Roll into the heat of hurricane season with your fingers crossed and your rods rigged, fishing offshore Stuart in September is one month you don’t want to miss. The big news this month is the mullet run. I’ve lived here for 35 years and you can set your watch to it. Tarpon, snook, jacks, sharks and everything else congregate around this throng of baitfish moving down the coast producing spectacular feeding frenzies you only expect to witness on National Geographic. Occurring for days on end and so close you’re getting splashed as baitfish literally jump and get knocked into your boat. I’m especially excited about this season after adding the new 87-inch Minn Kota™ Terrova trolling motor to the bow of my Contender. That coupled with the incredible side imaging the HumminBird Solix offers turned my 32-center console into the most incredible hybrid I’ve ever been on.
This time of year, we mostly use spinning rods and lighter tackle. Blackfin Rods has a new Carbon E-series which is extremely sensitive, strong, and durable. These rods cast amazingly well, yet still have a ton of backbone to pull stubborn fish away from pilings or roll them over to finish the fight. I use their 7-foot six-inch, 15-pound rod for everything from sailfish to tarpon. They are the perfect rod for flipping live baits, top water plugs, bigger swim baits, and jigs. Very rarely can you find a rod that works well for everything, but these do.
Through the month, kingfish action should maintain strong as should the sail bite and little tunny. Dolphin fishing has been slow, but I expect it to improve and more move up this month, especially if you find some flotsam. Live chumming with a well full of finger mullet is a great way to entice lethargic fish to feed and bring aggressive ones closer to the boat and keep them there. I love pulling up to a weed line and throwing a couple handfuls of live finger mullet over to see what happens, they also work well as bottom bait which is convenient because snapper fishing should be pretty good this month.
The swordfish bite is traditionally very strong off the Treasure Coast now as well with a lot of big fish hitting the docks. Trips like that always offer the possibility coming across a weed line, a piece of float, or some tuna busting on top so be ready with some live baits, rigged ballyhoo or a spinning rod with a D.O.A. Bait Busters to cast at hungry fish.
Whichever fishing trips you decide to do this September, I hope they’re safe and Off The Chain. Please give me a call to book your next outing: (772) 285-1055.
FORECAST BY: Capt. Scott Fawcett
Off the Chain Fishing Charters
Phone: (772) 285-1055
Email: fishscottyf@bellsouth.net
www.offthechainfishing.com
