Currently, redfish must be 16” in order to keep with no more than one over 27”max total length. The daily limit is 5 redfish per angler.
Saltwater vs, Freshwater Fishing
The Mississippi Delta provides unique habitat for redfish which can thrive in the brackish mixture of fresh and saltwater found near Venice. Some days, we fish for reds in largely freshwater ponds and canals, while others we fish the coastal areas…it depends on the time of year and weather patterns. Your captain will take you to the right spot depending on what types of redfish you’d like to catch.
Sight Fishing vs. Bottom Fishing
You can catch redfish in a number of different ways, again depending on the time of year and area we’re going to fish. We take clients sight fishing for reds in the shallower ponds and canals where you can literally see the redfish either pushing a wake as it swims, or you can see the tail of the redfish coming out of the water. Sight fishing can be a thrill, but it does require a bit of experience when it comes to fishing technique and skill, especially in the area of casting.
If you’re new to catching redfish, it doesn’t get any easier than bottom fishing. Your captain will set you up with a bottom rig tipped with shrimp, and from there, HOLD ON! Big bull reds feed by smell, and if one is nearby your bait you can be sure they’ll find it and give you the fight of your life.
Our redfishing trips usually leave the dock at first light in order to take advantage of the early morning bite, especially in the shallow ponds and flats. Early fast limits of redfish are not uncommon. When this happens, we may continue to fish on a catch and release basis or try for other species of fish.
During a typical fishing inshore trip for redfish in Venice, it’s not uncommon for us to catch other types of fish including sheepshead, drum, speckled trout, flounder, bass and even the occasional shark. The Venice marshes are full of fish, and you never know what you will catch!