In September large redfish (red drum) begin moving out of bays into deep water to spawn. Find these bull reds schooling around jetties and coastal passes, with numbers peaking in October. You'll also find success fishing from piers and in surf. Watch our webinar The Redfish Rundown: What to know before you go! for pro angling tips.
If you can't make it to the coast, lakes also offer up bull reds. Find out more in the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine story, Minutes from San Antonio, Lakes Calaveras and Braunig Offer Trophy Red Drum.
The red drum catch-and-release record is 60.5" (yes, 5 feet!), held by Wendy Covey. The size limit for keeping red drum is 20"-28". You can keep one oversized red per year, but it must be tagged. You can also purchase a Bonus Red Drum Tag to keep a second one. See the Outdoor Annual for all red drum regulations and tag requirements.
Most fish fillets have a delicate flesh, which doesn't work well with a hot grill. But you can grill redfish or any fish with heavy scales. The trick is to leave on the skin and scales to act as a barrier. Try it with this recipe by Hank Shaw: Grilled Redfish on the 'Half Shell'.