Cape Fear Fly Fishers Ray Hitney and Forest Duncan chartered Captain Allen Cain of Sightfish NC on April 1, 2017 to fish for redfish.  We launched from the Wrightsville Beach, NC boat ramp at 2:00 p.m. and fished north Figure Eight Island and Topsail Creek. Captain Cain put us on redfish in several spots but the fish refused to bite.  We still enjoyed the day and learned much about fishing for redfish.  The notes below reflect the knowledge one can gain by spending a few hours fishing with a professional.

(Capt Cain gave a presentation on local fishing to the club. Here is a link to it.)

During the winter months, redfish are in schools; 99% of them are found in 1% of the water.  One sight-fishes for them by poling the boat and by observing mud boils and wakes after spooking them. 

Small minnows are their prey in winter.  It is not until late April/May before they scatter and one can observe them tailing in 1-2 feet of water feeding on fiddler crabs.  Forage becomes more plentiful as water temperatures rise into the upper 70’s. 

Water around Figure Eight Island is clearer than around Oak Island, making it easier to sightfish during the winter.  Oak Island is easier to fish in the summer when fish are more visible tailing.

Bottom composition affects water temperature.  The water temperature for the sandy bottom area we fished near Figure Eight Island was 66 degrees; the muddy bottom in Topsail Creek was 73.

At times, redfish are present but won’t bite due to erratic weather changes.  Fishing is better after several days of a consistent weather pattern.

Redfish are creatures of habit, often taking residence during the winter months in the same spots.  One may spook them but an hour or day later they will come back to their chosen “home.”  The latter could be a cove next to a deep hole(s) in shallow marsh, or around 1-3 docks out of a dozen along the ICW.

Some situations allow you to “corral” fish back to where you first spotted them – if you find them in nearby locations.   

Oyster bars are magnets for redfish.  They attract baitfish, and other critters that comprise the food chain.  Oyster bars were numerous in each of the areas we fished.

Fish on the falling tide before it becomes too shallow to navigate your boat.  If you fish the peak of the tide, it’s more difficult to sight the fish in the deeper water. 

Where do redfish go on low tide?  Not far.  They usually stay in deep holes in the area they adopt as their winter residence.  Eight foot holes were not far from the shallow spots we fished.  If one is willing to stay and remain stranded through the low tide, fishing could be quite good, assuming the fish are in a biting mood.

One must sightfish on a clear, sunny day in winter.  When a cloud blocks the sun, one cannot see the fish – it’s like turning off the lights.  Less windy days help as there are fewer ripples on the surface.

Prepare to cast by feeding out 6-8 feet of fly line past the leader and hold the bend of the hook in your left hand (assuming you are right-handed).  Your guide will try positioning you with the wind to your back and pointing the boat so you can cast, ideally, to the 9-11 o’clock position.

Throw a few practice casts initially to get comfortable with casting the weight of the fly.

If the situation calls for a backcast, face 180 degrees to the target; cast with one false cast, and let the fly drop on the backcast.  Double-haul the cast to get more distance.

When retrieving the fly, use quick, long strips without stopping; a fleeing bait never stops; if you stop stripping the fly, the fish will turn away.

Purple and black flies are highly visible in clear water.  Other options are minnow imitations with gold flash, shrimp patterns, crab patterns, and the Kwan fly, a shrimp/crab imitation.

If the redfish are not biting flies, try spin-fishing with a Texas-rigged, new penny, Gulp shad.  It is often difficult for them not to resist the scent.

Redfish can be observed around docks or other structure but will not strike a fly or lure because they have been conditioned not to do so by fishing pressure and/or the presence of boats.  For such situations, one angler’s strategy is to approach a dock via a kayak; walk on the dock (with the owner’s permission); and fish vertically with fiddler crabs, a bait not used by anglers as much as other baits.

Allen pointed out a couple of wide creek mouths that are very popular for catching speckled trout in the fall – some holding as many as thirty boats when the bite is on.  If fly fishing for trout, target deeper water in creeks, using 250-gram weight line or intermediate sinking fly line.  Pink/white and Chartreuse/white clouser minnow flies are good choices.  Use a heavier weighted clouser in faster current.