Inshore:
Another week of wonderful weather and some good fishing days mark the arrival of fall to the Treasure Coast. As the mullet run continues for now, look for the bait schools to find the hungry fish. The fish are feeding heavily in anticipation of winter months coming ahead. October is a fantastic month to enjoy the fishing in our area. Mild weather will continue to dominate our weather pattern for now.

Michael and Paul were out with me this week. The guys caught a good variety of fish, including one decent snook and lots of snapper, sheepshead and other assorted species. Tom and Tom, Jr. were out on a busy day full of snapper and sheepshead around the docks and spending some time catching endless jacks, ladyfish and mackerel on the flats and they gorged themselves on the bait schools. It was some fun fishing for us this week. Nighttime fishing around the docks and bridges have been productive for snook anglers. Trout and redfish have been on the flats in the mornings. Use top water lures to start your day for some explosive results. You can continue to use those top water lures on cloudy and overcast days throughout the morning. Switch to DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits as the sun rises to continue to fish for trout and redfish. Mackerel, jacks and ladyfish have been following the bait schools in with the tides and crashing the bait schools around the river. It's a fun time of year to fish!

Top water lures provide lots of excitement this time of year. There are many brands and types. I categorize them into two groups. Chugging lures like the Chug Bug brand and "walk the dog" types similar to Mirrolure Top Dog lures. Both types are productive! If you have never used top water lures, try the chugging types that are simple to use and can get you hooked on this kind of fishing. "Walk the dog" lures take a little practice to get a rhythm and pattern going and are very effective. I also love the DOA Bait Buster, which can be used as a top water or slow sinking lure. Even weedless hooked jerk baits can be used as a top water presentation with great results. This is the time of year to get out and use them! Have fun!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!