Target woody shorelines for New River reds

Redfish stack up in this coastal river.

The New River’s shoreline is littered with woody structure, including stumps, logs and even some rubble from neighboring Camp Lejeune.

While many redfish gather into large schools in the fall around shoals and points along the river, the structure-laden shorelines farther upriver provide ideal conditions for harboring redfish in the fall.

Whether lurking around cover or lying motionless along the bottom, redfish are right at home in these areas, successfully ambushing unsuspecting prey.  Not only do reds love the stump fields along the shorelines, baitfish and shrimp are drawn to these areas, looking for places to hide.

Walter Bateman of Coastal Carolina Guide Service targets the shoreline structure all year and will not stray too far away, even during the fall.

“The action in the fall around the stumps really gets good with all of the shrimp packed into the sound,” said Bateman, who cruises the shorelines, looking for fleeing baitfish or the characteristic push from a group of redfish moving in the shallow waters. Some stumps tend to hold more fish than others, and many stumps are concealed by the murky waters.

“Start with the stumps you can see, and then other stumps will be revealed as you get closer,” Bateman said. “At this point, you know you are in the right place. Redfish love the stump fields with lots of cover.”

Redfish feed similar to the way a largemouth bass doe,  and they typically fall for the same type of lures: soft plastics, hard baits and spinnerbaits. Focus on using lures that mimic the size and shapes of the baitfish they’re targeting. Since some of the best fishing spots are heavy with downed timber, and baits fished along the bottom and through the wood are excellent choices.

Choose baits with some built-in flotation and some dangling appendages. The added action will keep the redfish focused and will help the lure appear more realistic. Choose soft-plastic baits with embedded scent or flashy lures with rattles to attract redfish when water clarity isn’t perfect.

Bateman chooses lures he can work through the stump fields without hanging up and sticks with his staple redfish lures, including his all-time favorite, Saltwater Assassin’s Phantom paddletail in salt/pepper chartreuse color. He will also use DOA’s 5-inch jerkshad in a variety of different colors. Bateman rigs his soft plastics weedless with no weight and a 5/0 Gamakatsu hook.

“Cast into the stumps and reel back in slow just below the surface,” he said.

Not only does this reward the angler with solid strikes, you hang up far less often.

Editor’s note: This article is part of the A ‘new’ shade of red feature in the September issue of North Carolina Sportsman. Digital editions can be downloaded right to your computer or smartphone.

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