Redfish and Drum Fishing in Tampa Bay
Topic:
Playing the Drums
Put away those waders and long johns and pull out those neglected board shorts and flip-flops, spring has sprung and schools of redfish and black drum are invading a flat near you! After a typical brief Florida winter, temperatures are finally heating up and with the warmer temps come schools of large redfish and black drum that will take up residence in our local waters until next fall. These fish will funnel in through the major passes along the ICW seeking refuge on the grass flats inside. Many of these fish will remain close to the passes so they can easily go in and out of the Gulf of Mexico where they spawn. Though the reds and drum may be cousins, these fish have very different habits and
require very different methods to catch them.
Incoming redfish are most easily characterized by their overall larger size. These reds will typically be over slot fish that have become part of the spawning population offshore. These fish also have larger, broader tails, which I believe to be an adaptation from open ocean swimming, rather than swimming the shallow grass flats of their youths. Locating them can be the most difficult part, but once you find them they will be in the same general area through most of the season. The size of the schools will vary, but you can expect to find several hundred in a school at a time.
After you locate the fish, you are left with the task of getting them to bite. Your typical redfish baits will do just fine. Soft plastics are hard to beat; some of my favorite colors this time of year are green back, gold and natural shrimp colors. Top water baits can often draw some very aggressive strikes sometimes sending the fish into a feeding frenzy as the entire school fights to eat your bait! If you find the fish are having a difficult time with topwater lures, subsurface plugs and gold spoons are always a good standby. Rig with light leader as these fish will be very cautious and startling just one can cause the entire school to spook!
The less glamorized, and considerably uglier cousin of the redfish, the black drum, is another species that can provide some great inshore action. You can expect to find these fish along the edges of grass flats and sand bars adjacent to deeper water. Often in the morning you will find these fish happily tailing in large schools, feeding on the shallower grass flats in 1-2 ft of water. As it gets later in the day, or as they become spookier, they will often drop into deep water, sometimes as deep as 10 ft. Black drum are easy to spot as they swim, however, just look for the dark ball of fish in the water! These fish are large and commonly range from 40-60 pounds.
For black drum I prefer using lures with scent to help the fish find your bait. These fish are purely crustacean eaters, unlike their cousins, and are highly adapted to locating stinky baits. Use a heavy jig head of no less than ¼ ounce to ensure your bait is on the bottom where they will be feeding. Other baits that are sure to draw strikes are jumbo shrimp, or blue crabs. Your redfish tackle will work fine for these fish in shallow water, but should you find them in deeper water, a heavy rod in the 10-20lb range will help to decrease strain on the fish and you, ensuring a healthy release and leaving you ready to fight another!
When targeting these fish, be sure to respect everyone on the water. A bent rod is not an open invite into the area where someone else is fishing. Wait to be waved in or simply ask, often multiple boats can work together to keep the fish chummed or in the same area. Common courtesy, should not be suggested, it should be required. There are plenty of fish in other areas probably within eyesight of where you are, so keep an open mind and you’ll be sure to catch your share… who knows, maybe you’ll find a school of your own!
Contact Spencer Goodwin with Tampa Bay Kayak Charters at tampabaykayakcharters.com or by calling (727) 742-4736.
Put away those waders and long johns and pull out those neglected board shorts and flip-flops, spring has sprung and schools of redfish and black drum are invading a flat near you! After a typical brief Florida winter, temperatures are finally heating up and with the warmer temps come schools of large redfish and black drum that will take up residence in our local waters until next fall. These fish will funnel in through the major passes along the ICW seeking refuge on the grass flats inside. Many of these fish will remain close to the passes so they can easily go in and out of the Gulf of Mexico where they spawn. Though the reds and drum may be cousins, these fish have very different habits and
require very different methods to catch them. Incoming redfish are most easily characterized by their overall larger size. These reds will typically be over slot fish that have become part of the spawning population offshore. These fish also have larger, broader tails, which I believe to be an adaptation from open ocean swimming, rather than swimming the shallow grass flats of their youths. Locating them can be the most difficult part, but once you find them they will be in the same general area through most of the season. The size of the schools will vary, but you can expect to find several hundred in a school at a time.
After you locate the fish, you are left with the task of getting them to bite. Your typical redfish baits will do just fine. Soft plastics are hard to beat; some of my favorite colors this time of year are green back, gold and natural shrimp colors. Top water baits can often draw some very aggressive strikes sometimes sending the fish into a feeding frenzy as the entire school fights to eat your bait! If you find the fish are having a difficult time with topwater lures, subsurface plugs and gold spoons are always a good standby. Rig with light leader as these fish will be very cautious and startling just one can cause the entire school to spook!
The less glamorized, and considerably uglier cousin of the redfish, the black drum, is another species that can provide some great inshore action. You can expect to find these fish along the edges of grass flats and sand bars adjacent to deeper water. Often in the morning you will find these fish happily tailing in large schools, feeding on the shallower grass flats in 1-2 ft of water. As it gets later in the day, or as they become spookier, they will often drop into deep water, sometimes as deep as 10 ft. Black drum are easy to spot as they swim, however, just look for the dark ball of fish in the water! These fish are large and commonly range from 40-60 pounds.For black drum I prefer using lures with scent to help the fish find your bait. These fish are purely crustacean eaters, unlike their cousins, and are highly adapted to locating stinky baits. Use a heavy jig head of no less than ¼ ounce to ensure your bait is on the bottom where they will be feeding. Other baits that are sure to draw strikes are jumbo shrimp, or blue crabs. Your redfish tackle will work fine for these fish in shallow water, but should you find them in deeper water, a heavy rod in the 10-20lb range will help to decrease strain on the fish and you, ensuring a healthy release and leaving you ready to fight another!
When targeting these fish, be sure to respect everyone on the water. A bent rod is not an open invite into the area where someone else is fishing. Wait to be waved in or simply ask, often multiple boats can work together to keep the fish chummed or in the same area. Common courtesy, should not be suggested, it should be required. There are plenty of fish in other areas probably within eyesight of where you are, so keep an open mind and you’ll be sure to catch your share… who knows, maybe you’ll find a school of your own!
Contact Spencer Goodwin with Tampa Bay Kayak Charters at tampabaykayakcharters.com or by calling (727) 742-4736.
