Redfish Fishing Overview
Recent Reviews
I don't do reviews, but we had a great time and caught fish. Captain Kenny Kramer is an excellent fishing guide.
Tim W. with Kenny Kramer of Rockport, Texas
We had a great day out on the water with Michael. In less than ideal water and wind conditions he worked hard to put us on fish and we ended up with a nice catch of trout, redfish and flounder (and caught quite few more fish below the limit). They were really accommodating when it came to changing dates due to weather and the location for easy pick up... I will use them again for sure.
Simon S. with Blake Sartor of Dickinson, Texas
Captain Brian did an amazing job. We caught the heck out of some trout. Sadly it just wasn’t our day for redfish or black drum. He did a great job at helping our kids learn how to bay fish which is different from bass fishing. He was patient with everyone and super helpful. Highly recommend calling on captain Brian if your interested in a guide and have kiddos.
Thomas L. with Brian Preston of Ingleside, Texas
M y trip with Capt. Brody Jones was 5 star. Calm waters,sunny day. Easy to converse.More importanly he put me on the fish early and I caught my limit of red fish and speckled trout. A very enjoyable adventure.
stuart a. with Brody Jones of Rockport, Texas
Shannon took great care of our crew today. They caught a lot of fish and brought it home for frying. We recommend him for your fishing adventure.
Michael K. with Shannon LaBauve of Galveston, Texas
Chad was a fantastic fishing guide. We had a great time and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a time on the water.
Mitchell J. with Chad Pannell of Tiki Island, Texas
Capt. Bryce was the best!!! We had a great time with him and he really impressed me with his knowledge and expertise. We will definitely be reaching out to him again.
Kenneth A. with Bryce Wickliffe of Rockport, Texas
Cpr. Cole is a nice enough person and has a fabulous boat. He tends to move away from good fishing to quick if the fish are not the size he wants. He like all guides I have ever fished with relies to much in other guides to tell him where fish are located. To be honest I would not recommend him as a guide. He also is lacking quite a bit in his fish cleaning skills. We lost a lot of meat on the one red fish we caught due to this.
Tommy A. with Cole Griffith of Galveston, Texas
The trip with Captain Mike was great, even though the water was muddy. He put on the fish. Thanks again Captain Mike.
Michael P. with Mike Segall of Surfside Beach, Texas
Top Locations for Redfish
Everything You Need to Know About Redfish Fishing
What is a Redfish?
Red drum, aka redfish, aka Sciaenops ocellatus, aka red is one of the most ubiquitous coastal gamefish of the Southeast. Redfish have a distinctive spot on their tail which is often considered a "second eye" meant to fool predators. They occupy a broad range across the Gulf of Mexico and up the east coast of the US, and can be found inshore and nearshore.
How big do Redfish get?
Redfish spawn close to the shoreline in the Fall and will generally mature by 3 years old, with males reaching up to 28 inches and females being a few inches bigger at the same age, with both weighing between 6 and 8 pounds. From there, it is only up, and redfish can be fairly large. Most locations will not allow more than one kept fish over 28 inches.
Whats the biggest redfish ever caught?
Monster redfish can be over 50 inches long and weigh upwards of 50 pounds. The world record redfish was caught in November 1984 in Hatteras, North Carolina by David Weber and weighed 94 pounds 2 ounces.
Where is the best place to catch Redfish?
Redfish have a fairly diverse range, living among shallow to nearshore areas from Mexico all the way to Massachusetts. Redfish do not care too much about salinity in the water so this greatly expands their options of where to reside. In terms of habitat, young redfish prefer inshore areas including flats, grasses, and shallow bay systems, even expanding up into freshwater lagoons and marshes. There are even freshwater redfish in a few lakes near San Antonio. Adult redfish will move out into the Gulf or further offshore, but still congregate near rocky structure (including rigs in the Gulf), and especially jetties when coming back to spawn. The bull redfish run in the Fall is one of many anglers favorite times of the year.
When should I catch Redfish?
Slot redfish can be found inshore year-round, and do not have much of a seasonal migration. Bull redfish can be caught offshore or by rigs, but the most common is to catch them around jetties and other nearshore rocky structure.
The Spring and Summer is easy for redfish, and it is generally advised to take advantage of the early bite before the fish get too sluggish in the heat. Winter can be fantastic if you are able to brave the cold - cold fronts often push water out of inshore areas, and the redfish will be packed into less water, meaning more fish around per the amount of water. Fall will be your best season for redfish in most of their range, as the big ones come back to shore to spawn. Not only are there more redfish around, there are bigger ones.
How do you catch Redfish?
Because redfish are so ambivalent on what they stick in their mouths, they can be caught in quite a few ways, not limited to throwing live bait, popping corks with shrimp, jigging / bottom fishing, throwing artificials and soft plastics, trolling with gold spoons, and fly fishing / sight casting. Redfish are great for all anglers because everyone can use the style of fishing they are most familiar with and feel confident in catching some reds.
Are Redfish good to eat? What are the best redfish recipes?
Redfish are known to be great eating, and many will swear by blackened redfish or redfish with cajun seasoning. The large scales can be difficult to remove, but once past that obstacle you're in for some delicious fish. Young fish will be tastier, and have a fairly moderate flavor.
