continually outperform the casting setups even when using lures.
Given that spinning outfits are easier to use while being more versatile for inshore
fishing needs relative to casting, I highly recommend putting a big focus on them over
casting for targeting inshore redfish.
As you’ll see when going into pretty much any tackle store, there are a lot of rods to
choose from.
The exact size to get is dependent on your needs and what type of areas you’ll be
fishing, so I recommend going to a local tackle shop or two to have a local help you out
if you’re confused.
Here are the two core questions that should be considered when rod shopping:
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1. Will you be fishing heavy or light/med current?
2. Will you be using live bait or artificial lures?
Note: If whoever you ask for help in rod selection doesn’t ask you questions like these
before recommending a rod, then I’d be skeptical of their recommendation.
If you feel that your answers are weighted towards the first two options, heavy current
and live bait, then getting a strong rod/reel with heavier line is probably the best bet.
That’s because you’ll need extra power to pull the redfish away from structure through
the current, and you won’t need to maximize your casting distance given that the live
bait can be drifted to the fish with the current in most cases.
But if you’ll be fishing light/med current with artificial lures (my personal favorite), then
it’s necessary to use lighter lines with lightweight fast action rods that allow for better
presentations and feel of the lure. Plus you’ll get longer casts, too.
I like to use 7’6” spinning rods that have fast-action blanks. This means that most of the
bend is towards the tip. I also like power ratings in the Medium to Medium-Heavy range
depending on the manufacturer.
Since you’re reading this book, I’ll be happy to fill you in on the rod that I’ve personally
liked best recently for targeting redfish.
I’m always testing out new rods for our Fishing Club members, so I’ll make the link
below auto-direct you to the one that I’ve been finding to be the best overall value for
targeting slot sized redfish in inshore saltwater environments with artificial lures.
https://www.saltstrong.com/fishing-tip/fishing-rod-review-insiders/
Best Reels For Targeting Redfish
Just like rods, there is an overload of options for reels to use for targeting redfish.
The good news is that the majority of them can work really well. My overall
recommendation for the type of reel to use for redfish is to go with spinning reels
because they are so versatile, allowing you to have just one or two setups to cover
everything you need.
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As discussed in the prior chapter, spinning tackle is best suited for casting light lures
long distances, relative to baitcasting gear, but they also can handle heavier lures as
long as a high-quality rod is used.
Assuming you are using light braid as the mainline, which you should, spinning tackle
can absolutely launch lures both light and heavy.
The best news is that reels are not nearly as important as the rod, so this is an area
where a lot of money-saving can be achieved.
The reason I am saying that they are less important is that the reel technically has only
three functions:
1.
2.
3.
Let line out
Reel line back in
Provide drag when needed
And since the reel’s drag setting is just 25% to 30% of the strength of your weakest line,
the need for a super high drag is not very important. For example, if using 10 lb. braid,
which is what I use most often when targeting redfish, the drag should only be set at 2.5
lbs. to 3 lbs. Even the cheapest reel will be able to do that!
The price is generally going to determine how well it can hold up to saltwater. Just know
that you’ll likely have to spend extra time maintaining the ones with less salt-resistant
material or you’ll find yourself replacing reels on a frequent basis.
Here are the size recommendations that I recommend for targeting slot-sized redfish:
1. Open grass flat or oyster bar with slow/medium current: 2500 to 3000 sized reels
2. Docks or Mangrove Line with slow/medium current: 3000 sized reels (4000 if
targeting over-slot redfish)
3. Fast-moving current with heavy structure targeting big redfish: 4000 to 5000
sized reels
I spent years using 4000+ sized reels for targeting redfish in slow to medium current
zones, and then I finally gave the smaller ones a try and was shocked at how much they
helped out when using artificial lures. The lighter reels make a big deal over a long trip
in terms of casting. And don’t worry, the smaller reels have plenty of power and can
hold plenty of line to handle redfish of any size as long as there isn’t a lot of current or
structure for them to use to their advantage. So I hope that you can learn from my
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mistake before buying the more expensive bigger reels in situations when you don’t
need them.
