Easy-to-Tie A Red Drum Rig that Work & Put Fish on Sand

The Fall redfish bite is white hot. Try these top red drum fishing rigs and get in on the action before it's over.

Call the fish species red drum, redfish, reds or spot-tailed bass, the important part is that they're running now. Here are a few red drum fishing rigs that are easy to tie and will put more fish on the sand.

1. Three Way Red Drum Rig

Your standing line connects to one eye of a three-way swivel, a Pyramid sinker connects to the second swivel eye, and a monofilament leader and circle hook connects to the third swivel eye. Match your sinker weight to the speed of the current (between one and three ounces are best) and rig so that your bait stays just off the bottom. The best fishing bait to use with a three way rig is chunk menhaden or mullet. Crabs and blood worms work well, too.

2. Fish Finder Red Drum Rig

When using live bait, try a fish finder rig. Your running line goes through a sliding sinker sleeve to a bead stopper and a swivel. Drop a pyramid sinker off the sliding sinker sleeve. Attach a leader and hook to the free end of the swivel and you're good to go. In the event you don't have a sliding sinker sleeve in your tackle box then simply run your line through an egg sinker to the bead and the swivel. It'll work just as well. Live bait works best on a fish finder rig as reds pick up the bait without feeling the sinker. Among the best bait for red drum are menhaden, mullet, sardines, and pinfish.

3. Red drum lures

What makes fishing for red drum so addictive is that they hit hard, particularly if they're in skinny water. Rapala's Skitter Walk and Yozuri's jointed Crystal Minnows are great topwater lures. To get just below the surface try a Bomber Saltwater Mullet. Fly rodders like crab and shrimp patterns as much as they like small gold spoons.

Use drum fishing rigs with bait or lures and flies, your choices are as diverse as the fish's name. Just be sure to go fishing while its hot! Don’t waste more time and find a great place to go fishing this colorful fish species.

Tom Keer

Tom Keer is an award-winning writer who lives on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He is a columnist for the Upland Almanac, a Contributing Writer for Covey Rise magazine, a Contributing Editor for both Fly Rod and Reel and Fly Fish America, and a blogger for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation’s Take Me Fishing program. Keer writes regularly for over a dozen outdoor magazines on topics related to fishing, hunting, boating, and other outdoor pursuits. When they are not fishing, Keer and his family hunt upland birds over their three English setters. His first book, a Fly Fishers Guide to the New England Coast was released in January 2011. Visit him at www.tomkeer.com or at www.thekeergroup.com.