# Redfish, redfish, and more redfish! We’re catching redfish aboard the Mega-Bite!



## user10309 (Sep 28, 2009)

Redfish, redfish, and more redfish! We’re catching redfish aboard the Mega-Bite!
I’ve had a lot of trips the past few weeks where my clients didn’t want to go out and catch red snapper, so I said, “No problem; let’s go bow up on some big reds and drag-screaming Kings & Spanish.” With the redfish bite so good the past few weeks it has been a lot of fun watching my clients bow up on these fun fighting fish.

*Mack is having fun battling her first redfish ---------------------- Mack shows off her first redfish*​









*Alex is all smiles battling a nice redfish ---------------------------Alex shows off his prize a nice 27" Red*









It’s no secret that the reds have been showing up in the pass a pretty good bit over the past 6 weeks, but when the bite shuts down in the pass, I’ll go to one of my honey holes where I’ve found some good redfish hanging out. Some of these fish are in the slot and some are big bruisers like the fish I’ve been catching in the pass. Redfish is one of my favorite fish to go after, and it is awesome watching my clients bow up on what is often the biggest fish they’ve ever seen.

Other inshore species that we’ve been catching are Kings & Spanish, bluefish and ladyfish. The Spanish have moved into the bay and the bite has been very good. We’ve caught some nice Spanish in the 4 lb – 5 lb range, which is great light tackle action. Top-water plugs have produced some quality catches, as has slow trolling with spoons and jigs.

_Sam had fun fighting this big Spanish Mackerel ------------------__Sam is all smiles after landing this schoolie King_​









I’ve also hit a few of my honey holes in the bay that hold snapper, but the last few times I checked them out, the fish were a bit small. We had still had fun, and didn’t have to go way out into the gulf.

Back to the inshore red fishing. When it comes to catching the reds in the sound and bay, I’ve been using a variety of baits; in deepwater we are using live pinfish and finger mullet, on the flats, we switch over to MirrOlure’s suspending twitch bait Catch 2000 and Catch 200 Jr. and the Top-Dog Jr. I’m also tossing a Berkley Gulp 3”- 4” shrimp on a 1/4oz jig head when appropriate. Another technique that has put some nice redfish in the boat has been tossing a live pinfish under a popping cork at a few of my honey holes. The reds can’t seem to get enough, and you are almost guaranteed to bow up.

*Joe is all smiles after landing this MONSTER 42" Red ------------*_*Ron is all smiles after landing this nice 36" Red*_






 
I haven’t been trout fishing much the past two weeks. The couple of times I went, the fish have been kind of small. My clients have put a few nice keepers in the ice chest, but most of my clients want to feel the pull of those big reds, so that’s what we have been targeting for the most part.

I would like to mention the annual fall redfish run, which is only a few months out. This has to be one of my favorite times to fish, because it’s cool outside and the red fishing is outstanding. If you are coming to Pensacola in the fall and want to bow up on one of these monsters, give me a call and I’ll show you a great day on the water.

Here are some pics from my past trips.
Enjoy.

_Sharrod battles a good fish and then shows us what a king looks like._​









_Hayden is all smiles with his dad and grandpa, showing off his schoolie king. _
_After a quick picture we let it go, to grow up._






 
_All over and undersized fish were released._​ 
Capt. John
Mega-Bite Inshore Charters
850-341-9816
www.megabiteinshore.com​


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## pelagicone (Jul 25, 2008)

great report..


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## inshorecatch (Oct 1, 2007)

Awesome Capt John, hope to see you out there Sat.


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## FLbeachbum (Jul 17, 2008)

It's great to hear business is good in our area again. Nice report, thanks for sharing.


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## FishingMedic (Sep 27, 2007)

Great report with some super pics as usual. You continue to prove why you have the reputation that you do as a great guide.:thumbsup:.


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## Ringo Redux (Jul 7, 2010)

+1 on great report. Looks like an awesome time and the definition of fishing success.


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## superheat22 (Jul 13, 2011)

capt, can you post a pic of yout tower. getting one built and your looks like what i want. good report.


