Travel

Popping for North Carolina Bull Redfish

Pitching corks/artificials and topwaters for North Carolina’s giant redfish.

By Chris Woodward

Updated: April 9, 2015

Pamlico Sound’s big reds swim beneath bait schools, often harassing them and chasing them up to the surface. Jason Arnold / jasonarnoldphoto.com

Pamlico Sound (North Carolina) bull redfish grow to enormous sizes. Historically they’ve been caught using dead bait and circle hooks, but captains like Richard Andrews from Tar-Pam Guide Service now target them using popping corks/jerk baits and topwater lures. I joined Andrews and Grady-White Boats (based in North Carolina) for a late-September trip to target these big reds. Here is a taste of the experience and a few tips for hooking these beasts.

This 50-plus-pounder certainly brought smiles to angler Charlie Adams (left), a marketing and ad representative for Grady-White, and Capt. Andrews. Eighteen of the current 24 IGFA line-class world records and the all-tackle-record red drum — a huge 94-pounder — all came from North Carolina waters. Chris Woodward

Our crew of seven fished from two Grady-White 251 Coastal Explorers. This new breed of crossover boat blends the best attributes of a bay boat with the stability and ride of an offshore vessel. Chris Woodward

Like the ocean, Pamlico Sound stretches toward an empty horizon. Its 1.5 million acres dwarfs Rhode Island. The bait schools that hold big reds often congregate near the mouths of rivers that empty into this vast bay. The fishery usually peaks in August and September. Chris Woodward

One of the preferred baits for this type of fishing: a Z-Man Scented Jerk Shadz. Chris Woodward

The tackle appears deceptively light for this fishery, but the medium-heavy rods and braided line keep fights short so the bulls can be quickly released. Chris Woodward

Shelley Tubaugh, Grady’s vice-president of marketing, makes a cast to one of the many roaming bait pods in the sound. The reds (and other species) follow the bait. Chris Woodward

Ripping the popping cork through the water with force creates enough noise and white water to make the redfish investigate. Chris Woodward

Angler casting a fishing rod in North Carolina's Pamlico Sound

Capt. Richard Andrews, casting from the bow (at our request), uses a trolling motor to navigate between bait schools that create ripples at the surface. Seeing these schools usually requires fairly calm conditions. Chris Woodward

Once you spot a bait school, every angler casts and retrieves around and through the school, using a sharp pull of the cork through the water, followed by a pause, then reel. Chris Woodward

Two anglers fishing spinning reel North Carolina's Pamlico Sound

Angler Charlie Adams puts some pressure on our first bull red of the day. Chris Woodward

Angler netting a bull redfish in a fishing boat

Capt. Richard Adams nets a 40-plus-inch bull red he caught off the bait schools. Chris Woodward

Angler removing a hook from a redfish before releasing fish

Andrews works quickly to remove the hook, then gently handles the big fish for photos and video. Chris Woodward

Bull red drum held by angler and fisherman with spinning reel and fishing rod

Even though this bull doesn’t match the same brute size of its larger brothers and sisters, it was a thrill to catch. Normally, the reds just absolutely smash the bait, and the hookup is immediate. Chris Woodward

Angler releasing a redfish into North Carolina's Pamlico Sound

Through tagging studies, redfish have proven themselves hardy survivors. However, a quick fight, proper handling and efficient release help ensure their continued health. Chris Woodward

A bull redfish makes one last dive attempt as it nears the boat … and the net. Chris Woodward

Big redfish don’t always grow greatly in length as they age, but their head and “shoulders” gain in girth. Chris Woodward

It takes a big net to capture a large red drum. Chris Woodward

Angler reaching fishing net off side of fishing boat

Capt. Richard Andrews reaches out to net an incoming redfish. The lower freeboard of the 251 allowed him to get closer to the water and stretch farther toward the fish. Chris Woodward

Angler pulling netted redfish into Grady-White fishing boat

Capt. Richard Andrews puts his back into the work, lifting a big bull redfish into the Grady-White. Chris Woodward

Fishing on Grady-White 251 Coastal Explorer boat

An angler from our buddy boat snapped this photo with his cell phone. The author is busy photographing a redfish at the bow of the second Grady-White 251 Coastal Explorer. Courtesy Grady-White Boats

The head of this bull red measures out wider than the gunwale. Chris Woodward

Angler releasing bull redfish while fishing

During the peak months for this bull-redfish season (August and September), captains can release double digit numbers of fish. Chris Woodward

At the boat, this bucketmouth bull red is quickly revived before release. Chris Woodward

Angler releasing a redfish into North Carolina's Pamlico Sound fisherman holding spinning reel combo

The bay bottom is terraced in Pamlico Sound, Captains follow the contour lines. If they can’t find bait schools, they sometimes simply cast to the breaks. Chris Woodward

Another bronze beast slips back into the sound. Chris Woodward

Best jerkbaits and swimbaits fishing tackle redfish fishing Pamlico Sound

Jerkbaits and swimbaits work well under cup-faced popping corks. Topwaters, such as the white Sebile Splasher (right), also catch fish when conditions are right. Chris Woodward