Tournaments and Ph.D. Redfish

Compare the redfishing in coastal Louisiana to that in populated areas of southwest Florida, and you know that fishing and boating pressure have a huge impact on the catchability of redfish. Many are starting to blame tournament fishing, which guide Rob Modys of Fort Myers says has “turned redfish into a commodity.” Of course the very conditions that Susan Cocking reports in her Miami Herald article — super-clear water — can add to the frustrations of fly fishers, who might be advised to look for off-color water if they want to find fish that will bite in Florida.