Red fish, also called red drum, red bass or channel bass are a favorite fish for Key West fishing charters that fish the backcountry and the flats of Key West. Red fish might be discovered inside the estuaries and brackish rivers all along the Eastern coast of the United States from Maine all the way down Key West. They are discovered all around Key West, up by way of the Gulf of Mexico and as far because the Northern parts of Mexico. The larger fish will remain more out inside the deeper channels and may even be discovered on the reefs.
Red fish are typically fairly little, weighing 8 to ten lbs. but catching a 40 lb. red fish is not uncommon. The largest red fish on record weighed in at 94 lbs. So as you could see, although they are generall fairly little, red fish, particularly around Key West can get fairly major.
Your top bet for catching red fish would be the by taking advantage of the backcountry Key West fishing charters. As you might expect, you typically catch red fish in shallow water. You are typically going to look inside the little channels amongst the mangrove trees. You will choose to try and fish in an outgoing tide when the fish are moving out in to the channels and bays toward the ocean. To catch the larger fish, remain out inside the deeper channels. Appear for areas that show signs of bait. You are looking for minnows, fish jumping and for birds which might be hunting for little fish and crustacians. Try and come across oyster bars and estuaries that flow out of marshes. These are superb areas to locate red fish. If you ever fish for 15 or 20 minutes inside a spot and do not get a bite, move on and attempt somewhere else.