October 2009 Forecast
Trick or treat? That is the question this month. A tasty “treat” for almost all of our inshore gamefish this month will be the finger mullet. With copious amounts of mullet around “matching the hatch” can be the way to go. Redfish will be chasing mullet up on the flats but sometimes a mullet head stuck next to your favorite oyster bar will be the best bait. With the water still dirty the scent of a fresh cut mullet head will have the fish sniffing around. A free-lined live finger mullet will work well for trout, jacks, and snook. Sometimes I like to put a small to medium sized splitshot a few inches above the mullet to help him say down a little. The inlets have been and will be stacked with larger mullet. Tarpon will be crushing them on the first of the incoming and outgoing tides. Put a freelined mullet out in front of the mullet schools at the inlets and hold on. Flounder should really start to stack up at the inlets this month as well. A large finger mullet on a fishfinder rig will be deadly for the flatties. Just make sure you have plenty of rigs because if you’re doing it right you’re going to lose quite a few while fishing for flounder at the rocks.
If you prefer to “trick” your fish then go with a top-water or subsurface hard bait to mimic the finger mullet. Look for mullet schools and toss your plug around them. There’s sure to be a few hungry predatory fish around waiting for one of the mullet to get out of line. During the warmer times of day a soft plastic might be better bait to go to while fishing the mullet schools. I like a 5″ jerkbait in watermelon or white like those made by Fishbite’s. Like I said before, the water is still dirty and the extra scent released from the Fishbite’s will help the fish zone in on your bait.
If you missed out on the flood tides last month don’t worry, you still have plenty of days in October to find some tailers. Redfish and sheepshead will still be tailing away looking for crabs, snails and just about anything that hangs out in the grass. Any crab or shrimp soft plastic imitation will work well for the reds. This is also a great time to try out that inline spinner bait like those made by Slayer Inc. They are truly weedless and will attract a redfish from quite a ways away with it’s thumping blade. The sheepshead can be a little more picky and small piece of shrimp or a fiddler is the best bet. If your feeling sporty bust out the long rod and toss a spoon or shrimp/crab imitation fly at the tailers. A sheepshead on fly is quite an accomplishment. No matter what you’re tossing just remember to lead the fish by a few feet if he’s moving or go a little long and strip or reel your bait to the fish if he’s tailing away. Bombing a tailing fish on the head will have him running for the hills (or nearest deep creek in this case).
Capt. Tommy Derringer
www.InshoreAdventures.net
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