By Captain Troy Frady
Have you ever been on a winter bull Redfish charter on the Alabama Gulf Coast? If you have not, you are missing one of the most exciting sport fishing trips you can ever imagine. Those of you who have fished for winter Redfish know how explosive and exciting it is to catch a monster fish just off the beach.
The Bull Redfish show up along our Gulf Shores every year around the end of October. They usually school up and stay just off the gulf beaches until the mid March. During the winter months, saltwater anglers and sport anglers can have a blast catching these Redfish. They are golden in color and usually have a large black spot on their tail. Some have multiple spots on their tails.
You see their smaller redfish brothers and sisters featured on fishing television shows from time to time. You always see television anglers fishing flats, marshes and back bays. We are not talking about the ones you see on television. They are only 16 and 26 inches long. We are talking about the big daddy of all Redfish, The Bull Red. We are talking about just off the shoreline out in the Gulf of Mexico.
Bull Redfish are big fish. They average over 30 inches in length and weigh between 15 and 40 pounds each. They offer families and saltwater sport anglers the fight of a lifetime. They are a blast to catch on light tackle. Some corporate anglers bring their fly fishing gear and fight these monsters. They offer anglers the chance to catch a tough fish that can survive catch and release.
The benefit of choosing a larger charter boat like ours is the comfort it provides. Larger boats have restrooms on board. Since this is called winter redfish fishing, larger charter boats offer more comfort than their smaller counterparts do. Larger charter boats allow anglers to duck inside out of the cold wind and take a break in a climate controlled cabin while still being able to step right outside and fight a big redfish when one hits.
Bull Redfish fishing can be either slow or red hot. You can go from a zero to a hero in about two seconds. Anglers normally look for birds diving just off the beach and you pick up and run toward them. It is common to see birds working with acres of Bull Redfish swarming on the surface or top of the water. This is when you ease up to them and cast light tackle jigs among them and hook them up. If you do not see birds working, you may troll lures or spoons at about 5 to 6 knots until you get a strike. Then you need to circle back through the area and try to pick up another one.
Alabama’s Gulf Coast has mild winters, but the best redfish fishing occurs right after frontal passage. That means a cold north wind blowing at 10 to 20 mph. Temperatures range from the low 40’s to the high 50’s on a typical day. The bull redfish can be caught right off the Alabama gulf coast beaches from Fort Morgan to Orange Beach. Their natural food source is anything from menhaden to crabs. Charter boats tend to use artificial baits such as 1.5 to 2.0 oz jig heads with curly tails when sight fishing. They also troll for them pulling stretch 25’s or number 2 or 3 planers with drone spoons of any color trailing behind. Bull redfish tend to bite what is in front of them. They are not that picky. If they are there, they usually bite.
The cost of Bull Redfish trips vary from charter boat to boat in Orange Beach. They are consistent in pricing. Six passenger boats carry from 1 to 6 anglers for hire and a four hour trip usually runs about $600 to $700 plus tip and fish cleaning. 6 hour trips run about $800 to $900 plus tip and fish cleaning. That price includes your license, bait and tackle. All Bull Redfish anglers need to bring is their own food and beverage. In Alabama, anglers can only keep one over sized Bull Redfish per person.
One neat thing about catching a Bull Redfish in Alabama is how good it will taste for supper. Our gulf coast has an abundance of seafood restaurants that will cook your fresh caught fish for you and your group the same day you catch them. We call it fresh catch. Imagine fishing in the morning and sitting down with the rest of your family that evening to a fresh catch of Redfish prepared Southern Style. Blackened, Grilled or Fried is mighty fine. If you would like to cook them yourself, please visit our recipe section and learn how locals cook them.
Tight Lines.