I love the sound of September. That does not mean I am looking forward to cooler temperatures. I do enjoy the heat and sum- mer fishing; though there is no doubt fall fishing is my favorite time of year. We have another reason this season to look forward to September. The farther we get away from the rains of July and August, the better.
With what I have seen, we have had 40 inches of rain since June 28. I have not seen Apalachee Bay this dark and empty in 15 years of fishing. As of today, August 20th, Georgia just received another 10 inches this week. That means another 10 inches emptying into the bay very soon. This is bad news for flats fishing, but I will try to spin it into lemonade. With such a rainy summer season, there is a bunch of unpressured fish to be caught. This should make for a great fall season for redfish and trout. All we need is for the rain to stop, and give the bay a few weeks to settle.
If all works out, and the rain slows and the bay clears, look for a great trout bite in the 4 to 6 foot depths of water. There is no count- ing on the rain to stop, but there is certainty the days will shorten and the water temps will cool. I am also guessing we will have a fall shrimp hatch, and that will trigger the return to shallow waters for speckled trout. The hot spots will be spotty bottom and creek mouths. Cracking a cork and throwing topwater will be top choices. The water will not clear in September, but could get better. To increase your odds of catching fish, make some noise.
With the dirty water, redfish have been tough to find. Make no mistake September will be go and find them month. You will find me in tight to the shoreline. Banging rocks and working the tide. It will be a bit extreme, but once I find them, BAM! I have never seen more floating grass than this sum- mer, but I will find the clearing and throw topwater. It will be well worth the aggravation.
Tarpon and cobia will be here in September. Actually, traditionally September is the top month for both in the Big Bend. I am not sure what impact the rain is having on numbers of fish, but in the August mess, we are still catching both. I will carry an extra heavy rod with 40 pound braid, and 60 pound flourocarbon leader.
Remember, the GUIDE SHOP is open, and we have every- thing you need to go catch fish, including the latest fishing reports. Kayaks rigged and ready to fish, and a fully stocked retail shop. Book a guided trip by skiff or kayak,
or both.
FORECAST BY: Captain Mike McNamara
Stmarksoutfitters.com
redfish@stmarksoutfitters.com
call/text 850-510-7919
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