It’s early November and, finally, our days of hot weather are numbered. This cooler weather should trigger many of our target species of fish to start feeding heavily.
On the flats, snook, redfish and spotted seatrout are staging up in preparation of winter in areas where bait is plentiful and good tidal flow occurs. You should be staging there, too.
For the snook and reds, the mangroves and oyster bars are ideal spots for hookups. As for the trout, the deeper grass flats in 3-8 feet of water are where it’s at. You’ll also encounter other species while flats fishing — Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, ladyfish and mangrove snapper. These fish are present in areas were bait schools are prevalent and the wide variety of species can make for an excellent morning of fishing, as you never know what you’re going to catch.
Once you’re done flats fishing, you should consider a venture to deeper water to fish some of the artificial reefs, wrecks and rock piles in Tampa Bay and in the Gulf of Mexico. These areas are excellent habitat for a variety of fish, including mangrove snapper, gag grouper and mackerel. Having bait schools present in these areas is ideal, but even if the bait isn’t there, it’s worth trying.
For the snapper and grouper, bottom rigs are effective. For the macks, 30-40 pound fluorocarbon leader with a long shank hook will work to free-line a live shiner on the surface of the water over and around the structure you’re fishing.
As we move through fall, you should see some excellent fishing — with all of the usual suspects lining up for the taking.
On my Just Reel fishing charters, my clients are hooking up plenty of snook and spotted seatrout on the flats. There are some redfish mixed in there, too, although not as consistent a bite as the snook and trout. While trout fishing, I’m seeing a good number of macks and jack crevalle being reeled in.
Lastly, my clients are catching mangrove snapper as we work both the flats and the structure and they’re happily filling their coolers.
Capt. Jason Stock is catching plenty of American red snapper while working offshore. Using large shiners and pinfish as bait is working well for the snappers and reeling up these fish in 100-plus feet of water is definitely a work out for the angler.
Stock reports that casting baits on the surface is attracting attention, especially for blackfin tuna — notorious for using their large tails to propel themselves at high speeds once on the hook, producing drag-screaming runs and a hard fight to the bitter end. And, as a bonus offshore, Stock says they sometimes encounter a sailfish, possibly with its curiosity peaked by the tuna action on the surface.
In shallower areas around nearshore structure, Stock is enjoying mangrove snapper action. These fish can be chummed to the surface and caught on free-lined baits or simply fished on the bottom with a weighted rig.
Capt. David White is mostly running offshore, putting his clients on their share of American red snapper. Live bait or frozen baits are working well when fished on the bottom in depths of 100 feet or more. White reports most catches being reeled up are exceeding 10 pounds.
In slightly shallower depths, White is finding mangroves and yellowtail snapper quite accommodating. Both species are being tricked into taking the hook by using live shiners as bait.
He’s also finding blackfin tuna are abundant while fishing over offshore wrecks. Free-lined baits on the surface are triggering explosive strikes and some dramatic battles on hook and line.
Moving inshore, White is targeting macks and mangrove snapper over artificial reefs in Tampa Bay. Both species are being caught on live shiners.
Finally, snook and redfish are being found on the shallow flats during falling tides in the mornings.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier is seeing a variety of fish on the hook. He reports pier fishers using live shrimp as bait are hooking into numerous redfish and black drum by casting a bottom rig under the pier. This method is resulting in keeper-sizes of both species. While targeting these fish, anglers also are hooking into mangrove snapper and an occasional snook.
Anglers determined to target snook are using larger baits — pinfish and small ladyfish — while artificials, such as silver spoons or small white jigs, is resulting in mackerel, jack crevalle and ladyfish at the pier.
Barry Jones at the Anna Maria City Pier reports seeing mangrove snapper caught by anglers baiting with live shrimp. Drifting the bait under the pier is motivating the 12-inch snappers to bite.
Casting artificials — gold spoons, Gotcha plugs or crappie jigs — is attracting macks and ladyfish to the hook at the pier.
Jones says he’s seeing some early sheepshead around the pilings of the pier but he’s not yet seeing any being caught.
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