Redfish (Red Drum) Fishing in Virginia

Best Techniques for Redfish (Red Drum) in Virginia

1. Sight-Fishing Flats The pinnacle of redfish angling. Wade or pole a skiff across shallow grass flats, spotting tailing or cruising redfish. Cast a gold spoon, soft plastic, or fly 2-3 feet in front of the fish and let it sink. When the fish turns on the bait, strip-strike. Polarized glasses are essential.
2. Popping Cork Rig live shrimp or a soft plastic under a popping cork and work it over oyster bars, grass edges, and channel drops. Pop the cork with sharp rod snaps to create noise that attracts redfish. When the cork goes under, count to three then set the hook.
3. Gold Spoon A weedless gold spoon (Johnson Silver Minnow style) is the iconic redfish lure. Cast over grass flats, along marsh edges, and into potholes. Retrieve with a steady wobble or stop-and-go cadence. The flash and vibration triggers aggressive strikes from feeding reds.
4. Cut Bait Soaking For bull reds near passes and jetties, chunk fresh-cut mullet or menhaden on a fishfinder rig with a circle hook. Cast into deep channels, along jetty rocks, or off the beach. Let it soak and wait for the rod to load up. Circle hooks are mandatory in many areas.