This is the time of year when many inshore anglers start prepping for the spring fishing season. The waters are starting to warm up. Baitfish are moving back into the bays, rivers and creeks. And many of our favorite fish species are starting to feed with gusto. The itch to get back on the water is unbearable.

So give your tackle a quick look-over. What’s missing? What gear needed replacement after last season? And we all know that one fishing friend who’s still wearing a pair of sunglasses held together by superglue or casting a rod patched together with duct tape — maybe they have a birthday coming up?

One thing I’ve noticed is that many anglers have a strong idea of what they want before they ever enter a tackle shop. So, check out these new options for inshore anglers. Bay boat, flats skiff or kayak — the vessel doesn’t matter. These new gear products might have a place in your arsenal.

Bajio Chelem Sunglasses

You might know Chelem, Yucatan, Mexico, as that clear-water fishing spot where permit and tarpon have knock-down, drag-out fights with shallow-water anglers. That’s where Bajio’s Chelem sunglasses get their name. The Chelem is a medium-sized frame that fishes well, with its lightweight bio-based nylon frame, rubber nose pads, and flexible hinges. Lens are polarized with proprietary blue-light-blocking LAPIS technology, while the lens coating is scratch-resistant and oleophobic. If you’re looking for 1980s nostalgia frames that seem popular with Instagram influencers, these aren’t it. But if you want quality fishing sunglasses from a company built on sustainability, give these American-assembled shades a shot.

Price: $209 | Link: bajiosunglasses.com

Bubba Tidal Rods

Available in three different series, Bubba’s Tidal rods will catch the eye of brand new fishermen, tournament-tested pros, and everyone in between. Probably the first thing you’ll notice is the creative use of vibrant reds, blacks and whites of the sticks. Each of the Tidal, Tidal Select and Tidal Pro lines feature spinning and casting rods, as well as different lengths, actions and backbone.  

• Backed by a 5-year warranty, the Tidal graphite spinning rods are constructed with stainless steel, corrosion-resistant guides. At the butt end, there’s a split reel seat for sensitivity and a grip for comfort.
• The next step up are the Tidal Select rods, best described as workhorses. Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, the rods feature corrosion-resistant Fuji components and quality 24/30 Toray graphite construction. At the butt-end is a non-slip grip for all-day comfort.
• Captains and pros helped design the Tidal Pro rods. Constructed from top-of-the line Fuji reel seats and guides, a corrosion-resistant design, and 30T Toray graphite construction, this class of rods aims for the top of the mountain. The Tidal Pro spinning rod (7 foot, 6 inches, medium-heavy) will tame a 30-inch redfish and still be fun fighting seatrout. A unique, ergonomic carbon-fiber handle is finished at the end with the company’s recognizable non-slip grip. Yes, limited lifetime warranty too.

Tidal: $139 | Tidal Select: $199 | Tidal Pro: $329.99 | Link: bubba.com

Costa Backpack 25L

When I first saw the Costa Backpack 25L, it screamed camera bag. Now, to be clear, it’s a soft backpack that’s water resistant, so I wouldn’t pack cameras meant to shoot the next great outdoor documentary. But for GoPros and point-and-shoots that already have some built-in weather-protection, this backpack is perfect. There is plenty of space to add all the necessary accessories too, such as batteries, cards, chargers and everything else. Or you could use the backpack as a tackle bag to bring onto your buddy’s boat. Tackle trays, clothes, and drinks will all fit. Just don’t let your kid steal the pack for school!

Price: $90 | Link: costadelmar.com

Tenkara Carbon Fiber Landing Net

Don’t call it a freshwater net. The Tenkara Carbon Fiber Landing Net is perfect for seatrout and flounder anglers. Both species have a reputation for shaking free near the boat, so the 18-inch handle on this carbon-fiber net is useful. Plus, it’s lightweight and floats. Store it in a rod holder or a storage compartment, but keep it at the ready. Total length is 36 inches, weight is 16 ounces, and the bag dimension is 18 by 12 by 12 inches. When those specks and flatfish are out of season or under the slot, the clear rubber mesh net is easy on the fish for a healthy release.

Price: $139 | Link: tenkararodco.com

XTRATUF Kiata

The XTRATUF Kiata is not a deck boot the company’s known for, it’s a high-performance sneaker. Tested in Alaska, the shoe was designed to be tough yet comfortable. A detail that stands out is the 3D knit upper, created from a single yarn for a seamless design. What’s better, it’s 100 percent waterproof. A lightweight sock-style upper blends with a cushioned midsole and perforated insole. Where your shoe meets the road, a TUFgrip outsole produces mega traction on flat surfaces or uneven bottom. You get to decide if it’s a boat shoe or one for the tiki bar.

