SEPTEMBER

INSHORE

With September comes extreme high tides. In the backcountry along the ICW and the St. Johns River, these tides will open up the shallowest Spartina marshes and mud flats bringing redfish and sheepshead looking for fiddlers and mud crabs, along with snails in areas that normally have no water. If you listen closely you not only can see them tailing or with their backs out of the water, you can also hear them. Redfish will slurp the snails right off the grass or have their head down digging for crabs. It is time to break out the fly rods and the weedless jerk baits to pitch to the slots in the grass where you see tails and tips. A gold spoon will also work. This is a good time to get out of your boat and wade fish and be as quiet as you possibly can. Not only can you catch these big fish, you can also get some great photos.

With this time of year brings great surf fishing, which will trigger good bluefish bites, also whiting and black drum along with the fall mullet run. If you are looking for bigger fish, tarpon will be hanging near the inlets feeding on baits, both early in the morning and late in the evening. 

This is also the start of the flounder run, with flounder being all over the river. The big ones will be around rock piles and docks. Flounder will hit artificial and live baits at this time of the year.

Spanish mackerel will be making their inlet runs in the river and ICW. They will take a silver spoon trolling deep in the river.

Trout will be gathering at creek mouths and areas were the water is moving. They will hit a jig, diving plugs, and live shrimp.

OFFSHORE

Fish the wrecks northeast of Mayport for snapper and grouper. South of Mayport, anglers will do well with beeliners (vermilion snapper), cobia, triggerfish, and amberjack.

Run off shore of St. Augustine and troll ballyhoo combos for sailfish.  


OCTOBER FORECAST

INSHORE

The doormats are here! This time of year the big flounder are stacked up in the inlets, along the jetties, docks, or any place there is structure under the water. You want to soak a mud minnow or mullet on a fish-finder rig and wait for the thump. Also you can use a jig head with a soft plastic, working it slow while waiting for the flounder to stop the bait. 

Looking around oyster beds and grassy areas you will find redfish and trout. Bluefish, yellowmouth trout, and black drum are also in the inlets and ICW. Live bait, like mullet and shrimp, will work for all. You can also use artificials, jigs with soft plastics, early morning topwater plugs, and suspending diving baits. The cooler water will bring a great trout topwater bite with low light, either early in the morning or on cloudy days. 

Beach fishermen will still find whiting along the shore along with pompano before the fall temperatures send them south. There will be some tarpon around feeding on live mullet at the mouths of inlets.

OFFSHORE

South of St. Augustine to Daytona Beach, look for sailfish. They will be circling up bait in the blue water. You will want to get close to see this. This is truly a sight to see. And you will want to toss your baits into the schools, no doubt.

Wrecks close to shore will still be holding grouper and snapper. African pompano and cobia will be at the deeper structures. You will want to use live bait. This is also the time of year to troll the ledge for dolphin and wahoo. At the roll down you may even catch a blue marlin. 

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Capt. Kyle Erickson grew up fishing and scouting the near shore and backwaters of The Big Bend. Through his years of experience, Capt. Erickson is able to offers expert guide services throughout The Big Bend and Forgotten Coast. He specializes in trout, redfish, tarpon and tripletail fishing, but is more than capable of putting you on some hardheaded cobia action. Both personable and friendly, Capt. Kyle will deliver a fun-filled day on the water full of drag-screaming action.


Contact Info:
Capt. Kyle Erickson
(p) 850 229–2710
(e) kyleerickson85@gmail.com