I’m always testing out new reels for our Fishing Club members, so here’s a link that will
auto-direct you to the one I’ve been finding to be the best overall value for targeting slot
size redfish in inshore saltwater environments with artificial lures.
https://www.saltstrong.com/fishing-tip/best-inshore-rod-reel-combo/
Best Fishing Line For Redfish
First, we’ll cover the mainline, which is the line that is used to fill the spool. This section
of line is a big factor in casting distance and controlling your lure/bait in the wind/current.
After years of being a strictly mono line angler, I finally gave braided line a chance and
have never gone back.
First, it allows for much better casting performance given that its diameter is so much
thinner than mono. Based on our testing, braided line can cast 20%+ farther in many
cases while having the same power as mono.
Secondly, its zero-stretch nature allows you to feel everything that is happening to your
lure/bait whether it be strikes, bumping bottom, snagging a weed, etc. All of these give
the advantage to the fisherman and not the fish.
Since redfish often are found in open flats where long and accurate casts are incredibly
important, it’s smart to do everything possible to increase casting performance.
Here’s what I’ve found to work best:
1. Open grass flat or oyster bar with slow current: ​10 lb. braid with 20 lb. leader
2. Docks or Mangrove Line with slow/medium current: ​10 to 20 lb. braid with 25 to
30 lb. leader
3. Fast-moving current with heavy structure: ​20 to 30 lb. braid with 40 lb. leader
Best Fishing Leader Line For Redfish
As you saw in the list above, the leader lines I recommend are always stronger than the
mainline. In case you’re new to fishing, the leader line is a short piece of line that is tied
in between the mainline and the lure or the hook.
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The core purpose of a leader line is to be as strong as possible to withstand the
business end of the line from breaking when rubbed up against a fish’s mouth or
anything sharp under the water. The reason I recommend using a leader that’s stronger
than the mainline is because this setup enables the longest casts (thin mainline) while
still having the toughness to handle a thrashing fish (stronger leader at the business
end).
This line is generally made from a monofilament line with growing popularity going to a
unique type of monofilament line called fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon is known for being
less visible to fish underwater relative to traditional monofilament, but I’ve yet to see
much scientific evidence of this...
There seems to be a good amount of debate about the effectiveness of the more
expensive fluorocarbon leader line relative to the much more affordable traditional
monofilament, so I’ll be doing a series of experiments to determine which type and
specific brand truly is the best.
At the current time that I’m writing this book, I have found some surprising results when
testing the abrasion-resistance strength of fluoro vs. mono that go against the highly
touted (and much more expensive) fluorocarbon.
Many more tests to come, and I’ll have a link to them on this page:
https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/mono-vs-fluoro-fishing-leader/
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Chapter 12 - Other Essential Equipment
On top of the basic items like a rod, reel, and line, you’ll also need to have additional
items to help give you an added advantage over the fish.
Here is a quick list:
Vision Improvement
Being able to see into the water is extremely important for making sure that you are
maximizing the time your bait spends in a strike zone instead of a dead zone.
For example, when fishing a shoreline or a flat, you have a huge advantage if you can
actually see the fish in the water. Even if you can’t see the fish, it’s extremely important
to be able to see subsurface forms of structure such as oysters, seagrass, depth
changes, etc. This is because that’s generally where most of the feeding takes place.
If you can see it, then you won’t be wasting time casting to dead zone areas where
there is no structure or underwater movement.
Here are 3 items that will significantly help you see into the water:
● Polarized Glasses (most important)
○ Polarized glasses help take the glare off of the water so you can see into it
better. Be sure to get a frame that fits your face so that you don’t have
much light penetration from the top, sides, or bottom. The more light you
block from the sides of the glasses, the better your vision will be going
directly forward.
