Capt. Rick Davidson (grassflats2@yahoo.com), Editor
It's been a very busy month for us at the Sea Hag. Fall tournaments, lots of larger fish being caught offshore, and good fishing in general in spite of a very unusual weather pattern kept us guessing much of the month. Things were hot. Several record highs for October (my car was registering 97 degrees midway through the month) kept water temps up and made fishing inshore challenging early in the month. Windy weekends kept some offshore fishermen away too, but in spite of the conditions, there were some great fish caught. The redfish bite is starting to take off, and some over-36 inch fish were taken late in the month as they prepare for their spawn offshore. Trout continued to hold in deeper water, and some great amberjack, red grouper and cobia were taken from offshore.
The Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club had its fall tournament at the Sea Hag and although the fishing was tough, there were some nice fish brought in to be weighed. Allen Turner took the overall Master Angler as well as inshore angler, largest trout and largest flounder. Russ Roy took the biggest redfish. Offshore angler Ken Knopf, my ride later in the month, took best offshore angler with a 10 pound kingfish, and Debby Carter took the Master Lady Angler award.
A bunch of pictures this time from me, including our fearless leader, Charlie Norwood and son Chase, with this fine cobia. I managed a nice one during the month as well, along with this nice smoker kingfish caught on Ken Knopf's boat. That's Ken holding the nice Spanish mackerel. Capt. Tommy Thompson found this nice redfish while we were testing my new jack plate later in the month.
November Fishing Forecast
In spite of the unusually high temperatures in October, I think we can count on some cooler weather in November. The offshore fishing will continue to improve as gags will make more of an appearance at the cleaning tables. They will be taken in some closer waters as water temperatures cool. Trolling diving lipped lures or drifting and jigging over live bottom is a great way to locate some keepers in 25 to 50 foot depths. When they don't produce, find some good hard bottom structure and fish live pinfish or dead bait, especially squid or threadfin herring, with enough weight to keep the bait on the bottom. Tighten down your drag and hold on when the bite starts. Kingfish will continue to be around, sometimes even past Thanksgiving, but they are on their way south for the year so get them early in the month. If you can find offshore bait pods, troll spoons or anchor on structure and chum, fishing live bait with stinger rigs or deep jig. Many kings will be taken on trolled grouper lures; just hope their teeth don't get to the mono leader. Inshore, redfish will continue to be congregating for their spawning run offshore--these will be the adult fish, over slot size, which will never return to the shallows again. This could be the best month to pick up a huge inshore redfish. Use anything from topwater plugs to cut bait. The trophy trout bite has been hampered by the warm water temperatures, although there have been plenty of smaller and slot sized fish available on the flats. As the temps cool, the larger fish will feed close to shore and will be fun to target with topwater lures, and when it gets very cold, switch to suspending lures like the Mirrolure Catch 2000 or Catch 5 series. During prolonged cold spells, call the marina and ask whether the trout have made it into the river yet. November should be a great fishing month, leading up to the colder months of the year. Remember that we have all your fishing tackle, live and dead bait, and even fishing licenses at the Ship's Store at the Sea Hag Marina.
Here are some reports from our guides….and I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome back Capt. Steve Rassel, who has been out for a few months but is now back in fighting form. Welcome home, Steve.
Capt. Brian Smith www.bigbendcharters.com
Things they are a'changing--at the beginning of the month, long offshore trips produced limit catches of huge red grouper, along with amberjack and a nice kingfish kicked in. Now, after a cold front, we're picking up some gag grouper closer in and kingfish are patrolling the coast 5-10 miles out. Cobia are still hanging around. David Woods landed a 53 lb. cobia the last weekend of the month. Florida snapper are plentiful on near shore hard bottom areas, along with some good seabass. Flounder are always a welcome surprise in this area too. The flatties are in sandy spots in 20 feet of water, but you need patience with your bait. A reminder, NOAA (National Organization Against Anglers), has magically determined the recreational quota of amberjack has been met and has closed the fishery for the rest of the year. Don't rule out the 'funability' of catching amberjack, they have been running 20+ pounds and a photo will keep much longer than the filets. Like hunting? Make it a surf 'n turf to your day. Hunt in the morning -- bag a buck --and then take a half day jaunt on the gulf for gaggle of grouper.
Capt. Steve Rassel www.lastcastrass.com
October was almost a month behind for the fall bite on the flats. It finally got into full swing though with plenty of sand trout and mack's in the usual spots around the outside sandbars both north and south of the river. T he redfish are still plentiful around the cattails and rock piles at low tide and in the creek mouths at high tide. There are plenty of trout out there, you just have to weed through the small ones. In a good area they will bite Bass Assassin baits in the green and yellow varieties. When the bite slows, go to Gulp. We also have seen some nice seabass showing up now on the deeper flats. During high tide and early in the morning, fish in 1 to 3 feet of water. Move to deeper water--6 ft-- as the tide lowers or it gets too hot. With November getting here soon, the water will cool and the fish will bite better in the warm part of the day. Catch a few--leave a few. I'd also like to include short personal message of thanks for all the prayers and good wishes sent my way during my troubled times. Thanks and God Bless.
Capt. Tommy Thompson
(352) 284-1763
www.flanaturecoast.com/capttommy
One reason I hate October fishing at Steinhatchee is that I never seem to be able to participate! That's one of a couple of months during the year that I have to head out to exotic locations (like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Texas) to do some photography jobs. And then, like clockwork, when I schedule a charter or just plan to fish for fun--the wind blows like it's done most of this October!
Anyway, I did get a few trips in, but my trusty skiff has stayed up in the rack at the Sea Hag all month. One day, Rick and I paid attention to the weather forecast, assumed we were going to have bad winds all day, and took my Native Watercraft kayaks up into the creek system south of the river. Of course, as you can see from the photos, there was NO WIND! Anyway, the tide was very shallow and we almost couldn't maneuver the kayaks. But, when we did, we found some nice trout laid up in potholes at the mouth of Pine Log Creek. I also managed to get a 5-foot gator to eat a Rapala Skitterwalk plug and went on a short 'redneck sleigh ride' until he let the plug go. You can see the gator in the upper right-hand photo as he strips line from my light spinning reel! As the other guides reported, and based on my keeping in touch with anglers and guides all along the Big Bend, this warm-ish weather has been an issue, as has the wind.. I'm more confident that we'll really see fishing improve as the weather cools off and the nights get longer. My fishing clients think so, too--I've already booked lots of days for November!
My award-winning fishing guide book, The Saltwater Angler's Guide To Florida's Big Bend and Emerald Coast, might be a help to you if you spend lots of time at Steinhatchee (or anywhere from Chassahowitzka to Pensacola). It's got LOTS of secrets, tips and tricks, so don't forget to pick up a copy at the Sea Hag Ship's Store the next time you're at the marina. You can learn more about the book at www.saltwateranglersguide.com
If you're interested in a 'catch-and-release hunting for big fish' trip, please give me a call or check out my Web site, www.flanaturecoast.com/capttommy . And if you're interested in some more in-depth information about fishing Florida's Big Bend, take a look at my weekly Fishing4Cast on the Florida Sportsman Magazine Web site at http://www.floridasportsman.com/4cast/bb or at the Florida Sportsman Big Bend Action Spotter column in each month's issue.
Captain Steve Hart, www.legallimitscharters.com (352) 498-0299
