Ha! We bought them for sharks, but all the sharks we've caught have been on smaller hooks and all we catch on the 11/0 hooks are bull reds.

But when you're using freshly caught fish for bait, you need an 11/0 hook for a 12 inch sand trout or 13 inch croaker.

My son's first bull red was on a 12 inch sand trout with an 11/0 hook.

If the whole area from the end to the break was covered with boats, I'd pick a spot near the end or the break further away from the rocks. Most boats fish too close to the rocks. If you can hit the rocks with a cast you are too close. For me, the perfect distance is where my longest casts toward the rocks only get 1/2 way there, and we also throw away from the rocks and catch as many fish on the rods cast away as those toward. You do not need to be that close to the rocks.

Could we get you to post a Redfish Parmesean recipe now that you've got everyone fired up about bull reds?!
I remember you mentioning it in another thread awhile back and I'd like to try it.

Are you talking about this one? I hope you aren't giving someone else credit for my invention. This is going to make me some money one day. Even the biggest salt life redfish haters smile when they bite into this.

Best way I have found to cook redfish on the half shell
Soak in sprit for 15 to 20 minutes
Remove from Sprite and place in a large baking pan.
Coat each fish with pecan or olive oil.
Lightly spread cajun power garlic sauce evenly over all filets
Sprinkle the following evenly over the Redfish after you have worked oil and cajun power into the fish.
Salt To taste
Red Pepper 1 1/2 table spoons
Black Pepper 2 to 3 table spoons
Coconut Pslam Sugar 3 to 5 table spoons
Garlic Salt 2 to 3 table spoons
Ground Rosemary 2 to 4 table spoons
Grated Parmasian Cheees 1 to 1/2 Cups
Massage all ingredients into fish
Place over Med to Med High charcoal briquettes
About half way through spread shredded Parmasian Cheese over the top of fish .
Try to judge melting the cheese just long enough not to over cook.
Enjoy.

My daughter is off at college now, and it was her recipe. I'm pretty sure she just substituted redfish into a chicken parmesan recipe.

Here's my video for Bacon Wrapped Grilled Margarita Redfish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyHDIPpodWk

Being that both fish are aggressive feeders you really don't have to do much. The fish comes smokes the bait and starts swimming away, immediately the circle hooks goes into effect if you have resistance on the line. basically they hit it hard enough that when the line gets tight and they are swimming away it sits pretty in the corner of their mouth right away. No need for a 7 count. In the fall my brother and I were down in pecan Island with friends on the coast and we had 20-25 bull reds in one day in the surf. Him and I hook up ratio was better then anyone else and we were strictly using circle hooks, with a cuardo 20# power pro and 30# floro leader with live/dead mullet. medium-heavy rod. Berkley lightening rod if any of you guys remember those.
The circle hooks always you to keep the drag at whater pound you would normally fight the fish and also you can start fighting the fish right away no need to do a count.
I find that slowly lifting the rod tip as the bite is happening makes the fish want that bait that much more and hits it harder. The thing that makes using circles so hard is that you have to learn to NOT SET THE HOOK the circle hook does all the work.

Yep, thats the hard part but a great hook for the wife and kids.


When I want to relax I usually set up a rod in a rod holder, sit back with a beer and wait for a reel to scream.

I am all pumped up now! If everything works out we will be out there in a week or two. Thanks for the recipes too guys. Keep posting.

Thanks. I'm interested mostly in small reds and all sized trout, not bull reds. You're saying that if using croakers for trout you do not have to give them any kid of a count once you feel them hit it? Just start reeling and the fish will be hooked?

Yes and no, When the fish hits sometimes the don't take the bait right away especially with croaker. You basically hook the fish the same time you would set the hook on a J style hook. But instead of the major jerk, just keep your rod pointed at a 45 degree angle and reel till he starts fighting.

Circle hooks are my facorite but it did take time to learn how to use them. For trout I use ant size from a size 1 perfect circle hook to a 2/0 circle hook.

When buying circle hooks, you will see 2 types offset or perfect circles, I suggest using both until you find one you like more, A offset tends to hook the fish deeper in the gut some times a perfect circle does not. Just play around with it and see which you like more.

This fish maxed out 50 pound scale. Now I'm wondering just how big it is.

Nice!!!!!

Here is another look u can see two small dots but other side had none

That's a good bull red for sure!!

I did not want to kill it just to see the weight. They probably don't get much bigger.

I definitely wont doubt you, you catch way more than i do. Just 11/0 seems insanely big but if it works, it works!

Meh, I preffer catching bulls on my little 1/0 hooks sight fishing them with a fly rod

State record is a bit over 60, but NC produces some BIG bulls!


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redchaserron, that is something I have always wanted to try. Fly fishing for reds or trout, takes skill and patients.

We usually use 7/0 hooks for mullet or crab. But when someone catches a 12-13" sand trout or croaker, we hook that baby up on an 11/0.