○ Glasses with wide sides that totally block out the light are helpful. Do not
fish with aviators… they might look cool, but they are not good for fishing.
● Brimmed Hat
○ Wearing a hat not only helps keep the sun’s harmful rays off of your face,
but it also helps keep light from getting through the top and sides of your
glasses.
○ Ideally wear a hat with a dark underside so that doesn’t distract your eyes
from looking forward
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● Hooded Performance Shirt
○ The hooded shirt combined with a hat does a great job at keeping as
much light as possible from entering your glasses from the top and sides
○ I was surprised by how much wearing hooded shirts helped my sight
fishing once I began wearing them
Safety
There is always an element of danger when out on the water, so it’s best to always be
prepared for issues that may arise.
Here’s a quick list of items to bring along with you when fishing:
● Drinking water – pack more than you think you’ll need
● Life jacket – needs to be worn (or at least within arm’s reach)
● Safety whistle – best to tie one onto every life jacket so that it’s always there if
needed
● Pliers – helps in unhooking fish safely and in cutting line
● Medical Kit – always smart to carry a kit that has bandages, hydrogen peroxide,
ointments, and other items needed for tending to any cuts
● Food – bring some food in case you get stuck for longer than expected
● Sunscreen & Sun Protection Clothing
● Wading boots (in case you need to push off of a bar)
● More water – Can never have too much water
Comfort
Being comfortable while out fishing is extremely important so that your mind can be
focused on finding and catching fish.
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and have something comfortable to sit on.
Be sure to have rain gear handy for days when there is any possibility of rain.
If it’s a hot sunny day, there is a huge advantage to wearing high-quality long sleeve
clothing because you’ll be protected from the sun’s rays while still staying as cool as
possible.
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Chapter 13 – Targeting Redfish Via Boat
In this chapter, I’ll share some tips on making the most of catching redfish from your
boat or skiff.
Approach & Positioning Tips
A key factor in consistently catching redfish is your ability to effectively approach and
position yourself so that you don’t spook all the fish away before you even get a cast in.
This gets more and more important as the water gets shallower.
Whenever you’re navigating in 3ft depths or less, be ​extremely​ mindful of any and all
vibrations or water shifts that you create while moving or anchoring. Even the smallest
vibration will have fish sensing that something big and dangerous is in the area, thus
switching them into self-preservation mode and making them much less likely to eat.
When moving towards your spot, it’s essential to be skilled with a push pole or a trolling
motor. At no point should there be any quick or sharp movements. Loud approaches
cost more anglers fish than they ever know. In fact, poor positioning and irregular
sounds in the water (like a trolling motor that kicks into high gear) is one of the most
common ways anglers blow out a good spot.
It’s also smart to use the wind to push you into your desired area as much as possible.
Letting the wind do the work is often the quietest way to get to a shallow water target.
For anchoring, the same premise holds true—no quick or sharp movements.
That means you can’t just toss out an anchor (and its noisy chain) into the water. You
also can’t just hit the “Anchor” button on the fancy GPS controlled trolling motor to stop
your drift and hold your spot. This is because that will usually cause the motor to make
some sharp surges to quickly stop your boat’s momentum.
Instead, you’ll need to slowly stop your boat’s momentum manually and then hit the
“Anchor” button so that the autopilot feature has a smooth transition into its holding
place.
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If you have a Power Pole or Talon, you have the luxury of being able to stop yourself
very quietly with little effort. This is a big advantage when fishing on windy days where
you need to stop your boat in order to effectively fish your target spots.
If you don’t have a Power Pole or Talon, you still have options for quietly and efficiently
stopping your forward movement without spending a bunch of money.
My favorite method is the use of stick anchors. These are the long poles that are
typically 6 ft. to 8 ft. and about 3/4 inch in diameter that you stick into the ground
vertically to hold to a specific spot. I have tested a variety of them over the years (Stick
It Pin, Wang Anchor, Yak-Gear steak, etc.), and they all work great.
