BACKCOUNTRY / BAY / INSHORE:
The fall fishing season is in full swing with perfect temperatures, clear water, and great fishing. Most of the inshore fish are getting ready to head for their winter hideouts and are transitioning toward those spots now. Speckled trout are still on the flats, but are starting to pile up in the mouths of the bayous and creeks near the channels. Live baits, like finger mullet, greenbacks and shrimp always work well, but if you prefer artificial lures, use top-water plugs early in the morning and late in the afternoon on the grass flats. During the warmer parts of the day, use soft plastics like DOA shrimp or Berkley Gulps on the bottom. Gold spoons will also do a great job on the redfish around the docks. Flounder are headed offshore and are being caught around the pass and Grand Lagoon on Deep Water Point. Use a bull minnow, finger mullet or shrimp with just enough weight to get it to the bottom of the sandy ledges. Also try a soft plastic grub in white or pink bounced on the bottom in the same areas. This is the time of year to catch some really big mangrove snapper in the bay around the bridges, the jetties and other shallow structure. Use a light weight bottom rig with a live shrimp for best results. Fishing in the pass on an outgoing tide has been producing some big bull redfish when using crabs for bait. Some monster reds and black drum are also being caught around the Bailey and the West Bay bridges. On the beach, flounder and redfish are being caught in the surf and around the piers along with some nice whiting. The Spanish mackerel are still around as well being caught trolling and casting spoons and jigs.
OFFSHORE:
Lots of gag grouper are being caught on the wrecks and structure using bottom rigs with live cigar minnows and pinfish, but frozen cigar minnows will also produce. You will catch plenty of red snapper, trigger fish, and amberjack but the season is closed for them. Flounder can be caught around the buoys and the structure on the bottom with jigs or live bait and there are also plenty of black sea bass, scamp, and white snapper. Plenty of red and black grouper are being caught a little further out but are worth the trip.
This is a great time of year to be on the water fishing. It won’t be long before the colder weather sets in and the fishing patterns change again so get out and enjoy it and take a kid fishing.
CAPT. DARYL SHUMATE
Liquid Native Charters
850-624-6968
Liquidnativecharters.com