SURF & PIER

The Mullet Run continues into the beginning of this month. No one knows how much longer it will last, but for now, it is “game on”! This is the most exciting time to surf-fish in Northeast Florida. The gear is pretty simple. All you need is a cast net, bucket, and a 10 to 13-foot rod and reel combo with plenty of line. I only use two different rigs, which are a double dropper, and a fish finder. I target smaller fish i.e. bluefish, redfish, jacks, ladyfish, and seatrout with the double dropper. I tie it with 50-pound mono and 5/0 circle hooks. For the huge redfish and tarpon, I switch to the fish finder, made out of 100-pound mono, tipped with a 7/0 circle hook.

How good can it get? As I write this report in late October, I am reminiscing about my charters, just in the past two weeks. We have caught so many lady fish, jacks, bluefish, trout, several species of sharks, and over twenty redfish from 33 to 45 inches. We have hooked several big fish that spooled us, or pulled the hook. Those include the big tarpon that my friend Jim, hooked last night. It was over a hundred pounds! He had it on for about five minutes, until the final jump, where it threw the hook. Next time Jim!
Now, is also the transition month. The water temperature has finally fallen into the 70’s. The shorter days, and cooler temps have triggered the pompano run. They spend the warmer months up in the Carolinas, but they are now here.  The two baits of choice, are live sand fleas and clams. The best rig is a double dropper tied with thirty-pound mono, and tipped with 2/0 circle hooks. A great alternative bait is sand flea-flavored Fishbites. I have been using them for the past ten years. Yes, they do work.

After such a hot September and October, this month is shaping up to be the best month of the year! So, let us get out there and enjoy the great outdoors that our Sunshine state offers!