Redfish are among the most popular fish in the country. An investigation by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration discovered that almost 30% of charts that run in the Gulf of Mexico are aimed at them. If you’ve got Drum in your sights, we want to make sure you really fill the boat. With that in mind, we’re breaking down the six best Redfish bait choices out there.
Uncovering the Diverse Diet of Redfish: What These Sportfish Love to Feed On
As an angler, understanding what your target fish eats is key to catching more of them. This is especially true when it comes to the popular inshore sportfish, the redfish But pinning down the exact diet of redfish can be tricky Their meals can vary significantly based on the seasonal availability of prey, as well as the age and size of the fish.
In this article, we’ll break down the key components of a redfish’s diverse diet. We’ll highlight their favorite foods sources and how their feeding patterns change throughout their lifecycle. Armed with this intel, you can make better bait choices and locate prime redfish hotspots based on what they’re nibbling on.
Redfish Feeding Habits By Age
The diet of redfish shifts dramatically as they grow from larvae to bull-sized adults Here’s an overview of what they eat at each stage
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Larvae – After hatching, redfish larvae feed on zooplankton like small crustaceans and worms in shallow seagrass beds.
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Juveniles – Young redfish 8+ inches long start eating small baitfish like silversides and gobies. By 12 inches, they also eat shrimp and crabs.
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Adults – Mature redfish feast on shrimp, crabs of all sizes, plus a variety of small fish species.
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Bull Redfish – Extra large redfish over 40 inches switch to eating mostly fish, along with some crabs.
Now let’s zoom in on the top foods that make up the bulk of a redfish’s diet.
Major Food Sources for Redfish
- Shrimp
Shrimp make up a significant portion of a redfish’s daily menu. They use their downward-facing mouths to vacuum up shrimp from the bottom. White shrimp and brown shrimp are popular picks, and fall is peak shrimp-feeding time.
- Crabs
Redfish of all sizes love to snack on meaty blue crabs and stone crabs scuttling along the seafloor. Soft shell crabs are also easy targets. Smaller reds pick off fiddler crabs and fragments in the grass.
- Fish
Small fish get inhaled by redfish of all sizes and make up the majority of a bull red’s diet. Common fish prey include pinfish, mullet, croaker, menhaden, pilchards, and more. They’ll eat live fish or scavenge on dead ones.
- Other Prey
Redfish are opportunistic and will snack on worms, mollusks, and other bottom-dwellers as well. Large crabs and fish still tend to be their preferred picks.
Where Redfish Feed
Redfish look for food just about everywhere inshore. Top feeding grounds include:
- Grass flats
- Mangrove shorelines
- Oyster reefs
- Sandy or muddy bottoms
- Creeks and bayous
Juvenile redfish stick to shallows 3-6 ft deep. Large adults hunt for food in deeper zones from 10-30 ft. Bull reds even prowl shorelines and jetties to pick off crabs and baitfish under cover of night.
Best Time of Day to Catch Redfish
Early morning and evening are prime feeding times when reds look for breakfast and dinner in shallow waters. They retreat to deeper spots or under structures to avoid the midday sun. Nighttime is another buffet for large, hungry redfish.
Seasonal Shifts in Diet and Location
Redfish are flexible opportunistic feeders. They’ll gorge on whichever forage species is most readily available at a given time of year in their local waters.
In spring and summer, shrimp, crabs, and small fish are plentiful in estuaries and flats. In fall, shrimp and some baitfish migrate to deeper channels and inlets. In winter, redfish follow schools of mullet and menhaden offshore.
Matching Your Bait to Their Diet
Now that you know what’s on the menu, you can tailor your bait to match what reds are eating. Here are top live bait options:
- Shrimp
- Small crabs
- Mullet or other small fish
For cut bait, try cut shrimp, crab, or various fish fillets to get their attention. And don’t hesitate to throw artificial lures that mimic their favorite snacks.
Capitalize on Feeding Frenzies
Keep an eye out for redfish feeding frenzies. Bull reds will trap baitfish against the surface and attack them in a violent feast. Use topwater plugs or swimbaits to cash in on the action.
In Closing
Hopefully this breakdown gave you a better grasp of what redfish eat throughout their lifespans. Pay attention to their seasonal feeding patterns in your local region. Match your bait to what they’re feeding on, and concentrate your efforts in their prime dinner destinations.
Soon you’ll be reeling in more of these hard-fighting and tasty inshore gamefish. So spool up and go catch the big reds chowing down near you!
Frequency of Entities:
redfish – 41
fish – 27
crabs – 14
shrimp – 12
eat – 9
feeding – 7
bait – 6
bull – 5
food – 5
small – 4
bottom – 3
seasonal – 3
live – 3
waters – 3
patterns – 3
prey – 3
So, why are Redfish so popular?
They’re tasty, they strike hard when hooked, and can grow ridiculously big. They don’t go on such long runs after taking the bait, though, and they don’t picky eaters either.
This makes them perfect for both rookie anglers and pros alike.
A number of factors will affect your success. You need to think about the tide, the season, the ground, your technique, your gear, and whether you’re using live or fake bait.
You can make sure you’re always using the best Redfish bait or the most effective lures by putting these things together:
Job done? Not quite. Learn more about our top 5 bat picks and when, where, and why each one works by reading on.
The Anatomy of Redfish Fishing
Redfish feed off the bottom. They rely on their sense of smell and sight, and forage the sea floor in search of food. If you take a look at their head, you will see that Redfish have a downward facing mouth. The fish move near the bottom sucking in and gulping the food they find.
This means you will want to present the bait so that the fish can find it. Luckily, Red Drum aren’t choosy. Use what’s in the water when you’re fishing as a general rule if you want to use live bait. That should give you the best results, as Redfish will be already accustomed to eating it.
For more experienced anglers, artificial baits are the weapon of choice. Fishing for Redfish this way is more demanding and can be a blast.
As Reds inhabit clear and turbid waters, you will need to adapt to the conditions. You can get a Red to bite in a hundred and one different ways, but the key is to tame the animal. Either find a good spot from which to see the fish, or try your luck by casting your line straight out into the water near marshes and other murky areas.
How to Fillet Redfish Perfect – Pro Tip for Quick Easy Fillet
What do Redfish eat?
Once redfish reach a size around 8 inches, they start eating small fish species in addition to crustaceans, including silversides, gobies, sheepshead minnows, and young croakers. And after reaching a size of 12 inches, juvenile redfish start eating many of the same types of food that adult redfish feed on.
Do Redfish eat trout?
Redfish are eating just like they do the rest of the year. Spring is a good time to catch reds and when most redfish tournament trails begin. Redfish do like tidal movement like speckled trout, but are best known for adhering to cover/structure. Realize this and you will smash redfish on your fishing trips.
Can you eat Redfish?
Yes, the short answer is that you can eat redfish. It is generally safe to eat redfish if it is prepared properly, but you should never eat redfish that is raw or undercooked in dishes like sushi or others. Redfish are known to carry certain parasites that, if consumed by humans, could lead to them becoming extremely sick.
What to eat with grilled Redfish?
Grilled Redfish can be served as a main dish accompanied by vegetables, rice, or potato salad. Another popular method for preparing Redfish is blackening. Blackened Redfish involves coating the fish fillets with a spicy seasoning mix and searing them in a hot skillet.