ST AUGUSTINE
It should finally be cooling off, and this month, it’s going to be all about the mullet. Our fall mullet run is one of the best times of the year to get outdoors and do some fishing. Cooler air temperatures and hungry predatory fish, means fun for everyone on the water. The best areas to fish will be easy to find right now; where you see the mullet, you’ll also find redfish, trout, flounder, and just about anything else you want to catch. These fish will be lurking just underneath the mullet schools looking for an easy snack. There are countless numbers of lures, both hard and soft plastic, that do a great job of imitating a mullet. This month is great to go the top-water plug route, and use a Rapala Skitterwalk or Rapala Skitter V. Both are great “walk the dog” type plugs, that even the most shy redfish or trout can’t resist this time of the year. If you want to go subsurface, try a soft plastic paddle tail or jerkbait from Slayer Inc. They look just a like a mullet, and can be fished weedless or on a traditional jighead.
Along with the influx of mullet to Northeast Florida, comes our fall flounder run. Some of the best catches both in numbers and in size, come in the fall. The fish-finder rig is the go-to for many anglers looking to catch some flounder. It consists of using about 12 inches or so, of leader attached to a swivel, with a barrel weight above the swivel. You want to use enough weight to hold the bottom, and a hook, sized accordingly to the size of mullet or minnow you’re using. Another favorite rig is a Slayer Inc. jighead in either 1/4 or 3/8 oz with a finger mullet pinned to it. The jighead rig allows you to fish without getting hung up as easily on structure, like oysters and rocks.
The inlets will come alive this month. Big bull redfish will be schooling up in the in the St. Augustine and Mantanzas inlets, as well as some of the deeper areas of the St. Johns River near Mayport. A blue crab or mullet on the bottom, will get their attention. As long as it doesn’t get too chilly, there will also be some tarpon around the inlets feeding on the bigger mullet schools, so make sure to have a bigger rod ready to go for those monsters.
If you missed out on the flood tides last month, don’t worry, you still have plenty of days in October to find some tailers. Redfish and sheepshead will still be tailing away looking for crabs, snails, and just about anything that hangs out in the grass. Any crab or shrimp soft plastic imitation, will work well for the reds. This is also a great time to try out that inline spinner bait, like those made by Slayer Inc. They are truly weedless and will attract a redfish from quite aways away, with its thumping blade.
Capt. Tommy Derringer
www.InshoreAdventures.net
904-377-3734