Gonna Be A Pretty Good Fall
Get you tackle ready and get ready for a great
fall if it is going to be like the past few weeks. I always look for ward to
the first cool spell of each year as it brings cooler water temperatures and
a turned on bite. It is neat how this change in seasons brings out the best
in Northeast Florida fisheries. As the mullet start making their way to the
ocean and the TOP WATER bite takes off, how can you not be excited.
For me this is the best time of the year as I
cannot imagine any better fishing than working your MirrOlure top water lure
down the bank with the anticipation of a monster red or trout inhaling it.
I am getting chill bumps just writing about this
so you can only imagine the feeling of watching your lure walk back and
forth, clicking and sloshing on the surface waiting for that monster crash.
So many of you that only fish live bait cannot fathom the effort that us top
water folks put into this type of fishing. But if you give it a try and
manage to get a few strikes, you will understand the thrill of top water
fishing.
I can remember several years back, I had a guy on
the boat that had never done top water and had no confidence in his ability
to catch these monster fish he had only heard tales of catching.
I took him to a spot that has miles of shoreline
that is a productive spots for this kind of action. I gave him a little
lesson on how to cast and retrieve the lure of choice for this day, a
MirrOlure TOP PUP, black back with white bottom.
Now keep in mind, he had never tried this and had
no confidence in his ability to get a strike working a top water bait. The
first thirty minutes were frustrating but he did get the hang of it and he
had the lure walking and talking to the fish. Then all of the sudden it was
like a toilet flushing and he was hooked up. I still remember the look on
his face when he turned to me and said, xxxxxx, I've got one. The next
couple of minutes was probably the best time he ever had as the fish ran and
screamed line from the reel. As he angled the fish closer to the boat the
more he got excited. He had hooked his first top water red fish and was
hootin and hollerin to beat the band. When the fish came to the boat, I
scooped it up in the net and I thought he was going to explode with
excitement. He jumped from the front deck and grabbed the fish with no
concern for the sharp hooks dangling from the lure. He brought that fish up
to his chest and hollered "Take My Picture". He was a grown man and acted
like a kid on Christmas morning with a new toy. This is just one of many
people that have learned of the excitement form TOP WATER fishing.
Nat Stahl with his first top water red
Here are some key points about top water fishing.
Fish areas that have finger mullet moving down
the shoreline.
Stay as far away from the area you are fishing as
you can.
When moving to a new area turn off your big motor
and use your trolling motor to get close to the area.
Cast your bait as close to the waters edge as you
can (right up against the shore line).
Be as quiet as you can. Boat noise will scare the
fish you are after.
Make your lure work as it was intended. If it is
a walk the dog lure, then make it walk.
When you get a strike, DO NOT set the hook until
the rod is doubled over.
If the fish is striking around the lure but not
getting hooked up, STOP the retrieve for a few seconds. Or you can twitch
the lure without moving it towards the boat.
If you follow this advise and you are holding
your mouth right, you will catch fish.
The flounder bite has been pretty good and should
get better this month. Try a lead head jig with a mud minnow worked around
dock, bridges and rock piles. If you want a little added help, take a
chartreuse grub and cut off 3/4" of it and slide it on the jig before you
put on your minnow. This will help the fish see the bait better. Chartreuse
is a good color for the stained water we have here.
Trout will continue to hold around the bridges
and docks and can be caught using heavy jig heads with a Sea Striker Trout
Killer fished just off of the bottom or the conventional float rig with a
shrimp. If you are using a jig head and Trout Killer, I like the Chartreuse
color and work it just off of the bottom with a twitch movement so it looks
like a wounded bait bouncing on the bottom.
The offshore bottom bite should turn on this
month with nice catches of sea bass, snapper, grouper, beeliners and
amberjacks.
Jeffery Domino with help from the mate with a
jack that wore him out.
Jeff Domino with a stout 2 plus pound Beeliner
Remember Moms and Dads, take your kids fishing
and you will not be looking for them Friday and Saturday night as they will
be home in bed waiting to go the next day. I MEAN THIS, it will make a
positive difference in their lives.
