Redfish setup advice

ascain

Button Buck
I’d really like to get into fishing for red drum inshore. I recently got a 20’ aluminum boat which I think would do well fishing for them. I did a good bit of largemouth bass fishing when I was a kid, gotten back into it a bit and refamiliarized myself with it in the last couple of years, but I’d like to try red drum out since most of my free time in the summer is spent at the coast (wife loves the beach). I would like to know what kind of setup I need to catch some, and locations. Not asking for specific locations, just guidelines of what to look for in a given area.

I purchased a 7’ Penn Pursuit II rod and reel combo at the advice of a friend, as I had no saltwater equipment, and just wondering what else I need. Line (braid/mono/fluoro) and poundage, lures, or if I need a different rod/reel entirely.

Thanks in advance for the advice!
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redbow

Ten Pointer
Try a popping cork with 20-24" leader and a zman sexy Mullet on a 1/4 to 3/8 oz jighead. 10 lb test line. I prefer mono but braid is okay too.
 

23mako

Ten Pointer
In my opinion it is tough to beat just using a plain ole carolina rig with a chunk of bait when you are first starting out. If you can get a live finger mullet even better. I use circle hooks and small egg weight.

Chucking lures is great fun too but something about me just loves to soak bait.
 

Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
In my opinion it is tough to beat just using a plain ole carolina rig with a chunk of bait when you are first starting out. If you can get a live finger mullet even better. I use circle hooks and small egg weight.

Chucking lures is great fun too but something about me just loves to soak bait.

Saved me a lot of typing, I would add however I use yo zuri pink floro leader. I fished in a community hole before with multiple boats and it was obvious who was using this setup and who wasn't.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you're in a running tide then a small crab is tough to beat for big reds. I always used a drop rig since there was always lots of rocks in the jetties and a break away sinker rig saved many a lost fish and lost rig.
 

Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Interesting. Have you found that it works better than other floro leaders?

Years ago I had a charter captain let me in on this “secret”. I’ve been using it ever since. I don’t know what it is about this particular color and brand... it might be the pink color, it might have a smaller diameter I don’t know. What I DO know is fishing is as much about confidence as it is anything else. I won’t fish without it.


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23mako

Ten Pointer
As far as locations, they really can be found anywhere. Deep spots in creeks near oyster beds, docks etc. Wind blown points are always good too.
 

Mechanic Bob

Eight Pointer
Put your Bass Fishing Skills to use catch Reds. Darn near the same thing. Just have to wash and flush ALL your stuff after each use in the Salt. Your Bass fishing gear will work just fine.
 

bshobbs

Old Mossy Horns
Asking about types of rods, reels and different tackle will draw you thousands of options. This time of year I use 20 pound braid for most of my fishing these days. It is only about the size of 6 pound mono, so you will have plenty of line for the occasional bruiser that you catch. Then I tie on my leader of 20 pound fluorocarbon then the lure and let the games begin.

Learn to cast net your own finger mullet for those days they want bait on a Carolina rig. Jigheads in 1/8 and 1/4 ounce for casting grubs or Gulp shrimp or jerk shad.

As you progress the list will grow long, but fish for them just like a bass. Ambush points, rips around islands or thru cuts and oyster beds hold fish.
 

Mike Noles aka conman

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I've also switched to braid and use a yozuri floro leader. A live bait I really like is the largest mud minnows I can seine in the brackish backwaters and ditches. They're the most hearty bait I've found and the chunks love 'em. Use the same set up as 23mako and Justin.
 

ascain

Button Buck
Wow! Thanks for all the response. Gives me a great place to start. Call me crazy but I’ve never done much fishing with a Carolina rig. Caught most of my largemouths off Texas rigs. Sounds like a yozuri fluoro leader is definitely way to go - haha!!


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oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
i think you maybe should tell where on the coast you will fish. if you are able to fish the entire coast then for sure try and be around the mouth of the nuese in august. that is the easiest fishing on the coast. and they are as big as they get.

as justin says as dumb as a bass only 10 times as heavy. what's not to like? :)

no one mentioned it but they really cannot be denied a topwater bait.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
In my opinion it is tough to beat just using a plain ole carolina rig with a chunk of bait when you are first starting out. If you can get a live finger mullet even better. I use circle hooks and small egg weight.

Chucking lures is great fun too but something about me just loves to soak bait.

There is some good info here, but I feel the same way. Carolina rig with a fluoro leader and a live finger mullet has caught the majority of my inshore fish. The thing I like about it is you can catch drum, trout, and flounder and catch them well with the exact same rig.

I’ve always liked the Seaguar fluoro, but I tried the Yo Zuri this week. It seemed to work just as good. I would be interested to know if the brand makes a difference.
 

manybeards

Ten Pointer
They only get complicated when you call em redfish. Call em puppy drum or channel bass and fish for them like you would bass, and they’re just as easy to catch.
Call them Redfish or Drum....I don't really care. But, if you choose to fish with cut or live bait, ALWAYS use circle hooks.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
tell us why it's silly. we got time.

I shouldn’t have commented, but in short, what should we be more concerned over, fighting fish on relatively light tackle (happens a fair amount over there) in 80F+ water, or gut hooking fish.

I know of multiple individuals with hundreds, a couple, even into four digit, paper sized fish, not counting boat fish, that have never gut hooked a drum until they used circle hooks. Several tongue hooks. I don’t have near that many, but all my J hook drum have been corner of the mouth. I’ve tongue hooked on personally, with circles, and got lucky and landed (and lost) a few on circles that were skin hooked inside the mouth.

That said, I don’t fish the spawners in the summer where said regulations are, and don’t know if they’re specific on hook style. I’ll admit ignorance there. Doesn’t apply to what I do. However, I can appreciate the conservation efforts if they also tried regulating the conscious efforts of trying to battle them in the summer on light tackle, as well as the hook style, not unlike those regulations placed upon billfish in tournies (no offset).

Not all circles are created equal and several that are popular among the masses are just as prone to gut and crusher hook ups as a J.

Again, I’ll admit I don’t know the regulations on them other than it’s circle, and certain leader length and style (Lipton rig).
 

23mako

Ten Pointer
Always if you're using live or cut bait. In certain parts of the state...it's the law. Gut hooking a fish is essentially a death sentence.

I disagree with this. The Lupton Rig is required during certain parts of the year in parts of the state. http://www.carolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=3513 but a circle hook isn't always the best choice IMO.

For me, circle hooks work best when the rod is in a rod holder and not being held. I've also found I have better hookups with "inshore fish" and less gut hooks when the leader is relatively short. That is why a lupton rig works pretty good for most people. It is a big hook, it is short, and a fixed weight.

For flounder fishing, I've had the most success with kahle hooks. For bottom fishing for spot or mullet I like long shank hooks.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Like I said, I know several guys that have thousands of paper sized fish, and the only guy hooks they have are with circles after decades of using Js. Again, I don’t know if the Lipton rig law specifies a certain style of circle. They’re not all created equal.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I like a big circle hook and big bait to catch drum....
Always have good hookup and no gut hooks....
Your findings may be different.
 

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