Show Me SunshineFlorida Gulf Coast
Redfish

Florida targeted fish

Redfish

Sciaenops ocellatus · red drum

Oyster bars, flooded grass, mangrove edges, and residential canals. Tails in skinny water; schools along beaches in fall.

Season on this coast

The most honest year-round target on this coast. Fall schooling is the headline.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
  • Slow
  • Fair
  • Good
  • Prime

How to fish them

Sight-fish skinny water on a rising tide. Skip shrimp under docks. In October and November, look for copper wakes pushing along the outside of barrier islands.

Typical size. Slot fish are typically 18–27 in. Bull reds over 30 in show on outside bars in autumn.

Bait

  • Cut ladyfish or mullet
  • Live shrimp
  • Gold spoons
  • Weedless spoons & paddletails

Regulations

Gulf red drum is a slot fishery with a tight bag. Check FWC before harvesting — and pinch barbs if you are targeting bulls.

Captain’s brief

What’s biting, and where to start

Sign in and ask for a one-page briefing for a city, a month, and a target fish. Written for this coast — not a generic chatbot.