Red Drum (Redfish)

Category: Inshore

Trip Type: Inshore / Nearshore

Redfish are Louisiana’s signature game fish, offering accessible inshore action, powerful fights, and excellent table fare.

Appearance

Red drum, better known throughout Louisiana as redfish, are one of the state’s most iconic game fish. They are coppery-red to bronze in color with lighter shades along the belly. Their most recognizable feature is the black spot near the base of the tail, although some fish may have multiple spots. In clear water, redfish often appear brighter and more vibrant in color.

Habitat

Redfish are highly adaptable and can be found throughout Louisiana’s marshes, bays, estuaries, passes, and nearshore waters. Juvenile fish often inhabit shallow marsh ponds and grass flats, while larger bull reds are commonly found around passes, jetties, barrier islands, artificial reefs, and offshore structures.

Average Size

Most redfish caught by Louisiana anglers weigh between 3 and 15 pounds, although bull reds can exceed 30 pounds. Trophy fish over 40 pounds are possible in Louisiana’s productive coastal waters.

Best Time to Catch

Redfish can be caught year-round in Louisiana, making them one of the state’s most dependable game fish. Fall is especially popular, as cooler temperatures often concentrate fish in marshes, bays, and coastal passes.

Fishing Tips

Louisiana’s marshes west of the Mississippi River Delta are famous for redfish fishing. Live shrimp under a popping cork remains one of the most productive techniques, while spoons, soft plastics, jigs, and topwater plugs can all be highly effective. Focus on points, grass edges, oyster beds, and current breaks where redfish actively feed.

Louisiana State Record

61 pounds — caught by David Weber in 1992. This massive bull red remains Louisiana’s state-record red drum and highlights the incredible size these fish can achieve in Gulf waters.

Fun Fact

The black spot near a redfish’s tail is believed to help confuse predators by making it difficult to tell which end of the fish is the head.