Red Drum Night Fishing Tips and Techniques


Night fishing for redfish

Night is the perfect time to go fishing for a red drum. If you prefer searching for reds when the moon is up, and the earth is covered in pitch darkness, we have arranged some red drum night fishing techniques and hints that would help you land this fishes.

Below are a few red drum night fishing tips:

  • Use a sensitive rod
  • Be a moon watcher
  • Timing is gold
  • Get your light ready
  • Move towards murky water

Searching for reds in the night is a different ball game. To record substantial success, you will have to adopt a different approach, different from that used when day fishing.

Night fishing is fun if you know the right techniques and tips to adopt. Several anglers don’t believe in night fishing, probably because of the absence of adequate light. However, night fishing is not entirely different from day fishing if you know what to do. Are you planning on fishing for reds in the night? If you are, you definitely need to read this.

Red Drum Night Fishing Tips and Techniques:

Several fish enthusiasts go fishing during the early hours of the day. However, some dogged anglers prefer fishing when the sun is down and the moon is up. A normal person may find this weird. Of course, at night, it is almost impossible to see anything, not to talk of little fishes in the water. Well, if you know the craft of night fishing coupled with some night fishing tips, you wouldn’t have any problem catching reds or any fish in the night.

When embarking on a night fishing trip, the first thing to do is to ensure that you are familiar with the area you’ll be fishing. You wouldn’t want to go fishing in an area you aren’t familiar with. What if you get lost? It’s dark; finding your way may be hard. In addition, when you fish in an area you are familiar with, it’s easier to know reds hideouts.

Beautifull red drum caught at night

When night fishing for reds, it is also important that you learn how to adapt to surrounding with no light. Since you’ll be fishing in the night, ensure you take a source of light with you. You’ll need it when navigating the murky water and probably to attract bait fish for reds. Furthermore, your tackles will play a significant role in your night fishing adventure (check out my other article if you are unsure which bait and tackle to use) . Adopt one of those sensitive red drum rods and lines. Ignore the urge to use ultralight tackle.

Red Drum Tips while Fishing at Night:

Fishing for reds in the night comes with several benefits. These benefits are; the environment is cooler, you can adopt diverse lures, catch a variety of fish, and take on a unique challenge you don’t get to experience when the sun is up. If you want to be successful in your red drum night fishing adventure, you will have to take note of these tips:

  •  Use a sensitive rod
  • Be a moon watcher
  • Timing is gold
  • Get your light ready
  • Move towards murky water

Use a sensitive rod:

When night falls and everywhere turns dark, seeing becomes difficult. So, why don’t you raise your chances of reacting faster? You can do this with the help of a super-sensitive line and rod. With the aid of these tackle, you can detect the tiniest nibble and react to it. In addition, an ultrasensitive line will also make up for your lack of sight.

Be a moon watcher:

Did you know that around three–quarters of all world record fish are captured within three days of the full moon? The second ideal time is the “quarter moon” phase. During these periods, you should fish around the right places. So, rummage those reds hideouts. You never know, you may end up catching the next world record red drum!

Timing is gold:

Time indeed is gold. If you are planning on a red drum night fishing trip, ensure you study the weather, incoming fronts, the moon phases, seasons, etc. If multiple positive factors like incoming front coincide with a strong moon phase, rest assured that you’ll encounter some active reds when you eventually hit the water.  If that occurs and the moonrise or set tally with dusk or dawn, nothing should stop you from taking your tackle and hitting the water in search of reds.

Get your light ready:

Light is very important when fishing for red drum at night. Don’t go for a huge lamp, no, that might make your presence known and ruin the night. Instead, go with the smallest light you can lay your hands on. In addition, get a headlamp. You’ll need it to spot your prey and navigate the water properly.

Move towards murky water:

Mapping out your travel route is a very good tactic when fishing for reds in the night. When you make the map, add some murky, muddy regions because reds love to reside.

Take your jigs and spinners to that region and keep them in motion around the murky water; you will certainly get something.  Tossing a spinner along a rocky shore is also a perfect spot to try.

Fishing at night

Red Drum Night Fishing Techniques:

Catching red drum in the night can be difficult. You may end up not catching a thing if you lack the techniques needed to fish in this condition. Remember, catching reds in the night is nothing like catching reds in the day. You will need to adopt a different approach.

Here are some helpful red drum night fishing techniques:

  • Get a good source of light and fishing location.
  • Start fishing when the tides are coming in or going out.
  • Select the right line and use it with the fishing rod
  • Affix the thicker end of your leader to the end of your line
  • Attach a fly to the end of the leader line

Get a good source of light and fishing location:

In regions where fishing is prevalent, many piers will feature huge fishing lights. For reds, any kind of light is ok, irrespective of the color (yellowish or blue is ok). The reason for this is to create an area on the water disturbed by light to entice baitfish and the larger fish hunting them.

Start fishing when the tides are coming in or going out:

Several anglers’ record huge success when the water is high and little prey animals enjoy the protection they get from covers like shoreline grasses when the tide enters the vegetation.

Select the right line and use it with the fishing rod:

For nighttime red drum fishing, adopt an eight weight, weight forward, floating line, or WFF line. Do not make use of any weight higher than nine, particularly since reds spool easily, and the impact against the surface with a heavier line may make them scamper to safety.

Affix the thicker end of your leader to the end of your line:

The leader is regarded as a tapered line that merges the fishing line and the fly itself. The Albright knot is effective for affixing leaders in saltwater fishing and is bound by doubling the end of the thicker line over unto itself in a tiny loop and nipping the loop in place. Pass the other line underneath the top of the loop, bring it around the loop, and wrap it tightly around the loop towards the rounded end.

When your thinner line gets to the end of the loop, pass it back up via the end of the loop and drag the entire knot tight. Utilize a leader, around 12 feet long, and after every catch, take a look at the leader knot.

Attach a fly to the end of the leader line:

While-colored files are effective for night fishing because vibrant colors are difficult to distinguish without light. Baits like spoon flies, crab flies, including crystal shrimp flies, are effective for red drum (Best live baits are mentioned in this article). Tie on the fly by tying the bottom of the leader into a simple knot but not making the knot rigid, just let it remain as a loop. With the knot that way, pass the free end down via the loop on the fly and back via the knot’s loop. Enclose the free end of the line around itself at the back of the simple knot loop four times, afterward pass the end back around via the knot loop again. Draw the entire knot tight.

The next thing to do is to stick the hook of the fly via the tail of the shrimp bait. Then toss the fly beyond the reach of the floodlight’s light so that the fish line becomes invisible, making everything seem natural to the redfish.

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