Fall is in full swing on the space coast and the mullet run has been solid. Large schools of bait have been pushing through the lagoons and beaches with predators in tow. Cooler air temperatures ushered in by predominate northerly winds will begin to drop water temps. Our lagoon gamefish will start to feed heavy for the impending winter season. With the cooling waters many of the baitfish that filled the flats will disappear. This exodus of finned baits will signal a change in the dietary pattern of redfish and trout. Shrimp and crabs will become the most available forage for our gamefish. These prized gamefish will also start to fall into a winter pattern as fronts push down the peninsula. Many of these fish will vacate the shallow flats as the sun reaches the horizon. Only to return after the sun warms the shallow lagoon waters. Look to intercept these fish as they move from the deeper overnight waters to the clear shallows.
Sight fishing will get increasingly better as the lagoons become the shallowest and cleanest of the year. Times of high sun (10am-2pm) will be best to get your sight fishing on. As the sun warms the water the fish will become increasingly active and willing to eat. Lighter leaders should be used due to the finicky nature of our winter fish. I prefer to switch from 25lb test to a 15lb fluorocarbon, and will almost exclusively use Slayer Inc. SSB’s that imitate not only bait fish but also look a lot like a shrimp. Work the flat slow and take your time. Long casts at laid-up fish are the norm!
As these first fronts push through and the mullet run wanes look for one of my favorite migrations to begin. The fall flounder run is coming! These tasty flatfish will move from their summer backwater haunts, and congregate at all the area inlets. Sebastian is the prime area for us, but Ponce and Port Canaveral will have their fair share of flatty’s. This mass grouping of bottom hugging predators is the beginning stages of their spawn. From the meeting areas of our inlets and port our flounder will continue their trek to the continental shelf. Once reaching these deep-water areas their spawning will commence. This is the reason we don’t get them much after the Christmas season!
Prime time will continue through this month and cold fronts will play a major role in the movement of these fish. As the temp drops; the flounder move! Many types of bait can be used to tempt a flatfish home for dinner. They are typically not leader shy, so 20-30 mono will be fine. The most effective way to target flounder is a fishfinder rig. This consists of an egg sinker on your main line: and appropriate sized swivel: to a 12in leader. I will typically use a J-hook in the 1/0-2/0 size and attach a live bait to this. Live baits of choice are mud minnows, finger mullet, or shrimp and as a rule I don’t use bait larger than 6 inches. Though a flounder can take the larger bait it’s usually harder to get our hook to purchase. Let your flounder eat due to the fact that they thump the bait to stun it. Then position it to swallow! I also enjoy using Slayer Inc. SST’s and bucktail jigs tipped with a strip of bait. Both methods work well the former in shallower water, and the later in deeper sections. These guys don’t move far for a meal so keep everything within a foot of the bottom. Also be sure to get in on the Fall Redfish Classic at KARS Park on the 9th of this month. Great times, fishing, camping and some amazing prizes!
Tight lines and wet paddles – Capt. Alex Gorichky