By Neil Taylor, Times Correspondent
Sunday, June 12, 2011
What's hot: Redfish are feeding with a vengeance, attacking lures and providing consistent, fun action. Redfish between 17 and 31 inches are feeding best on the higher tides on mangrove shorelines in the early morning and around sunset. Regardless of size, these fish fight with spirit, and catching them becomes an addiction.
Tackle and techniques: Medium spinning gear with a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader, an eighth-ounce jighead and 3-inch plastic tail are all you need. The redfish are honed in on the sardines and pinfish right now. So the paddle-tail style is working very well. Anglers will eventually locate feeding redfish by quietly easing into these areas and casting around oyster bars, bait schools and schools of mullet. The eighth-ounce lure needs to be worked slowly, but don't pick up grass off the bottom in this shallow-water situation.
When one redfish is hooked, stake out that area to catch more from the same school. They will eat natural baits, but the lures eliminate the nuisance of other opportunists such as pinfish and catfish. If the area has a lot of debris such as algae or floating seagrass, switch to a weedless jighead. When you feel the strike, set the hook and enjoy the battle.
Neil Taylor charters kayak fishing trips in the Tampa Bay area and can be reached at strikethreekayakfishing.com or (727) 692-6345.