Best Water Depths To Target Redfish Year Round Like A Pro
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on
How deep should you be fishing for redfish?
Well, there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer.
So you’ve got to know how to fish different depths for redfish depending on the conditions.
In this video, you’ll learn:
- Top inshore spots to target redfish
- Which depths to fish in each spot
- Best lures to use
- And more.
Check it out!
Best Depths To Fish For Redfish [VIDEO]
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Although you can catch redfish in a couple of inches of water or really deep water, you’ll want to know the best strategy for each depth and the best spots to find them.
Top Inshore Spots To Target Redfish
Redfish can be at different depths based on where you live, the type of structure you’re fishing around, and the time of year.
Open Flats
Typically grass, marsh, and mud flats are anywhere from 1ft to 5ft in depth.
And most redfish are going to be feeding in 1ft to 2ft of water.
Make sure to target redfish closer to shorelines and shallow structure on the flats.
You can use paddletails and topwater lures to cover ground and cast to the shorelines at higher tides.
When the tide drops, look for areas with that same depth because it could be an area of refuge if redfish think the water is getting too low.
Focus on points, oyster bars, and shorelines on the flats.
Marsh Creek Systems
These systems are winding long mazes of creeks that can be as deep as 10ft to 15ft.
Redfish will be holding in areas where tides are not moving as much so they don’t have to work really hard to fight the current.
Focus on shallow marsh creeks that are close to areas that will dry up at low tide.
They will sit close to these zones to ambush prey that is forced out with the tide.
Oyster bars around points with a depth range of 3ft to 4ft seem to produce really well year-round with the exception of winter.
Fish will want deeper water where the temperatures are more constant.
Look for dark spots to find deeper water in the 8ft to 10ft range during colder months.
Docks and Pilings
Docks in intercoastal channels, pier pilings, and bridge pilings are all great spots for holding redfish.
Most redfish will be sitting on the very end of the dock in deeper water around 10ft to 15ft.
That’s because the widest variety of baitfish will be at the end of the docks and that’s exactly what redfish want to find!
Conclusion
While there will be fish outside of these various spots and water depths, these guidelines are for the predictable majority of redfish.
Make sure you stick to your game plan and focus on different depths during different times of the year and around different types of structure.
What water depths do you catch your best redfish?
Let me know down in the comments.
And if you know someone who loves to fish for redfish year-round, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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These videos are great. Especially since I fish around Kiawah and a lot of what Wyatt covers is very helpful for that region. Now, if I could only translate that knowledge into actually catching more fish! But keep it up, the videos are extremely helpful…
Thanks for good info. I don’t get to fish very often. Your info means so much. Thanks
Good stuff Wyatt. Hope Texas is treating you well.
Thank you Jamie! Texas is definitely a great place for fishing, so I’m having a pretty good time here! Doesn’t mean I don’t miss those Carolina marshes though… I’ll have to get back up that way sometime soon!
You guys should make your way to Beaufort, SC and see if any of this holds true in our waters in the summer months. I know there are plenty of people in this area that would love to know how to get on some reds during all times of year but mostly in the summer months. Reds are my kryptonite. I got a 21 foot bay boat and would be more than happy to provide the ride for some fishing tips. Hit me up if you are interested.
Wyatt just moved to TX from the Wilmington, NC area and has fished the marsh environments in NC and SC a lot. In fact, a lot of the footage is from his time in the Carolinas. I’m sure he can share some specific tips about the Beaufort environment. Beautiful area by the way! Tight lines.
Hey Jason, as Jamie mentioned above, I’ve used these tactics for a while now, and have applied them in Carolina marshes with great success! I can assure you that the same applies, and if you’d like to see them in action, feel free to check out some of our on-the-water reports that I’ve published in SC/NC! You can view them by clicking on any of the yellow pins on the Regional Map!
https://community.saltstrong.com/RegionalMap.php
I fish the little river sc area and I haven’t been able to catch one redfish in the last year.
I actually have fished close to Little River within the last year and can confirm there is indeed redfish there to be caught… I pulled a few out of Clayton and Bonaparte Creek on the NC side of Little River, but you’ll want to focus on the marshes directed connected to the inlet on the SC side. A big mistake I see folks in your area make is they hang too far back inland to get onto any consistent action… reds are in the inland marshes in good numbers in the winter when they’re looking for warm water, but they’re non-existent once it warms up. Spring through fall, most of those reds will be close to the inlets for bait and cooler water, so my recommendation would be to target inflow/outflow points on large mud flats and creek systems (some of the images I used during the creek system explanation in this video are from Bird Island Reserve, which is literally across the inter coastal channel from Little River) and I’ve definitely caught reds in some of the zones I highlighted.
Another big key is not to stick in one area for too long. Use searchbaits like Paddletails and don’t make more then 1-2 casts to the same spot before moving 10-15 feet down the shoreline. Stay moving until you find the fish! It’s also important this time of year that you get started early, as the summertime forces fish to feed during the cool hours of morning before it gets too hot, and then again in the late evening as the sun sets. If you’re fishing in the middle of the day, it’s going to be difficult to get a bite.
Best of luck to you Rick!