Price: $135 | Link: xtratuf.com

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If you want to fish the flats efficiently, no boat can make it happen better than a flats skiff. Minimal draft, maximum fishability, and a stealthy attitude make these craft ideal whether you plan on sight fishing for reds or fly casting for bones. Check out these top five contenders.

Hewes Redfisher 16

Hewes’ VARIS construction takes boatbuilding to the next level and sets this skiff apart from the ­competition. By delivering the ideal ­resin-to-composite ratio, it reduces weight while maximizing strength, resulting in a lighter boat that’s easy to pole and tough as nails. Add the wide beam and 15-degree transom deadrise, and you get a flats skiff that’s also surprisingly stable, runs smoothly, and rides high in a chop—precisely the kind of versatile boat that feels right at home fishing in inlets and passes, as well as in ­back­country bays or on oceanside flats. To cap it all off, the Redfisher 16 is a breeze to trailer and fits readily in a garage.

Maverick 18 HPX-V

The Maverick 18 HPX-V, popular with hardcore flats anglers and guides, poles well in extremely shallow water and affords the comfort and space of a backcountry boat. The extra elbow room lets three anglers fish comfortably in different types of waters, from flats and passes to inlets and bridges. The length helps the skiff track well, even in a breeze, and allows for considerable livewell capacity: a whopping 30 gallons for hauling large, live baits. The boat is designed to get on top of a chop instead of plowing through it, thanks to the builder’s weight-saving techniques that use Vacuum-Assisted Resin Infusion System (VARIS) construction, and Kevlar and carbon fiber. Added bonus: An incredibly rigid and solid hull.

Xplor Boatworks X7

Hull design on the Xplor X7 gives this boat unique running characteristics and also boosts fishability. The integrated rails take the upward force of the water and use it to soften the ride while ­channeling that water away from the boat to knock down spray. This allows for the rails to be placed higher on the hull sides than normal, minimizing rail or chine splashing that can create fish-­spooking noises while poling. Additionally, the hull has a padded running surface, longer than most, that provides more lift and stability. Topside design boosts the skiff’s fishing prowess as the cap extends beyond the hull confines, providing the most fishing area possible atop the minimal amount of wetted surface, leaving room for three livewells totaling a monstrous 86-gallon capacity.

Yellowfin 17CE

A vacuum-bagged and injected molding process, and the use of composites, including proprietary fabrics unique to Yellowfin, made with Kevlar, E-glass and carbon in a quad-axis weave, plus 1005 pure vinylester resin, give the Yellowfin 17 CE (Carbon Elite) a major dose of high-tech construction that sets it apart from the flats skiff crowd. With a stepped hull that’s 20 percent lighter and 17 percent stronger than its predecessor, the 17-footer has an average fuel burn of 7 mpg with a Mercury 60 FourStroke, and a range of over 150 miles—unheard of for a flats skiff. On top of that, Yellowfin’s high resale value means the 17 CE is bound to deliver exceptional value, despite a higher initial cost than some other skiffs.

Action Craft 1600 FlatsPro

If you love flats skiffs but not their limited capacity, you’ll want to check out Action Craft’s 1600 FlatsPro, a 16-footer US Coast Guard-rated to hold up to five people—more than many other flats skiffs, even significantly larger models. Stability is a big contributing factor here because the FlatsPro, with its 14-degree transom deadrise and 7-foot beam, is uber-stable. Action Craft also offers multiple seating options to increase the comfort level of those aboard, including a bench seat with flip-up backrest, and a raised console with leaning-post seating. Angling acuity gets a boost as well, thanks to the spacious fore and aft casting decks, each with its own livewell topping 20 gallons.

Blue Wave 1900 STL

One of two models in Blue Wave’s Ultra-Shallow series, the 1900 STL combines skinny-water capabilities, generous storage and ­excellent fishability without sacrificing comfort, making it a great choice for spending the day on the flats with the family. The hull boasts a large, rounded tunnel and a slot transom—exclusive Blue Wave designs—for taking off and cruising in shallow water with confidence. Stability, both on the run and at rest, is one of the 1900 STL’s hallmarks, and the layout includes large fish boxes and livewells, elevated casting areas fore and aft, and plenty of walk-around space, plus forward-console seating, a leaning post that accommodates two at the helm, and twin jump seats astern.

