ST AUGUSTINE
This month it’s all about the mullet. Our fall mullet run is one of the best times of year to get outdoors and do some fishing. Cooler air temperatures and hungry predatory fish, means fun for everyone on the water. The best areas to fish will be easy to find right now; where you see the mullet, you’ll also find redfish, trout, flounder, and just about anything else you want to catch. These fish will be lurking just underneath the mullet schools, looking for an easy snack. There are countless numbers of lures, both hard and soft plastic, that do a great job of imitating a mullet. This month is great to go the top-water plug route, and use a Rapala Skitterwalk or Rapala Skitter V. Both are great “walk the dog” type plugs that even the shyest redfish or trout can’t resist this time year. If you want to go subsurface, try the soft plastics from Saltwater Assassin, like their Elite Shiner paddle tail. It looks just a like a mullet and can be fished weedless or on a traditional jighead.
Along with the influx of mullet to Northeast Florida, comes our fall flounder run. Some of the best catches, both in numbers and in size, come in the fall. The fish-finder rig is the go-to for many anglers looking to catch some flounder. It consists of using about 12 inches or so, of leader, attached to a swivel with a barrel weight above the swivel. You want to use enough weight to hold the bottom, and a hook, sized accordingly to the size of mullet or minnow you’re using. Another favorite rig is a Slayer Inc. jighead in either 1/4 or 3/8 oz., with a finger mullet pinned to it. The jighead rig allows you to fish without getting hung up as easily on structure, like oysters and rocks.
The inlets will come alive this month. Big bull redfish will be schooling up in the deeper areas of St. Augustine Inlet and Mantanzas inlet. A blue crab or mullet on the bottom will get their attention. As long as the it doesn’t get too chilly, there will also be some tarpon around the inlets feeding on the bigger mullet schools, so make sure to have a bigger rod ready to go for those monsters.
If you missed out on the flood tides last month don’t worry; you still have plenty of days in October to find some tailers. Redfish and sheepshead will still be tailing, away looking for crabs, snails, and just about anything that hangs out in the grass. Any small soft plastic paddle tail or shrimp imitation will work well for the reds. I like the Saltwater Assassin Lil Boss rigged on a weedless hook. Now will also be a great time to toss an inline spinner bait like the Saltwater Assassin Mac Daddy Spinner. It has all the thump to lure the redfish out of even the thickest grass.
Capt. Tommy Derringer
www.InshoreAdventures.net
904-377-3734