By: Capt. Brian Boxx
Fall is in the air and the advertisements that make the girls go crazy are popping up all over town. Its pumpkin spiced Moco-Choco-What-Knot time again and anyone who follows my articles knows that means one thing. Time to go to the proverbial pumpkin patch, time to shine the pennies, time to beat the red drum. The redfish bite has been off the charts and is sure to stay hot through the Fall. Redfish can be targeted year-round here, and the large breeders push inshore in the fall, however, there is something about catching redfish in October that just sets it apart from the rest of the year. I guess it’s a seasonal thing for me, seeing pumpkins and Fall decorations everywhere just has my brain hyper focused on redfish. Everything is nice about fishing the flats in the fall. The crisp smell of the air over the glassy reflections makes for that picture perfect setting. The acoustics of the decreased humidity, this is a big one for me, not only do we finally start to get a break from that thick tropical humidity, but the sound of fall hits me right in the way it feels. The baitfish start their migrations from summer haunts to winter homes giving endless opportunities for blacked out well and a story to tell. In the fall it all comes together to equal the most enjoyable fishing of the year.
Look for the redfish to be working the flats and undercut mangroves during incoming tide. On the ebb tide focus your efforts on the deeper edges of the flats or pick apart the deeper cuts. Redfish can be caught on a wide range of artificial, or natural baits. I try to use weedless baits I can skip deep under the overhangs when fishing the mangroves, but all around it’s hard to beat a good jig head with a Wyze Guyz Tackle Bambino, a chunk of ladyfish, or a frisky pilchard. A reminder that redfish are closed for harvest for most of Southwest Florida due to impacts from the red tide event. Check your local regulations for more information. In the meantime, pompano, snapper, flounder, and sheepshead can keep your fish cravings in check. Keep in mind just because you can harvest a limit doesn’t mean you have to limit out every time you go fishing. Only keep what you plan on eating in the short term then use the out of fish excuse to spend more time on the water. Until next month, Stay Salty Y’all!