By: Capt. Dave Stephens
September is without a doubt one of my favorite times to fish on Charlotte Harbor. There is so much good fishing on the harbor, and so many different fish to target. The red fish this time of year is at its peak. We have lots of fish in the mangroves on high tides. They can also be found cruising bars and flats, also holding in the potholes on lower water. Another great way to locate reds is to look for large schools of mullet. These vegetarians feed in the grass and around oyster bars. What this does is stirs up the smaller crustaceans’ that the Redfish like to feed on. Almost any choice of bait will work great, I like to use anything from cut bait to shrimp, and you will be successful. Another way I like to locate redfish on the flats and around schools of mullet, is with artificial lures. One of my favorites is a gold spoon. You can throw it a mile, its weedless, and easy to fish. Another great bait is soft plastics rigged weedless. I myself prefer Z man, because of their durability, but there is lots of great choices to choose from. Color has a lot to do with the water clarity you’re fishing. If your fishing darker stained water stick with a darker color with some glitter. In cleaner water the lighter colors with some chartreuse is a great choice. This time of year, you must keep an eye out for thunderstorms. During the summer months, these quick forming storms can sneak up on you and get nasty fast. So, remember to keep an eye on the weather, and have a great day on the water!
Capt. Dave Stephens
941-916-5769
www.backbayxtremes.com