08-29-2004, 06:51 PM
The big event on the Treasure Coast the past couple of years in September has definitely been the tarpon bite. Each year, fishing gets better and better. Pretty soon we will see Florida Keys residents traveling north to Stuart to target our “silver kings”. I can picture it now. Stuart, the “Sailfish AND tarpon capital of the world”. September provides many angling opportunities. It’s the beginning of fall and we will cover it all!
This month marks a few changes in both weather and fishing. The dog days of summer are waning and temperatures will begin to drop slightly. September also marks the opening of snook season. Remember your regulations: 26-34 inch slot with 2 fish per person. Another welcomed change is the start of the fall mullet run. Schools of six- inch baitfish will be everywhere. Along the surf, large pods will be traveling south with plenty of predators following them. Nighttime fishing along area bridges is awesome at times reminding me of the fourth of July. From the Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, try Gulfstream flair hawks and DOA rootbeer terrorize while the current is running. Last year this bridge was hot the first few weeks of September. The finger mullet will be thick everywhere. The Stuart Causeway is sure to see lots of action this year with nearby Jensen under construction and closed to landlocked anglers. Twenty feet from the bridge, look for a 4 foot wide shadowline. The snook will be lying there waiting for unsuspecting bait swimming by. Snook are big-time ambush feeders and this is a perfect spot for them. Try casting topwater lures (bombers, mirrolures, windcheaters) or DOA glo shrimp, live shrimp or mullet 20 feet past the shadow line and retrieve. I have occasionally hooked up tarpon on this bridge with windcheaters which you can cast a country mile. Most tarpon will be far from the bridge but within casting distance with these babies. Try to fish at least two nights in a row and take notes. You will notice about a 45-minute period when the snook simply go nuts. Most snookers throwing topwater lures go with spinners or baitcasters with around 20-lb. test and beef it up to 80-lb. mainline throwing flairhawks. No matter how heavy you fish, sooner or later you will get your clock cleaned.
Starting in the surf, whiting and croaker are still around in the first trough. Try ultra light 6-lb. test, casting no more than 10 feet out, using crappie jigs tipped with shrimp, squid or clams. Guaranteed great action for everyone on light tackle. Don’t be afraid to toss a whiting out on a circle hook with beefed-up tackle (12-20 lb. test) for snook roaming in the trough. You can also cast net all the finger mullet you want, so fling one out on a livebait rig. If you feel like taking a stroll, bring a 7-foot rod with 12-lb. test using a 20-lb. leader, throwing an assortment of artificials and there’s a good chance of hooking into snook, tarpon, permit, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and who knows what else. DOA’s baitbuster, crabs and terrorize, bombers, spoons, Gag’s mini mambo, Yozuri plugs and windcheaters are best for those long casts. Just look for the baitschools. A good place to start, if the water clears up, is Bathtub Beach, fishing south to the Inlet. If conditions are dirty heading south, just fish north casting diagonally, working the baits in the first trough (the “strike zone”). Last month we experienced terrible water conditions but hopefully things will change. Resident bluefish, pompano and Spanish mackerel always show up at the craziest times. Early morning till 10 a.m. and near dusk (low light hours) seem to produce the best results. If fishing from a boat surfside, look for tarpon inside 20’. Schools of permit and snook are also in close. Be respectful of the surf anglers by not crowding their already limited space. It’s easier to motor 300 yards than it is for the angler on the beach to walk. Don’t forget to use plenty of sunscreen and bring lots of water.
Moving into the River, it’s the same deal. Fish early or late. If you must fish midday, the fish move into deeper water into the inlet, crossroads, bridges, channel markers or anywhere they can find cooler water temps and/or shade. By 11 a.m., shallow water reaches the hi 80’s and there won’t be anybody home. Water temps in 10 feet of water are cooler by up to 10-15 degrees. Since we all know fish have a tendency to outsmart us, just follow their lead. Cooler is better. It’s still hot out there. If there are more releases from the canals and Lake Okeechobee, fishing deep will keep you in saltwater. Fresh water sits on top in the St. Lucie River, so the dirtier the water, the deeper you need to fish. Last year in September, water quality improved dramatically so let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Tarpon will be everywhere. In the North Fork of the St. Lucie, look around Club Med south to the Roosevelt Bridge. These tarpon will be munching on abundant glass minnows and eels that run through the area in September and can be found all the way to the Hospital dock. Heading east, the St. Lucie Inlet and crossroads to the Stuart Causeway are a good bet for tarpon action just east of the ICW channel. Sailfish flats will hold tarpon, but it’s a large area to cover. Channels into the Dolphin Grill and Anchors Aweigh Marina hold a few huge tarpon (over 100 lbs.) and like to feast on mullet. There seems to be a resident “monster” that stalks the Indian Riverside pier looking for easy prey. You can spot them rolling in the channel all the way north to Fort Pierce, but “rolling” doesn’t necessarily mean “eating”. At the power plant entrance, right up against the yellow boom and just outside of Little Mud Creek in 12 feet of water has produced some super jumpers. These fish have been in Little Mud Creek for two months now and will really test your patience. They almost seem to recognize certain boats and absolutely refuse anything you might throw at them. Maybe a disguise is in order. Bullsharks will show up in this area at times spooking the tarpon, but these tarpon will reappear.
