Cooler November
Capt. Joel Gant
October 23, 2014
Hernando Beach - Saltwater Fishing Report
November means cooler temperatures, hotter fishing and Thanksgiving.
Now that a few cold fronts have moved through, you'll notice the fish a getting a lot more active. The Gag Grouper fishing has been off the hook. They can be caught anywhere from 15 – 40 ft. Look for the clearer water, start out with frozen threadfins cut in half, this will start the feeding frenzy with the Grunts. Once you get them working, switch to either a whole thread or live bait (Pinfish, small Grunts or Sand Perch). Be ready with the rod because when a Gag hits, it's like a bus on the end of your line. Now the problem is: Stuffed Turkey or Stuffed Grouper?
We are still catching some nice Cobia. As I've mention before, a Cobia will eat just about anything. On a recent charter, a Cobia came by so I grabbed a rod with just a ¼ oz jig/hook on it, it hit and gave us a 20 minute hard fight before we landed it.
Look for the Trout and Redfish inshore around structure like oyster beds, grassy areas and rock piles in 1 to 6 feet of water. Live pinfish or shrimp will almost always bring them in. They prefer the clear not dirty water, so you may have to search a little.
There are two fish I love to catch this time of year, Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel. Try around some of your favorite rock areas. I use a ¼ oz jig with baits like Mirrolure Lil Johns or Zooms jerk baits. Work these baits with a fast retrieve, they both love to chase and devourer a fast moving lure.
As we all know, its not if, it's when we have to have work done on our 2nd (and for some our 1st) love. That's right our boat. Recently I decided to upgrade my Yamaha F250 motor to a newer Yamaha F300. I found a deal I couldn't resist. I'm pretty handy at maintaining my boats and have worked on just about everything you can think of, but there are some things you just don't have the knowledge or tools to fix your boat. This is where a good marina comes in. There are some really good marinas here in Hernando Beach. One that I have used is The Blue Pelican Marina. From the owner, to the guys in the yard, to the guys behind the counter, all went beyond the call to help with a hand or information for me to make the motor swap and maintain my boat. So it's a good idea to stop by your local marina and talk to the guys so when you need work, you'll feel more comfortable knowing the people working on your boat.
Get out there on the water and make some memories with friends and family!
Capt. Joel operates Fishdaddy Charters out of Hernando Beach, he knows the local waters like the back of his hand, and works both inshore and offshore trips. You can reach him at 35 2 279-1615 or visit his website, www.fishdaddycharter.com
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