CRYSTAL RIVER

Good Bye Summer
The cool mornings of October are a change that is welcomed by most anglers who have spent the last three months in the sweltering heat of summer. The key to success as the season changes, is being able to track the fish from one seasonal hot spot to the next. As water temps begin to drop, nearly all of our favorite target species will move to different areas, or start keying-in on different baits. Being able to track your favorite species will be the key to success as we get deeper into the fall season.

The trout will begin to move in from the deeper flats, and start staging around the inshore bays and creek mouths. Unfair Lures Smack Sticks in root beer, are a great option to fish under a popping cork. I prefer about a 25-inch leader between my cork and jig head, and this setup will fish effectively in 3 to 6 feet of water. Look for areas with mixed sand and grass. Fish any transitions from sand to grass, or grass to rock, and that’s where you will find the trout laid up. Of course, live shrimp or pinfish are always solid options for trout in the fall.

As the water begins to cool, Grouper and cobia will begin to show up in 20 to 40 feet of water. Look for water temps around the 70-degree mark, to start trolling the diving plugs for the gags. Any live bottom or rocky areas will hold gags, and the cobia can come at any time, as they are on their annual migration south. Both Rapala and Manns deep diving plugs will be the best options for locating these fish, with the area around the Crystal River artificial reef known as a local hot spot. Once you locate a promising spot, you can anchor on top of it, and drop frozen sardines and squid to catch gags as well.

The fall can be the most fun and productive time to fish.  The only challenging part can be finding fish that are always on the move, with changing water temps.