During a recent quick trip out to the local flats, I took time out to look at the bottom as I glided by.  The grass had thinned out, the water was crystal clear and I thought to myself how different a few months make in fishing conditions.  Top waters and large jerk baits were the ticket not long ago, but now that winter has finally arrived here in Tampa Bay, it is time to down size your lures.  The target for this quick trip was redfish or course; I have a thing for redfish.  They are by far my favorite species and thanks to the stocking program, along with the gill net ban, we have bountiful numbers of them here. 

The lure of choice was a DOA Shad Tail, #416 Golden Bream on a Slayer Inc Destroyer Jig Head in Chartreuse.  Why the Shad Tail as opposed to a larger jerk bait?  This time of year, the size of the bait on the flats is very small; most of the redfish that I have caught and kept have been stuffed with small crabs.  The term “Match the Hatch” ring a bell?  That’s what I’m trying to do with the shad tails.  Dark colors such as the DOA 415 Gold Rush, 403 Golden Shiner, 304 Rootbeer/Gold Glitter are all great colors for the winter time.  The color of the jig head probably doesn’t matter all that much, I prefer the Chartreuse color.  I’m more confident using that color; it’s worked well, so I stick with it.  I prefer the Slayer Inc jig heads, they have a two prong bait keeper, no worrying about the lure slipping off after one or two fish, and the come in a variety of hook sizes.

The smaller DOA Jerk Baits in the same colors has listed above work as well.  Using weedless hooks in the 3/0 to 4/0 size, 1/16 to 1/8 oz sizes made by, Slayer Inc, these small jerk baits can be used in the same manner as the shad tails.  The best part about using artificial lures, is finding ones that you like and have confidence in. There are many, many different makes and models, the ones I’ve listed are what I have used with great success. 

Downsizing also applies to your leader as well as your lures. Normally I will use 25 to 30 lb fluorocarbon leader.  Fishing on the flats like I do, this might seem a bit much during the warmer months, with no obstructions, but you never know when you’re going to run into that big snook, so I like to be ready.  But during the winter, when the water is crystal clear, I’ll down size my leader to 20 lb, sometimes even 15 lbs.  Something I’ve noticed with fluorocarbon, it will kind of dull out if used to long, so I’m quick to change it between trips. No fancy knots, a uni-to-uni for my line to leader, and a simple loop knot on my lure. I use 8 or 10 lb braid all year long, 8 lb if I can get it.  I can cast further with the liter line; it’s still plenty strong for most fish I run into.

So now you’ve down sized, how should you work these combos?  Ssssllllloooowwww.  If you think it’s slow, slow it down even more. If you have a good pair of sun glasses, you can possible see the redfish cruising by.  This is by far the best time to sight fish for redfish.  Blending in with the sand, they can be tricky to spot.  I look for shadows moving in the sand, or sometimes you will see a flash as the fish turns sidewise (you’ll see the white under side of the fish) even if you’re not sure it’s a redfish, cast to it. Another tip is to look for the deeper sand holes, the water will have a slightly darker look to it. You might still be able to see the bottom, but it will just look deeper than the surrounding area.  Cast into those spots and just drag your lure across the bottom, maybe every once in a while pop it off the bottom.  The bite will be real subtle, almost like a pinfish picking at it. I sometimes wait until I feel some weight on the line before setting the hook.  But once they are hooked, you’ll know it.  Something about winter time redfish, they fight completely different than they do in the summer.