For more on the drop shot, I suggest this blog post: https://www.lafishblog.com/drop-shot-for-speckled-trout/. The time to jump into casting gear is as soon as you can. You are only $150.00 away from FREE SHIPPING. Fish with the line riding over your finger and watch where the line intersects the waters surface, and its a whole other experience that really gets your head in the water in a way spinning tackle cannot. 2. Best Jerkbaits for Redfish. Thank you so much for adding them, Daniel. So, if you have your own special way of tying a Carolina rig, or something you'd like to add, then please mention it below in the comments. While the guide here for tying a Carolina rig is pretty detailed, it cannot possibly cover every tip and trick used for fishing in every part of the world. Tim Cutting Bob McNally Crankbaits for Redfish Snell a circle hook to an 8-inch length of 80-pound-test mono. But your point is well taken! Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. We all know that dusk and dawn are when fish are generally most active, but this is especially true when surf fishing for redfish. All of these rigs are designed to perform well in deep waters and in strong currents, which is exactly what you need in order to catch giant bull redfish. This weight will keep your bait or lure down in the water and will help swing it away from shore. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This Saltwater Redfish and Trout kit contains a nice assortment of hooks, tackle and rigs. "I absolutely love surf fishing. crimped steel leader, a barrel swivel to reduce line twist, and a sliding crane swivel for your sinker or dropper line flanked by two 8mm red beads. The shortened leader is what makes this rig tick. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. Im glad to hear your niece caught em up. Z-man lures material is positively buoyant and so is voodoo shrimp. I also understand the reasons why, and they make total sense. Prime locations are nearshore drop offs next to creek edges or creek mouths, or oyster beds with feeding redfish. They are available in 11 sizes ranging from the smallest, a No. And thank you for the additional info on fishing the Carolina rig. Then it's a matter of watching your rods for any sign of movement. Next measure out the length of leader that you want (I like to use 1 to 1.5 foot), and tie the other end of the leader to the barrel swivel. Personally I would have gone with a John Wick Mustang (or Chevelle take your pick) referencelearn to master a bait caster and slack line jigging will be as easy as John Wick doing a one handed magazine reloadlol. But it is worth it. In most of the coastal Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, adult redfish cannot be kept. When a redfish takes the bait, it will hook itself, and the circle hook is almost always set in the corner of the mouth, which is ideal for catch-and-release fishing. Finally, tie your main line to the other end of the popping cork, and youre ready to fish. This is just a really good rig for old drum, with not many disadvantages. The best rigs for bull reds are the fish finder rig, dropper loop rig, and cannonball rig. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Eagle Claw Bottom Bouncers are popular for use when targeting walleye. When reds transition, its usually to a deeper area pretty close to where they were last seen. The circle hook sets automatically in the corner of a fishs mouth 90 percent of the time, so the rig is great for catch-and-release.. I suggest using lures with positive buoyancy with the Carolina rig. How to use it: Bait your jig head with any of a wide variety of baits, including soft plastic baits, cut bait, and live bait. There are multiple benefits to NOT using swivels when it comes to inshore fishing. I cant wait to use it. The extra length helps you cast far and gives you extra leverage when fighting strong fish in heavy surf. crimped steel leader, a barrel swivel to reduce line twist, and a sliding crane swivel for your sinker or dropper line flanked by two 8mm red beads. A few select artificials cover a range of redfish fishing situations. This setup hides the hook point inside the swimbait, which is a weedless setup that allows you to fish for redfish on spartina grass flats without getting snagged. He adds that the key is to find such areas inside creeks and over mud flats during high tides; thats when the fish cruise through the grass and are usually aggressive. A Bonnier LLC Company. A good hook,inthecorrectsize, and the ability toeasilyconnect to the main line is very important. You also want a spot where the sun is favorable, allowing you to see your lineup of rods down the beach. When Carolina rigging with live