Note: I do ​not​ recommend using traditional Fluke Anchors in areas with seagrass
because they can rip up the grass. This is especially true on windy days where the force
of the wind causes the anchor to drag across the bottom and scrapes a line of seagrass
away from the sand.
Conservation Note:​ Make sure that you don’t let your prop damage any seagrass areas
when you’re going into the shallows. Seagrass takes years to grow back.
Seagrass Preservation Tips
Here are some tips for making sure that you don’t damage our valuable seagrass beds
with your motor:
● Don’t explore unknown areas during low-light conditions with your combustion
engine. Turn it off and use the trolling motor when not certain of what’s ahead
● Don’t explore new areas at full speed. Go down to idle when out of a marked
channel and when approaching unknown shallows
● Always wear polarized sunglasses when navigating shallow water during the
daylight so that you can optimize your ability to see objects under the surface
● Plan your exploration time during periods where the tide is rising so that you
don’t get stuck in the backwaters
● Have passengers move to the front of the boat when in the shallows. This will
raise the back of the boat to help keep your prop away from the grass.
● Raise your jack plate (if you have one)
● Tilt your motor way up so that the prop is not touching the grass
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Note: If you’re in an area that allows for running at fast speeds over shallow flats, please
make sure to keep your trim tabs down because that raises the back of the boat up.
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Chapter 14 – Targeting Redfish Via Kayak or Paddleboard
Paddle fishing has grown extremely fast over the past 15 years. I could not be happier
because it’s such a great way to enjoy the outdoors without having to spend a bunch of
money on boats and all that comes with them.
Most importantly, they can be redfish catching machines if used smartly because they
allow anglers to navigate shallow zones extremely quietly, making it hard for redfish to
sense the nearby danger.
Here is the #1 pro and con of fishing from a kayak or paddleboard:
Pro​: Great way to quickly access good fishing grounds without spending many
thousands of dollars on a vessel.
Con​: Coverage range limited to angler’s endurance and skill.
The biggest trick for kayak and paddle board fishing is to perfect the pre-trip planning
spot selection activities. The biggest hurdle that you have to overcome compared to a
boater is the amount of area that you can cover on a given trip since you don’t have the
luxury to pick up and move miles away quickly with the help of a powerful engine.
Once you locate a good feeding zone, being in a kayak is actually an advantage over a
boat in many ways because of the stealth factor.
So when you get good at picking spots based on the redfish finding formulas that you
learned earlier in this book, you can actually have an overall advantage over many
boaters because you’ll be able to put yourself in the right spots at the right time in a
super stealthy way.
What I like most of all about paddle fishing is that it helps me more effectively tune in to
what’s happening in both the area that I’m fishing and the area that I’m paddling across
when going from spot to spot.
The best example of this is when my dad and I started exploring small creek systems
during the winter via kayak. We were targeting snook and redfish that seek refuge in
backcountry creeks during the cold snaps (because those creeks generally have deep
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pockets that are wind-protected with dark bottom). As we paddled out from the same
ramp we had launched a boat from for many years, we started seeing a bunch of quality
redfish in areas in between the ramps and the areas we had fished. We had totally
overlooked these areas when fishing from a boat because we’d just motor away from
the ramp to whichever spots we were going to fish that day.
So if you’re fishing from a kayak or paddle board, always be sure to use your core
advantage of getting close to the fish, and always stay on the lookout for redfish when
paddling from spot to spot. It’s surprising how often just doing that has led to many great
catches for me.
To maximize that advantage, make an effort to get as high off of the water as you can
because every inch of elevation will help you see more fish while paddling and while
fishing.
As for the question I get about fishing from a kayak or a paddle board, there is no right
answer for which one is best because it’s dependent on the angler’s needs and fishing
style.
