By: Capt. Bart Marx
October begins the migration and stone crab season opens to the public on October 15th. Be sure to keep an eye on the FWC regulations in your area. We used to go scuba diving at midnight to get the first harvest. Some people take the time to get crab traps and register them to catch them. If you harvest them yourself, you need to cook them ASAP, don’t let them sit in the fridge over night or in your cooler. I bring the water to a boil, drop the claws in, and bring it back to a boil for 3 minutes. Get them out of the water so you do not overcook them and put them in ICE water to stop them from over cooking. This method pulls the meat away from the shell on the inside and makes it easy to pull the meat out after you crack the shell.
October may also begin the king mackerel migration along with the spanish mackerel. To find these, you need to spend some time on the water and keep close watch up and down the coast. I troll for king mackerel using live bait thread fins or scaled sardines, even dead frozen ones. I like to bottom fish and set up a rod for mackerel. I will use a 30 lb. class setup with a single strand wire leader 30lb and braid line with a long 30lb. mono leader. Like a fly rod but with some wire. I use a float /bobber about 6ft. from the hook and put this rod out the back of the boat and let it back about 30 yards, then start bottom fishing for some snapper porgies, and as you reel these fish up to the surface, they will be spitting everything they have in their tummy trying to throw the hook in their mouth which creates an underwater chum slick that will attract the king mackerel. Keep your drag on the bonus rod a little loose so the hook doesn’t get ripped out as they start to run. They do have the nick name smoker for a reason! This will give you time to get the other poles out of the water and put away. Then you can attend to the bonus rod. My personal best is 33lb. 48in to the fork. On the grill, I cut them into steaks and soak them in teriyaki overnight. This month the reds should be schooling up inshore and create a fun time if you find the big schools as all they want to do is eat so they can migrate offshore to breed. Here in Southwest Florida, we call it “Red October” and they live up to their name! Reds can be almost anywhere there is bait to eat, sand holes with cut bait along the mangroves with live bait or lures. Spoons and jigs with soft plastics. There should be some speckled sea trout on the grass flats looking for a meal. Popping cork and a shrimp always seems to work just fine.