shrimp, with tight line fishing, you can manage the power and control. Eagle Claw aberdeens are specifically tempered to bend before breaking, making them idea for fishing in brushy water for panfish and crappie. Overall, This is just fine. Never snatch the rod back like on a normal hook-set.. Skip to the beginning of the images gallery. I am committed to learning how to master jig fishing, but would still like to have the Carolina rig in my arsenal (even if just for bait fishing). One of the best redfish tackle setups is the no-brainer rig. Charlie Gray, an Alabama charter captain and tournament angler. See our disclaimer Brand Manufacturer Part Number L832 Manufacturer Model L832 The weight and the beads now lie between the two sleeves. Speckline Speck & Redfish Rigs These two fishing lures are pre-rigged to simulate one chasing the other. The c-rig is made for power fishing with heavier line and a bigger hook, while the other is made for finesse fishing with lighter line and a smaller hook. Contact +38514870740 Here are a few tips. Also consider this: black drum eat oysters, and its a SWAG on my part that if they can hear oysters being crunched on they could come swimming to investigate. Next, you need to create a dropper loop more or less in the middle of the leader. The leader ring will allow someone to store several pre-made (by yourself) leaders, so they area ready to go if you lose one. I wouldnt say one is better than the other, its just something worth considering. Skip to content. Sometimes these locations are hard to fish with other rigs, but provide excellent redfish action. Free shipping for many products! When I was growing up, we didn't have the Internet and, consequently, didn't have access to tons of fishing information like we do today. Choose an appropriate hook size for the redfish in your area. For a rod I use a Daiwa Saltist SIN76MHXS. 20Pcs Fishing Line Plate EVA Foam Winding Line Board Carp Lure Trace Wire. You can use a wide variety of hardbaits, such as crankbaits, jerkbaits, plugs, and heavy spoons catch fish very effectively. The best way to fish these redfish lures is to cast and retrieve them over shallow sandbars, mud flats, shell bars, and grass flats. Devin, regarding the comments about casting vs spinning, due to shoulder problems I use spinning for jig fishing. Next, thread the egg sinker onto your main line (10 to 20 lb test braid), and then thread on the plastic bead. Youll be glad you switched. Position the weight so that it is no more than 6 inches from the hook. The Dauphin Island guide also likes shallower drop-offs where the depth drops from a couple of feet to 5 to 7 feet, but he prefers to wade because the slap of the water on the boat often spooks fish. Lures can also be highly effective for catching redfish, and if youre a bass angler, youll be glad to hear that many of the lures that catch largemouth bass also catch redfish. Remove the claws. I never have used glass beads, I usually use the steel egg weight but I like the idea of the sound from the bead and weight. Question for ya. So which weight is best? Browse All Saltwater Gear . This variation of the short, circle-hook rig is used by Capt. Other times you may want to use a much heavier weight to drag the bait on the bottom. Since then he's created a fishing university LAFB Elite where he teaches inshore anglers how to safely navigate Louisiana's coast and catch more fish. I use it when I target redfish with clients, baiting with a chunk of blue crab. Most anglers who are serious about surf fishing use at least two or three rods at a time. Base your hook size on the size bait you will be using. I prefer small blue crabs 3 to 5 inches across the shell and rig them on 3/0 to 7/0 circle hooks with 3 to 4 feet of 30- to 40-pound fluorocarbon leader, he explains. Jerk- or twitchbaits are reaction lures that are very good at getting the attention of prowling redfish. The following guides excel at the game in their respective regions: Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Tight lines really helps in that situation. The best redfish rigs for live bait are the carolina rig, the popping cork rig, the slip bobber rig, and the jig rig. With bull redfish, the first 50 yards or so is easy. Bait up, cast out, set your rod in its sand spike, then set your drag tension so that your line is held in place. All rights reserved. You can also cast them along rock jetties and creek edges in coastal areas. Tie your barrel swivel to one end of the leader line and your hook to the other. Live cocahoe minnows tend to work better for flounder, and live croakers are excellent for targeting big speckled trout. I like to use this rig around piers and docks, as well as in creeks. Then the