Brackish Water Red Fish

The brackish rivers and creeks on the east coast are one of my favorite areas to fish. One cast bass, one cast catfish, next cast trout. You just never know what you are going to catch! Brackish water is simply the mixing area between fresh and salt on our coast. This environment will produce both fresh and salt water species. In the wintertime, brackish water is a great area to target red fish. This water is often more stable in temperature, and abundant with bait, structure, and deep water. These characteristics entice large populations of red fish in the winter. I good way to tell when you have reached brackish water is to look for the Gar! You can also do a "taste test" for salinity.

To target them, I prefer to use 3 inch paddles tails in gold/brown colors. This always seems to stand out well in the tannic dark water. Look for deep river binds, creek outlets, pronounced points, and wooden structure. These areas are great spots to hold redfish. Make sure you are making contact with the bottom a-lot with your lure, and don't forget the procure!