It might be the off-season for many anglers around the country, but to coastal/saltwater anglers, fishing activity is just beginning to heat up. What’s working for anglers, and what could you try on the water to improve your odds of catching fish and having more fun?
Here are some tips:
- Red Hot Redfish – Redfish are getting more aggressive as the temperatures cool, especially along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico by Alabama’s Mobile Bay. They love crabs, but also will snap up any shrimp, small fish or anything else they can find. Try throwing a spinnerbait along a weedy coastline or in 20-30 feet of water later in the fall, as the redfish move to deeper water in the colder weather.
- Mississippi Reefs – The action is heating up along the Gulf Coast in Mississippi, where the state recently established several reefs with debris from recent hurricanes. Fish of all kinds are settling in nicely, and they’re starting to attract bigger fish from further off the coast. Commonly found fish species include redfish, flounder, trout, grouper, snapper and mackerel. You can visit www.dmr.ms.gov/joomla16/index.php/marine-fisheries/artificial-reef for more information on reef locations.
- Kingfish on the Coast – Along Florida’s West Coast, particularly around Tampa Bay, kingfish are starting to show up close to the coast in huge numbers. They have lots of teeth, so be sure to bring plenty of pre-rigged wire and respect the fish when you land them. Small fish like herring on spinning tackle seems to work well.
- Migrating Salmon – Chinook salmon have made their annual fall migration to Pacific Coast fishing estuaries (especially in Oregon and California), and are available to be had. As the season goes along, fish will head further into the head sections of tidewater, so be sure to follow tidal stretches and understand tidal influences (the best fishing can be had when low tide hits in the early morning). Bobbers and bait (salmon roe, tuna balls or fresh sandshrimp) tend to work particularly well.
- Striper Action – Striped bass activity is heating up along the Atlantic coast in New England, particularly around Cape Cod. Try tubes and worms among other lures.
Be sure to search for the waterway you’re headed to on Fishidy to find the latest reports, tips and detailed maps.
Good luck and tight lines!
