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Here's Jeff Heimer with his 26-lb. freshwater world record redfish from Tradinghouse (May, 1995)

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Here's Jeff's buddy, Mark Ross of Denton, with the last of his two redfish he caught the same day over 30".

[This message has been edited by redfin (edited 01-31-2003).]

I have had better luck at Fairfield than Tradinghouse, but greatly enjoy fishing for reds on both. I caught 2 nice ones within 2 months of each other & witin 100' of same spot. Caught a 24 & 26 pounder,Jan. & Feb.2000. A guide that I know over there has since caught 2 State record redfish of 31 & 35 lbs.(Fairfield) Enjoyed the info. on the stocking, heard they also stocked Fairfield last year. I'll have to go try both again in the VERY near future.

First, I have a couple of questions about Tradinghouse, which I have never fished but am going to try soon. How crowded does the lake get? Are there any topo maps available?

Now, FWIW, I will summarize my experiences fishing Fairfield for reds. I caught my first reds after at least 10 trips trying, on a Monday in February 1995. It was a warm afternoon, and we were back up in the discharge cove where the water was about 5 to 7' deep. I was with my Dad at the time. I was casting a 3/4oz rattletrap along the bank and hooked up. That fish got off, and I lost two more before landing one. Over the next hour and a half or so, we caught our limit (3 each), total weight about 60 lbs. We got a strike on every cast almost, and you could actually see some reds "tailing" in the shallower areas. I have never caught one back in that area since. We never equalled that trip, but picked up a number of fish scattered over the next 2 or 3 years by trolling DB3's and other deeper running plugs, generally around main lake points or the mouths of the major creeks. We would pick up a red maybe every other trip, including one with about 50 spots. The last one I caught was April 1998. Since that time, I have fished Fairfield at least a dozen times in wintertime, without catching a red or much of anything else. I got a bigger boat (used to have a 14' aluminum with 9 horse motor). I don't know if the bigger boat is spooking them, they aren't running the generators as much, the fish have gotten smarter, or what, but my old trolling tactics have not been effective. Also, I hear people talk about them schooling on the surface, but I have only witnessed that once in about 50 trips since 1995, and that was very short duration with just a few fish. I honestly don't know how to find them any more - I obviously need to try some different tactics like maybe night fishing or live bait. They also stocked Fairfield last spring, so future fishing should pick up.

From what I have been told, the reds actually grow significantly faster in the freshwater power plant lakes than in the saltwater. It is a wonder to me that anything will hit a lure, as many baitfish as seem to be in that lake.

bismarck and buddy -

First off, Tradinghouse does not get crowded. It is off the beaten path so to speak. It, like Fairfield, is regularly plied by bass fishing clubs who, when fishing a tournament for one particular specie, curse the day the redfish was hatched. I do not know of any topo maps of this lake.

Secondly, it is strangely funny how you mention it took 10-years of trying to catch a redfish on Fairfield because I have been on that lake 10-12 times trying to catch one using my Tradinghouse methods and HAVE NOT even had a strike! Go figure. I can wear them out on Tradinghouse and strike out on Fairfield.

By the way, Route 84 runs between Fairfield Lake and Tradinghouse Lake just for your info. I have fished both in the same day.

Billy Tyus is the state record guide of whom you speak. There also use to be a Fairfield guide (I can't remember his name as it's been so long ago when it happened) who was fishing Tradinghouse one day when a guy (Danny Woods) in another boat caught a very large redfish. This guide approached him and told him he was going to have a booth set-up in the Ft. Worth or Dallas boat show and he wanted to display Danny's big redfish. He told Danny he was also a taxidermist and would mount the fish for him free if he allowed him to use it at the show. Danny never heard from this guide again. When the guide tried to turn Danny's fish in for a Lake Fairfield record, Danny saw the article about it and exposed the guide for what he was - a lie and a cheat.

No one was recognizant of the freshwater world record red drum category through the National Freshwater Hall of Fame in Hayward, WI here in Texas. Rick Rivard is the Texas fisherman responsible for getting this freshwater specie recognized. Rick held the very first world record red drum from Tradinghouse at a little over 17-lbs. Rick currently holds several other freshwater world records listed with the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

You, Buddy, especially need to become interested in the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame if you are catching such nice redfish at Fairfield. Les Pratt is the only person on that lake I know of who is aware of this organization and who now also shares the freshwater red drum world record with Jeff Heimer at 26 lbs.

I have been a member of the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame for over 12 years now (www.freshwater-fishing.org). It relies soley on donations from the public and a one year membership goes to that end. You also get a booklet of all the freshwater line class world records it recognizes.