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## 85okhai (Mar 15, 2010)

Great post! I see you use the wright and McGill rods. I have one a I love it and the bend is incredible. What reels do you have yours paired up with?


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## user10309 (Sep 28, 2009)

Thanks for the kind words everyone about my report.
Here is a picture of my tower.








I really like the tower a lot. As with anything after it was done, I relized a I should have put 4 rod holders instead of 3 which we might do this winter. I'm glad I went with a 1/2 flats tower instead of the full folding or full none folding tower. I'm about a foot under the legal limit of height when it's on the trailer while traveling on the road. So if I would have went with a full none folding tower, I would have been worried everytime I drove it down to the boat ramp.


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## on the rocks (Oct 1, 2007)

Awesome report and pictures. Thanks for all the tips as well. :thumbup:


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## superheat22 (Jul 13, 2011)

That's the perfect tower for me! Thanks for the help. Did you have it done locally?


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## user10309 (Sep 28, 2009)

85okhai said:


> Great post! I see you use the wright and McGill rods. I have one a I love it and the bend is incredible. What reels do you have yours paired up with?


I do use some of the Wright & McGill Rods. The magazine (Florida Sportfishing Magazine) was doing some things about new products last year and I was fortunate enought to try it out on the fall redfish, and I really liked it. It was a Medium Heavy 7'6" matched up with one of their Sabalos 4000 reels.

Here is what I use for for my inshore trout rods. I use All Star ASR 7' Med rods with Penn Battle 3000 reels.
Here is what I use for my sheepshead fishing. I use All Star ASR 7' Med-Heavy rods with Penn Battle 4000's reels.

I liked the ASR rods and they work great for trout and sheepshead, and I could have used the ASR rods for the fall reds which I did last year, but I wanted a longer rod that could be used for king, cobia and the big monster reds in the deep parts of the pass and in the fall for tossing out a 1- 1.5 oz jig when the reds are schooled up in the bay. The fast tip of these rods work great for small baits when fishing for kings and can also handle a 1.5 oz jig for the fall reds. 

Back to the Wright & McGill rods; I was going to buy a few of the Medium Heavy rods, but I went with the Heavy rods, and I'm glad I did. The Heavy Rods are 8' but they have a longer than normal butt which makes the rod really 7'4" -7'6" so it works great for what I want. My clients have hooked some big reds; we've hooked and landed some fish over 40". Just two days ago we landed two fish at 43" and the rods really helped out. They have great pulling power and can handle these big reds, which helps to bring in the fish a little quicker. 
The ergonomics of the rod are great, and you can tell they put some time into the design of these rods. For a hundred bucks, it's a good deal.

I matched up two of the 8' rods with Penn Conquer 5000 reels and two of the rods and two of 4000 Sabalos reels. I got two of their reels and I wanted to see how they hold up to a season of fishing. I'll keep you posted on how the Sabalos reels hold up. I really like my Penn Reels; the Battles and the Conquers have held up well and are very smooth.

Give them a try; I think you'll like them. Check out their website; they have a large selection of rods in that Flats Blue Style.
Tight Lines.


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## user10309 (Sep 28, 2009)

superheat22 said:


> That's the perfect tower for me! Thanks for the help. Did you have it done locally?


Yes B&D Welding did it.
http://www.bdweldingfabrication.com/


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## waterturkey (Jul 19, 2011)

Cpt Rivers, Do you run trips nearer the Destin area? We are coming down in a few weeks and would love to book a trip! Thanks.


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## user10309 (Sep 28, 2009)

waterturkey said:


> Cpt Rivers, Do you run trips nearer the Destin area? We are coming down in a few weeks and would love to book a trip! Thanks.


Water,
Sorry, but no, I fish the Pensacola are, if my clients are in Navarre, I have them come over to Pensacola, If you like call me on my cell and we can talk about what I have to offer with my business.
If you're in Destin and close to the bridge, it's only about a hour drive over to see me.
Give me a ring and we'll talk.
850-341-9816
Tight Lines.
Capt. John


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