The smaller fish also form large schools that move in and out of grassbeds on the flush and ebb of the tide, feeding with their heads down and tails up, or sometimes with their backs showing or leaving foraging "muds" where they disturb the bottom sediments. Clear-water conditions in early spring and late fall and winter allow anglers to participate in the exciting sport of sight-fishing for redfish. Clear water occurs in many places at different times, but these are the best times of year for the correct conditions.

The angler can wade, pole a boat or use a trolling motor to sneak in close to a visible redfish, hoping he can make a cast that not only will not disturb the fish, but that will entice a strike. Topwater lures are classics for hooking redfish in the shallows where they are visible. But soft-plastic lures, spinnerbaits and weedless spoons also work well for sight-fishing redfish.

Using fly tackle offers the maximum excitement because the angler must sneak in very close, make a presentation that will not alarm the fish, then land the fish from a jungle of marsh grasses and junkyard of oyster shells.

Sight-fishing is also a good option along the ocean surf zone, especially in the dead of winter. Cold water makes the fish less spooky, a big plus when a school of redfish may include dozens, hundreds and perhaps thousands of fish.

Some anglers wade into the surf and cast natural baits, waiting for a school of redfish to pass by and take a bite on the run. Others use their boats, surfing the ocean breakers while watching for telltale signs of redfish, including the porpoises, which move in close to the beach to prey on red drum.

Once a school is located, the angler or anglers cast until there is a hookup, and often multiple hookups occur. Redfish are legendary fighters, giving strong, surging runs that test the drag of any light-tackle reel.

Adult drum are different creatures altogether. At age 4 and about 15 pounds, they head for the ocean, except during the spawn. Entering Pamlico Sound, and perhaps other areas as yet undiscovered, the fish form large schools in summer. Anglers fish along channel edges and bars, using cut chunks of menhaden, mullet and croaker as bait.

They cast several bottom rigs in a clock-face pattern that covers lots of water and some anglers also use chum to attract red drum to the baits. While most of the sound fishing occurs during late afternoon and night, anglers are discovering adult red drum can also be caught during the daylight hours.

In the fall, the big fish move to the bars and sloughs of Cape Lookout, Ocracoke and Cape Hatteras, where anglers catch them using cut baits cast with heavy surf-fishing tackle.

SPOTTED SEATROUT
The spotted seatrout or speckled trout is a very popular inshore fish. Notoriously finicky, specks can be persnickety about what they will strike on any particular day.

Many lures are used for catching specks, including bucktail and plastic dressed jigs. Hard-plastic lures designed for specks include topwater, suspending, twitch and swimming lures.