lures hold more of the scent and draw more strikes." Capt. A Bonnier LLC Company. Good stuff, I appreciate what youre doing. Pull the plastic beads, weight, and top sleeve snug against the crimped bottom sleeve. Do what suits you, but I don't use treble hooks for Carolina rigs and catch fish just fine. Then measure out about 3 feet of leader line, and tie the other end to the barrel swivel. HOME. And its worth mentioning that many of these rigs also work well for other inshore saltwater fishing applications, such as fishing for speckled trout, snook and flounder. Eagle Claw LRRRS1 Lazer Ready Redfish Steel 5/0 Hook Terminal Fishing Rig Eagle Claws Lazer Sharp Ready Rig Gulf is a must-have tool when fishing for cobia. You catch more reds from a school this way, rather than casting into the school, which rarely produces more than a fish or two, he claims. I have three things to consider. The artificial plastic is not an attractive scent and must be masked. Youll need crimps, swivels, snaps, beads, mono leader and a crimping tool (not all items are shown) to rig these leaders. PRO TIP # 2: "Poke holes with a wire brush or battery scrapper (with stiff wire bristles) into the soft-plastic lures and soak them in a zip-lock bag full of a liquid fish attractant like those by Gulp!, Bang or Pro-Cure. In shallow grassy areas, he replaces the trebles with single 1/0 Owner Mosquito hooks. We reached out to several pro anglers and asked about their favorite redfish rigs, what tactics they use for finding fish, and other tips for catching more redfish. Simply tie whichever line you are using to the small looped monofilament line and pair with a sinker. He says varying speeds or, worse, turning the motor on and off spooks skinny-water reds. The more lines you have in the water, the higher your catch rate will be. The jig rig is not only one of the simplest redfish rigs, but is also incredibly versatile, and can be used with a wide variety of baits and fishing techniques. Ditching the bare hook for a Berkley Rattle Shrimp or DOA Shrimp is also a good choice. Capt. You should experiment and find what works best for you. One of the most exciting parts about surf fishing for redfish is that you can tie into some pretty impressive bycatch. The other being letting it sit, drag, reel down, let it sit, drag, reel down, let it sit. This is a real problem to consider, because if your Carolina rig is not heavy enough it will never reach the bottom of the water. Ive seen some pre-packaged rigs like this. This is a good question and years of experience have proven that 20lb test braided fishing line is the best to fish with a Carolina rig for inshore species. You generally cast out with the rod and let the bait soak, then move to the next rod until all your lines are out. The dropper loop rig is a great option when fishing for redfish in strong tides or currents. It will meet your needs and deliver great quality at an affordable cost. I find myself re-tying so often that the lead sinker never really gets a chance to deform. Gain as much line as you can on the incoming waves, and hang on tight as the fish turns sideways into the outgoing current, taking back every inch of line. The Carolina rig is a lighter version of the fish finder rig, and is very popular for inshore fishing for puppy red drum with lightweight spinning tackle. Barometric Pressure and Fishing: How Weather Affects Fish Behavior. Sure, a stick and clutch can stall and its not nearly as forgiving as an automatic, but once you get the hang of it youre directly in touch with the car in a way an automatic never can be. Swivels put the more fragile main line at risk of getting weakened. Capt. The longer and heavier leader facilitates catching and handling fish weighing triple digits while also reducing deep-hooking of the bull reds. And I add a 2- to 4-ounce egg sinker above the swivel connecting the leader to the main line of 30- to 50-pound braid. Gray also crushes larger crabs to use for chum when setting up near drop-offs to draw reds onto shallow sandbars where he anchors and deploys baits. When I do get to go fishing I always have gulp shrimp with me so next I might try them on a Carolina rig. But all these liquid scents come in a bunch of colors, flavors and consistencies, and youve got to try different brands with different lures until you find the right combination for the conditions at hand, he says. It has increased my catch numbers a lot over the pre rigged rigs I used in the past. Copyright 2023 Louisiana Fishing Blog, LLC, all rights reserved. When to use it: The dropper loop rig is great for fishing in strong currents, since the weight is located at the end of the line, and thus provides a stable anchor point for the rig.