As if a glance at the calendar weren’t enough, natural signs are clearly indicating the autumn fishing season is upon us. The grass has stopped growing, yellow and monarch butterflies are floating from bloom to bloom and purple wild flowers are popping up along the roadways. Combine all those factors with decreasing hours of sunlight (the time changes this weekend) and the inshore game fish are slipping on the bibs in anticipation of leaner days ahead.
Water temperatures this week are still on the mild side, with upper 60s in Santa Rosa Sound and nearly 72 degrees closer to the pass in Big Lagoon. Bait of all varieties is still prevalent, but that will change quickly with approaching cold fronts. The long-range forecast shows cooler temperatures next week, with winds elevated somewhat. Tuesday’s full moon will produce strong tides and prime solunar feeding windows.
Trout are becoming more common. A Rapala Skitter Walk surface plug in black/chrome produced several nice slot fish with aggressive strikes. A few hefty sows were also lurking in the same zones of grass and sand potholes/troughs. Shrimp are on the move, so a DOA shrimp in near clear worked like fake scampi as well. I added Pro-Cure shrimp gel for a little extra attraction.
Redfish are on the prowl, too. From small rats to upper and over-slot sizes, the fish are mostly singles or small pods but some bigger groups are also forming. The ones on the super-shallow flats with clear water are extremely wary and hard to feed. Those in slightly deeper water and dark bottom are usually more cooperative. Top-water plugs like the Skitter Walks, MirrOlure Top Dogs and Heddon Super Spooks will generate powerful pushes and comical attempts until the underslung mouths finally connect. The fights are spirited and quite fun on 3000-class outfits.
Sheepshead are showing up more on the flats and around structure, while flounder will stick around inshore until it really gets cold. Both species are great table fare and worthy targets for light tackle enthusiasts. Cast-netters can also enjoy autumn by targeting schooling roe mullet or shrimp in the backwater marshes.
Copyright 2022, Capt. Dave Lear
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