By Craig Korczynski, Contributing Writer
September is a fun month bringing sunshine, rain, and the mullet run. The mullet run is a migration of mullet moving south into our local waters creating a feeding frenzy. If you have never experienced it, I suggest you get out there and get hooked up.
Snook can be targeted in the inlets, beaches, grass flats and along seawalls and docks. Top water action is a blast during the bait run. A Rapala Skitter Walk is an excellent choice for surface strikes. D.O.A. C.A.L. 4” Jerk Baits and D.O.A. Bait Busters entice snook to strike near surface and sub surface. The mullet schools are great areas to locate snook, typically morning and evenings are the best times to fish. Bridges and docks provide plenty of action, channel edges also produce plenty of drag screaming action as well. The snook may gather in pods at times, many of the bigger female snook are on the outside of these pods. The average size of the snook ranges from 5 to 25 pounds.
Tarpon offer heart pounding action for anglers, with acrobatic leaps on the water’s surface after devouring a live mullet on the surface. Many of the tarpon are schooled together and can be seen rolling on the surface. The average size of the tarpon ranges from 10 to 100 pounds. The best bait to use for the tarpon is live mullet or pin fish. Artificial enthusiasts, top water Rapala Skitter Walk or SubWalk and D.O.A. Bait Busters are all great baits for the silver king. The key to the tarpon is to stay in front of them, stay quiet, and present bait in a natural presentation.
The flats and ICW are great areas to target snook, jacks, goliath grouper, drum, and many other species for rod bending action. Structure areas or potholes along grass flats, hold bait schools and predator fish will follow. For those anglers who want steady action, nothing beats a live mullet; just cast one out along drop offs or structure and hold on tight. Nothing beats seeing a predator fish explode on a live bait, it puts a smile on everyone’s face.
Captain Craig Korczynski
561-644-4371 • phlatsinshorefishing.com • Facebook, Instagram & Twitter