The annual fall blitz has been in swing for the past few weeks with everything feeding on the small bait that is present everywhere. Using small weighted or unweighted fly patterns has been the ticket when targeting snook, redfish, trout, bonita and tripletail.
Snook can still be found just about everywhere but they will soon begin to make their way to their winter dwellings. The bite at night has been consistent when using small flies such as the schminnow and small deceivers in a light color combination.
Redfish have been found in giant schools this past month, destroying anything that comes in their path. These fish can be sensitive to boats, so it’s imperative to take your time as you approach the school. This month marks the beginning of our winter tides which means that we will begin to experience our low tides in the morning instead of the afternoon.
Every year in the fall, we experience a bonita run that occurs in the shipping channel at the mouth of the bay. I find the falling tide is the best because the outgoing water carries a lot of small bait with it. It’s not uncommon to come across acres of these fish blitzing. Flies no longer than inch on a #4 or #6 are a must.
Triple tail have begun to show off our beaches with some of the strong north west winds we had a couple weeks ago. Also, the crabbers have put out their traps on the 5th which creates more floating structure. Baitfish patterns have worked the best for me when targeting them.
Tarpon fishing has still been producing good numbers and should still continue through this month if the temperatures allow.