I like to use what I call a "breakaway" rig, because it allows the angler to break off the weight instead of lose the entire rig. To make a breakaway rig, take a barrel swivel and attach a 24-inch 10-pound-test monofilament leader connected to a one-ounce round weight on one end and a 12-inch 25-pound-test leader fitted with a hook on the other.

Using 20-pound-test or better line allows the angler to drift over the oyster bed and, potentially, to encounter reds -- and to be able, when getting hung up, to break the weight off rather than lose the whole thing.

Even better is the NO-SNAGG Slip Sinker by Lindy, which works extremely well on oyster reefs. Its unique shape allows it to twist itself free from obstructions when other sinkers can't. When fishing with it on reefs, slowly raise and lower the rod tip to give the rig a hopping action. It works well with lures, but also is excellent for rigging live bait.

Mud minnows start showing up in coastal bait camps in spring and are great bait for reef reds. In fact, they're probably the top choice at this time of year, right along with finger mullet, if you can find them.

EAST COAST
With hundreds of square miles of potential habitat, the marshes around Venice offer some of the finest redfish action in the country.

"For redfish you just can't beat that area," said Mark Davis of Shakespeare. "The fishing is simply phenomenal for catching large numbers of fish. There is a reason the fishing is legendary down there. The reputation is deserved -- well deserved."

One of the top sorts of spot for redfish here will be areas along the stands of roseau cane, the very intricate root systems of which hold baitfish on high tides. Flounder are known to gang up on the edges, waiting for the tide to fall and baitfish to move out -- and redfish do this as well, although not to quite the extent that the flatfish do.

I've caught numerous reds in these spots in the Venice Marsh, and the good action seems always to coincide with a tidal fall. These shallow marshes are very tidally driven, and the fishing for reds revolves as much around tides there as at any place I've fished from Florida to Mexico.

Something important to keep in mind about tides: They're affected by not only the moon but also the wind. In other words, tidal charts offer great guidance, but don't be surprised if there's more or not as much water exchange than you were expecting in a particular area.