Bull Red Tips/Tricks Needed

ssramage · Aug 16, 2017

One of my goals for 2017 was to catch a true bull redfish. I've caught fish in the 30" range inshore but have never been able to beat 32". It's getting to be that time of year and I want to mark this one off the list.

I live on St. Simons and finally have a boat where I think I can get to where they live (Scout 172) but have limited understanding of targeting these fish. Any tips/tricks would be greatly appreciated. Gear/bait/etc will be fairly new to me for this type of fishing.

sea trout · Aug 16, 2017

We catch them in channels in the bay, shipping channels. They're also hunting at the rips where deep water meets the sandbars. Idk specifically for St. Simonds are but it should be similar.
They're not very picky eaters but we use croaker or whiting halves and bonita fillets.
We use penn 2/0 and 4/0 with 30 lb mainline. VERY heavy leaders,( sharks will eat these baits too), and 7/0 circle hooks. Big tackle is important as these bulls and cows will exhaust themselves coming in. Get em in quick and take pics and help them swim before release and they'll be fine.

Good luck and I hope to see some pics!!!!!!!!!!

sea trout · Aug 16, 2017

Years ago there were guys that used this forum, Capt Richie Lock and Capt Scott Griffin. They both used to live in your area.
They are masters at catching the big BIG reds that you're seeking.
Either of them used to be more than happy to talk to you all day about catching big bull n cow reds!
I haven't talked to them in years and haven't seen them on the forum but if you could get hooked up with one of them around St. Simons I think you'd learn a ton and find the fish you seek!
Good luck man!!

ssramage · Aug 17, 2017

sea trout said:
We catch them in channels in the bay, shipping channels. They're also hunting at the rips where deep water meets the sandbars. Idk specifically for St. Simonds are but it should be similar.
They're not very picky eaters but we use croaker or whiting halves and bonita fillets.
We use penn 2/0 and 4/0 with 30 lb mainline. VERY heavy leaders,( sharks will eat these baits too), and 7/0 circle hooks. Big tackle is important as these bulls and cows will exhaust themselves coming in. Get em in quick and take pics and help them swim before release and they'll be fine.

Good luck and I hope to see some pics!!!!!!!!!!

sea trout said:
Years ago there were guys that used this forum, Capt Richie Lock and Capt Scott Griffin. They both used to live in your area.
They are masters at catching the big BIG reds that you're seeking.
Either of them used to be more than happy to talk to you all day about catching big bull n cow reds!
I haven't talked to them in years and haven't seen them on the forum but if you could get hooked up with one of them around St. Simons I think you'd learn a ton and find the fish you seek!
Good luck man!!

Great info, thank you.

Good point on the captains. I haven't seen them post much here but I'm actually friends with them on Facebook. I may shoot them a note and see if they could offer some advice.

urack8ball · Aug 17, 2017

Another good guide to talk with down there is TJ Cheek. The Georgia Fishing Company on fb......he's good people!

Dog Hunter · Aug 17, 2017

sea trout said:
Years ago there were guys that used this forum, Capt Richie Lock and Capt Scott Griffin. They both used to live in your area.
They are masters at catching the big BIG reds that you're seeking.
Either of them used to be more than happy to talk to you all day about catching big bull n cow reds!
I haven't talked to them in years and haven't seen them on the forum but if you could get hooked up with one of them around St. Simons I think you'd learn a ton and find the fish you seek!
Good luck man!!

Richie Lott, Joshua Cook. Look them up on facebook. Stand up guys.

Silver Bullet · Aug 17, 2017

They catch quite a few from the pier and beach. If I had a boat and didn't have numbers for structure, I'd get between Jekyll and SSI and bottom fish with FRESH mullet, whiting, pinfish or LEGAL bluefish pieces. You don't have to be in the channel, but I would be near or on the edge of it.

From the boat, I'd fish a C-rig. 30-50# main line. 100-200# leader. 8/0 circle or j. 3-6oz of weight. Fish around the top and bottom of the tide.

Ugly Stick Tiger rods. 7'. 2202 on the casting rod. 2201 on the spinning rod. I fish 555's and Sealine 50's, but you could go smaller from the boat. I also fish a 6500 SS spinning reel with 30# braid.

That should be all you need to know, really. It's not too tough, but you need to fish an hour each side of slack tide. That is the trick.

SB

ssramage · Aug 17, 2017

Silver Bullet said:
They catch quite a few from the pier and beach. If I had a boat and didn't have numbers for structure, I'd get between Jekyll and SSI and bottom fish with FRESH mullet, whiting, pinfish or LEGAL bluefish pieces. You don't have to be in the channel, but I would be near or on the edge of it.

From the boat, I'd fish a C-rig. 30-50# main line. 100-200# leader. 8/0 circle or j. 3-6oz of weight. Fish around the top and bottom of the tide.

Ugly Stick Tiger rods. 7'. 2202 on the casting rod. 2201 on the spinning rod. I fish 555's and Sealine 50's, but you could go smaller from the boat. I also fish a 6500 SS spinning reel with 30# braid.

That should be all you need to know, really. It's not too tough, but you need to fish an hour each side of slack tide. That is the trick.

SB

GREAT info! Thank you for that.

jpowell79 · Aug 17, 2017

What we do is go out to the beachfronts and find schools of menhaden, you can find these by watching for the pelicans diving. We try and stay in the 10 to 15ft of water range. We catch our bait there and just get in front of a school of menhaden and drop the anchor, they should be going with the tide. We catch them just about everytime we anchor using live or cut. Cut seems to work better at times. As far as gear goes, just anything that can handle a cpl hundreds yard of 30lb line and atleast med heavy boat rod and hold on...

tradhunter98 · Aug 17, 2017

As it gets closer to fall the big boys will be right off the beach front. Any fresh mullet or whiting will catch them. Circle hooks to keep from gut hooking!

Bull Red Tips/Tricks Needed

ssramage

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