As the boat drifted across an aquarium-like landscape beneath us, the rods were at the ready. A lush subsurface background of green aquatic grasses went on as far as one could see, but it was red we were looking for. Not long after entering the first duck pond, the first red marauder was spotted lurking just off a small grassy island, not 10 feet off the bow.
A flick of the wrist ran a shiny offering past the fish’s nose and was immediately engulfed.
The healthy redfish quickly ripped the quiet water to a froth with runs to make a freight train envious, stripping concerning lengths of line from the reel in hand. Fortunately, through the miracles of modern braided line, the fish was shortly coaxed to within netting distance and brought aboard.
The namesake red of the fish took on a shiny bronze coloring in the sunlight, darkened from inhabiting the shallow waters lush with grass. After a couple of quick photos, the tasty treasure of the marsh was introduced to the onboard cooler along with a number of his counterparts destined for the cleaning table. Right away the two of us were back in action looking for the next target.
Though catching redfish is very common across the Louisiana coast, this particular tactic is as much hunting as it is fishing. Sight fishing the shallow ponds off the coastline has become increasingly popular as anglers get a taste for the rush of actually watching the fish take their offerings in close quarters. The growing popularity of competitive fishing for redfish has also significantly increased exposure of the fishery and the tactics employed by those fishing for high end prizes, including exorbitant cash payouts.
One angler who routinely loads the boat with the bronze torpedoes is Brian Glover of Prairieville, Louisiana. Unfortunately for the fish, Glover is continuously learning new waters to chase his favorite coastal quarry. The diehard angler recently expanded his explorations to the marshes of St. Bernard Parish after many years of success in lower Terrebonne Parish near Dularge. Though the scenery is a bit different, the tactics in putting hungry reds in the box is largely the same across the Louisiana coast. Best of all, the tactics don’t require large boats or expensive live bait.
“I was first introduced to redfishing not long after I moved to Louisiana from Mississippi back in 1998, and I have been hooked ever since that first shallow-water, line screaming fight,” Glover said. Though not a native of the Bayou State, Glover’s background in bass fishing instilled in him a knack for presenting artificial lures to reds in all the right locations. “I grew up bass fishing, so cruising the shallows, casting towards the bank at specific targets, or better yet a tailing redfish, seemed to be a natural conversion for me.” The rush of a hungry red plowing the shallows of Louisiana’s marshes was a new experience Glover was eager to share with fellow bass fishing cohorts. “It wasn’t long before I had my dad and all my family friends from Mississippi hooked on redfishing in the south Louisiana marshes.”
With such a penchant for the bronze bullets, Glover’s frequently asked why he so often passes on the speckled trout so many others love. “I think it really comes down to the hunt for reds in the shallows and of course, the fight,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love trout fillets as much as the next guy, but if I had to choose between a limit of reds versus a limit of trout, I’ll take the reds every day and twice on Sunday!”
Like so many others who’ve gotten a taste of the literal pursuit of reds haunting the shallows, Glover enjoys the hunting aspect of looking for reds. “You have to be in the right area where they live and eat, you have to be quiet and prepared to make a perfect cast, and you must have the right gear to close the deal,” he added. Citing that the chase is not all that different from hunting, Glover feels the practice is an easy draw for dedicated hunters who want to try something a little different.
Though he now has the privilege of chasing the reds with a high-powered bay boat complete with all of the modern accompaniments, Glover knows first-hand that plenty of success can be had with the simplest of rigs. “I started fishing in Cocodrie from a 14-foot flat boat, and each time I went fishing, I would challenge myself to try at least one new area during my outing in an effort to expand my normal fishing territory.” With no GPS, he’d rely on readily available satellite maps to look for areas that had a few duck ponds adjacent to bayous or larger bodies of water. Today’s growing fleet of kayak anglers have similarly proven that larger boats with fuel-hungry engines are by no means necessary for chasing redfish in the shallows.
