PRO TIPS – October 2024
October is here! I am so excited to say goodbye to summer! Now don’t get me wrong, I love summer time. I love those balmy, slicked out mornings, running across the river and getting eaten alive by no-see-ums. I love anxiously awaiting the tarpon to begin to arrive and see snook laid up under the mangroves. And I love the afternoon thunderstorms that not only provide some wild, all natural entertainment, but much needed cooling rain. But let’s be honest, It’s been a long, hot summer and I am ready for fall!. No, this has nothing to do with pumpkin spice lattes or football, though I do enjoy a good college football game on Saturday nights. This is all about air/water temperatures and the incredible transition about to take place in our fishery.
October is not cold by any means, but much needed cold fronts will begin to move in which have an effect on our estuary, first being water temperature. After months of hot water, cooling air temps will drop water temperatures. Cooler water means more dissolved oxygen—what fish breathe. More oxygen means a better, longer fight from the fish and a quicker reviving time at release. Cooler water temps will also keep the fish more active or willing to participate longer into the day. As the water warms up during the summer, the fishing slows down considerably, making early morning starts a must. With the cooler temps of fall, I’m still pushing away from the dock at first light, but now I’m not worried about the bite shutting off by 9 a.m. Fifty-fish mornings on artificial lures in less than four hours is not uncommon for my charters this time of year, making fall my favorite time of the year to fish.
This year, in particular, we are entering fall with some of the clearest water and the most seagrass our lagoons have had in a long time. Colder water will kill brown algae. The brown algae is what turns our waterways to a chocolate milk consistency and ultimately kills our grass because sunlight cannot reach the bottom. If we can avoid a hurricane in these last two months of hurricane season, we could potentially enter January with incredibly clear, cool water, which will propel significantly more grass growth leading up to next summer!
Lastly, fall on the flats brings a transition of food for our fish. As cooler temperatures arrive, you will begin seeing less mullet and more shrimp out on the flats. While quietly poling a flat, anglers will be able to see these shrimp leaping out of the water. This is a tell-tale sign that predator fish such as redfish, speckled sea trout and black drum are in the area and in search of food. Soft plastics such as D.O.A. Shrimp or D.O.A. Shad Tails are killer baits to use once you start noticing these shrimp out on the flats. I rig these lures weedless with an Owner Twist Lock 3/0 hook. I also am a big fan of a D.O.A. Deadly Combo, which is a popping cork with a D.O.A. Shrimp below it. It’s a great bait that mimics the action and noises made by shrimp. It truly is deadly!
These are all just a few reasons why I love October and all of the incredible changes we are about to see over the next few months. If you slow down and pay attention while on the water, you will easily begin to notice these changes and put fish in the boat. Bring on the hoodie weather!
Tight lines!
Capt. Jonathan Moss
Go Castaway Fishing Charters
www.gocastaway.com
(407) 760-8593