Running of the Bulls

Every year on the Texas coast, we are granted with a 2 month window of what I consider to be one of the greatest displays of nature that an angler can witness. In the early fall months, mature redfish will gather in large schools for their annual spawn and will move to the inward shores for their ritual. Thousands of redfish will come from across the Gulf to do their part to ensure their species will survive. And since all of the fish that are involved in the annual spawn are mature, this means on average, the minimal length for one to participate is around 30″ and the maximum can exceed 50″.

Throughout their time in the early fall, they will run the shoreline up and down the Coast. They will generally stay from the 4th sandbar and inward; I have seen them running in the 1st gut in calf deep water too. Having this many fish congregated together can make for a almost effortless day of fishing. Well the catching is effortless, but once you are hooked up, this is when the chaos begins! From the minute that you set the hook and until you land that fish, it is a constant battle that will ware out the best of anglers. The fight is packed full of drag screaming, line pulling fun and cast last several minutes before it comes to a halt.

The other factor about Bull Red fishing that I find amazing this time of year is the sheer number of them in the surf. It is nothing to go on any given day and catch more than 10-15 in just a few hectic hours. I have heard reports of a small group of kayakers going out and landing more than 100 between them before the clock strikes noon. There are thousands