Fall Fishing
Capt. Craig Lahr
November 8, 2012
Clearwater - Saltwater Fishing Report
What's Hot!
The King Mackerel bite has been off the hook. The big ones are closer to the beach with all the bait and Mackerel. Ladyfish and schools of Bluerunners have brought these Kings (aka smokers) just outside of the swim buoys.
Temps are in the mid 70's in the morning, and as high as the high 70's by late afternoon. Other species include Hammerhead Sharks, which is very odd. We usually have lots of Blacktips and Spinnersharks which devour all the fish feeding on the same bait fore Kingfish. As for bait, one throw with a 10' 1/4 inch mesh cast net can nab you 300 to 500 baits or more.
Don't throw away the dead ones. Look for the birds working on our beach reefs up to a 1/2 mile off the beach.
Once you find them, anchor up, start live chumming, and the fish will frenzy up. Your boat will become the food source for Mackerel, Kings and possibly many other species. My favorite way is slow trolling, to cover more area. Have your rods rigged and ready for Cobia, Triple Tail, and even Grouper in case they show up.
With cold front now starting to come in, the water will be cooling down into the low 70's, and this should bring in a good push of Kingfish. The snook will be moving to their winter canals.
The baits of choice are scaled sardines small pinfish or select shrimp. There are still some Tarpon off the beach feeding on the massive schools of bait with all the other species. Redfish and Trout are starting to move around a little more with high winds out of the northeast. Find areas with cleaner water when winds blow up to 20 knots, because of the muddy water the winds create. Clearwater has such a vast amount of flats! The oyster beds are still holding a good number of Reds. Small pigfish and pinfish under a cork, or dead ones on the bottom will get the job done on the high tides going out. After the front, things in the backwater and on the flats will change. With lows at night around 60° and highs in the mid 70's during the day can bring inshore waters to the same temps. Look for the fishing to pick way up after things settle down.
Now is the time to book a charter for Grouper. Season closes October 31st, and fishing is incredible!
Thanks,
Capt. Craig Lahr.
Target Species:
redfish trout snook kingfish grouper and much more
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