For me, I fish from my paddleboard much more often than my kayak because it allows
me to more comfortably paddle while maximizing my ability to see into the water
compared to my kayak. That is a huge deal to me because I can see the fish before
they see me, which results in many very fun sight fishing opportunities.
The con of a paddleboard is that they are generally tougher to paddle across long
distances. This is because they are more prone to wind exposure. Plus, wave activity
can cause even experienced paddle anglers to have to spend energy on simply
balancing themselves.
What I’ve found to be best over the years is to be able to utilize the strengths of each
regardless of which one is being used.
For example, when I want to go on a paddle trip to check out a spot that is 3+ miles
away from the launch, I prefer to take my kayak because it’s more efficient at paddling
longer distances. It’s lower to the water and has two blades vs. one. However, I still take
my paddleboard paddle so that I can paddle and fish while standing up more effectively
once I get to my target area.
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When I’m going to an area where I don’t have to paddle really long distances, I prefer
taking my paddleboard so that I can more effectively paddle while standing up.
If it’s a windy day, I’ll bring my kayak paddle with me so that I can sit down on the board
and paddle kayak style when paddling into the wind. Sitting down makes a huge
difference when paddling into the wind since it decreases wind drag.
So regardless of which option you choose, just know that you can get the best of both
by simply mirroring the other when the occasion arises.
Here are some core tips for some extra gear to bring with you while kayak or
paddleboard fishing:
● Anchor pin – extremely helpful when fishing on windy days to keep you in a good
spot
● Consider an anchor sock if you like to drift fish
● Wading boots – extremely helpful when in need of walking your kayak or
paddleboard over a shallow shelf or if in need of wading to get to super-finicky
fish
● WATER – more than you think you’ll need
● Pliers
● Extra leader line
● Extra lures
● A phone that’s fully charged and waterproof (or a waterproof case)
● Safety gear: life jacket, whistle, lights, etc.
If you’re new to paddle fishing, make sure to start out with short trips of under 1 mile
until you are very comfortable managing the wind and currents.
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Chapter 15 – Targeting Redfish From Shore
The most common excuse I hear for not fishing as often, or not catching as many fish,
as one would like is the following:
“If only I had a boat…”
Or
“If only I had a kayak…”
If those words have crept into your mind, please know that they are not valid at all when
it comes to catching redfish.
Those phrases are only focusing on the con of shore/wade fishing without thinking
about the HUGE advantage of it.
Here is the #1 pro and con of fishing from shore and wading:
Pro​: Walking is often the best way to sneak up on big redfish in shallow water
Con​: The amount of water that can be covered in a day is much less than fishing from a
boat, kayak, or paddle board
Fishing from shore or wading is the ultimate in stealth!
Instead of focusing on the inability to cover a huge expanse of water every trip, put your
energy into finding a good spot or two that fits the spot selection formulas explained in
this book that you can access by foot.
Once you do get yourself in a good spot, you’ll have an advantage over the boaters and
kayakers because you’re going to be able to catch many fish from the one area given
your extreme stealth due to your low profile, zero hull slap, and minimal water
displacement.
In fact, I have caught many of my biggest and most memorable redfish while wade
fishing.
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So before ever uttering either of those two excuses above to explain to someone why
you don’t fish very often or why you aren’t catching as many redfish as you want, put
that energy into perfecting the science and art of spot selection based on the conditions.
Not only is that your key to catching fish, but it’s also what will help you out-fish most
anglers who are fishing from super expensive boats and kayaks.
Here are some core tips for what to bring with you while wade fishing:
● Wading boots – Extremely important to keep your feet protected from sharp
objects in the water
● If in cold conditions, it’s smart to go with full waders. Just be very careful not to
get too deep because they can be deadly if they get swamped
● A pack of some sort to carry extra equipment, water, etc.
● WATER – more than you think you’ll need
● Pliers
● Extra leader line
● Extra lures
● A phone that’s fully charged and waterproof (or a waterproof case)
● Safety gear: whistle
When wading in areas with stingrays, make sure to not pick up your feed from the
ground. Instead, just slide them forward as you walk so that you don’t step on any
stingrays. This is called the “stingray shuffle”.
