October Ushers in Fall Fishing
Capt. Dave Pinkham
September 25, 2009
Venice - Saltwater Fishing Report
As we move into the month of October I can't help but to get a little bit excited. With cooler temperatures starting to be the norm, this is a great time to do some fishing on the Gulf. What autumn means to anglers on Florida's Southwest Coast is a potpourri of different species of fish to go after. As fish sense the changing of the seasons they should begin moving in preparation for the cooler months ahead. This migration of sorts will put a wide variety of fish within striking distance for the angler in the know. With this said, following is a list of some of the different species of fish that should make a showing over the next few weeks.
Grouper are sort of the meat and potatoes for most fishermen out here on the gulf. The ocean floor west of our area is made up of a menagerie of rocky bottom, coral grasses, limestone ledges, shipwrecks and artificial reefs. This is exactly the type of environment that grouper love. Anglers in search of grouper need to be proficient with their fish-finder bottom machine. It's actually some of the simplest fishing on the gulf. When a change in the bottom is noticed, just toss a marker jug over the side, then drop some weighted baits to the bottom and hold on.
Snapper are also a sought after species on the gulf. The same bottom areas that hold grouper will often harbor snapper. The key to getting the snapper such as mangrove snapper to hit is by keeping the terminal tackle as light and simple as possible. Most any natural bait will get them hitting.
Blackfin tuna normally make a pretty good showing in October. Best bet to catch them will be to start looking in at least 100-feet of water. Look for fish busting at the surface. The two methods that have produced blackfin tuna for me in the past are trolling spoons and lures, and casting live baits.
King mackerel usually start making a big showing along our coast this month as they migrate southward. Normally the best water depths to locate the main schools of kings is in 35' feet to 65' feet of water.
Spanish mackerel have been hitting for the past few weeks and the action for them will really crank up in October. Cast netting up a bait well of live pilchards along the beach and taking them offshore is one of my favorite ways of fishing for them. I like to anchor the boat over hard bottom and start chumming with the live baits. If the mackerel are in the area it won't take long to draw them in.
Cobia are a local favorite, and have already started making a showing. Cobia can be rather cautious at times, but will usually fall for a well presented live bait such as a grunt or pinfish.
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