Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Kayak Redfish

Headed to Destin Fl next month. I'll be staying at Ft Benning's MWR facility for a few days and taking the kayak. Planned to try to catch my first redfish. I figured I'd head for the bridge and out to the jetties. Anybody got any suggested lures/strategies they'd care to share?

I've got bass tackle and I plan to get a Revo Toro baitcaster as my little Daiwas probably wouldn't last long if I hooked a bull.

I did quite a bit of kayak fishing for reds in TX. I mostly sight fished flats with a fly rod and clousers and Half backs.

Also fished jetties and caught reds using a large sliding pyramid sinker on the bottom with bait. About 2 ft leader

. Large one once jigs with shrimp colored Or clear rubber bodies worked good paddling outside of surf and casting to edge of surf jigging off the bottom. Six to 20 ft of water.

Large bull reds are a blast to catch and will give you a good ride in your kayak.
early morning and evening seemed best times for bite with an incoming or outgoing tides.

I used Berkely big game line 14 lb mono I believe. I tied to a 50 lb fluoro leader . About a 2 ft in length when casting jigs, lures, bait.

Sure a good braided line work too but I think using fluoro helps more hook ups.

Using the heavy leader helps in landing fish, minimizes abrasions and cuts in line.

I always brought a cheap pair of fishing gloves to use landing fish.

=1 to what Ribka said, but I wouldn't worry so much about Bull Reds. You might catch an outsize fish or two, but most will probably run under 30".

Jigs with plastics and if you can get Pilchards......hang on to your rod! LOL

If you are fishing the pass where the boats go out;keep your flag up and be careful.

Are you looking for eating fish or a fight?
Bay fishing, I suck at. But if you are looking for a bull red(over 35") I can help. I use about a four foot leader of 80# mono with a 12/0 circle hook baited with 4" chunk of mullet. Treeline on the bottom with your reel out of gear. When your line starts running reel in quickly to set the hook. Don't snap it like you would with bass.





These were all caught in the Gulf in about 16' of water.
As for fishing the jetties, here in Texas that'd be a better spot for kings and smacks than reds. If you get into kings your gonna want a little more reel than a bass rig.

Thanks Boomy. What rod and reel setup are you running there? Looks like it might be a Penn.

Also, how far out are you paddling from the beach to fish?

Penn 209's mostly with a medium/heavy rod
We have a very gradual taper on our coast so about
1/4 mile = @10'
1/2 mile = @16'
mile = @20'
For reds you can go from the third sand bar out to about 1/2 mile and be good. Here on the upper coast we have ugly, muddy water that the bulls love. Down by Corpus the have a lot more bluewater and a lot less reds. Check out your maps looking for bays(or such) and find their drains. Anchor up as the tide drops and let nature take it's course. If it starts striping line unhook your anchor and take the Texas Sliegh Ride.

Spot where you can get more info on kayak fishing in Texas is - Texaskayakfisherman.com
This would be considered BTB (Beyond The Breakers) fishing and thay have a forum dedicated to it.

If you Google "kayak fishing Florida" you can find a bunch of local forums that might be able to help with local technique tips.

Thanks Boomy and thanks all

So did you make it?