When it comes to catching some of the hardest fighting, most beautiful fish in the water, there are few that can stack up to the redfish. These fish are a blast to fish for, but many anglers might be wondering what kind of hooks they will need to properly catch them. Let’s take a deeper dive into redfish tackle!
Different Size of Hooks
One important thing to note about redfish is that they can vary in size by quite a bit. They can be absolutely enormous, with the world record at 90 pounds! This means that a few different sizes of hooks should be used depending on the size of fish that you are targeting, as well as the type of bait that you intend to be using.
Best Hook Sizes for Live Bait
Let’s take a look at different hooks that are ideal for some different live bait options. Redfish love live bait such as shrimp, pinfish, mullet, and mud minnows, but they all vary a little bit. For shrimp, stick to a 1/0 or #1 size hook. This will keep a good hold of the shrimp while still being strong enough to catch keeper redfish. The same goes for mud minnows, and a 1/0 or #1 sized hook will tend to work the best.
For bait such as mullet, you will want to change it up to a 2/0 or 3/0 sized hook. And again with pinfish, the size varies even more. Try using anywhere from a 3/0 to a 5/0 hook depending on the size of the baitfish that you are using, and what size of redfish you are after.
Hooks for Dead and Cut Bait
Of course, redfish can be caught on other baits besides live bait as well. Things such as ladyfish, mullet, and again pinfish can be used as dead or cut bait for redfish. Here, your best hook sizes will vary from 2/0 to 5/0 depending again on the size of the fish you are using for bait. The goal is to be able to keep the bait on the hook firmly and securely, while also being capable of being taken by a redfish and properly hook them.
Final Thoughts
Finding the right hooks for the job is the name of the game when it comes to fishing for redfish. As you can see, there is not a “one size fits all” solution when it comes to hooks, and this is why it is so important to bring along an assortment whenever you are out fishing for redfish!
Interested in checking out more information about the fishing gear you’ll need for the biggest catches? Look no further than our articles on:
Want to Start Fishing? Here Is the Basic Gear You’ll Need
The Best Rod and Reel Combo to Make Fishing Easy
Going Fishing? Here Are Our Basic Knots for New Anglers
For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.
