You’ll see some baitcasting reels on inshore saltwater boats here and there, often in Texas where guys are targeting specked trout, but a large number of inshore guys wield spinning rods to chunk lures.

On shallow flats where fish have keen eyesight in clear water and can be spooky, those long casts can be a life-saver.

“In Florida sometimes you have to make long casts if you’re going after redfish,” he said. “There are times when the distance is the key so you don’t spook them and you need to make the longest cast you can. You want to keep that space between you and the fish.”

You don’t have to have heavy line, either. Watts uses 10-pound Spiderwire braid or FireLine Crystal Braid, both of which offer great castability and strength, tipped with about 3-4 feet of a fluorocarbon leader.

Greg and Bryan Watts enjoy throwing crankbaits when they’re bass fishing, so it’s only normal that they pick up a cranking rod when they’re targeting redfish.

They prefer the ISG Fat Mini D5 and D7, which run 5 and 7 feet deep, to crank rock jetties for redfish and concrete bridge pilings for snapper or grouper when they’re fun fishing.

“You can throw that crankbait on those rocks and get your arm broke,” Bryan said. “Redfish react like bass. If there are two of you in a boat, one guy probably should throw a popping cork and one throw a crankbait to dig into the rocks. That’s a mainstay in Alabama, Louisiana and Texas where they have those big rock jetties."

“Florida doesn’t really have the rock jetties and they use rock in those states to line the banks of intercoastal or other areas like in passes. You can get on a redfish bite sometimes in those areas and just wear yourself out.”

Watts throws 30-pound Spiderwire braid on a baitcasting reel for his crankbaits. He’ll make repeated casts and parallel the rocks, target the points and watch the tide changes to maximize any current flow. Colors include Aurora Gold Mud Minnow, Pearl Mud Minnow and Green Tail Ghost Shrimp.

“Another great thing in those states is working a crankbait on the oyster reefs,” he said. “Those are a prime location for crankbaits. Depending on the tide, you’re usually talking about 6- to 8-foot deep areas. It’s like bass fishing a mussel bed when you’re popping that crankbait on the mussel shells.

“With the redfish, it’s the same thing on those oyster beds or the rocks. You’re popping that crank the rocks and the redfish pick up on that.”