Hello anglers! September is our pivotal month between summer and fall. We’ll have many inshore and offshore opportunities this month. Water temps will still be hot, but we should see some relief in air temperatures at times, especially late in the month.
BAY: The trout and redfish bite should be getting better throughout the day. Watch those tides and try to catch it while it’s moving. Live baits, top-water plugs, gold spoons, and soft plastics will all produce in the shallows this month. If you haven’t fished your honey hole in a while, I suggest bringing all of the above. No matter what type of fishing I’m doing, I always bring a mixed arsenal. Deeper bay structures will be holding many redfish, mangrove snapper, black sea bass, and several others. You can’t beat a live shrimp on a slip sinker rig to explore what’s lurking. Small baitfish and various crabs will produce bites as well around docks and rocks.
GULF: This is one of the best months for near surface pelagics. King mackerel will be hot and heavy. Mahi, bonito, black fin tuna and a few others will be moving and feeding aggressively. Trolling diving plugs and duster rigged cigars will be successful for many. If you see birds bombig on the surface, toss a live bait or a jig into it and have some fun. Bottom fishing will be great! Most large Amberjack will be further offshore, however if you have the guts and the patience to send a big blue runner down, you have a shot on any reef. Grouper will be top notch target this month. Live sand perch, pinfish, cigar minnows, and big slabs of fresh cut bait are the ticket. Rig strong and be ready for that first pull! Grouper ambush feed; they shoot out of their hole, grab your bait, and run right back home.
SURF: Pompano, whiting , and redfish will be patrolling the beaches. Shrimp, crabs and sand fleas are the ticket. As always in the hot months, random casting of spoons and Gotcha Plugs will yield Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and lady fish. There will be no shortage of sharks in the surf. Big fresh cut baits will certainly get your line pulled.
Thanks for reading folks. Fish on!
CAPT. JASON SHINGLER
Adrenaline On H20
Panama City, FL
(850) 348-2282