Fishing with Capt. George Tunison | Many ways to reel in a red this fall
First time redfish anglers are usually amazed by the sheer power of a beautiful Southwest Florida red.
Trying to get a 10-pound red out from under a 5-foot canopy of sticky mangrove branches that are trying their best to snag your tight line can be quite the heart pumping battle and what keeps redfish anglers coming back for more.
There are many ways to catch fall redfish, and rigging for bottom fishing along mangrove shorelines where reds love to hang out is very basic and a great way to get in the game.
When using braid as your main line, tie a small high quality swivel to the end, then attach your mono leader to it or simply join the leader to line with your favorite knot. In this case, 30 to 50-pound test leaders needn’t be long, with 18 to 24-inch (depending on depth) a good starting length.
Tie on a one-eighth to one-fourth-ounce jighead then add your bait. Now cast -as close as possible- to your favorite mangrove edge hot spot and wait. If current isn’t an issue, just cast the shrimp on an unweighted hook.
Another basic bottom rig would be a sliding or fish finder rig, which is simply a lite sliding sinker (that freely rides the short leader) captured between the swivel and the hook.
Typically, an always hungry redfish will inhale your bait quickly and deeply, which is a good reason to use a circle hook if you intend to practice catch and release. Using circle hooks properly means reeling tight to the fish after the strike.
Simply reeling, not hard-setting, plus the fish turning and swimming away actually sets the hook, usually in the jaw or lip allowing for an easy and healthy release.
New anglers often have trouble detecting the strike, which again usually happens very quickly. By not paying close attention to any movements of the line, the fish bites, quickly swallows and is back under cover in a flash, making it in many cases impossible to get out without breaking your line.
If you’re not a dedicated line watcher or just new to the game, try adding a small float right above the swivel. This visual aid now makes it easy to see a strike and react before the bait is swallowed or the fish is too deep under cover. Using the tide, a small float also allows a controlled drift along a mangrove, bar, or other structure edge, presenting the bait dangling below to more potential customers.
After sensing the strike, put the rod tip in the water while quickly reeling. Don’t make the mistake of using a high stick, power plus hook set, which is a natural impulse. This action only tangles the line in the mangroves causing it to break, or in some cases can actually pull the circle hooked bait out of the fishes’ mouth. Try to keep the rod tip in the water during the strike and fight till the redfish is clear of the sticks.
Redfish are crepuscular, meaning they are most active during dawn (matutinal) or the twilight hours (vespertine). For the best results when seeking tailing reds, be on the water early during a rising tide before they go under cover later as the tide increases during the day.
Best bottom baits for ravenous redfish include shrimp as the No. 1 choice, followed by cut ladyfish, mullet, and pinfish. Reds aren’t that picky. I’ve successfully used one to two-inch hot dog chunks soaked all night in “Berkley Gulp!”
Continued windy conditions have kept antsy offshore anglers in port for quite some time. Weather predictions for the coming weekend call for possible unsettled weather which should further upset the grouper and snapper crews wanting to tangle with a big and tasty bottom dweller. A near shore reef compromise may be in order just to take the edge off while ensuring a safe trip home.
Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. You can contact him at captgeorget4@yahoo.com or 239-440-1621.