It's Happening! The Fall Migration!
Capt. Alan Sherman
September 16, 2009
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
The Fall Migration normally starts in September and ends in mid to late November. During this short migration season huge schools of baitfish head south for the winter ending up in Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. As these baitfish move south some of the schools stick in the bays and inlets they pass holding migrating fish like the snook, tarpon, sharks, mackerels, jacks, ladyfish, snapper, grouper, bluefish and pompano for weeks or months as long as there is something for them to feed on and water temperatures stay in a comfortable range. As an angler it is your responsibility to take advantage of this migration before it moves out of your range. I know of no wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, mother, father or boss that would not let a fishermen take advantage of this fishing spectacle. This is your time to get in on some of the best action offshore or inshore that will take place in the upcoming days ahead of us.
As I sit behind my desk and write this fishing report in the back of my mind visions of schools of baitfish migrating along the Southeast coast all the way to Flamingo are tormenting me and the reason is because I am writing and not fishing. In the past few weeks I have fished in Flamingo, in Sebastian Inlet, Offshore and in North Biscayne Bay. Everywhere I have gone I have seen the signs of a Fall Migration that is taking place right now off of South Florida. I have mentioned this to some of my fellow guides and they are bewildered at this migration taking place in early September instead of October or November. My take on this is that due to us not having a tropical system in our area for almost the entire summer the baitfish schools have been allowed to work their way south without strong tropical force winds to confuse them. If so I expect an early invasion of mackerel, bluefish, pompano, kingfish and dolphins that we have not seen in sometime.
This past weekend I was at the Sebastian Inlet and saw schools of pilchards and threadfin herring, schools of finger mullet and lots of Spanish mackerel, large jack crevalles, a nice redfish and over a dozen snook to 20 pounds caught in just a few hours. All a sign of a Fall Migration! Today I talked to a tackle shop in West Palm and was told of large schools of baitfish that were attacked by large schools of Spanish mackerel again signs of a Fall Migration!
Offshore I have seen or caught as many as 25 dolphins to 7 pounds, kingfish, bonitos, snapper, sharks and an assortment of jacks.
Inshore in North Biscayne Bay jacks, trout, snappers, barracudas, ladyfish, snook and small tarpon are available.
Flamingo has had big schools of small and large tarpon, lots of redfish and snook, sea trout, snapper, tripletail and sharks.
What are you waiting for? Call me and let's get in on the hot fishing taking place right now and for the next few months.
Check out my new web site and see your monthly catches and pictures.
www.getemsportfishing.com
Check out my report in the Miami Herald's Sports section under Fishing Updates each Thursday, the Florida Sportsman Magazines South Florida Internet Fishing Report
(www.floridaspotsman.com), my monthly Action Spotter Fishing Report for the South Region in the Florida Sportsman Magazine each month or tune into the Florida Sportsman Magazines Live Radio Show on 1080 WMCU on the AM dial or listen on the internet at www.1080wmcu.com every Saturday morning from 7 to 8 AM and here the up to the minute fishing forecasts from some of the top Capt.'s in South Florida like Capt. Jimbo Thomas on the Thomas Flyer, Capt. Bouncer Smith on Bouncers Dusky, Capt Skip Bradeen on the Blue Chips Too out of Whale Harbor Marina, Capt. Wayne Conn on The Reward Fleet, and more.
I have recently been wearing a lot of Columbia Sports Wear on my fishing charters and the new Blood & Guts shirts are amazing. I have had mackerel, cobia and snook just splatter me with blood and one good washing and the shirts are as good as new. Check out their web site at www.columbia.com
Sponsors: Yamaha, Bob Hewes Boats, Maverick, Minn Kota, Lowrance Electronics, Daiwa, General Motors & Chevrolet, Rapala, Mustad, Ande Lines, Pure Fishing, Gulp, Berkley, Precision Tackle, Cajun Thunders, Capt. Hank Brown's Hook Up Lures, Hydro Glow Lights, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Saltwater Assassins, Key Largo Rods, Lee Fisher Cast Nets, Smartshield, Master Repair in Stuart Florida, Power Pole, Stow Master Nets, superfishlight.com, Columbia Wear
Capt. Alan Sherman
"Get Em" Sportfishing Charters
www.getemsportfishing.com
Host of Florida Sportsman Radio Live/South
1080 WMCU AM Saturdays 7 to 8 AM
786-436-2064
Miami Fishing Forecast:
Cooler temperatures are not far away and the fall migration of baitfish and predators has already started north of us. Snook season is now open on both coasts and fishing should get better everyday right up to the end of December.
Target Species:
Snook, Tarpon, Redfish, Sea Trout, Cobia, Kingfish, Dolphins, Permit, Sharks, Tripletail
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