As the fall mullet schools dwindle, flounder will become frequent catches around Port Canaveral, Sebastian Inlet, and Ponce Inlet. Targeting the Intercostal lagoons and beaches is a great way to intercept the flounder as the baits push out of our backwater areas and make their way offshore for the winter spawn down south. Fish with small live baits (fishfinder rig), Slayer Inc. SST’s paddle tail with jig head, or small bucktail jigs (tip w/strip bait) on drop-offs, around structure, bottom transitions, and sand to rock/oyster areas to find the concentrations of fish. Slowly work your baits close to the bottom and be ready with the landing net! A great many trophy flounder have been lost by holding their head out of the water. Flounder have a Houdini Ninja magical way of spitting the hook as they shake their head on the surface. To get the flounder simply put your landing net a few feet under the water and glide your tasty treat in. Port Canaveral stands as the calmest “inlet” for anglers to target flounder. However, what Port Canaveral lacks in sketchy moving water, it more than makes up for in large/small boat traffic. It pays to understand the posted security rules. The fall flounder migration is a great time to test your angling skills on a challenging opponent. Not to mention the flounder is one of our best eating fish on the Space Coast.
Top water plugs will account for violent strikes as large gator sea trout on both coasts consume every ounce of protein before the coming cold. With late fall spotted sea trout it’s not the when or how, success lies with the where. To find steady action seek out shallow flats closely associated with deeper holes and residential canals. The bait and trout will stay on those flats until cold snaps drop the water temperatures enough to start the deep-at-night, shallow-in-the daylight patterns. Do your looking now because these spots can produce through the spring. Working top water plugs, like the MirrOlure Top Dogs, Top Dog Jr., and Rapala’s Skitter Walk in low light hours will produce. Best-bet colors are: sea trout, red and white, chartreuse, and bone. Remember to treat and release these larger breeder seatrout with great care as they are the future of the fish stocks.
