Deep Jigging Soft Plastics for Bull Redfish

The term “light tackle” is relative – subject to change according to the size fish on the end of the line. I have always considered myself a light tackle enthusiast, but I have recently moved out a little deeper and beefed up my tackle to accommodate larger inshore catches on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, where my little part-time business, Blue Cyclone Inland Fishing Adventures, has been based for the past 35 years. Even though our rods, reels, line size and lure size have increased, we are still using relatively light tackle, considering the size fish we have been tangling with. We have had a great deal of success catching bull redfish on larger than normal jigs with larger than traditional inshore spinning tackle. 

Florida law doesn’t allow any harvest of redfish over 27 inches. The state considers these fish “breeder size” fish and “bad table fare.” This long-lasting closure has created a great catch-and-release fishery for over-the-slot sized redfish. The slot to harvest redfish in Florida is 18 to 27 inches. The bag limit is currently one per person. 

Over-slot fish, nicknamed bull reds, are an absolute blast to catch on artificial lures. Redfish are extremely hardy, making them one of the greatest catch-and-release species available on the St Johns River. 

I would say a 1/4-ounce jig has traditionally been the most popular size to fish in Northeast Florida. Most anglers cast jig and plastic combinations in 6 inches to 15 feet of water, targeting slot size fish but often connecting with over slot-fish as well.

Recently I started taking my clients out a little deeper in 20 to 30 feet and bouncing 1/2-ounce to 2-ounce jigs rigged with YUM Pulse 4.5-inch paddle tails and YUM 5-inch FF Sonar Minnows.

The bigger jigs require bigger tackle. I’m spooling up with 30- to 50-pound braid and have become partial to Sunline’s tapered fluorocarbon leaders. My two favorite sizes taper from 36 to 54 pounds and 42 to 60 pounds. Unlike in fly fishing, the jigs are tied on to heavy end of these tapered leaders. I attach these leaders to my braid with an FG Knot Connection. A friend of mine, Kevin Larson, came up with coating our line to leader knots with Beeswax, which helps the knot slide smoothly though our guides. We are using 4000- to 6000-class spinning reels and 7.5- and 8-foot Heavy/Fast spinning rods to present these robust jigs. 

I like to drift along backward, with the bow facing the current, while slowing the boat with the trolling motor in an effort to keep my jig straight beneath the rod tip. I’m drifting in areas that have swift current, but I avoid mid-tide periods when the current is at its fastest pace.

The bite from a bull redfish is best described as a GIANT THUMP. These big thumps come along ledges or subtle breaks along the bottom.  Sometimes they come on top of humps with 5-foot depth variations; sometimes they come along ledges; sometimes they come off rocks or structures with shell growing on them. I’ve been surprised how these fish will hold on just a minute piece of structure with shell growth on it. Often these tiny bottom breaks produce better than the well-defined spots. These spots are so subtle that I find them with my jig by feel, rather than by monitoring my sonar.

I have found staying vertical with my bait works best. If I let the current drift my bait ahead of the boat, the jigs tend to hang on the bottom. Once I find a structure that holds fish, I seem to be able to return over and over and catch fish from the same location.

For jig size selection I prefer to use as light of a jig as I can that will still reach the bottom.  Accordingly, faster current and deeper water demand heavier jigs. For the most part we have been fishing in less than 30 feet, but I believe we will have success even deeper once we take the time to venture out even deeper. 

In addition to large red drum, I have had great success with black drum and tarpon deep jigging. The tarpon are the reason I use the fluorocarbon leaders. In reality, you can feel the bottom better if you use straight braid, so if you’re fishing in an area where tarpon aren’t available or during a particular season when they aren’t around, straight braid could be a better option. The bull reds and drum up to 35 pounds aren’t breaking my line unless they pull me into some kind of structure, which happens on occasion, especially around bridge abutments and dock pilings.

From a guiding standpoint this less complex technique of hopping a jig off the bottom has been great. We generally drop straight down so an accurate cast isn’t necessary. It’s a great technique for less experienced anglers because you aren’t casting, and it is easy to pick up on quickly. When I’m guiding, I go straight to spots I have had success in the past, so I’m not getting hung up near as much as when I am scouting new haunts on my own.

This technique works exceptionally well when fishing bridges and deep-water industrial docks. We like to drift behind large bridge abutments and fender systems. Sometimes our bites come in the still water behind the pilings. Other times, the fish will hang in the current seams coming off the sides of the pilings. We like to drift a pretty good distance behind the pilings and have found that often the fish will hang back on little humps or depth changes behind the pilings. Controlling drift speed, keeping the line vertical, and hopping the jig on the bottom have been key factors in our success.

Another factor that seems to come into play is whether there is a lot of bait in the areas I am fishing. In early spring glass minnows telegraph themselves on the surface. The YUM Sonar Minnow has been a perfect match for these glass minnows. As the water temperature rises, shrimp, croakers and small ladyfish decorate the bottom of the St. Johns River. The YUM Pulse has become a favorite plastic in the warmer months.

In addition to bull reds and tarpon, we have significant success on black drum up to 50 pounds.  Black drum are known scent feeders and known to eat crustaceans rather than baitfish, yet my clients and I had significant success with them on the YUM Pulse. To trick such as fish was a great testimonial to how great this bait presents in saltwater.  

Give it a shot. Go Big. Go Deep.