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John's Journal...
Entry
81, Day 4
Redfish
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Gary Davis, a charter-boat captain from Foley, Alabama, has
fished the back bays of the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area along Alabama's
Gulf Coast all his life. He's guided for 30 years and consistently catches
more inshore species than most other anglers do because he knows the secrets
of successful back-bay fishing. Each day this week we'll look at the tactics
Davis uses to catch different species of fish throughout the year in back-bay
areas.
Question:
When do you catch redfish?
Answer: We catch redfish in our section of the South throughout
the year in the back-bay areas around Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama.
In the winter months, the redfish move into the brackish water along the
Intracoastal Canal and up the creeks and rivers that feed the Gulf of
Mexico. During these summer months, the redfish will be on the gas and
oil rigs at the mouth of the bays and the estuary areas, the jetties and
any type of structure. They also hold on Dixie Bar, a shallow water sand
bar at the mouth of the Mobile Bay. You can catch some really big redfish
on the Dixie Bar in the summer months, but that's not the only place to
find redfish. Redfish usually will hold sandbars at the mouth of any inlet
along the Gulf Coast. Redfish stay in the Gulf all year long, and we catch
them in back-bay areas all year long, but we catch the most in fall and
winter months.
Question: How do you fish for redfish?
Answer: I use three different tactics to catch redfish. I will
use a Berkley Inshore Power Grub with a 1/4-ounce head and hop the bait
across the bottom. I prefer either clear or green with a red tail, clear
with blue glitter, clear with red, white and blue glitter or red with
silver glitter. Another tactic I will use with the grub is to simply drag
it across the bottom. When I fish for 20- to 40-pound reds out on Dixie
Bar, I use bait-casting tackle and choose either Berkley's Saltwater Big
Game Line in 17- to 20-pound test or Berkley's XT Line in the same pound
test. When fishing for those big reds, you have to make sure you have
a full spool of line because the big fish will often make a 50- to 60-yard
run before they ever slow down. They may make four to six of those big
runs before you ever get them close to the boat. In the spring and summer,
I want to be able to pull my anchor off the bottom quickly and keep the
anchor off the bottom while I chase the fish with the boat. When you fish
for big reds with light tackle, you can have a lot of fun and catch some
really big fish.
Question:
What do you use when you fish inshore for smaller reds?
Answer: I fish 12- to 14-pound-test Berkley XT line. I put a 1/4-ounce
shot lead 12 to 18 inches up the line and a Berkley Inshore Power Tube,
either Texas-rigged or open-hooked below the shot lead. Then I drag the
tube across the bottom. If the redfish are finicky, I may enhance the
tubes with Saltwater Formula Power Scent in muddy water or Power Nuggets
and Power Nibbles in clear water.
To catch redfish, you have to have a moving tide. The
faster the tide runs, the better the redfish bite. When the tide's not
running, go home because the redfish will quit feeding. On a good day
of fishing for the big bull reds, we may hook as many as 20 fish, but
depending on the angler's skill, we may not get more than two of them
to the boat.
Contact
Gary Davis at 218 West Marigold Avenue, Foley, Al 36535, (334) 943-6298.
TOMORROW: More Speckled Trout
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