by Capt. Brent Bensmiller
Fall is finally here and the fishing is shaping up to be perfect. The water quality has improved quite a bit and loads of bait have pushed into our area over the last few weeks. As the temperature slowly drops, the bite will begin to pick up throughout the bay, inlets, and just off the beach. If you’ve been waiting for a good time to fish, the time has arrived.
October is a great month to target reds from your kayak throughout Estero Bay. Look for deep water cuts in the mangroves and anchor up nearby. Throw your artificial or live bait as close as you can get them to the mangroves, skipping the bait up under the trees will yield the greatest results. During October, live shrimp or pilchards will get tons
of action. It’s not uncommon to catch half a dozen or more reds 18″ and bigger in just a few hours of fishing this time of year. Remember, if you are looking to keep redfish they must be between 18-27″. Also, there may still be a temporary catch and release for reds and snook due to the red tide impact on these species in our area, so make sure to check the FWC website before taking anything home with you.
We will have some nice tide swings around the full moon and new moon during October, which will be worth taking advantage of. The 8-10th should be a nice bite just before the new moon and 23-26th when the full moon arrives. Fish will be feeding heavily during these times as loads of bait will be pushed in and out of the bay. Later in the month the water will be cooling off quickly and many fish will be looking to fatten up for the winter. Many species of game fish will be more than willing to take anything in front of their face and often times we have caught some of our best fish during this time. The month of October always produces so make sure to get out and catch some solid fish!