Cold Water Redfish

This past week I joined Patrick Sebile and a few friends to fish with Captain Tim Simos in the swirling rips of the Fort Pierce, Florida Power Plant to try for tarpon up top.

Captain Fred Myers plies the baywaters of Panama City, Florida for redfish during winter months, but cold water conditions demand a change in tactics.

"Wintertime redfishing is about being slow and subtle," states Myers. "Reds are super spooky in winter and will hear everything and anything this time of year, so its necessary to be ultra quiet. The silent deployment of push poles allow me to check numerous areas without disturbing the waters or the fish."

Myers searches out subtle differences in the flats that attract reds to congregate. "Reds want to bunch up in the winter, not necessarily because they are feeding but they are all searching out the areas to warm up, which could be a flat, a hole or where the sun is hitting the water at the right angle. Reds are rarely roaming solitary during the winter."

Myers may drift over 10 to 15 holes before he finds the right one. "Generally a 1 to 2 foot change in depths is enough to attract redfish and when we find them holing up, I can make numerous casts without disturbing the school."

The key to winter redfish success is to dial down the speed and size of the lures. Myer's will tie on a 3 to 4-inch Bass Assassin Elite Shiner or Shrimp to mimic a shrimp or minnow; two main winter baits. The rubber bait is lanced on a 1/8 to 1/4-ounce leadhead, enough weight to cast, but not too much where its sinks to the bottom too fast. A properly weighted jig will be twitched, then slowly drop through the strike zone.

As most winter redfish average in the 5 to 10-pound bracket in the Panhandle area, Myers employs medium action 7 to 7'2" Phenix Feather rods matched with Shimano Stradic 3000 reels spooled with 8 to 10-pound Power Pro braid. "You need to go with thinner braid for more casting distance in Florida as the fish are way more spooky than in a place like Louisiana where I would make shorter casts with 40 pound braid. Stay as far away as possible from the school, while still being able to reach them with a cast."

Slow, subtle, and silent – the three tactical advantages of a successful winter redfish angler.