Tripletail will still be hanging around channel markers up and down the Indian River until the beginning of October. It seems the hotter the air temp the better they like it. Live shrimp on a 2/0, ¼ oz. trollrite jighead seem to be the preferred bait with DOA shrimp and terrorize, assorted sort rubber baits working well too. You have to be mobile, spending no more than 10 minutes on each piling. Flounder and jacks will be spread out all over. Spanish mackerel in the past few years have appeared unexpectedly around the Mosquito Bridge on the Jensen Causeway, making them a “boaters only” target for the next two years during the construction period. Black drum are hanging around the structure of the bridges, with the Roosevelt and Jensen Bridge holding drum to 10 lbs. on the bottom. Snook remain on the beaches, inlets, flats and bridges.
Night fishing is excellent in September. Private lighted docks hold plenty of trout and snook. If you’re fishing these docks, approach with much stealth, cast into the shadow lines and work your casts close to the docks. Slow sinking DOA glo shrimp are hard to beat. Live shrimp (baitshops should now have) and topwater plugs will definitely work. If there are lots of glass minnows around, try throwing Capt. Joes Jigging spoons and match the hatch. They’ve made a believer out of me! Remember to respect the dock owners and not blast your casts onto the docks leaving line and hooks behind.
There are plenty of great fishing opportunities in September. The key is low light for shallow fishing, deeper water for midday. New fish pictures are now posted on my site. Just click on “Latest Fish Pictures”
Capt. Bob Bushholz
http://www.catch22fish.com
(772) 225-6436
[signature]
This month marks a few changes in both weather and fishing. The dog days of summer are waning and temperatures will begin to drop slightly. September also marks the opening of snook season. Remember your regulations: 26-34 inch slot with 2 fish per person. Another welcomed change is the start of the fall mullet run. Schools of six- inch baitfish will be everywhere. Along the surf, large pods will be traveling south with plenty of predators following them. Nighttime fishing along area bridges is awesome at times reminding me of the fourth of July. From the Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, try Gulfstream flair hawks and DOA rootbeer terrorize while the current is running. Last year this bridge was hot the first few weeks of September. The finger mullet will be thick everywhere. The Stuart Causeway is sure to see lots of action this year with nearby Jensen under construction and closed to landlocked anglers. Twenty feet from the bridge, look for a 4 foot wide shadowline. The snook will be lying there waiting for unsuspecting bait swimming by. Snook are big-time ambush feeders and this is a perfect spot for them. Try casting topwater lures (bombers, mirrolures, windcheaters) or DOA glo shrimp, live shrimp or mullet 20 feet past the shadow line and retrieve. I have occasionally hooked up tarpon on this bridge with windcheaters which you can cast a country mile. Most tarpon will be far from the bridge but within casting distance with these babies. Try to fish at least two nights in a row and take notes. You will notice about a 45-minute period when the snook simply go nuts. Most snookers throwing topwater lures go with spinners or baitcasters with around 20-lb. test and beef it up to 80-lb. mainline throwing flairhawks. No matter how heavy you fish, sooner or later you will get your clock cleaned.
