Red October is upon us!
If you like catching redfish, October might as well be Christmas morning on the Gulf Coast. The only difference is Santa is red, has a spot on his tail, and the holiday jingle is the melodic sound of your drag screaming.
October means RED OCTOBER in our area as big schools of oversized redfish make their way through the region. The flats from the Anclote River north toward Hudson will be loaded with schools of fish that can number in the hundreds, and these aren’t always the little fellas either. Big slot and oversized reds will be mixed together, and when you find the right school, things can get stupid in a hurry. Cut pinfish is still one of my favorite ways to target them. Find the school, figure out which direction they’re working, and get out in front of them. Fight the urge to chase them around the flat! A chunk of fresh pinfish sitting in their path usually doesn’t stay lonely for very long. 
The fun part about October is that the flats aren’t the only place to find them. Big redfish will also push offshore this time of year and can be found hanging around structure in the 30-foot range. Plenty of anglers will head out looking for hogfish and end up with a redfish trying to rip the rod out of their hands instead. Shrimp and small crabs fished on the bottom for hogs will get eaten, but don’t be surprised if that “hogfish bite” is a bit less subtle and weighs a bit more. Just remember that those big offshore reds have to go back in the water, so take your picture, give them plenty of time to revive, and send them on their way.
Snook are also on the move this month as the big girls start working their way back from the beaches and toward the creeks, rivers and canals where they’ll spend the cooler months. October can be one of the better times of year to target them because they’re hungry and looking to put on some weight before the first real cold fronts arrive. Pilchards are hard to beat, but don’t be afraid to throw a bigger pinfish, mullet, or grunt at the larger fish. Creek mouths, spoil islands, and areas with strong moving water are great places to start.
October is one of those months where you might leave the dock looking for one thing and come home talking about something completely different. Keep a rod ready for the reds, another one ready for the snook, and maybe bring a little extra leader!