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If you own a money tree and enough real estate to warehouse dozens of situation-specific fly rods, stop reading now. Everyone else should buy an 8-weight, simply the most versatile number in the lineup. It packs enough punch to fling weighted crustacean imitations for bonefish or redfish, deliver 3- to 4-inch streamers for snook, schoolie stripers or juvenile tarpon, and command the sinking line you might choose when chasing albies. The rod also has the power to slug it out with sizeable game, and the fighting butt to tuck in your gut and settle in for the fight. Consider these mid-priced 8-weights, which get ‘er done in virtually all shallow-water situations.

G. Loomis IMX-PRO Streamer

Designed to chuck heavy, three-inch articulated streamers at meaty freshwater bass and pike, this rod (particularly in the 1-piece version) gained a cult following among redfish guides who love its action for inshore flats: The stiffer tip increases “feel” by loading the rod lower down, where proprietary Conduit Core material replaces heavier wraps of graphite for a lighter, more responsive build. 8′10″, 1-piece or 4-piece, $525

Orvis Recon

All the R&D that gave Orvis’s flagship H3 its dazzlingly light swing weight and sharpshooter accuracy gets replicated in the Recon, using a more approachably-priced package of resin fibers. The result feels impressively crisp and light, so it lets experts hit new benchmarks and welcomes newbies with a forgiving sweet spot. 9′ and 10′, 4-piece, $549

Sage Maverick

Designed to trim seconds off your shot time, this rod features a particularly powerful tip that increases line speed and dampens the vibrations that reduce accuracy. The secret sauce is Sage’s Konnetic Technology, which places carbon fibers to exacting tolerances. 9′, 4-piece, $575

Echo Prime

With a shorter length and light tip, the Prime lets anglers cast quicker and with tighter loops. Its moderate-fast action is optimized for the 40- to 60-foot shots that most anglers make in most situations, and its unique handle gives anglers different gripping choices. 8′10″, 2-piece or 4-piece, $470

Thomas & Thomas Zone

Made from the same materials as T&T’s flagship Sexton—but with a slightly less-fast action that accommodates a wider variety of casting styles and line types—the Zone offers T&T’s coveted feel, at a price made more approachable thanks to fewer aesthetic finishes: The resin is left unsanded and uncoated, and the fiberglass reel seat is less expensive and lighter than burled wood. 9′, 4-piece, $549

Scott Tidal

Some ultra-performance flats rods are so stiff and light that mere-mortal anglers lose touch with the tip (and their cast). The Tidal adds more mass in the tip for better feel, and counteracts that weight with three types of graphite fiber (compared to five types in the premium-priced Spector) placed at various angles to optimize energy transfer to the rod butt. 9′, 4-piece, $495

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If your mind keeps conjuring images of bonefish tails waving, with stunning tropical-island shores for a backdrop, it might be time to finally pull the trigger on that dream flats-fishing getaway. The Caribbean and Central America offer precisely what you need to quench that thirst, and many renowned fishing operations are again welcoming anglers. Be sure to include these on your short list of top options.

1. The Bahamas

While bonefishing options in the islands nation are varied and numerous, Andros, the largest island in the Bahamas, is known as the “bonefish capital of the world.” Swain’s Cay Lodge is a top-notch, full-service bonefishing operation on Andros that caters to hardcore anglers and nonangling family members.

2. Belize

A handful of atolls and the flats and shoals stretching the length of the country’s coastline afford ample opportunity for visiting bonefishers. Located on the southern tip of the largest atoll in the Western Hemisphere, Turneffe Island Resort is one of the oldest and most established lodges in Belize, offering excellent year-round fishing.

3. Cuba

The Bay of Pigs and Playa Larga fishery offer prolific numbers of bonefish in a vast, still untouched locale within Las Salinas Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ciénaga de Zapata Biosphere Reserve. Amazing scenery, seasoned guides and well-equipped skiffs make for a memorable trip.

4. Mexico’s Yucatan

Better roads and small-aircraft service now make the trek from Cancun to the many fishing lodges in the peninsula considerably easier. Grand Slam Lodge is the ideal base of operations for fishing famous Ascension Bay, perhaps better known for its permit, but also home to a vast bonefish population.

5. Honduras

While the country’s Bay Islands have long been known to deliver excellent wade-­fishing -opportunities for bones, the new Far Away Cayes ­operation—a remote fishery accessed via helicopter—has reset the bar for the most productive and untouched flats in the region.

