South Indian River Fishing Report 9/4

September 4, 2011

Inshore:

The fall mullet run is in full swing around the Treasure Coast this month. Schools of finger mullet continue to filter into the river around the inlets bringing lots of hungry fish to feed on them. It's a great time of year to fish the river, inlets and beaches of the area and find lots of action. Have some fun this month!

Snook season opened September 1st and many eager anglers headed out to fish the jetties, bridges and docks around the river in search of that slot fish for dinner. Using live bait, feather jigs, Bait Busters and Terror Eyz can get you into some of the action. Fish slowly along the bottom and around the rocks for your best opportunities. Don't forget that top water lures at night or early mornings as well. You can bet a lot of anglers will be out this month.

Trout and redfish action continues to be good around the area. Live bait, DOA shrimp and Deadly Combos are great when fishing for trout. Redfish are willing to take CAL grub tails, DOA shrimp or live bait on the flats. Most of the redfish have been in one to three feet of water and keeping the noise down is essential to get close enough to cast at schooling redfish.

You can still find snapper along channel edges or around structure. There should also be flounder showing up as the mullet run continues this month. Try a DOA BFL lure around the mullet schools. It swims as good as any mullet and can entice a big fish when fishing the edges of the schools. You can find tarpon action around the inlets and jetties. Fishing at night in these areas will give you the best chance at hooking up with a top water lure, BFL lure or live bait.

September starts the transition into fall and the temperatures will begin to get back to normal. Continue to watch for afternoon thunderstorms and have lots of fun fishing this month!

September Fishing Forecast – Treasure Coast

September is always an exciting month to fish along the Treasure Coast. Anglers eagerly await the arrival of the annual fall mullet run. The beaches and rivers will be filled with mullet and you can find lots of predators following the bait this month. Look for tarpon, snook, jacks, bluefish and many other species feeding on the mullet this month. Top water and suspending lures work fantastic in September. Try a DOA Baitbuster or Big Fish lure while fishing around the large schools of mullet. It's a great time of year to fish early mornings along the beach. The fish will be cornering the bait along the surf and action can be fun and exciting.

Snook season opens again on September 1st. Anglers have been eagerly awaiting the chance at keeping a slot fish for dinner. A few things to keep in mind while you are anxiously getting ready for the start of the season are making sure your license and snook permit are not outdated. Know the slot size, which is 28” – 32” and a one fish per day limit. Check your rods, reels and fishing line. Don’t lose that keeper fish because of something that you could have avoided by a little preparation. Remember that there will be lots of anglers heading out the first several days of the season. Have fun and be safe!

You will be able to find some redfish schools this month as they gather up to head out to the ocean. Look around the shallow sandy flats for them to be feeding. DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits can coax them into biting. Trout will continue to bite around the usual flats like, Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island. Deadly Combos fished on the edges of the bait schools will find some action with trout and other species. Snapper can be found along channel edges and around structure. Sheephead, drum and snapper can be caught on the catwalks of the bridges. Live or dead shrimp will find the fish.

September Tip:

Fish the bait schools! It's easy to spot the bait this time of year. If you don't find bait around your favorite fishing spot, you will most likely not find many fish there. Move around if you need to in order to find active bait. Fish love this time of year and they are out there gorging themselves on the bait in anticipation of the coming winter months. Early mornings can be exciting on the flats. You can find big fish in shallow water around the bait pods. It has been a long hot summer and finally temperatures will begin to mellow out and water temps will get back to normal. It's a great time of year to be fishing!

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

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner