By Jimmy Tomazinis
Hello again. I hope all of you are having a wonderful start to this season. We have reached the peak of our fall transition, fishing-wise. After October, temperatures drop pretty quickly through November, and soon enough we are back to winter fishing for a few months. This is not a bad thing, just how our seasons unfold each year. It also adds a tremendous amount of variety to our fishing areas, which is good.
Take advantage of the shrimp while they’re still here. They should be big, but less numerous than they have been. I like outgoing tides the best since I think the shrimp move better when the tide is going the same direction that they’re going.
Black drum are a good bet this month. They’ll congregate around bridge pilings and along drop-offs looking for shrimp, clams, and crab. They also bite really well at night.
Stripers are another standout since they love the water temperatures dropping. Live shrimp would be my bait of choice. Fish them on jigs or fish-finder rigs around bridges or deeper docks.
Redfish are also around, but you might have to go all the way up against the bulkheads or the few grass edges we have since the water is so high. This time of year I find myself fishing the opposite ends of docks. A lot of the bait is moving closer to the bank, so the bigger fish follow them there. Just be careful of old pilings or debris if you push up that way. Flounder can also be found up against the banks.
Tarpon are still here, but they’ll be leaving soon enough. Once the water gets under 70 degrees they’ll be heading for warmer waters. A mullet or large live shrimp around bridges or bigger docks might connect you to one of these thrilling fish for a few moments if you’re lucky.
I also want to mention the great surf fishing we have this time of year. Pompano, whiting, and almost everything else is a possibility in the surf right now. Fresh shrimp, clams, and live sand fleas will have you covered for the most part, but a mullet will catch bigger or toothier fish if that’s what you’re after.
I hope you’re as excited as I am to get back out on the water. I will see you out there.
Tight lines.
Jimmy Tomazinis is a Jacksonville area native who has fished the St. Johns River his entire life. His passion for fish led him to study coastal biology at the University of North Florida. He has since participated in multiple fishery studies in Northeast Florida, continues to implement fish habitat and water quality improvement projects, fishes as much as he can, and has a monthly podcast called North Florida Fishing and Outdoors where the fishing conversation continues. Jimmy can be reached by email to mail@floridanewsline.com.
