November was just plain terrible for fishing offshore. The wind was crazy, the seas were rough, and the water was just dirty. If you did venture out, you had to go to deep water to find anything.
The mullet run is just about done but a few schools are around. This is the time of year when we will switch to bottom fish for the last few fish that are still legal to keep; don’t get me wrong, we can still get in some great fishing and rod bending fun. If you do go out, start looking for fish around the 60-120 foot mark. This depth is good for the person who wants to use live bait and slow troll or bottom fish. The grouper will hit mullet, but you will have better success with live pinfish or grunts.
Dolphin and sailfish are a hit or miss at this time. For your best action, look for rips edges and weed lines. Slow trolling live mullet or ballyhoo is the best way to target these fish. Kingfish are staying near shore. Slow trolling with live bait and using downriggers should produce some action. This is the best time of year to go after seabass. I want to remind you that the FWC has changed the daily limit of seabass to five per person per day. They also changed the length to 13 inches, so make sure you measure them.
Let’s hope December brings better weather, so offshore fishing will be fun again. Spanish mackerel will be here for the winter months; this fish is always a fun addition to your fishing trip. If you don’t want to venture offshore, you can fish near the shoreline for that ever wonderful tasting pompano. Tarpon are still swimming around the surf but are getting harder to catch as they also make their way to warmer waters.
Many thanks to Black Dog Bait and Tackle for the continued support they give to me and the community. Stop by and tell them some good fish stories.
Happy holidays!