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BONUS #1 – Summer Season Game Plan Cheat Sheet
During the summer, the big thing to keep in mind is that the DO2 levels in the water
decrease as the water temperature increases.
So as the water temperature goes up, it’s more and more important to target spots that
have the following DO2 booster features relative to the surrounding areas:
●
●
●
●
●
Higher Current
Healthy Seagrass
Deeper Water
Shaded Water
Wave Activity
Timing [Hot Weather]
During the hot weather months, the best bite is typically the hour before and after the
sunrise and the sunset.
The best game plan is generally to start fishing in the shallows in high probability zones
(the areas with multiple types of structure —this is where the redfish will be actively
feeding).
Once the sun starts heating up the water, it’s time to shift out towards deeper zones
and/or areas where there is some cooler water. But as the sun’s energy dissipates in
the late afternoon hours, the redfish will generally get more active up in the shallows
again.
Lures: Baitfish of all sizes are plentiful, so a wide array of lures can be used. It’s smart
to focus on matching, or using a lure slightly bigger than, what you’re seeing in the
water.
Favorites:
● Best Bite: Twilight hours in the morning
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● Best Tide: I mostly look for maximized current flow, but I do give incoming tide
preference because it generally moves colder water from the depths up onto the
shallows, which boosts DO2 levels.
Game Plan:
●
●
●
●
Morning: Target the shallows where there is a lot of bait and structure
Mid-Day: Target deeper areas with multiple DO2 boosters
Evening: Target the shallows where there is a lot of bait and structure
Night: Target the shallows where there is a lot of bait, and be sure to also try
shadow lines of docks and bridges that have bright lights
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BONUS #2 - Fall Season Game Plan Cheat Sheet
During the fall, you don’t need to worry much about the water temperature because it’s
safe to assume that the fish will be comfortable in terms of DO2 levels and body
temperature.
Fall is the time to put the sole focus on finding areas with the most food for them to eat,
along with enough protection from predators, such as dolphins.
Bull Redfish Aler​t: This is the season where many big, over-slot redfish push inshore, so
be ready for encounters with very strong fish, especially near passes and inlets.
Lures​: The baitfish are generally at their peak in quantity and size, so it’s smart to use
larger baitfish imitation lures at this time. This is a great season for fun topwater strikes!
Timing​: During the mild temperature months, the best inshore bite is often in the twilight
periods within a couple hours before and after the sun rises and sets.
Since the water temperature will stay out of either extreme hot or cold, they will often
feed throughout the day and into the night as well.
The best game plan is to prioritize the twilight periods first and then factor in the tidal
movements to determine when the optimal feeding times will be.
Favorites:
● Best Bite: Twilight hours & max current periods
● Best Tide: I don’t favor incoming or outgoing during this time. I just want good
current flow.
Game Plan:
● Morning: I try to get out as early as possible and focus on the shallow flats and/or
shorelines with lots of life such as birds, bait, and any feeding activity.
● Mid-Day: The fish can be both shallow or deep at this time. Typically the best bet
is to target the zones with the most bait that’s near structure such as oyster bars,
shoreline points, potholes on grass flats, etc.
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● Evening: This is often a great time to target redfish up on the flats or along
shorelines in the shallows because they’ll often be actively feeding just like they
were in the morning.
● Night: The shadow lines of docks and bridges with bright lights can be very
effective. I also like targeting the same zones that were effective during the
twilight periods because they’ll often hang in those same areas to feed
throughout the night.
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BONUS #3 - Winter Season Game Plan Cheat Sheet
This is my favorite season for sight fishing because the water is generally the clearest in
winter.
During this time, the big thing to keep in mind is that the only way for fish to moderate
their internal temperature is to swim to another area.
