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John N. Felsher's Redfishing Adventures
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Redfish action heats up as water
temperatures cool down in autumn
temperatures cool down in autumn
Leigh Rush measures the redfish she caught in the marshes near
Port Sulphur, La. with Capt. Eric Muhoberac. She fished with her
mother, Anne Rush.
Port Sulphur, La. with Capt. Eric Muhoberac. She fished with her
mother, Anne Rush.
As temperatures drop, many sportsmen exchange their fishing gear for
guns, but if they do, they might miss some of the hottest, at least
figuratively speaking, saltwater fishing all year.
“Winter is our best time for redfish,” said Gary Taylor of Go For it
Charters in Slidell, La. “Redfish take cold weather much better than
speckled trout. Cold doesn’t bother them. Ideal weather conditions would
be cold, but not bitter cold.”
Although redfish can tolerate cold conditions better than speckled trout
or other fish, sudden temperature fluctuations could spell disaster for fish
accustomed to prowling flats with their backs out of the water. Temperature
extremes could shock cold-blooded redfish, causing them all kinds of
problems. Therefore, redfish often leave the shallow ponds and head for
deeper water to escape the cold if temperatures drop severely in the fall or
winter.
“After a really hard freeze, redfish leave shallow water and go deep,”
said Jerry Ferguson, a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
marine biologist. “If we get a week or so of warm temperatures, redfish
move back shallow. If it stays too cold for too long and they cannot get out,
they'll die.”
In marshes known more for shallow bays and lagoons, anglers look for
deep water in natural bayous, pipeline canals, ship channels or dredge
holes. Often oil companies dredge canals to service wells. At the end of
some canals, many companies dug deep basins so that barges and large
boats can turn around and depart the canal.
Sometimes, redfish could stack up in small areas by the thousands.
They rub against each other to keep warm or hover next to solid objects,
such as dams or wellheads, because these radiate solar energy into the
water column. Shell reefs also radiate some heat. Anglers could often land
a boatload of fish from one spot.
“People don’t realize how many fish get in canals during the winter,”
said Capt. Toby Duet of Cajun Resort in Golden Meadow, La. “Sometimes,
we run canals in really cold water and wash fish up against the banks with
our wakes. There might be thousands of redfish congregated for a half-
mile in a canal.”
Although redfish might congregate in huge numbers in tiny spaces,
they might not bite as aggressively as they do in warmer weather. Food
may become scarce in winter. Redfish might go long periods without
eating. In cold water, they often half-bury themselves in the mud and won’t
chase baits far or fast. However, one might slurp a bait that runs past its
nose.
“In winter, we sometimes almost have to hit redfish on the head to
make them bite,” said Capt. Phil Robichaux of Robichaux’s Guide Service in
Lafitte, La. “I look for places that have shells or mussels or other hard
bottoms. Redfish crack those mussels and eat them. If I can catch just one
redfish along a bank, I go back along that bank several times. If something
attracted one redfish, it will attract more.”
In winter, few baits entice redfish better than a live cocahoe minnow
hooked to a simple 1/4-ounce lead jighead. Hook the live morsel through
the eyes, tail or bottom lip. Fish it very slowly. Toss the bait to the
shoreline and let it sit for a few seconds. Then, drag it slowly along the
bottom about a foot at a time.
The jighead creates a mud trail while the minnow swishes its tail. If
nothing bites, pull it over the drop-off and let it sit. As temperatures cool in
fall or winter, big reds often hang just over the drop-off edge so they can
quickly access deep or shallow water. Sometimes, they sit on the bottom in
the middle of a canal.
While many reds prefer bait, lures still work in cold water. Use 1/4- to
3/4-ounce leadhead jigs tipped with soft plastic trailers and bounce them
slowly off the bottom. Sometimes, sweeten a lure with a bit of shrimp.
Anglers could also use suspending or slowly sinking baits. Toss these over
deep oyster reefs, off points or into holes at the mouths of marshy drains.
Fish them slowly on a slightly slack line. Watch the line for strikes.
Well-known as devastating strikers, redfish in winter sometimes only nibble
lures or simply suck them into their mouths during the winter.
Redfish even hit plastic worms that bass anglers use. Jigs tipped with
“craw-worms” also work exceptionally well. With two flailing claws, a craw
worm looks remarkably similar to a crab, one of the preferred foods of
redfish. Work these slowly along the bottom.
