CRYSTAL RIVER
Beating the September Slump
In the past, the fishing in the late summer and early fall can be one of the more difficult times of year to be successful on the water, but if anglers are willing to change there tactics and target different species, they can still have a great time on the water and bring home some tasty fish for the dinner table. Fishing around the many shallow water water rock piles produces a great mixed bag this time of year, including mangrove snapper, grunts, mackerel, flounder, gag grouper, and the occasional cobia. The best way to fish these natural structures is to anchor up-current of a rock, and put out a chum bag to help ignite the bite, and then fish with either live or fresh dead shrimp on a 1/8ounce jig head. This set-up will allow you to catch almost anything that swims around these rocks. As we get towards the end of September, more and more flounder will begin to show up around the rocks and these are some of the best eating fish that you will find.
On the inshore front, the redfish bite will continue to stay strong through the end of the month, with most of the fish being around the spoil islands and the exterior mangrove shorelines. Look for areas with lots of current and rocks, and fish with live pinfish, either on the bottom or under a cork. The trout bite continues to be frustrating with a few fish being caught in the back creeks, as well as offshore on the deep water grass flats. There hasn’t seemed to have been one area where the trout are really congregated.
As always, if you adapt with the changing seasons, you can find yourself in the winners circle any day of the year. If you haven’t given the shallow water rock piles a try in the late summer, it can be a very enjoyable way to spend the day.