The Only 3 Lures You Need To Catch Redfish In The Summer
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on
These are the only 3 lures you need to catch redfish in the summer!
Redfish behaviors are very season-dependent which actually makes them somewhat predictable.
But what lures should you throw out to catch redfish right now?
Learn the answer here!
Lures You Need To Catch Redfish [VIDEO]
Join the Insider Club TODAY and get the Best All-In-One Fishing App for FREE
Equipment Mentioned:
Topwater Lures
First thing in the morning on summer days, I am going to throw out a topwater lure.
I recommend the Salt Strong Moonwalker as well as Heddon Super Spook Jr. or other preferred brands of lures.
You do want to keep the profile as small as you can.
The bait that is around this time of the year is small and larger lures will look out of place and spook fish off.
Summer is the ideal season for throwing topwater lures because the bite is concentrated in the twilight times of the day which is also when the topwater bite is at its height.
High heat temperatures do not let fish feed as effectively during the day.
When it is overly hot outside, redfish tend to find deeper pockets of water where temperatures are stable to then wait it out and hunt again as the sun goes down.
These fish are going to try to push bait up against shorelines and pin them to structure.
Try to work topwater lures parallel to the bank for best results in summer.
Keep your retrieve steady and slow so redfish can key in on it and strike.
The worst mistake most anglers make is they stop their retrieve after getting a blow-up.
I’m here to tell you that you must CONTINUE your retrieve at a steady pace throughout.
Redfish are not designed to come up and strike topwater lures.
Their jaws hinge downward to eat bait below them or to dig around in the mud for crustaceans.
But if you maintain a steady retrieve, then the redfish can track it and make a move to strike.
Importance Of Single Inline Hooks
Additionally, single inline hooks are a must-have when topwater fishing for redfish.
Treble hooks are not ideal when fishing any type of lure for redfish, not just topwater.
More often than not, the reason I lose redfish is because of treble hooks.
The Salt Strong Moonwalker comes ready to go with strong single inline hooks but many other lures do not.
I highly encourage you to buy stronger hooks and get rid of those nasty trebles.
Fish can spit trebles easier and you have a tougher time getting a solid hook set in the fish’s mouth.
There is just 1 hook point on single inlines but 3 on a treble leaving the door open for more mishaps and spit-hooks.
If you have the choice, choose single inline hooks on topwater lures.
In terms of when to throw topwater lures in summer, you can use your hand as a guide.
Lift your hand up to the horizon and if the sun is covered, it is a good time to use topwater but if that sun is creeping over your fingers, then it’s time to switch to subsurface lures.
This usually coincides with the first and last hour of the day.
Paddletail Lures
When it’s time to put away the topwater lures I look to use subsurface paddletails.
It is always fun to try and see blow-ups and get early morning topwater strikes from redfish, but you will most likely catch the majority of redfish using paddletails.
Paddletails are subsurface soft plastic lures that effectively attract strikes and mimic the profile of most baitfish.
Also, these types of lures are easiest for a redfish to track and strike because you can swim them at the depth the fish are hunting.
I mainly rotate between two different sizes of paddletails.
The 3.5-inch and the 5-inch paddletails are generally going to cover all your bases.
The 3.5-inch Slam Shady is the go-to for summertime fishing because of how well it imitates the bait in the water.
However, if you do see larger bait in the area or you are fishing in front of giant bull redfish, the Slam Shady BOMBER will come in handy.
The BOMBER is slightly heavier and longer than smaller paddletails which can be the difference on certain days depending upon conditions.
Slam Shady BOMBER is even more useful on windy days because of the vibration it casts out into the water that can attract fish over to strike.
If you want to mimic larger baitfish or create more vibration in the water, then go for the Slam Shady BOMBER.
These lures are going to be your go-to presentations for summer redfish.
One more thing to note when fishing paddletail lures is the weight of your jighead or hook.
I prefer to use a 1/8 oz. weedless weighted hook when fishing both of these lures.
Most of the redfish you will come across in the summer are in less than 3-5 feet of water.
In the mornings and evenings, they are going to get as close as they can to shorelines.
During the day, redfish are sitting out in channels and deeper water looking for stable temperatures.
The feeding redfish are going to be in shallow water.
1/8 oz. hooks do a fantastic job of recreating the same drift and glide a small baitfish hovering close to the bottom would have.
Johnson Silver Minnow Spoon
Spoons are simply phenomenal for catching big redfish in the summertime.
They do an excellent job of mimicking really small, shiny shad bait that is the main source of food for fish in the summer.
You want to make sure you get a weedless spoon and the Johnson Silver Minnow has been crushing it for years.
A spoon is also one of the best lures to throw into the wind and can be a weapon for you on windy days.
Spoons cut through the wind and will cast pretty much exactly where you aim.
Furthermore, summertime showers are common and that can lead to fishing in tannic, dirty water.
This is the time to throw out a spoon.
The tannic water causes the spoon to pop and reflect light from the sun.
You want to slowly retrieve this spoon so it sits below schools of bait and acts as an easy meal for redfish to pluck off.
Gold or silver will work great and it really does come down to personal preference but I do prefer silver on most days.
My personal rule of thumb is silver spoons in clean water and gold spoons in dirtier water.
[optin-monster slug=”wcrcrc7d6ih5k29wooi4″ followrules=”true”]
Conclusion
These lures are my own personal preferences and all lures that were shared above I use on a daily basis.
There could be other lures that you think belong in the top 3 or other lures that just perform for you time and again.
Please share what works for you down in the comments and if you found this helpful, let me know!
Equipment Mentioned:
Do you have any questions about the lures you need to catch redfish?
Let me know down in the comments!
If you know someone who wants to learn more about the lures you need to catch redfish, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
P.S. Want access to our best fishing spots and tips, plus discounts to our online tackle store? Click here to join us in the Insider Club!
Related Articles:
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
A.M. Fishing Purple Haze paddle tails have been my go to bait for the past year.
This was a fantastic video for me; very practical. My question has to do with rigging these lutes. Do you use a leader which involves a snap swivel or at least some type of hardware, or do you tie the lure right on to braid? Thanks for your help.
great info wyatt
I use spinner baits like the Redfish Magic. But be care because they work on trout, flounder, spanish, and blufish too.
Which weedless hooks are you referring to. A jig head weedless?
Are Redfish not as interested in shrimp as they are white bait in the summer months? Also, the Cobia are plentiful in Tampa Bay and they are smoking the Bomber.
Maybe a short video on how to tie different lures/plastics, whether to use a loop or direct hard tie.
Hey Robert! We can definitely create another video on those topics! In the meantime, check these out:
What Knots Should You Use For Different Lures & Presentations
Are You Using The Wrong Knot With Your Lure? (Common Lure Mistake!)
Top 3 Artificial Lure Mistakes That Cause Anglers To Get Skunked
I’ve had good luck with a Vudu shrimp under a 4 Horsemen popping cork for redfish.
Another great choice! Very effective in areas with really murky water or when fishing on super windy days… I thought about adding it on the list, but popping corks and shrimp lures are more of a spring tactic I employ. Doesn’t mean they won’t work in the summer, but I find that the baitfish presentations seem to draw more strikes this time of year.
Great info here!
Thanks so much Drew!! Glad you enjoyed this tip sir!
Hi Wyatt,
Great article. I’ve got everything except the Johnson Silver minnows – what size do you recommend?
I like 1/4 oz to maximize fish-catching, but if you want to try and draw strikes from just bigger fish, try out a 1/2oz… you’ll also get a TON of extra distance!