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Among the many species I’ve pursued around the globe, striped bass still hold top ranking on my list, and my favorite place to engage with this rugged fish is in the clear shallows of New England.

For the ultimate striper challenge, an experience that marries the demanding flats fishing for bonefish with a hint of tropical reef wading for aggressive trevally, look to the coastal flats of Narragansett Bay, the Elizabethan Islands, Block Island and the waters around Cape Cod, where light sandy bottom peppered with boulders, carpets of eelgrass and shellfish beds draws plenty of hungry stripers.

Striped bass, ranging from packs of school-size 5- to 15-pounders in the deeper channels to lone fish as large as 50 pounds, routinely prowl and hunt these clear flats and shorelines.

They may appear as dark shadows against the sand, or as silver-green phantoms with fins glowing ultraviolet purple. When the tide is right and the moon fat, these fish readily take gaudy lures and flies. Cast beyond them and retrieve with the tide, from shallow to deeper water, across their travel path.

When the moon is shyer, so are the stripers, which become selective and demand smaller lures and lighter terminal gear.

Approach carefully, keep your shadow off the fish, and cast beyond and ahead of the fish, then retrieve as if the lure is fleeing. Correctly interpreting the behavior of a pursuing linesider reacting to the lure makes all the difference between a committed smash or a hard turn and bolt that leave a cloud of sand and disappointment.

Clear-water sight-casting to glowing phantoms and reading fish behavior as they track your lure isn’t a likely scene you conjure up when thinking about striped bass in the Northeast, but in New England from May through July, it becomes an exciting reality.

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Lipped plugs provide swimming, diving action, swimming deeper the faster they are retrieved, imitating a range of baitfish. Surface plugs lure predators keyed on shallow swimming or surface-feeding baitfish.  Crankbaits swim through the middle part of the water column with an erratic or steady action: that’s up to you. Lead-head jigs with a plastic tail, perhaps one of the most versatile lures, prowl the bottom when fished slowly; with a steadier, faster retrieve they’ll swim mid-level, imitating either shrimp or baitfish. And the venerable white bucktail jig adapts to bottom crawling, hopping off the bottom, or swimming and darting like a baitfish.

With these five types of inshore fishing lures you’ll be able to approach a day on the water with confidence.

Lipped Plug

In a survival-of-the-fittest world, a lipped plug, whether trolled or cast, presents as unfit to succeed, and predators are notorious for a lack of empathy.

Walk-the-Dogger

Fished with a leisurely, erratic walk-the-dog cadence, the surface dance excites fish and incites strikes.

Crankbait

Anywhere big fish eat little fish, the shimmy and shake of this subsurface lure bouncing over obstructions trips the feeding trigger in predators.

Jig and Tail

Any of an endless array of configurations pinned on a leadhead jig, from a plastic grub to a Berkley Gulp! soft bait—rigged weedless or not—just looks like fish food.

White Bucktail Jig

If you were limited to just one lure for the rest of your fishing life, the white bucktail jig would certainly keep you in the game.

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Daiwa Kage MQ LT

Daiwa’s Kage MQ LT 3000 is all about space-efficient strength. Its one-piece Zaion monocoque body, made of a high-density resin-and-­carbon material, eliminates body-cover screws and accommodates larger gears. Adding Magseal’s air- and watertight oil seal protects the innards and ensures consistent power to put the brakes on charging redfish or surging snook. Weight: 7.6 ounces. $369.99

Okuma ITX Carbon

You can’t stop a reel from getting wet, but the Okuma ITX Carbon 3000 protects its anodized machined- aluminum spool with a cyclonic-flow rotor, which pulls air into the ported rotor to hasten spool drying and minimize corrosion. Also, the hydro-block gasket protects the multidisc carbon-fiber drag for longer life and maximum stopping power. Weight: 8.3 ounces. $119.99

Shimano Exsence

Time management often distinguishes good days from great ones, and the Shimano Exsence 3000′s MGL rotor promotes the latter by reducing start-up inertia and providing immediate control for precise lure retrieval. When you connect, the light yet rigid magnesium Hagane body resists flexing for maximum fish-fighting power. Weight: 6.3 ounces. $539.99

Penn Conflict II

Embracing braided-line benefits with its superline spool, and sporting line- capacity rings and a rubber gasket, the Penn Conflict II 3000 needs no backing. The spinner’s slow-oscillation system improves line lay, while the HT-100 carbon-fiber drag washers stop whatever you hook. Weight: 9.1 ounces. $179.95

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Why You Need a Motorized Kayak

Motors deliver propulsion and range—all while sparing your quads and deltoids. Dial in trolling speeds, or set a GPS anchor to hold position. These are the mini microskiffs of the inshore world. Old Town builds its Sportsman Autopilot kayaks with an integral Minn Kota trolling motor (both brands are owned by the same company). Bixpy and Torqeedo each build lightweight aftermarket motor kits. Bixpy’s comes with a floating battery, wireless remote and countless mount options, and it delivers run times up to 10 hours. Most states require a fee and a manufacturer’s certificate of origin to register a motorized kayak. Check your local laws.

