The Grind for a First Redfish

We had one mission: get our buddy Steven on his first redfish — and it didn’t come easy.
Over the course of a multi-day kayak fishing trip along Florida’s northeast coast, we launched in two key locations: near Fernandina Beach and just south of St. Augustine. With a mix of paddle tail swimbaits and Rapala Skitterwalks, we were on the hunt for redfish, trout, and flounder, and a surprise trip for a possible snook!

Each of us were running different kayak rigs and motors, giving us a diverse mix of setups:

🚣‍♂️ Steven – Nucanoe Unlimited powered by a Newport NK300
🚣‍♂️ Luke – Bonafide PWR with a Motorguide XI3 and spot lock
🚣‍♂️ Tyler (me) – Nucanoe U10 rigged with a Torqeedo 1103

This trip brought the highs and lows of saltwater kayak fishing — long stretches without bites, the excitement of topwater blowups, and finally… that first redfish.

The tactics:

Sight fishing shallow flats
Working oyster beds and points
Switching between topwater and soft plastics depending on conditions
📍 Locations Fished:
Fernandina Beach, FL
South of St. Augustine, FL
If you're a fan of inshore saltwater fishing, kayak rigging, or just love a good first catch story, this video’s for you.
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💬 Comment below: What was your first redfish experience like?