[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ctober is my favorite month for fishing the Treasure Coast due to the abundance of bait in the Indian and St. Lucie River. In the surf there will be acres of mullet in tight schools getting pounded by sharks, tarpon, snook, jacks and early arrivals of blues and mackerel. To get in on the fast action throw a Krocodile spoon or topwater plug out with a fast retrieve and it won’t take long for hook ups or bring a cast net and use the bait nature has provided with a hook through the back and tossed back out. A lot of toothy critters will be following the mullet schools so use leader appropriate to suit your needs. Most of the snook are back into their normal haunts in the Indian and St. Lucie rivers. The bridges have always been snook magnets. A finger mullet or live shrimp on a jig head dropped near the pilings or bridge fender is a good place to start. Never underestimate the power of a snook when she wants to fight for her freedom and she needs only a couple feet to break you off in structure. Good equipment will benefit you when things get tight. A little dip in water temps along with the mullet run on the flats will make the trout and snook go crazy. Long cast with topwater plugs at first light are your best bet. Keep an eye on the nervous bait schools around you and throw the plug nearby for a hook up. Slow sinking plugs or soft baits will be effective on the edges of the flats and pot holes. The black drum bite has been good at the Roosevelt Bridge using shrimp on a jig head or half a crab on a knocker rig. If we get the pleasure of having a cool north wind blow for a couple days, it will turn on the fishing scene more than it already is.
Keep the waterways clean and get your Mojo on!