Nature Coast

Windy conditions prevail again after a cold front made its way past

us. The day after the front is usually poor fishing when high pressure

sets in. The front will drop the Gulf water temps again helping usher

fish into our coastal creeks and rivers. That’s the good part, the bad

part is getting used to extra low winter tides.

One cold sensitive fish that will be the first to head up our spring

fed rivers is snook. This is the last month to keep one in the 28″ to

33″ slot. Working docks, fallen trees in the water and large boats

with a MirrOlure MirrOdine will get the bite. Other fish that can be

caught in the river are mangrove snapper, black drum and sheepshead.

Use live shrimp near the rocky points on the edge of the channels. I

use a 1/8th oz. jig head threaded through the pinched off tail of the

shrimp.

For trout and redfish work the deeper creeks along the edges of the

channels or holes. I use a D.O.A. 5.5 glow jerk bait for the trout and

I like to use a live shrimp tail hooked with a 3/0 bait hook to

sight-cast redfish. High incoming tide will be in the morning this

weekend.

The week ahead looks favorable for some excellent Fall fishing. I

believe the winds should be lighter and with good tides. As far as

trout goes recently I had a great day in the backcountry in the

Chassahowitzka Wildlife Refuge using popping corks with jigs. With

nice weather this week I believe an angler can catch trout from the

backcountry all the way out to the passes, bays and flats near the

major river mouths. This time of year I like to look for rock grass,

it is a type of sargassum that grows on hard live bottom. The larger

patches can have some growing more than 3 feet in height from the

bottom. This grass is a haven for shrimp, small crabs and bait fish

that trout love to feed on. Another good point about this grass is it

also provides protection for trout on a shallow flat from Ospreys. A

trout can stay undetected underneath the grass pushed over by the

tide. If you are observant and see Ospreys hovering over a particular

flat you can bet the trout are there.

Redfish and snook will be on the inside keys. One of my favorite ways

to catch them in the Fall is to use a top water plug. The floating

grass is not so bad right now and pitching a plug right up next to the

keys or any rocky point can get some action. A redfish has a down turn

mouth so they may roll on it a few times before getting hooked. It’s

best to just keep a steady retrieve until the weight of the fish is

felt in the rod before setting the hook. Setting the hook to soon will

likely pull the plug out of the strike range and missing the fish.

Incoming tide will start around early afternoon this weekend.