Steinhatchee – September Fishing Report
September will bring a subtle cooling that won’t be felt until the end of the month. However, the slight drop in water temperature will signal to the fish that seasonal change is on its way. Their response will be an increased interest in feeding. Fishermen will have an increase in happy.
Scallop season ends mid-month. That means there will be fewer boats buzzing over the grass flats, like a horde of drunken howler monkeys, giving both the fish and the fishermen a bit of peace. For those scallopers finishing up the season, this is the time of year when the jellyfish move in, in mass, so wear a T-shirt and bring a bottle of vinegar to kill the sting.
I would expect trout to remain in the cooler waters of the deeper grass. Small live pinfish, “shiner tails” or jigs, slow bopped, should do the trick on a moving tide. Redfish will be most active in the early morning or late evening, if the tide is up; unless you’re in an airboat then things are a bit different.
Grouper fishing can be difficult due to the abundance of red snapper. A means to get around the snapper, is to use live or cut bait, normally too large for the snapper to eat. It reduces the number of bites, but the ones you get are good. Also, keeping mobile will help.
Amberjack are opened up! There have been some tremendous donkeys on most wrecks and high relief areas, especially those well offshore. Live bait is an automatic hookup, but jigs and single hook jerk baits work well too. For the fun of it, try a live bait that you think is a tad bit too large. You never know until you try.
Don’t be surprised if some cobia swim up within the mass of AJ’s. A handful of chum will keep them hanging around. This is the time of year when huge cobia are caught offshore. Be prepared! Always!
I realize it is hot, but a brief troll when moving from A to B could produce a fine kingfish. It has to do with ubiquitous schools of glass minnows that bring in bonita, that draw the attention of large kingfish. Oily bonita are great kingfish fuel.
When I go fishing, there are a variety of rods set-up in multiple ways so that I’m ready for almost any opportunity that comes my way. Those that are driven by a single style of fishing, often miss opportunities that would have made memories.