Early Fall … Is a great time to visit the pumpkin patch.

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Location, date, time, water conditions, weather conditions, baits, techniques, species caught, etc.
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Red Beard
Posts: 644
Joined: March 16th, 2020, 9:06 pm

Early Fall … Is a great time to visit the pumpkin patch.

Post by Red Beard »

Well we survived summer now it’s time to choose where you will hunt. Personally I’m a water guy, but this is a great time to hunt both the woods or water. The cool mornings and manageable mid days make fishing in fall comfortable… also less boat traffic. Coffee in the boat during that cool early morning ride out, just taste better.

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Hurricane Ian pulled a lot of our water out for the better part of two days. Leaving bare and deflated grass pastures. With it though, Ian pulled a lot of the floating grass that plagued the area. Though there are still patches that will stop your top water in its tracks, topwater and trolling are manageable. Water clarity has improved with not as much tannic stain. Water temp fell from the mid 80’s to the mid 70’s.

Food for thought:
As we go into our fall season make note of northern winds than can push or hold the water keeping you from getting to your honey holes. Check your tides and plan your approach accordingly.

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Now that the flats aren’t shielded with floating manatee and turtle grass, go get ‘em!

Popping corks with both live and artificial baits can make for a good time with trout. Jigs with your favorite soft plastics will also work. Don’t overthink it here, fish with confidence and pay attention to the cadence in your approach. Not too fast not too slow.

If you miss a fish due to fast twitching muscle fibers keep the lure moving like nothing happened. Most the time this helps produce a follow up strike. Look for trout in the 3-6’ range.

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Flounder won’t be plentiful much longer. If you want ‘em shallow go find them now. Slow rolling bait and soft plastics along oyster bars and sandy drop offs can provide positive results. The good part of targeting flounder is the bi-catch, usually redfish or trout. Small pin fish, shrimp, or creek chubs are good quality flounder bait.

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Both Red and Black drum are schooling up and hungry. Toss a half blue crab and hold on for a mud donkey ride. A great time of the year to catch a quality forgotten coast pumpkin. Check your oysters bars, creek mouths, and the areas where they travel back and forth to structure.

Look for the mullet, I have found great luck catching redfish mixed in with the mullet they also love to eat. Popping Corks, Soft Plastics, Top Water, cut bait, live bait.. you name it or your like it… throw it.

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Sheepshead bite is starting to pick up with these cooler water temperatures. Shrimp and fiddler crabs work well. As the water temperature gets lower the sheepshead spawn will approach and success will be easier to come by.

Still plenty of bait in the area and mullet will be looking to spawn in the next month. As the weather cools salinity levels will rise and make for some salty oysters and more emerald color to our water as the grass flats go dormant.

This is a great time of the year to enjoy oyster stew, smoked mullet, and a break from summer. Spend this time with your loved ones and enjoy your time on the water.

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Capt. Dustin Antrobus
Fysh Hunter Charters LLC
(334)540-4166
Last edited by Red Beard on October 3rd, 2022, 7:29 pm, edited 5 times in total.
ropeman
Posts: 399
Joined: July 23rd, 2007, 1:24 am

Re: Early Fall … Is a great time to visit the pumpkin patch.

Post by ropeman »

Great report sir! I hope to get back out there soon.
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