As the water temperature drops below their comfort zone, they’ll undoubtedly be moving
in search of warmer water, so look for these heat incubator factors:
●
●
●
●
●
Dark Bottom (attracts heat)
Mud Bottom (holds heat)
Wind Protected Shoreline (makes it tougher for cold air to cool down the water)
Direct Sunlight Zones
Water Depth
○ Fish the deeper depths in the morning
○ Fish the shallower waters during the high sunlight periods
My ideal winter spots are areas that span from shallow to deeper water (1 ft. to 6 ft.+)
with lots of structure such as docks, oysters, seagrass, trees, rocks, etc.
Lures​: Baitfish levels are at the lowest for the year. Shrimp and other crustaceans are
the primary prey, so it’s smart to use shrimp lures or other small creature baits.
Favorites:
● Best Bite: Mid-morning hours
● Best Tide: I mostly prefer maximized current flow periods. I do give the outgoing
tide phase an edge up because it generally is moving warm water from the
shallows out to the channels and edges of the shallows where the redfish will
often be positioned.
Game Plan:
● Morning: Target deeper areas with some of the heat Incubators listed in Ch. 3
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● Mid-Day: Shift up into the shallows with the most bait activity as the water warms
up
● Evening: The shallows will often stay warm up until dark, so they can still be very
effective. I give priority to areas that have good shallow spots as well as good
deep spots in the same general location because you can quickly shift back and
forth to hone in on the ideal depth.
● Night: The shadow lines of docks and bridges with bright lights can be very
effective. I also like targeting the outside edges of healthy grass flats and/or
oyster bars, too.
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BONUS #4 – Spring Season Game Plan Cheat Sheet
During this time, you don’t need to worry much about the water temperature because
it’s safe to assume that the fish will be comfortable in terms of DO2 levels and body
temperature.
Put the sole focus on finding areas with the most food for them to eat, along with
adequate protection from predators like dolphin.
Lures​: This is the season where smaller baitfish are pouring in, so it’s smart to use
smaller baitfish imitation lures like spoons, smaller soft plastics, etc.
Timing​: During the spring, the best inshore bite is often in the twilight periods within a
couple hours before and after the sun rises and sets. Since the water temperature will
stay out of either extreme (hot or cold), they will often feed throughout the day and into
the night as well.
The best game plan is generally to prioritize the twilight periods overall, and then heavily
factor in the tidal movements to determine when the optimal feeding times will be.
Favorites:
● Best Bite: Twilight hours & max current periods
● Best Tide: I don’t favor incoming or outgoing during this time. I just want good
current flow.
Game Plan:
● Morning: I try to get out as early as possible and focus on the shallow flats and/or
shorelines with lots of life such as birds, bait, and any feeding activity.
● Mid-Day: The fish can be both shallow or deep at this time. Typically the best bet
is to target the zones with the most bait that’s near structure such oyster bars,
shoreline points, potholes on grass flats, etc.
● Evening: This is often a great time to target redfish up on the flats or along
shorelines in the shallows because they’ll often be actively feeding just like they
were in the morning.
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● Night: The shadow lines of docks and bridges with bright lights can be very
effective. I also like targeting the same zones that were effective during the
twilight periods because they’ll often hang in those same areas to feed
throughout the night.
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BONUS #5 – Lure Selection Cheat Sheet
The #1 Goal – Be an expert at one or two lures for shallow (0 to 3 ft.) and for
deep-water zones (3+ ft.).
Shallow Water Redfish Lures (0 to 3 ft. depths)
1. Soft Plastic Rigged On Weighted Hook
My most trusted lure for targeting redfish in the shallows is a 4” to 5” soft plastic jerk
shad rigged on a weighted hook. See pg 75 for more details.
