Redfish Fishing Trips

Redfish are an inshore fish of the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, and one you can fish for from a guide’s boat, a kayak, a pier or the beach. The black spot near the tail makes them easy to recognize, and the names vary by region: redfish, red drum, channel bass, puppy drum, spottail bass.

Red drum live in coastal and estuary waters from Massachusetts to Key West and around the Gulf. They can reach about 5 feet and 100 pounds. In shallow water they often feed head-down in the grass with their tails out of the water, called “tailing,” which lets you spot and cast to them.

Where to go for redfish

The Louisiana Gulf Coast. Louisiana is the year-round redfish trip. The state has about 7,700 miles of coastline. Anglers fish its marshes and bayous around grass beds, oyster reefs and shallow ponds, often with popping corks or topwater lures. Guides and charters run from Venice, Grand Isle, Cocodrie and Hopedale. Jean Lafitte’s inland waters produce mostly redfish and speckled trout. Cocodrie anglers fish red drum around the marshes and beaches. Near Cameron, shore anglers often catch bull reds over 30 pounds. Grand Isle’s Caminada Bay offers shallow-water fishing, and the town also has offshore fishing. In brackish water you can catch freshwater and saltwater fish on the same trip. See the Louisiana Gulf Coast guide.

The Outer Banks, North Carolina. Red drum are North Carolina’s state saltwater fish. The world record, 94 pounds, was caught off Avon on Hatteras Island in 1984. Fall is the peak, and locals say serious fishing starts after Labor Day. Drum of 35 to 70 pounds are common then. The visitors bureau lists red drum in April, May, September and October. Anglers fish the surf and piers, sight cast in shallow water, and fish the sounds at night. In Pamlico Sound, near the mouths of the Neuse and Pamlico rivers, there is a catch-and-release fishery for drum over 50 pounds. See the Outer Banks guide.

The Florida Keys. Redfish share Florida Bay’s backcountry with bonefish, tarpon, permit and snook. The Keys tourism council puts the best redfish and snook months at about December through July. See the Florida Keys guide, or base in Islamorada, close to Florida Bay.

When to go

• Louisiana: all year.
• Outer Banks: spring (April and May) and especially fall (September and October). Surf and pier season starts in March and peaks in May and November.
• Florida Keys: about December through July.

Red drum spawn from late summer into early fall at dusk near inlets, passes and bays. Our September and October pages show what else is running in fall. These are typical patterns. Weather and water change every year, so ask guides for recent reports.

How the trips work

Guided marsh and bay trips. In Louisiana, a guide takes you into the marshes and bayous, and you fish around grass, oyster reefs and ponds, often with popping corks or topwater lures. Redfish and speckled trout are the usual pair.

Sight fishing. When redfish feed with their tails out of the water, you can spot them and cast. Sight casting is popular on the Outer Banks. If you want to try it with a fly rod, see our fly-fishing trips page.

Surf and pier fishing. On the Outer Banks you can fish more than 100 miles of beach and several piers. A pier pass or a surf rod is the low-cost way into the fishery.

Kayak fishing. Grand Isle hosts a kayak fishing tournament called Ride the Bull every April. If you paddle the marsh on your own, learn the tides and the water first, or go with a guide.

Choosing a destination

• Any time of year: Louisiana, where redfish are a year-round target.
• A trophy fish: the Outer Banks in fall, or Pamlico Sound’s release fishery for big drum.
• Mixed flats fishing: the Florida Keys, where redfish share the water with bonefish and tarpon.
• DIY on a budget: Outer Banks surf and piers.

Before you book

• Licenses. North Carolina requires a Coastal Recreational Fishing License for most saltwater anglers, while charter boats and piers carry a blanket license that covers you. Louisiana’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issues licenses and sets size limits, bag limits and closures. See our fishing license guide, and check the agency before each trip.
• Slot limits. Red drum size and bag rules change. Ask your guide what you may keep.
• Ask the guide about tackle provided, whether they fish lures or bait, how many anglers they take, and what happens on a windy day.

Our guided vs DIY fishing guide helps you decide whether to hire a guide. For more shallow-water fishing, see tarpon and bonefish.