November Fishing Forecast – Northeast, Fl

For most people, November means turkey and stuffing but for us fishermen it’s officially “doormat” month. Traditionally November is a great time to target and catch big flounder. A live finger mullet or a big mud minnow rigged on a Slayer Inc. Destroyer jighead or the good ‘ol fish-finder rig is your best bet. Flounder will be holding in deep cuts in the creeks at lower tide stages. It’s not uncommon to find them “stacked up” in these holes so if you get one make sure to try a few more casts in the same spot. At higher tides fish on top of oyster bars and along the grass lines. Another popular spot to target the flat fish is at the inlets. They will hold close to the jetties… you’ll know you’re fishing the right spot after you’ve lost a rig or three to the rocks. Trout catches should also increase this month. When fishing early for trout throw a top-water “walk the dog” type plug. One of my favorites, especially when the wind is fairly calm is a High Roller plug. It’s wooden and doesn’t have rattles in it so it doesn’t make any noise other than the hooks hitting the side of the bait. Some of my biggest trout have come on that bait. One thing to remember when a fish strikes your top-water plug is to try to resist the urge to set the hook right away, but rather wait to feel the weight of the fish. If the fish misses on the first try he’ll usually come back for a second chance. If you set the hook right away your plug is likely to be flying through the air like a tiny fish missile aimed at the boat and the fish might have a hard time finding it again. Your best bet when targeting trout is to look for moving water at creek mouths, around oyster bars, and along the ICW banks. Sea walls, jetties, and rip-rap are also good trout haunts. The good ‘ole live shrimp under a float is always a sure thing for trout but if you prefer to throw a soft plastic the Fishbites paddle tails have been slayin’ em lately. Redfish will continue to shadow finger mullet schools this month. When you find a good concentration of mullet you can be sure the reds will not be far behind. Low tide creek fishing for reds should be hot this month as well as the banks of the ICW. Many people overlook these banks but when the tide is low and the mullet and small shrimp are schooled up Mr. Rojo will be on the prowl! Happy Thanksgiving…