Here’s a shortlist of my favorites as of the time I’m writing this book (this may very well
change as I continue to test out more and more products for the Club members):
·
·
·
·
Clear water: I prefer split tail scented jerk baits (like ​Alabama Leprechaun​)
Dark/Murky water: I prefer scented paddle tail baits (more vibration)
Best durability: Z-man products (5” Jerk Shadz is my favorite)
Favorite weighted hook: Owner TwistLock with 1/8​th​ oz. weight on 3/0 sized hook
2. Weedless Spoon
The reason why I specified “weedless” is because we’ll have to be able to cover even
the extreme shallows with bottom structure without getting snagged, and it won’t get
ruined by junk fish.
My all time most trusted spoon is the 1/4​th​ oz. Johnson Sprite Silver Minnow in gold.
Deep Water Redfish Lures
1. Soft Plastic Rigged On A Jig Head
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My most trusted lure for targeting redfish in the deeper zones is a 3” to 4” soft plastic
paddle tail rigged on a jig head that allows it to dive down deeper than the weighted
hook option for the shallows. See page 79 for more details.
Like the shallow water setup mentioned earlier, this combination has proven to
consistently catch redfish in all regions that I’ve explored so far.
Retrieve Style​: Straight reel for paddle tails and the “double twitch” method for straight
tails
Here’s a shortlist of my favorites as of the time I’m writing this book. Again, this may
very well change as I continue to test out more products for the Club members:
● Clear water: I prefer light-colored paddletails (Slam Shady) or shrimp patterns
with a streamlined tail for maximum darting motion (like Power Prawn)
● Dark/Murky water: I prefer scented paddle tail baits to make sure you combine
scent with vibration (like a scented Slam Shady)
● Favorite Jig Heads: 1/8 to 1/4​th​ oz. range (Z-man Trout Eye with a pearl, glow, or
chartreuse eye is my favorite)
2. Bucktail Jig
The bucktail jig (1/4​th​ oz. or more based on depth) is a great lure for targeting redfish in
the deeper zones.
Retrieve Style​: The “double twitch” method to bounce it along, or close to, the bottom
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BONUS #6 - Overall Redfish Catching Summary
In conclusion, remember these main points and you’ll be on your way to catching more
redfish per trip:
The 90/10 Rule:​ Always focus on FIRST eliminating the dead zones (areas where you
are certain redfish won’t be) and then start drilling down the feeding zones. You’ll
quickly find that 90% of all redfish are in just 10% of any area at any given time.
For a free webinar training on the 90/10 rule, go here:
https://secure.saltstrong.com/90-10-webinar-case-study-special
The 3 B’s: ​Once you’ve done your off the water pre-trip planning, one of the first things
to do when you start hitting your spots is to look for signs of the 3 B’s:
● Birds
● Bait
● Boils
Almost every time that we find a spot with all three, we catch fish.
Simplify: ​Another theme you saw throughout this book is to simplify. Simplify your
tackle, your lures, your bait, and even your rod and reel. Our very best days (and even
tournament wins) seem to be when all we take are two rods each, and use one or two
lures for the entire day. Become a specialist at a couple of lures and you will catch more
redfish. Guaranteed.
Maximize Structure: ​The other trending theme throughout this book is finding
structure. In every scenario, more structure the merrier (and happier the redfish are to
be there). Structure is the #1 thing professional bass anglers look for to catch bass and
it’s the #1 thing the redfish pros look for to catch redfish. Maximize your structure,
maximize your chances of catching lots of fish.
Finally, I hope that you’ll join us and the tens of thousands of other saltwater fishing fans
in the Salt Strong Insider Club. It’s the only online fishing club that is guaranteed to help
you catch more fish and save money on your fishing tackle or the club is FREE (and
that guarantee is good for an entire 365 days)!
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Join now: ​https://www.saltstrong.com/pricing/
Tight lines and I hope to see your redfish pics inside our private Insider community!
Luke Simonds
Chief Fishing Addict - Salt Strong
P.S. I’m in our private Insider community answering questions every single day. If you
have any, please get in there and ask away.
Here’s the link: ​https://community.saltstrong.com/
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