[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ishing in September is really fun because there is less fishing pressure, and if we get a cool front to move in, the temperature and humidity will drop a bit. When that happens, the fish bite is on! Flounder will start moving offshore in late September. I use 1⁄4 ounce red jig heads rigged with Gulp’s pearl white swimming mullet during an out going tide near canal openings.
Speckled trout and redfish can’t resist a live bull minnow free-lined on number 4/0 circle hooks on the grass-flats in the early mornings. Sheepshead will gobble up a live shrimp if it is presented to him. Bounce live shrimp around buoys, bridges, seawalls and oyster reefs and you could go home with the anticipation of a nice sheepshead sandwich for lunch.
Scallops are mature, bigger, and plentiful in September. Look for them in the grassy areas between Blacks Island and Presnell’s. You have to get your face and hands in the grass to be able to see them. It’s like Easter eggs hunting…..great family fun!
I love unusual fish stories, and I have one for you. Just after sunrise, we were anchored at one of my favorite fishing holes in the intra-coastal canal. We had just dropped some live shrimp down in hopes of having a good fishing day, when Pawpaw Patrick’s drag started singing and line tore off so fast the reel smoked. I quickly lifted the anchor and started chasing it. After a few minutes we caught up with it and discovered that it was a manatee. The manatee had swum under Patrick’s line and the hook caught its dorsal side. We were able to get close enough to the manatee to retrieve the hook and make sure it was not hurt, but Pawpaw Patrick had tired, spaghetti arms after the exhilarating episode.