Any of you who are reading this and who want a world record form/rules, let me know what your name and snail mail address is thru my e-mail at: jimnneva@airmail.net and I'll mail one out to you. You just never know when you'll need it. I always carry forms in my vehicle now.

But Fairfield has been a curse on me as has Tradinghouse Creek of late. I'm sure there are some big fish in both lakes. I use to fish Tradinghouse religiously and I don't fish it very much now, so therein lies the crux of my curse.

Good luck to you guys fishing these reds this year. Keep us posted on your trips/results. This is a great sportfish for sure and the TP&W deserves a great amount of credit for making it possible to catch a redfish without making a long trip to the coast.

Jim redfin Wetzel

[This message has been edited by redfin (edited 02-01-2003).]

It was a great day Varner. Bert did not stand a chance, but it was on your side of the boat.

I guess we will have to go back.

I cannot have you having the largest of any species on my boat! You are too hard to live with...we will get redfin to go with us next time too. fish it all day.....no more windy days and no more rainy days...just fish catching.

I have plenty of stories on some reds in the salt that have broke more then my heart, but also have had several land in the bottom of the net, not a harder fighting fish out there, if they would jump out of the water, i would never fish for another fish again..

Redfin, figure out a time and lets have another go at it with the TFF guys.

T-Top,

If you want to try it at night, we can hit it on the full moon in March or full moon in April. We'll have to also hit in on the new moon in May during the daytime for a real lunker....

HI MO

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO TO FAIRFIELD AND TRY TO CATCH A FRESH WATER RED FISH JUST LET ME KNOW AND I WILL TAKE YOU.I LIKE TO FISH IN EARLY MORN. FOR THEM,THE DARK OF THE MOON IN MARCH IS A GOOD TIME.ANY TIME YOU CAN GO DURNING THE WEEK LET ME KNOW.TO CROWDED ON WEEKENDS WITH GREEN CARP FISHERMEN ,BUT THATS THERE CHOICE OF FISH!

BERNIE

Thanks for the tips Refin. I hope I get a chance to fish there this year!

What are the fees for this lake and are there any facilities - dock, bathrooms, etc.? Also, I assume you can fish all nite, etc. Thanks. The lake in question is Tradinghouse...I know the location, go by it on the way to Limestone.

[This message has been edited by bobaloo1 (edited 02-02-2003).]

No fees. There are no facilities other than the two paved parking lots at the ramps. Just put in and fish to your heart's content.

Thanks Redfin....do you think anything that works at the coast would work there..namely fishbites or crabbite?

Bernie-- thanks for the invite. I am off
most every tuesday. I would love to give
it a shot. give me a shout-- I could
reciprocate with a Hybrid trip on Palestine.
April is a good month for that, should
be able to catch some on top early or late.
Live bait or sassyshads should be good all
day.
Thanks MO

Bobaloo-
I have heard of people doing well at
Fairfield on large crawdads. Makes sense-
I know freshwater drum love'em.
That is my plan if I try again at Fairfield. Buy several lbs of crawfish,
Chum well and see what happens.
MO

[This message has been edited by Mo (edited 02-03-2003).]

In answer to your question about fighting ability fresh VS salt, I have caught thousands between Copano bay and Pass Cavallo, and hundreds from Fairfield including 2 from fresh which would shatter the current freshwater records at Fairfield. I can not really tell much difference in a 48" long fishes fighting capability in fresh or salt. BTW if you are targeting the next freshwater world record, turn the graph on and stay within 1/2 mile of the dam at Fairfield during the day, fish 12-16" gizzards downlined at 30', thats all there is to it. The schools of Reds over 30# move FAST pushing the schools of big gizzards. Other than that fish crawfish at night on the 20' ledges out from the discharge, or after 11PM tie up to the cable and broadcast several rods with a combination of crawfish and Big Gizzards above and below the cable. Only after the lake gets real quite and still will the TROPHY reds which stay up in the restricted area come down canal. Chum like mad with canned catfood and chopped shad. The whiskerfish and greenbacked big mouth sunperch will fill the time between redfish attacks. Keep your rods in a holder if you like them.

Of course we do not have to deal with oyster and shell pads in the lake as we do in the salt, but my favorite type of redfishing is in the surf. I too have caught more than I can count from the Land Cut to pass cavallo, but the best place I ever went was wading the surf at the now silted in Cedar Bayou. No matter what type of water, they fight hard and do not give up on the first run to the boat very often.