Why You Need a Pedal Kayak

Sneak a peek at the underbelly of a pedal kayak, and you might find fins or a propeller. While neither signifies gender, the two styles still operate quite differently. Hobie first popularized the fins, and Native Watercraft first promoted the propeller. Now—post the patent period—other kayak-makers can employ either drive. Fins excel when fishing shallow waters and weedy areas with submerged structure. Props facilitate positioning in a current, and excel when fishing tight quarters around docks, where they transition quickly between forward and reverse. Some fin drives can switch to reverse with the pull of a cord. Most anglers appreciate pedals because they can use both hands to cast.

Why You Need a Paddle Kayak

Paddle kayaks scream versatility. Scull them in the shallowest of waters, chasing redfish over saltwater flats, or push them through beach swells to coastal waters. Unlike pedalers, paddlers can skim over the thickest marshes to target tailers. Paddle kayaks typically weigh less, so anglers can more easily manhandle them to fish remote off-road locations. Before purchasing your paddle boat, though, remember to budget for a lightweight, quality paddle in the correct length (typically 94 to 102 inches, or 240 to 260 centimeters). Your arms and back will applaud you.

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West Marine Coastal Automatic Inflatable Life Jacket

Drab? Perhaps. Critical? Absolutely. Don’t fool yourself, anything can happen on the water. West Marine’s coastal jacket inflates automatically: Even if you’re knocked silly, you’ll float face up. This jacket’s low profile means you’ll barely know it’s there—until you need it. $149.99; westmarine.com.

YakAttack Omega

A fishing kayak without rod holders is an expensive plastic cork. Doll up your ride with a few YakAttack Omega track-mounted holders. They keep your reels out of the water and rotate to point any direction. They adapt to fly, spin, baitcast and even conventional tackle. $30; yakattack.us.

Bending Branches Angler Pro Plus

Your paddle might grow cobwebs on your pedal kayak, but when you must blade home after a freak grounding, you’ll beg for carbon fiber. Heavy kayaks with elevated frame seats require high-power paddles like the 30-ounce Angler Pro Plus. A telescoping ferrule allows multiple feathering angles and paddle lengths. $324.95; bendingbranches.com.

Yeti Hopper Flip 12

The perfect passenger for a SUP or kayak, this chill cube can be bungeed anywhere on deck. Fill it with a 4-pound Yeti ice pack, lunch, and drinks or slime it up with bait. The outer shell is made from the same stuff they use for whitewater rafts. $249.99; yeti.com.

Garmin GPSMap 86sci

Kayaks and SUPs take us way off the main channel, but with a handheld GPS and satellite communicator like the 86sci, you’re never off the grid. With two-way messaging, you can even start the brag chain before you get home. $649.99; garmin.com.

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Redfish fishing covers a lot of territory — both literally (geographically) and figuratively (how it’s done). That’s because redfish (more properly known as red drum) are one of the most popular gamefish of the U.S. Southeast, from Virginia all the way to southern Texas.

This member of Sciaenidae, the family of drums and croakers, can reach upwards of 100 pounds, with the IGFA world record held by a 94-pound, 2-ounce behemoth caught back in 1984 in the Outer Banks surf off Avon, North Carolina.

Of course redfish average a far smaller size. Everyone would like to catch a bull redfish (in the 25- to 40-pound class), and many do, but fish from a few pounds to 10 or so are far more common in more areas, and on light tackle make fabulous sport. Smaller “puppy drum” also make for better eating than older, larger, more coarse adults.

Fishing for redfish is a broad category because they range over such diverse areas, from estuaries and backwaters in a foot or two of water to deeper channels, bays and inlets, to the base of Gulf of Mexico oil rigs in 200 to 300 feet of water far offshore.

Although red drum aren’t flashy when hooked — they don’t jump like tarpon or make the sizzling runs of permit — they give a solid fight, not giving up easily.

