First slot redfish

After coming down to the Alabama coast for the last 6 years, I have finally checked "catch keeper redfish" off my to-do list. Even better - I did it on my own while hanging out with the family at the beach.

i was tossing a pompano rig out around the first sandbar with little luck late this morning, using FishBites and shrimp for bait. The shrimp were old and needed replacing, and I finally caught a decent-sized sand flea to re-bait with. After casting out with fresh bait, I had barely set my rod in the holder when it doubled over. My 5-yr-old son was nearby and got to help reel it in!

I'd rather be lucky than good... It weighed 4.2 lbs on my digital scale. Thanks to my buddy adding a nice speckled trout to the bag, I have a good meal ahead of me.

thanks for all the information sharing on this site, as it had been very educational!

I also caught my first slot red today at the pass to little lagoon using a loony jig a shrimp bite..

We might have been within earshot of each other, then!

Great job guys!
Congrats and thanks for the reports.

As a follow-up to this thread, I grilled half of a fillet along with a speckled trout while I was still in Gulf Shores (back home in TN, now).

I cooked them both "on the half shell" with some cajun seasoning and olive oil. They were both delicious! My wife said that the redfish won the grilling contest. I think if I had pan-fried them like I did my trout last year, the speck would've won, though.

Good times! I brought home one gallon ziplock full of fillets for a second cook-out with my parents and brother. Looking forward to re-living memories of the trip.