Miami Redfish Fishing Charters

Targeting Redfish in South Florida can be productive all year long especially during the winter time. This is because Redfish have a higher tolerance for colder water than all of our other inshore species. Redfish can be found in saltwater, brackish water, and even fresh water. Typically, our flats fishing guides will choose to target redfish by using two different techniques. The first would be to pole the shallow flats of the everglades looking for schools to cast a lure or fly to as they pass close enough to the boat. This technique is referred to as sightfishing. The second way we target the redfish is by using live shrimp or pilchards when the water is so low the redfish are forced to school up in the channels and ditches next to flats and islands. This technique is referred to as live baiting. Both of the techniques can be very productive. Weather and tides are the deciding factors on how your captain chooses to target Redfish during your miami fishing charter.

The average Redfish caught in South Florida is between 12" and 30" and is targeted using either 10-12 lb light tackle spinning rods or with a 7-9 weight fly rod. We find just like in other areas where Redfish are caught Gold Spoons, Rapala Skitterwalks, and soft plastic lures seem to be the most productive baits to use with a spinning rod. A wide variety of fly patterns work as well. Generally, the colors red, purple, yellow, and brown seem to be the most common mixture fly fisherman will use. Each of our captains have their own patterns they tie and prefer to use. If you are an avid fly tyer feel free to bring some of your own gear along during your charter.

How many Redfish can I expect to catch?

This is a fairly common question we get down here that we really try to stear around when possible. This is because most of our fishing is dependent upon the fishermans skill level. If you are an average fisherman, meaning you have fished several times before and your casting accuracy is good enough to put it near where you intended to, you can expect to be able to catch anywhere between 5 to 50 Redfish in a single day while fishing in the Everglades or Florida Bay area. The bigger numbers are generally during th winter time while using live shrimp fishing the ditches. While sightfishing the flats for Redfish you can expect 5 to 10 Reds while using lures or flies on a good weather day. If you are an unexperienced fisherman or even wanting to bring your child don't be discouraged because there is always some style of fishing we can recommend to get you guys catching fish too. Everyone starts somewhere and we would love it if you did it with us.

Can I keep a Redfish for dinner?

Legally, there is a year round slot size for Redfish. Meaning, anglers with a valid fishing license can keep one Redfish between 21" - 28" in length. However, we choose to practice catch and release on all of our Redfish. This has become a common practice for fishing guides here in South Florida because we would like to see the fishery grow. We encourage you to adopt the same practice that way this great fishery will be around for generations to come. If you would like to learn more about conservation please check out the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida.