From the land to the deep sea, Stuart’s inshore and offshore waters offer an abundance and variety of different catches. We’re proud to team with the Coastal Angler to bring you the latest fishing reports to help put you on the fish and keep your lines tight
A moment of silence for my late best friend Capt Patrick Price “DayMaker” who passed 9/6/21. If you’ve been on the Treasure Coast for any length of time, I’m sure you knew him or at least heard his name. The only thing better off since his passing are the fish. I just wanted to take this moment to say, “we miss you, Patrick and wish you were here still fishing alongside us.” We made it through another hot and steamy one, and September is the perfect month to clean up, fix and replace everything that broke the last few months.
First off, a trip to the store to re-up on all our cleaning supplies. Shurhold has you covered. From the extendable blue and yellow deck brushes that we’re all so familiar with, to soap, polish, wax and even newly designed shammies that absorb more water and leave the boat drier than anything else I’ve ever used.
There are still some dolphin, blackfin tuna and wahoo around, so I’m not saying don’t go fishing, it’s actually still pretty good but if you don’t get this stuff done in September and October, you’ll be stuck doing it when it really fires off later in the year. Take this time to go through the boat, wash and wax, make sure all your bilge pumps and float switches work. Check to make sure your live wells are not making noise, fresh and saltwater pumps working along with pressure switches, replace any lights that may have burned out, speakers that may have blown.
Go through all your safety equipment with the main ones being life vests, fire extinguisher, handheld VHF, flares, and EPIRB. It’s good habit to have a ditch bag ready to go with the above basics along with some water, peanut butter or some type of protein and a flashlight. Whether you’re doing a long trip or just a daily outing being prepared like that can make the difference.
Historically, we would be taking the kites off the boat and switching over to trolling as the fall approaches but in the last few years there’s been some really good live baiting days in September, so we’ve been keeping it all on board and we’re ready for anything. I would recommend the same for you. I am excited to get the OTC dredges back in the water and see what kind of footage and ideas we can come up with this season, but I think that’s going to have to wait until November around here. This time of year, off the Treasure Coast whether you’re trolling or live baiting, I would recommend a little bit more wire in the spread than normal. Wahoo are little more common now, along with some big king mackerel, so it’s worth sacrificing a few bites to catch the ones you actually have.
Weather is one of the key components that influences all fishing strategies. Historically, in September, the weather focus will be on the tropical development of storms that could affect the Florida peninsula and its near coastal waters.
The September summer will slowly and subtly transition to fall and provide the potential for tropical low-pressure systems to peak this month – and could have many possible impacts for offshore fishing interests. Barring any weather systems of this nature, offshore fishing can be business as usual as favorable weather windows allow fishing crews to fish the many reef structures east of the St. Lucie Inlet.
Reefs and wrecks that form the bottom contour of our fishing zone are the foundation for saltwater ecosystems and will set the food chain in action as larger fish are attracted to the smaller fish and creatures that magically associate themselves with these structures. Many species of fish, including snapper and grouper, will be found around the base of these reef sites and can also patrol to the higher profiles along the reef line and “suspend” atop of a particular reef, at mid-level depths in the water column.
Live and dead bait strategies will work in tandem as anglers deploy their spreads at different depths. Always crucial is bait deployment to make sure the baits are deployed near or around the top of these reef structures. Fishing around structure is the common thread that runs through all types of successful fishing strategies.
Vermilion snapper will likely be found in good numbers this month and will best be caught using cut bait (especially squid). Mangrove, lane, and mutton snapper will also avail themselves to salty grocery collectors during the days of September.
The fall mullet run has begun on the Treasure Coast! I love fishing this time of year as the mullet migration invades our local waterways, bait is plentiful, and the predators are abundant. This is the time of year when I won’t leave the dock unless I have a cast net on the boat. Mullet is easily accessible if you can throw circles with the net. Typically, I suggest using a 3/8-inch mesh. This is a good general use size mesh for varying mullet sizes this month.
Snook fishing early mornings with top waters is also a good choice if the cast net is not an option. Fishing around the structure can produce some epic bites on the surface from said topwaters like Rapala Skitter Walks and MirrOllure Top Dogs. Expect some big jacks, redfish, trout, and the occasional tarpon mixed in when topwater fishing.
Tarpon fishing has been good around channel edges fishing live mullet on the drop offs. Big circle hooks, heavy leaders, and large Quantum Cabo spinning reels recommended if you want to see the larger silver kings boatside.
Beach fishing is a good alternative if you don’t have a boat available this month. Drive the beaches by car until you find the schools of mullet nearshore. Scouting with binoculars from the sand dunes is an easy way to locate said schools when leapfrogging from beach-to-beach scouting for said mullet schools. Fish lures or live mullet around the schooling mullet off the beach for a variety of species like tarpon, snook, ladyfish, jacks, and sharks. If the bite is on, you’ll see schools of mullet showering out of the water. Lets go!!
Tight lines!