Redfish are characterized by their bronze color and ocellated spot on their tail; that might be lacking entirely, or some individuals might have a dozen or more such spots. When young, redfish’s fins and tail can show a brilliant blue on the margins.

How to Catch Redfish

Part of the reason fishing for redfish is so popular has to do with just how many ways it can be — and is — caught by anglers. That includes soaking live or dead baits, throwing or trolling hard lures (crankbaits), spoons or soft plastics. Kayak fishing for redfish, fly fishing for redfish, surf fishing for redfish, shore fishing or wade fishing for redfish are all among popular ways fishermen connect with red drum.

If unfamiliar with an area you want to fish for reds, try asking for advice in a local bait/tackle shop. Also be aware that tides can play a major role in when redfish are present and/or when they’re feeding. The best tide stage will vary according to habitat. Often a flooding tide offers good action as redfish follow the water into shallow areas.

As noted above, all manner of offerings can fool redfish. Probably more redfish are caught on soft-plastic tails on small leadhead jigs or on weedless, weighted worm hooks worked along/just over a sandy or eelgrass-covered bottom will usually take redfish if they’re around.

Often red drum are caught blind-casting lures or still-fishing baits, but sight-casting to redfish is the most exciting technique for them. At times, they may be actively feeding in water so shallow that their tales and even dorsal fins will be sticking prominently above the surface. In slightly deeper water, look for the wakes of moving fish pushing water. When redfish or telltale signs of them are spotted, great caution is required to approach close enough for a cast.

Here, smaller, lighter unweighted or barely-weighted plastic tails are a good bet since their splash when hitting the water is less obtrusive than larger lures and less likely to spook the reds. Cast well beyond and in front of moving fish then quickly pull the lure into their path.

Redfish Rigs and Tackle

In terms of reels and rods for redfish, both spinning and levelwind/baitcast reels and rods are popular wherever anglers fish for redfish. Spinning offers ease of use and may provide longer casts with lighter lures; levewinds have the advantage when it comes to pinpoint casting.

Mono and braid both work well for redfish, though in deeper water where currents run strong, braid has a decided edge, being much thinner than mono.

Typically rigs designed for 10- to 15-pound line work well for redfish fishing.

When it comes to lures for redfish, four or 5-inch paddletails, soft jerkbaits or shrimp imitators, such as those made by Z-Man and Gulp! are hard to beat. White or chartreuse variations have the greatest following among guides.

Various crankbaits such as diving minnows and stickbaits or glidebaits catch lots of reds as do a variety of topwater plugs. “Walkers” find particular favor among surface-lure enthusiasts, but many throw poppers as well.

Weedless spoons offer another proven option, as well as spinnerbaits. The flash of Z-Man’s Chatterbaits can be quite effective in murky water.

In deeper waters, jigging for redfish can be consistently productive, with metal “slowpitch” jigs worked near bottom.

Redfish aren’t shy about going after bait. Live shrimp probably top the list, but crabs and small live “white baits” such as pilchards can be deadly. Cut mullet soaked on bottom can be a magnet for large redfish.

Where to Catch Redfish

Whether fishing for redfish in Texas or Louisiana or fishing for redfish north in the mid-Atlantic states, throughout their range, nearly every bay and estuary holds redfish, though they still have to be located. Eelgrass flats from 2 to 4 or 5 feet deep are worth drifting bait or blind-casting lures.

Also, in inside waters, redfish the structure offered by barnacle-covered bridge pilings and around docks. The Mississippi coast is strewn with artificial reefs, often quite near shore, where red drum are likely to stack up.

Anglers fishing for redfish in Louisiana and western Mississippi have thousands of acres of quintessential redfish habitat known as “the marsh.” The productive waters around roseau cane and oyster bars can be tricky to navigate but the payoff may be memorable. In the fall, fishing for bull redfish in the marsh may offer monsters on a consistent basis.

Don’t overlook inlets for redfish fishing. At various times during the year, they can be redfish magnets, with currents delivering food to waiting, often large redfish. Certainly, in terms of safety, this fishing requires a vigilant helmsman, but the rewards can be substantial.

At times, large schools of bull reds will be found offshore — sometimes just off the beach or up to a mile or two or farther out. Such schools may appears at the surface as acres of red, and at such times will fight over the chance to strike even a bare hook.

It’s not accurate to say of redfish fishermen that no matter where they go they’ll catch reds, but it’s fair to say along the entire Gulf and South Atlantic seaboards, no matter where one goes, there are likely to be redfish around to be caught.

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