Redfish charters, Clearwater Florida redfish charters, Tarpon Springs redfish

Redfish charter fishing in Tampa Florida area

Redfish are one of the most fun and reliable species we catch here on the shallow flats of the Tampa Bay, Saint Petersburg, and Clearwater area. They are abundant and not usually that hard to coax into biting. We fish them with light tackle and live bait, or by casting artificial lures such as topwater plugs. We also catch the big reds of fly casting gear if that is what you like to do.  

A redfish charters are good for pretty much all 12 months of the year with little variation on availability. They are one the least affected species when it comes to sudden weather or temperature changes. In North Pinellas and Pasco Counties redfish typically live on very shallow flats. During the winter months in Tampa bay area we target redfish on flats covered by as little as 18 inches of water. During the lower tides you will see the redfish tailing or moving slowly just below the surface. Quietly maneuvering the boat into casting range, cast a light spinning tackle or a fly rod to the individual redfish or hopefully a whole school of redfish. Our skinny water redfishing is every bit as exciting as bonefishing in exotic tropical destinations but with all the ameneites of the good old USA.

In the spring and fall, big schools of redfish move in from the Gulf of Mexico and join the resident redfish on the flats. At this time it is not uncommon for to locate herds of redfish containing a hundred or more fish. When the herd moves does move in on the flats the redfish action can be a positively unbelievable experience for that charter fishing in Tampa Florida area. A few years back we located one such redfish herd and over the course of 4 days of charter fishing we and another guideboat caught more than 200 redfish. Each day the redfish school was sitting in the same spot on a remote grass flat in a sparsely populated area. Many of the redfish in that school appeared to have come in from the open Gulf of Mexico since many were much bigger than our normal 6 to 12 pounds. At least a dozen redfish were landed that weighed in excess of 20 pounds. Once they get bigger than that larger redfish typically move out to the Gulf where they roam open water with the rest of the brood stock redfish. On occasion, while offshore charter fishing, we will stumble into one of these schools of giant redfish and they will eat everything in sight. IN this situation we catch our very biggest reds. We have taken several over 40 pounds and plenty over 30 pounds.

On a "normal" day of one of out guided fishing trips, many different fish will be caught like: snook, trout, jack cravelle and a mixed bag of other inshore gamefish. The big three; snook, redfish and speckled trout caught together in the same day make up a West Coast slam which is considered by many to be the pinnacle of flats fishing success surpassed only by the Grand Slam made up of a snook, redfish, speckled trout, and a tarpon. West Coast slams are caught more often than not and when the tarpon are around we put up a few grand slams as well. Redfish are going to be a likely catch just about anytime you choose to come out on a fishing charter here on the Florida flats. Sometimes redfish require precise casting to individuals, other times simply tossing a live scaled sardine toward an overhanging mangrove limb is all it takes to hook up a redfish. Tight recreational bag limits (one redfish is allowed per person within the slot limit of 18 to 27 inches) have also contributed to the great redfish fishing and kept double digit days common for Florida Sportsmen statewide.

Captain Ed Walker has been leading clients to great days of redfish action on the Florida West Coast for more than 20 years. During this time he has been a licensed, practicing, full time guide. He has won a long list of flats fishing tournaments for snook, trout, and redfish as well as his record setting tarpon tournament history. If it is redfish fishing you like, he definitely has them covered.

If you would like to join us on a Redfish fishing experience please drop us an email or give us a Call at (727) 944-FISH (3474) today to book your guided fishing trip for Redfish.