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Fired up for fall

Cooler weather signals start of feverish feeding conditions for some favorite species.

By DAVID A. BROWN
Published September 23, 2006

The weather forecasters predicted more tropical trouble than we've actually had so far this year. And although we have enough official hurricane season left that we need to stay alert, it looks like El Nino conditions in the Pacific will help keep the tropics in check.

Clearly, the summer of 2006 has been pretty good to Florida anglers. But I'm eager for the arrival of fall.

Don't get me wrong, summer offers a load of great angling opportunity. From tarpon cruising the flats to snook spawning on coastal beaches, warm-season fishing is a lot of fun.

But fall in Florida is simply marvelous. If the clich police can turn their heads for a moment, it's really the best of both worlds.

Coastal waters are still warm enough for wading, but sharks and mosquitoes are thinning out. Lightning becomes less of an issue, and declining temperatures blending with those fresh breezes preceding the eventual march of cold fronts make for mighty nice hammock weather.

Before long, you'll start carrying a light jacket for the morning boat ride and staying out a little later to enjoy some of the year's most magnificent sunsets. Early groups of migratory waterfowl will have hunters cleaning their shotguns and checking the anchor strings on their decoys.

Fish know that despite fall's pleasant conditions, winter's harshness is just around the corner. And with days becoming shorter, predators will be working overtime to fill their bellies and pack on the fat.

In just a few weeks, Nature Coast waters will boil with piscatorial potential. Top targets include:

Grouper: Cooling water temperatures will prompt a shoreward migration of hungry gags intent on gobbling everything in sight. Nearshore reefs and wrecks will produce plenty of fish, but the shallow rock piles in 8-15 feet of water offer some of the best action around. Hernando Beach, Bayport, Chassohowitzka and Homosassa are consistent leaders in this game.

Shallow grouper will eat a variety of natural baits, including pilchards (scaled sardines), pinfish, grunts, and chunks of mullet or ladyfish. Trolling jigs or diving plugs over rock piles will tempt aggressive fish and identify active structures.

Also, try casting big plugs across the rocks. Toss a shallow diver over the hard stuff, crank like mad and hang on tight. Even undersized grouper will yank a rod from your hands if you're not paying attention.

Mackerel: King and Spanish mackerel will be terrorizing baitfish schools and providing wild action for those who offer live baits, jigs, spoons or plugs on wire rigs. Look for kings over hard-bottom structure in deeper water at least a couple of miles offshore. Spanish mackerel are more likely to hug the coast, often appearing on the same grass flats as speckled trout.

Redfish: Autumn is prime time for anglers enamored with the spot-tailed, amber beauties. Gathering groups of juvenile fish complemented by pods of giant adults measuring a yardstick or more offer lots of rod-bending potential.

Gold spoons, soft-plastic jerk baits and topwater plugs will draw strikes. For the bigger reds, locate a school and sling a chunk of freshly cut mullet or half a blue crab on the school's outside edge. Nimble noses will sniff out the chow, and you'll want to be holding on tight when that happens.

Snook: Transitioning from summer spawning activity into a full-on fall feed, the linesiders will be moving toward sheltered backwaters where stable temperatures enable this subtropical species to survive.

Creeks and cuts inside the mouths of coastal rivers, along with the outside edges of residential canals are likely haunts for fall snook. Look for the best action when strong tidal flow pushes and pulls baitfish past ambush points. Rig a live shrimp or pilchard under a cork, cast uptide and let your bait drift through the strike zone.

Once winter envelops the area, baitfish populations will quickly diminish. Therefore, fishing with live pilchards during fall is nearly a no-brainer for most Nature Coast predators.

Look for these tender inshore baits over grass flats adjacent to deeper runs. Chum the area with oily catfood or a mixture of jack mackerel, wheat bread and sea water. Flick tiny globs downtide and watch for silver flashes in your chum slick.

Slinging an 8- to 10-foot cast net with a -inch stretched mesh, you'll get plenty of pinfish along with your pilchards, but both baits will satisfy fall appetites.

For kingfish pursuits, slow-trolling live blue runners on wire stinger rigs is like laying a handful of M&Ms in front of a toddler. Securing several dozen of these baits gives anglers a significant confidence boost.

Runners are too quick, and usually too deep, for cast-netting, so jigging with gold-hook (Sabiki) rigs is the way to go. Look for these hardy baitfish over reefs and rock piles, and around channel markers.

Anchor your Sabiki rig with an ounce of lead, drop it to the bottom and work the shiny hooks in erratic hops. When you feel a blue runner come tight, keep working the rig for a few more seconds and you'll often load up with multiple baits.

Whatever you catch, check your bait supply frequently. Grass and other debris can clog your filter and accidentally bumping the livewell switch can suddenly leave you with a bunch of dead baits.

[Last modified September 23, 2006, 06:46:22]