By Capt. Michael Savedow, Edgewater River Guide
The first day of fall is a favorite time for local inshore fishermen. Autumn arrives in September after Florida’s long summer, and the first sign is the mullet run. Most baitfish stay along the beach and near inlets, but some enter the Intracoastal Waterway, heading south and drawing in migratory game fish. Cast-net mullet for bait: larger ones for Bull Redfish, Tarpon, Sharks, and big Snook; smaller finger mullet for Jack Crevalle, Bluefish, Ladyfish, Spanish Mackerel, Flounder, Trout, Mangrove Snapper, and slot Reds and Snook. Free-line baits on the surface or use a small weight to fish deeper under bait schools. Mullet can be used live, fresh dead, or cut.
Lure and fly anglers do well with topwater or subsurface lures that imitate mullet. Snook season opens September 1, with a bag limit of one per person in the 28″ to 32″ slot. A snook permit is required to keep one.
Top local snook spots include Intracoastal bridges and docks, Ponce Inlet channel and jetties, Spruce Creek, the Tomoka area, Haulover Canal, and the Edgewater Backcountry. In these areas, target mangrove and oyster shorelines, drop-offs, and moving current. Use large baits like live mullet, pinfish, pigfish, croakers, or shrimp. For artificials, try swimming plugs or jigs.
Fall brings peak action to Ponce Inlet, especially for big spawning Redfish, along with Snook, Sharks, and Tarpon. Drift the inlet channel and west entrance with whole or half blue crabs, or live pinfish, pigfish, or mullet. Outgoing tide is usually best. Use heavy tackle to land big Reds quickly, reducing stress from long fights. When photographing trophy Reds, support them horizontally and avoid hanging them vertically. Release them promptly. To estimate weight: Length × (Girth²) ÷ 800.
Late summer patterns will linger in Mosquito Lagoon. For Seatrout, try topwater lures or soft plastics early, then switch to live pigfish or croakers over drop-offs and near mullet schools. For Redfish, stay shallow and use soft plastics, shrimp, live finger mullet, or cut bait.
Night dock light fishing will remain productive. Fall migrants feed on baitfish and shrimp attracted to lights. Snook, Trout, Jacks, Bluefish, and Ladyfish can be thick around the right lights. Fish the moving tide, especially outgoing, for best results. Remember: Redfish are catch-and-release only in Edgewater Backcountry and Mosquito Lagoon.
