How To Wade Fish For Red Drum In The Fall (Tactics & Lures)
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on
Do you want to learn how to catch more redfish when wade fishing?
What are some tactics you can use your next time out on the water that can land you more red drum?
There are a few different things to take into account when wade fishing for redfish in the fall!
Take a look below!!!
How To Wade Fish For Red Drum In The Fall [VIDEO]
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Fall is one of the best times of the year to go wade fishing.
The temperature is both comfortable to fish and there’s a ton of activity on the flats, but it’s much more different than how we wade for red drum in other seasons of the year.
Colder fronts are going to come in during the fall which has an impact on fish behavior.
In the fall, cold fronts come through with heavier winds that stir up the water and grass.
Wade fishing is a great tactic for targeting a specific area and picking through the dirty water for big fish.
Try to choose areas you think might be holding fish.
Most likely the fish will be hunkered down in potholes they feel safe and not willing to hunt for food.
Wade fishing allows you to pick through these areas slowly.
The fish are hungry but not willing to go to great lengths for a meal.
All you have to do is fan cast to these potholes at the bottom and roll the lure in front of the fish’s face.
You should target shorelines where the wind is pushing water up against it because that will bring the bait to the shore.
During a heavier cold front, it is best to fish wind-protected areas around points.
A few days after a cold front, the fish will hunker down along the shoreline waiting for bait.
The fish aren’t going to be actively searching for food, rather you have to cast your lure around and find the fish.
Moreover, the warmer water will be between the shoreline and the deeper parts of the water.
In turn, the fish will be in that middle column where depth starts to drop off and the water is warmer.
The bait will get pulled on and off the depth change with the incoming and outgoing tides.
Redfish prefer shallow water hunting opportunities but the temperature has to be perfect for them to strike.
If you are fishing after a cold front, aim for those middle zones where the water is still warm enough for them to hunt.
Lure Choices & Casting Techniques
To search for those redfish, a paddletail lure will work best for covering lots of ground.
Finesse type presentations will be more difficult in dirtier water and sight-oriented hunters like redfish will find it hard to pick off a finesse bait.
A slow, constant retrieve with a paddletail will pick redfish off easier while covering a ton of water.
Reel the paddletail in steady and slow with some pauses here and there.
The pause allows fish to make a decision as to whether or not they want to strike your lure.
Your lure may get their attention but that pause can help induce a strike.
Another added bonus of wade fishing is you can use the wind to your advantage.
If the wind is moving towards the shoreline, and you are standing past the middle zone of the water, you can use the wind to boost your casting distance and stand a little bit further from the fish.
By casting with the wind, you will add distance to your cast and have a stealthier approach.
In the end, the 5-10 feet of added casting distance you can get with the wind will help you cover more water.
Using lighter diameter line will also contribute to further casts as opposed to heavier line that can weigh down your casts.
Equipment Used:
- TFO Professional M Fast 7’6″
- ForEverlast G2 Wade Fishing Belt
- FishGrips (Academy)
- Ugly Stik Pliers
- Boomerang Line Cutters
- NRS Backwater Boot
- Slam Shady 2.0 Paddletail
Conclusion
When wade fishing the flats for redfish this fall, it is important to take into account all of the weather conditions around you.
Be sure to keep an eye on cold fronts that affect the water temperature, wind direction, and overall fish behavior.
Being in tune with the conditions and covering lots of water can help you find potholes and pockets of redfish along the flats.
If you have any questions about wade fishing for redfish, let me know down in the comments!
And if you know someone who wants to know how to wade fish for big redfish, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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I have mostly used open face reels. I recently purchased a Daiwa Procyon spinning reel. My question is ….as a right handed person does the handle go on the left side where I reel in using my left hand or right side where I use my right hand to reel in the line?
Thank you
Julian Garcia
You could use either hand to reel, but I would suggest starting with handle on left and using right hand on rod…most of the time it’s comfortable. If not, switch it over and see how it feels. Being comfortable casting means better accuracy and control. Have fun!
Hey Wyatt are you fishing the dagger Islands? That looks like the south shore line of dagger with those big grass flats?
I’ll have the Insider Report up later this week that’ll show the exact spot!
Good video Wyatt. A little confusing in regards to casting and wind. Should you really cast with the wind and retrieve it against the current? With shallow water, I’ve always casted low and retrieved with the current. I noticed at one one point you casted cross wind/current, which I also consider effective.
It’ll depend on how hard the wind is blowing. If it’s only 10-15mph, you can still cast low and fish with current without sacrificing more than 10 or so feet on a cast, but if it’s cranking 20-25, I’ll cast with the wind for sure. Ideally, you’ll wade and cast cross with the wind/current, but sometimes this scenario doesn’t present itself. When you wad, you’re usually in shallow enough water where the current isn’t terribly strong, so the fish aren’t as picky as they might be in deeper water where the flow will really influence where they feed.
The only reason I advise casting with the wind in this video is because fall often has those really cranking, windy days and only casting 10-15 feet at a time will REALLY slow down your fishing and you’ve likely already spooked fish you’re wading towards at that range, so it’s better to break the rules and cast 4x as far with the wind!
Appreciate the explanation sir!
Absolutely Jonathan! Great question!