Welp, another October has passed and I feel like I let you all down. The only demons I saw on Halloween were thinly veiled children running amok, hopped up on sugar, and doing dances for tik-tok. Imagine my disappointment when not even a single measly ghoul arose from "snook henge" (the firepit I erected in my yard). I think I need to work on my summoning spells and find a better offering to the elder gods next year.
Roadkill armadillo didn't make the cut so maybe I'll toss on a raccoon??? Suggestions are welcome so shoot me an email (feel free to do that if you'd like to fish as well #shamelesssplug).
That being said, it was a fun month on the water. The temperatures finally took a tiny dip making a full day much more bearable. Matlacha pass was filled with a smattering of schooling spanish mackerel for a couple of weeks. Following the birds was as usual the key to nabbing those suckers. They're a ton of fun on light tackle and exciting to run down so have your gear ready to go and hop up on the bow.
I also chased around a school of 20-30lb jacks in Pine Island Sound one morning. My client finally hooked one that proceeded to spool us but it was fun while it lasted! I'm expecting this action to stay pretty consistent until we get our first "real" cold snap. Don't sleep on a bluefish bite either, they'll be showing up any day now. Not only do they offer a great fight, but they're killer bait for sharks and the carcass will amp up your chum slick.
Speaking of sharks... HOLY SMOKES there was a veritable boatload out on the flats for my last three charters. Not anything small either, maybe 5ft was the smallest we saw patrolling the shallows. Be careful out there releasing fish and make sure you have somebody on lookout while you do it. I'm not kidding when I say we saw multiple 150lb+ bull sharks bounce off the boat in just two feet of water in just under an hour. It may be time for me to tie up some bright orange/red flies and put the hurting on a couple before they head up the rivers or offshore for winter.
Traffic is picking up on the roads down here, meaning our snowbirds are coming to check out their homes before the holidays, which also means we should see the first cold snap bring down the white pelicans that like to ride the front that announces a seasonal change. Until that happens though, I'm going to focus on shallow water redfish and snook as this water begins to clear from a lack of rain and slightly lower temperatures.
With the lower winter tides I'll prowl grass flats at a dead low (preferably 0.0ft or even negative) looking for shakes or ripples signaling a laid up fish in waiting. This is a great time for a weedless fly, slightly larger than usual (so as to not be lost in the grass, and in natural colors. More often than not you'll be coming across redfish and gator trout but every now and then a snook will surprise you on an open flat.
For the "line siders" I like to pole my clients across the flat as the tide begins to rise and find a shoreline with some deeper cuts along the mangroves. The snook are much more comfortable by structure and that depth change. A good rule of thumb if you're blind casting is to find the mangroves that are still alive after all of our storms.
The live limbs have been much more productive for me over the last three years. 1/0 baitfish patterns, and sliders have been the name of the game, as well as a gurgler (all white because screw getting the other pieces of foam out, I was lazy).
While that same tide is rising and the sun comes up I'll change the game and look for a sandy shoreline and laid up/cruising redfish. Once you train your eyes to see them they appear all over the place, and happen to look like copper colored oversized GMO fed drumsticks (turkey tide).
Hopefully they give a tail shake or wag a fin to show off what direction they're facing. A softly presented shrimp or crab pattern is often rewarded. If you're spin fishing I would suggest trying a small micro bait such as Z-Man's "ned rig" to avoid spooking the fish. These guys are tricky year round and give you a great reason to get out in the yard and practice your casting so you can make your shots count!
Welp, I've got some hatches to clean, beer to drink, a dinner date to plan, and a dog to belly rub before the wife gets home. Tackle rigging is after she goes to bed and before the charter you book, so give me a call/text/email and let's go enjoy this lovely weather. Until next month, have a great Thanksgiving, go try a new hobby, don't take candy from strangers, and hop on a boat!
Capt. Alex Moran
Spiritfly Fishing Charters
SW Florida
