Gulf Coast Fisherman Magazine Vol 39 No 2 - Spring 2015 | Page 6

by David A. Brown STALKING SHALLOW REDS Patience, Perception Key W hen redfish are fired up, pushing water, tailing and feeding with reckless abandon, it’s a thing of beauty. As long as you don’t run up on them or sling an anchor overboard, you’ll have a good time playing “stretch-the-string.” But that’s not always the case. Sometimes reds become disinterested, persnickety, and downright spooky. When this occurs, anglers often flake out and start scrambling to make something happen. Suffice it to say, that’s not the way to save the ball game. Rather, an understanding of why reds stop cooperating and how you can overcome this frustration will better serve your pursuit. Summarily, you’ll need to slow down, minimize your presence and infuse the fishing tactics with a dash of hunting mindset. In other