Redfish and the tides are like peanut butter and jelly. The importance is to recognize that these fish love the tide especially the falling tide. It is the conveyor belt of a buffet as the water falls out on the estuaries, mangrove shoreline, bars and flats. But you must learn your area taking time on negative tides to note where these areas are. A negative tide can be an opportunity for fishing but your observation of staging areas is worth the time. I’ve alway said it’s best to totally learn area well. Keep them close to home and you will produce the results you wish.

Now what should you use in your lure or bait presentation? Well there are many options. Once you have discovered the areas you think will hold fish you have decisions. My gig is all artificial. So that is hair jigs, Zman jerk shads, Gulp swimming mullet or shrimp patterns. For sticky areas such as very grassy or lots of oysters try a weedless type hook with 1/8 oz such as Mustad twist lock. If you want to go a bait route a good hair jig with a wide gap hook tipped with a small piece of shrimp can be deadly. Make sure your piece of shrimp is small enough so your jig does not spin. Small tips are best. You don’t need much. Buy of course a live whole shrimp on a circle hook is always a presentation that fish can’t resist. Remember it’s a circle hook. You get a bite you just wind down until tight. 30 lb leader is normal but if it’s clear 20lb will produce more bite but remember it 20 so no horsing the fish.

Don’t forget redfish, snook, speckled trout and sheep head all are in the same area. Don’t be surprised if after some good recon you catch a slam.

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