September is my changeup month. I start getting away from the normal mackerel, trout and shark fishing and start concentrating on large redfish. With luck, the weather starts to turn just enough to make fishing fun again and the sun more bearable. I do a complete change up from my normal fishing with live bait and start using cut fresh threadfin sardines, ladyfish and mullet.
I look for these hard-fighting fish not on the flats, but around docks, bridges or deep cuts along oyster beds. It’s been a long hot summer and they are lazy fish looking for cooler, deeper water. If you look closely at a redfish, his eyes are up high and his mouth is down clearly telling you he is a bottom feeder, which is the reason why so many redfish are lost on top water plugs or using live baits. They lose sight of their prey just before the strike.
First of all, start by finding docks with moving water. I prefer the start of an outgoing tide around the docks in the upper Tampa Bay area. Second, position your boat within casting distance of the shaded area of the dock and third, start chumming with small pieces of cut threadfin sardines.
I am now ready to fish using a 2/0 J hook or 2/0 Kahle circle hook. With clients who do not have much fishing experience, I use J hooks, as their normal tendency is to pull to set the hook. However, for clients who have experience fishing for reds, I use circle hooks. I like 30-pound test fluorocarbon leader, about 36 inches long, tied to 15-pound braided line using a surgeon’s knot. There are a number of knots you can use but, for simplicity, surgeon’s works best for me. Since I am fishing anywhere from 3 to 10-feet of water and have some current, I attach a 1/4 to 3/8-ounce sinker to keep the cut bait on the bottom.
I find that not all docks hold fish. Some are better than others, but you will have to learn that on your own. One thing about dock fishing is that the larger fish tend to hang around the deepest point on the dock or around any structure around the dock.
In the winter months, we have cold fronts pass through and the high-pressure system sitting on top of us gives us extremely low tides. The best time to look at the docks in your area are when the tides are low and clear water exposes rocks and old pilings. I found some docks with furniture under them or rocks and other debris that was dumped when the house was being built years earlier. Make a note about what you find and where the rocks are for the spring and fall fishing.
Another overlooked area are the artificial reefs, as they tend to hold the bigger reds. I learned when fishing the artificial reefs to use live medium shrimp or cut threadfins with longer leaders plus 2/0 or 3/0 circle hooks with enough weight to keep the bait within three feet of the bottom.
One side note. While fishing the docks and the reefs, you will have a chance to catch some sheepshead, flounder and mangrove snapper. It wouldn’t hurt to have one rig with a 1/0 hook for the smaller species. Kids love the action, and so will the grownups.