Starting in the surf, whiting and croaker are still around in the first trough. Try ultra light 6-lb. test, casting no more than 10 feet out, using crappie jigs tipped with shrimp, squid or clams. Guaranteed great action for everyone on light tackle. Don’t be afraid to toss a whiting out on a circle hook with beefed-up tackle (12-20 lb. test) for snook roaming in the trough. You can also cast net all the finger mullet you want, so fling one out on a livebait rig. If you feel like taking a stroll, bring a 7-foot rod with 12-lb. test using a 20-lb. leader, throwing an assortment of artificials and there’s a good chance of hooking into snook, tarpon, permit, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and who knows what else. DOA’s baitbuster, crabs and terrorize, bombers, spoons, Gag’s mini mambo, Yozuri plugs and windcheaters are best for those long casts. Just look for the baitschools. A good place to start, if the water clears up, is Bathtub Beach, fishing south to the Inlet. If conditions are dirty heading south, just fish north casting diagonally, working the baits in the first trough (the “strike zone”). Last month we experienced terrible water conditions but hopefully things will change. Resident bluefish, pompano and Spanish mackerel always show up at the craziest times. Early morning till 10 a.m. and near dusk (low light hours) seem to produce the best results. If fishing from a boat surfside, look for tarpon inside 20’. Schools of permit and snook are also in close. Be respectful of the surf anglers by not crowding their already limited space. It’s easier to motor 300 yards than it is for the angler on the beach to walk. Don’t forget to use plenty of sunscreen and bring lots of water.
Moving into the River, it’s the same deal. Fish early or late. If you must fish midday, the fish move into deeper water into the inlet, crossroads, bridges, channel markers or anywhere they can find cooler water temps and/or shade. By 11 a.m., shallow water reaches the hi 80’s and there won’t be anybody home. Water temps in 10 feet of water are cooler by up to 10-15 degrees. Since we all know fish have a tendency to outsmart us, just follow their lead. Cooler is better. It’s still hot out there. If there are more releases from the canals and Lake Okeechobee, fishing deep will keep you in saltwater. Fresh water sits on top in the St. Lucie River, so the dirtier the water, the deeper you need to fish. Last year in September, water quality improved dramatically so let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Tarpon will be everywhere. In the North Fork of the St. Lucie, look around Club Med south to the Roosevelt Bridge. These tarpon will be munching on abundant glass minnows and eels that run through the area in September and can be found all the way to the Hospital dock. Heading east, the St. Lucie Inlet and crossroads to the Stuart Causeway are a good bet for tarpon action just east of the ICW channel. Sailfish flats will hold tarpon, but it’s a large area to cover. Channels into the Dolphin Grill and Anchors Aweigh Marina hold a few huge tarpon (over 100 lbs.) and like to feast on mullet. There seems to be a resident “monster” that stalks the Indian Riverside pier looking for easy prey. You can spot them rolling in the channel all the way north to Fort Pierce, but “rolling” doesn’t necessarily mean “eating”. At the power plant entrance, right up against the yellow boom and just outside of Little Mud Creek in 12 feet of water has produced some super jumpers. These fish have been in Little Mud Creek for two months now and will really test your patience. They almost seem to recognize certain boats and absolutely refuse anything you might throw at them. Maybe a disguise is in order. Bullsharks will show up in this area at times spooking the tarpon, but these tarpon will reappear.
Tripletail will still be hanging around channel markers up and down the Indian River until the beginning of October. It seems the hotter the air temp the better they like it. Live shrimp on a 2/0, ¼ oz. trollrite jighead seem to be the preferred bait with DOA shrimp and terrorize, assorted sort rubber baits working well too. You have to be mobile, spending no more than 10 minutes on each piling. Flounder and jacks will be spread out all over. Spanish mackerel in the past few years have appeared unexpectedly around the Mosquito Bridge on the Jensen Causeway, making them a “boaters only” target for the next two years during the construction period. Black drum are hanging around the structure of the bridges, with the Roosevelt and Jensen Bridge holding drum to 10 lbs. on the bottom. Snook remain on the beaches, inlets, flats and bridges.
Night fishing is excellent in September. Private lighted docks hold plenty of trout and snook. If you’re fishing these docks, approach with much stealth, cast into the shadow lines and work your casts close to the docks. Slow sinking DOA glo shrimp are hard to beat. Live shrimp (baitshops should now have) and topwater plugs will definitely work. If there are lots of glass minnows around, try throwing Capt. Joes Jigging spoons and match the hatch. They’ve made a believer out of me! Remember to respect the dock owners and not blast your casts onto the docks leaving line and hooks behind.
There are plenty of great fishing opportunities in September. The key is low light for shallow fishing, deeper water for midday. New fish pictures are now posted on my site. Just click on “Latest Fish Pictures”
Capt. Bob Bushholz
http://www.catch22fish.com
(772) 225-6436
[signature]