Switch to soft plastics when redfish ignore the plugs

What's biting

What's next

Expect the pattern to hold through the next few days. With a New Moon on the calendar, tidal swings typically run stronger. Moving water around points, cuts and drains tends to concentrate bait and the redfish that follow it. Plan your best windows around the first couple of hours of a strong tide change, whichever direction it runs, and check a local tide table for exact times.

Salt Strong notes that water levels are high across much of the Southeast. That spreads fish into flooded shorelines, grass and creeks, which can make them harder to find. If main shorelines are quiet, work the newly flooded edges and backwater margins where fish have extra room to roam. Start with a soft plastic jerk bait, and keep a plug tied on a second rod so you can show a different look when the fish ignore the first.

Salt Strong also points to dark soft plastics, such as black, as an overlooked color. In stained or high water that silhouette can stand out against the bottom and the sky. Carry a few profiles and a few color categories, and rotate until the fish tell you what they want. Fall fishing in this region often favors early mornings and late afternoons, so expect the strongest action around first and last light.

Context

Mid-October on the northern Gulf is a transition period. Water is shedding its summer heat, and inshore fish typically feed hard as days shorten and the first cold fronts begin to push through. Redfish are a staple of this season and often gather in larger groups as bait moves out of marshes and creeks toward open water. Readings in the low to mid 70s are about what you would expect for the date, so the season is running on schedule rather than early or late.

As fronts arrive, expect temperatures to drift down and the bite to shift toward the warmer afternoon hours on cold days. Water clarity often improves behind a front, which helps sight-casting and lets lighter lures shine, while dark colors keep their edge after heavy rain and runoff. Always check current state regulations for size and bag limits on redfish before keeping any fish.