“Clean water is key to finding numbers of redfish, this is especially important when you are trying to sight fish,”
Glover insists. “Clean water and bait in the area are the most important variables for finding numbers of redfish when sight fishing; if the water is muddy or murky I’ll quickly move on to another area.” Via trial and error, Glover has found that the ponds with substantial grass growing on the bottoms most commonly have clear water, even on windy days. In his observations, not only does the grass help to keep the water clean, but it provides shelter for the baitfish the redfish feed on.
Following these simple rules has helped Glover and his crew of fellow redfish hunters, the author included, to put redfish in the boat across the coast. When it comes to a go-to lure, this crew is a firm believer in the tried and true spoon. “The gold spoon is my go-to bait; I always have a ½ ounce gold spoon tied on,” Glover asserts. “It is easy to fish. You can cast it a mile, and it simply catches redfish more consistently for me than any other lure.” When hunting the shallows of coastal Louisiana, many times around grass or other structure, a weedless gold spoon is the most efficient bait to use. The weedless version, complete with a small guard protecting the hook from fouling in the grass, is a great way to go right into the grass beds the redfish often ambush from. Using non-weedless lures, however realistic looking, can be a futile exercise with much of the morning spent removing the grass from your hooks. Glover also noted that he always rigs his spoons with a swivel in order to prevent line twist.
When pursuing reds in areas of little or no grass, Glover will often go to the traditional soft plastics that are so popular with most coastal anglers for their versatility. “I’ll also throw a soft plastic minnow imitation in black or purple with a chartreuse tail threaded on a ¼ ounce jig head.” His preference lies in wide-gap jig heads which seem to help him get a better hook set on the marauding reds. Pairing these same soft plastics with a spinner blade can also be a very effective lure, offering some of the same flash a spoon affords.
Though all of the lures above can be very effective in tying into a hungry red, Glover insists none offer quite the explosive action of a topwater lure. “Early in the morning or late in the evening I will always throw a topwater plug in hopes of a big blow up by a hungry red, or trout!” His usual go-to topwater lure is the TopDog series offered by MirrOlure. “There is nothing like a 26-inch red coming all the way out of the water chasing your Top Dog!”
Regarding equipment, redfish are well-known for occasionally breaking the rods of those who’ve jumped into the fight ill-equipped. Glover prefers a 7-foot fast-action rod with a good backbone in medium action, paired with a quality bait casting reel. “The longer rods help me to make longer casts, and I like rods with a longer butt that helps when fighting those larger fish,” Glover notes. Regarding line, Glover has converted to primarily using today’s modern braided lines like so many other coastal anglers who’ve cited its considerable advantages when chasing larger fish. His preference is for the versions offered in 20- to 30-pound test which have the equivalent diameter of 6- to 8-pound test monofilament. “The braided line doesn’t stretch so it really gives me the stopping power on a red that’s making a run for heavy cover; it definitely minimizes break-off’s and can be crucial when fishing around structure,” he said.
Once properly equipped and out on the water, there are a few nuances to keep an eye out for when beginning the pursuit across the shallows. First and foremost, it’s imperative to try to maintain a stealthy approach, but it’s important to watch and listen for signs of activity in a given pond. “I’ll watch for areas of ‘nervous’ water where baitfish may be skittering about while also listening for a swirl from a red moving in the area,” Glover noted. The telltale V-shaped wake can also be a dead giveaway for a redfish cruising the shallow waters.
Once a cruising fish is sighted, it’s up to the angler to make the cast quickly and quietly, presenting the lure to intercept the fish’s path. This aspect of the hunt requires practice and some inherent trial and error but is very rewarding when that redfish inhales your offering in the clear water.
With redfish as prevalent as ever across the Louisiana coast, the options are nearly endless as far as destinations. From Big Lake to Shell Beach, redfish are often a fixture in the shallow duck ponds nearly year-round. If chasing saltwater fish the traditional ways has grown routine, give sight fishing for redfish a try. Like Glover and many other converts now dedicated to this technique, you too may become a redfish fanatic.