For booking trips, call Taylor at (985) 641-8532, Robichaux at (504)
689-2006 or Duet at (985) 475-5179.
guns, but if they do, they might miss some of the hottest, at least
figuratively speaking, saltwater fishing all year.
“Winter is our best time for redfish,” said Gary Taylor of Go For it
Charters in Slidell, La. “Redfish take cold weather much better than
speckled trout. Cold doesn’t bother them. Ideal weather conditions would
be cold, but not bitter cold.”
Although redfish can tolerate cold conditions better than speckled trout
or other fish, sudden temperature fluctuations could spell disaster for fish
accustomed to prowling flats with their backs out of the water. Temperature
extremes could shock cold-blooded redfish, causing them all kinds of
problems. Therefore, redfish often leave the shallow ponds and head for
deeper water to escape the cold if temperatures drop severely in the fall or
winter.
“After a really hard freeze, redfish leave shallow water and go deep,”
said Jerry Ferguson, a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
marine biologist. “If we get a week or so of warm temperatures, redfish
move back shallow. If it stays too cold for too long and they cannot get out,
they'll die.”
In marshes known more for shallow bays and lagoons, anglers look for
deep water in natural bayous, pipeline canals, ship channels or dredge
holes. Often oil companies dredge canals to service wells. At the end of
some canals, many companies dug deep basins so that barges and large
boats can turn around and depart the canal.
Sometimes, redfish could stack up in small areas by the thousands.
They rub against each other to keep warm or hover next to solid objects,
such as dams or wellheads, because these radiate solar energy into the
water column. Shell reefs also radiate some heat. Anglers could often land
a boatload of fish from one spot.
“People don’t realize how many fish get in canals during the winter,”
said Capt. Toby Duet of Cajun Resort in Golden Meadow, La. “Sometimes,
we run canals in really cold water and wash fish up against the banks with
our wakes. There might be thousands of redfish congregated for a half-
mile in a canal.”
Although redfish might congregate in huge numbers in tiny spaces,
they might not bite as aggressively as they do in warmer weather. Food
may become scarce in winter. Redfish might go long periods without
eating. In cold water, they often half-bury themselves in the mud and won’t
chase baits far or fast. However, one might slurp a bait that runs past its
nose.
“In winter, we sometimes almost have to hit redfish on the head to
make them bite,” said Capt. Phil Robichaux of Robichaux’s Guide Service in
Lafitte, La. “I look for places that have shells or mussels or other hard
bottoms. Redfish crack those mussels and eat them. If I can catch just one
redfish along a bank, I go back along that bank several times. If something
attracted one redfish, it will attract more.”
In winter, few baits entice redfish better than a live cocahoe minnow
hooked to a simple 1/4-ounce lead jighead. Hook the live morsel through
the eyes, tail or bottom lip. Fish it very slowly. Toss the bait to the
shoreline and let it sit for a few seconds. Then, drag it slowly along the
bottom about a foot at a time.
The jighead creates a mud trail while the minnow swishes its tail. If
nothing bites, pull it over the drop-off and let it sit. As temperatures cool in
fall or winter, big reds often hang just over the drop-off edge so they can
quickly access deep or shallow water. Sometimes, they sit on the bottom in
the middle of a canal.
While many reds prefer bait, lures still work in cold water. Use 1/4- to
3/4-ounce leadhead jigs tipped with soft plastic trailers and bounce them
slowly off the bottom. Sometimes, sweeten a lure with a bit of shrimp.
Anglers could also use suspending or slowly sinking baits. Toss these over
deep oyster reefs, off points or into holes at the mouths of marshy drains.
Fish them slowly on a slightly slack line. Watch the line for strikes.
Well-known as devastating strikers, redfish in winter sometimes only nibble
lures or simply suck them into their mouths during the winter.
Redfish even hit plastic worms that bass anglers use. Jigs tipped with
“craw-worms” also work exceptionally well. With two flailing claws, a craw
worm looks remarkably similar to a crab, one of the preferred foods of
redfish. Work these slowly along the bottom.
For booking trips, call Taylor at (985) 641-8532, Robichaux at (504)
689-2006 or Duet at (985) 475-5179.
