Sunday, 5/29/11 … best ways to catch redfish around Sanibel & Captiva & weekly outlook

People often ask me for advice how to catch redfish around Sanibel and Captiva …

Redfish were a staple of fishing years ago.   Now they’re tougher to find in the last 3-4 years.

If you are looking for redfish, you want to try mangrove shorelines and oyster beds an hour before high tide, the 30 mins during, and an hour after high tide (please see tide info for this coming week listed below).

You can use cut bait, like ladyfish, spanish sardines, or mullet.   Live bait also works, such as pilchards, shrimp, and pinfish.

Try to find an area where the wind and tide are moving in the same direction.   Fish a spot for 15 minutes, then move down a hundred yards or so.   Keep moving until you find fish.

When you find fish, don’t go back day after day.   Keep moving and looking for more spots.  This will enable you to learn about different places and conditions and develop a portfolio of a variety of fishing holes.

You will find some areas are better on certain winds and tides, and others on slightly different conditions.   Always take note of the tie and wind conditions, because fish in the same spot will behave very differently depending on conditions.

Redfish like water depths of 3 – 4 feet.   If you are trying for redfish at low tide, try the outter edges of large grass flats.  Look for white sand holes to toss your bait into.

You can also try fishing the inlets with pinfish.  Inlets are usually best on an outgoing tide.

Other strategies include trying around docks or drifting down shorelines with the current.

Redfish have to be between 18″ and 27″,. but they’re best for eating on the smaller side.

I usually release anything over 25″; they are not the best for eating and are less than 1-2 years from being mature fish and good breeding stock.

Here’s the tide outlook for the coming week.   I like to plan my redfish strategy, what places and when, in the context of the tides.  You can too – it just takes practice and continuous learning.

Monday 05-30-2011
Sunrise  6:36 AM EDT, Sunset  8:16 PM EDT
Moonrise  4:46 AM EDT, Moonset  6:31 PM EDT
High Tide:   1:40 AM EDT   1.3
Low Tide:   4:59 AM EDT   1.1
High Tide:  11:29 AM EDT   2.1
Low Tide:   7:02 PM EDT  -0.1

Tuesday 05-31-2011
Sunrise  6:35 AM EDT, Sunset  8:17 PM EDT
Moonrise  5:28 AM EDT, Moonset  7:27 PM EDT
High Tide:   2:32 AM EDT   1.3
Low Tide:   5:25 AM EDT   1.2
High Tide:  11:58 AM EDT   2.3
Low Tide:   7:41 PM EDT  -0.2

Wednesday 06-01-2011   New Moon
Sunrise  6:35 AM EDT, Sunset  8:17 PM EDT
Moonrise  6:15 AM EDT, Moonset  8:22 PM EDT
High Tide:   3:20 AM EDT   1.3
Low Tide:   5:48 AM EDT   1.2
High Tide:  12:30 PM EDT   2.3
Low Tide:   8:20 PM EDT  -0.2

Thursday 06-02-2011
Sunrise  6:35 AM EDT, Sunset  8:17 PM EDT
Moonrise  7:06 AM EDT, Moonset  9:16 PM EDT
High Tide:   4:07 AM EDT   1.3
Low Tide:   6:16 AM EDT   1.2
High Tide:   1:06 PM EDT   2.4
Low Tide:   9:01 PM EDT  -0.3

Friday 06-03-2011
Sunrise  6:35 AM EDT, Sunset  8:18 PM EDT
Moonrise  8:03 AM EDT, Moonset 10:06 PM EDT
High Tide:   4:49 AM EDT   1.3
Low Tide:   6:54 AM EDT   1.2
High Tide:   1:47 PM EDT   2.4
Low Tide:   9:43 PM EDT  -0.3

Saturday 06-04-2011
Sunrise  6:35 AM EDT, Sunset  8:18 PM EDT
Moonrise  9:02 AM EDT, Moonset 10:53 PM EDT
High Tide:   5:27 AM EDT   1.3
Low Tide:   7:46 AM EDT   1.2
High Tide:   2:33 PM EDT   2.4
Low Tide:  10:25 PM EDT  -0.3

Sunday 06-05-2011
Sunrise  6:35 AM EDT, Sunset  8:19 PM EDT
Moonrise 10:03 AM EDT, Moonset 11:36 PM EDT
High Tide:   5:59 AM EDT   1.3
Low Tide:   8:48 AM EDT   1.2
High Tide:   3:26 PM EDT   2.3
Low Tide:  11:08 PM EDT  -0.2

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ call 239-472-8658 or email captjoefred@gmail to book a charter.