Woody, an angler from Townsend, Montana, went to Florida in early November and returned to Montana with the title of holding the largest Redfish ever caught in his family.  Check out his story below:

Hi Guys, was down in Florida the first part of this month.  Anyway, I was visiting my parents who live south of Quincy for my Dad’s 80th birthday.

On November the 8th, myself, Dad & my brother Jerry went out of Lanark, a huge Bay in the Gulf of Mexico, in Jerry’s Carolina Skift to fish the flats. Caught a few fish like  seatrout, flounder & Black sea bass, with only a few keepers.

This time of year the waters are cooling and making fishing really tough. I was using a 3/8 oz. Red/white “Super Jig”, with a 5/0 Black nickel Mustad, a 4″ “Gulp” shrimp below a Cajun Thunder style bobber. We make these specifically for using “Gulp” baits, prevents pinfish from pulling the tail down the hook shaft or off.

Moved to a little deeper area (8 to 9 ft.) and immediately had a take.  As I set the hook, the fish eased to the surface shaking it’s head and about a large tail fin broke the surface. Jerry and I both thought I had hooked a shark, till the head turned to us and we saw it’s huge Redfish head & maw.

That’s when the fun really started.   This old boy decided to head east–fast. I was using a Pinnacle level wind filled with 12 lb. Berkley Fluorocarbon, and this fish was going to strip me. So, Jerry jumped on the electric trolling motor and gave chase.

We had to chase him 3 times, and each time I’d get him close he would take off again. I was just hoping a shark wouldn’t come along during this long battle.

Finally, the beauty started rolling back and forth instead of running and I worked him to the boat. Each time he rolled someone said “Oh Lord what a Fish”.

Jerry got his only net ready and I noticed it wasn’t all that big for this fish. But, we got his head in and with one of us each on both sides of the net we lifted fast.

Upon landing on the floor Jerry said it’s the biggest Red ever to enter his boat, and Dad said it’s the biggest of any Reds the family has caught.

Anyway, it was in the 40+ lb and I now hold the family Redfish record. The fish revived fast and is out there for the next angler.

Scary thing was about 15 minutes later, a Bull shark over half the length of my brothers boat swam around the us very aggressively. That was the only fish caught out in the deeper water, what are the odds to throw to a fish like that in that expanse?

Thanks.

Woody