Running of the Bulls

For me, the only season that matters is nearly upon us -- when the big bull reds flow in schools of hundreds.

Posted on August 25, 2017
By Lew Carpenter, Vanishing Paradise Media Relations

Nothing lights my fishing fire like the tug of a bull redfish. For me, the only season that matters is nearly upon us -- when the big bull reds flow in schools of hundreds. Sure, I'll take the single predators on points, because any bull will do, but triple and double hookups is a party I simply don't want to miss.

The fall months produce runs of bulls like no other. Techniques are easy: no live bait, just simple spinner baits and plastics, buck tail jigs or crankbaits.

For me, explosive strikes of bronze-backed redfish remind me of the great opportunities currently at hand, and those opportunities at risk as the marsh recedes and the habitat declines. The fishing keeps me working toward solutions that will protect this fishery for generations to come.

Louisiana’s coast hosts world-class fishing and hunting and that activity is major economic driver for not just the state but the entire nation. Unfortunately, following nearly a century of habitat loss in Louisiana (and the 2010 oil spill heaping even more damage on top of that) coastal communities, economies and deep-rooted cultural ties to hunting and fishing are still under great threat. We need to build vital habitat restoration projects, some of which have been studied, discussed and designed for decades. 

The Vanishing Paradise campaign is having success, and we urge all sportsmen to join the fight to restore coastal wetlands and provide the habitat necessary for the fish and game we love for now and future generations to enjoy.