[dropcap]S[/dropcap]altwater treats in the form of many species of snapper will be the ‘fish flavor’ of the month in the near coastal fishing grounds, east of Stuart, this October. Martin County`s offshore “Snapptober” will showcase a line-up of vermilion, mangrove, mutton, and lane snapper across many reef structures from 50 to 150 feet of water. “Keeper size” mutton and lane snapper will begin to stage and post up in larger numbers within the Martin County Artificial Reef System, northeast of the inlet, in 50 to 65 feet of water (for GPS coordinates for all of Martin County`s Artificial Reefs, go to http://bit.ly/1KnDq8d). These inshore reef spots for snapper fishing will be ideal during October, especially as offshore weather conditions become increasingly choppy, as the winds associated with the fall season also increase. The majority of these reef areas are within three to four nautical miles from the St. Lucie Inlet and will allow boat crews to fish closer to shore and enable captains to slowly and safely navigate the marginally choppy conditions that typify October. Changes in offshore weather patterns will become more obvious and require captains and crews to schedule their trips accordingly. The proximity to the shoreline, and the relatively shallow depth of these reefs does not hinder (the reef`s) ability to hold a wide variety of quality fish species, both in numbers and size of the fish. Shallow water reef structures are one of the key components for biodiversity and set the offshore, saltwater food chain into action by anchoring a multitude of sea life and providing cover thus, attracting all sizes of baitfish, and the larger fish which feed on them. Besides holding many species of snapper, these inshore reefs will be visited by a host of other saltwater fish including grouper, cobia, king mackerel, sailfish, and dolphin. So, during October, as your fishing day looks a bit on the choppy side, pull up “inshore” and concentrate on what can be some very interesting and rewarding fishing, just a few miles from the beach.
