Florida fishing: Cool fronts can push fish south during the fall like bluefish, mackerel
Wow, did that feel nice. About as soon as we get used to this cooler, dryer weather, it goes away again.
Although it won't be too bad. I'm also sure many anglers noticed how the shadows are starting to fall to the north of objects now as the sun slides south. That changes fishing.
Mullet are about gone. Bluefish, Spanish mackerel and eventually pompano migrations will be in full southern swing. Offshore, it's dolphin and blackfin tuna for the next two months.
Also, be sure to check the fishing regulations calendar. Seasons are a-changing.
Flounder and gag grouper close first. Then it's hogfish, alligator and spotted seatrout. Hunting seasons begin. So check MyFWC.com to find out what is happening when.
Florida fishing regulations and fishing season opening and closing dates:
Flounder: Harvest closed Oct. 15 to Nov. 30. Size limit: 14 inches. Bag limit: 5 fish per person.
Gag grouper: Harvest closes for both recreational and commercial sectors on Oct. 23. Re-opens May 1, 2024.
Spotted seatrout: Harvest closes November and December in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach counties. Harvest reopens Jan. 1.
Hogfish: Harvest closes from Nov. 1 to April 30, 2024. Season re-opens for harvest May 1, 2024.
Snook: Harvest opened Sept. 1. One fish bag limit, 28-32 inches, snook stamp required. Harvest closes Dec. 15.
Blueline tilefish: Harvest closed Sept. 1 in Atlantic state and federal waters. Season re-opens for harvest May 1, 2024.
Golden tilefish: Harvest closed July 17. Harvest opens Jan. 1, 2024.
Lobster: Regular season opened Aug. 6-March 31, 2024. No egg bearers, 3-inch minimum carapace length. Lobster stamp required.
Alligator: Hunt season opened Aug. 15-Nov. 1. Permits required.
Grouper: Harvest opened May 1. Includes gag grouper, red grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth, coney, graysby, red hind and rock hind. Harvest closes Jan. 1.
Cobia: New bag and size limits for state waters. Bag limit: Two fish per vessel. Size limit: 36 inches fork length.
Redfish: Harvest of redfish has been banned in the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon since Sept. 1, 2022. FWC will reevaluate in the future.
Dolphin: Bag limit is 5 fish per day per angler. Vessel limit is 30 fish per day. Captain and crew may not be included in limit. These fishing regulations began on May 1, 2022, for state waters.
Bass: Bass at Headwaters Lake will soon become all catch-and-release.
For complete fishing regulations in Florida go to MyFWC.com.
Gag grouper season closing early
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service announced Monday that recreational and commercial anglers can no longer harvest any gag grouper in waters of the Atlantic after Oct. 22, 2023. Harvest is scheduled to re-open May 1, 2024. NOAA NMFS also announced that recreational anglers in the Gulf of Mexico can no longer harvest gag grouper after Oct. 18, 2023. Annual catch limits in both fisheries have been met, according to NOAA. Go to NOAA Gag Grouper for more information.
Citizen catches wanted
ORCA in Vero Beach is sponsoring a contest to encourage recreational anglers to donate catches to science. There is a raffle going on for catches donated from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30. Snook, flounder and pompano get three raffle entries each. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are among the catches that receive two raffle entries. Coast Del Mar Tailfin sunglasses are first prize. A Z Man fishing lure package is second prize. A DOA Lure fishing package is third prize. Instruction on catches and more information can be found at TeamORCA.org.
Indian River County
Offshore: There has been good action on the reefs still. Mangrove snapper, lane snapper, triggerfish and kingfish can be caught in 60-100 feet of water. Head deeper to troll for dolphin and blackfin tuna which have been found on the current edges.
Inshore: Snook, tarpon, jacks and redfish have been caught around the mouth of the Sebastian Inlet by anglers drifting live crabs and croakers on boats during the outgoing tide. Anglers fishing from the jetties are catching bluefish and Spanish mackerel by tossing Gotcha plugs, chrome spoons and diamond jigs and reeling fast.
Freshwater: The new moon should have bass moving to the edges to spawn. Get reaction bites using topwater frogs, buzz baits, spinnerbaits and lipless crank baits.
St. Lucie County
Offshore: There has been pretty good snapper fishing aboard the party boats and split charters working from Fort Pierce Inlet the past several days. Mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, lane snapper and more have been caught in 70-90 feet of water from Bethel Shoal to the Offshore Bar.
Inshore: The last of the mullet run has been moving through the area. Look for bait in the inlet, getting smashed along seawalls, chased around the spoil islands, etc. Trout have been biting in the morning on the flats around the spoil islands north of North Causeway. Anglers can also find redfish and snook in the same zone.
Surf: Conditions will calm this weekend so it will be interesting to see if anglers can find some whiting and pompano. Use Fishbites, cast to the sand bar and fish during the incoming tides to dial in on the action.
Hole diggers: Ed Killer: Should Army Corps keep building problematic reservoirs? I'm losing confidence
Can zombies swim? Listen Now! Cooler weather brings great outdoors opportunities. Ed Killer tells us what
Martin County
Offshore: Dolphin, blackfin tuna, occasional wahoo and vermilion snapper are regular catches in deeper water such as Push Button Hill. The dolphin aren't giants but during the fall months, their numbers can be as high as the spring months as the fish migrate back south again. Tuna have been as large as 20 pounds.
Inshore: It's mostly snook and most of the action is still down between Hell's Gate and the inlet area. Pitch live sardines at docks around Sewall's Point, Rocky Point and Sailfish Point to get bites. Tarpon have been at the Crossroads and taking mullet, live and dead.
Lake Okeechobee
Since the level of the lake is high, around 16 feet, as it is often this time of year, the bass are spread out into areas in the western and northern sections of the lake, pushed up into shallower water in the vegetation.
Ed Killer covers the outdoors for TCPalm. Email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida fishing: Cool fronts move mullet, bluefish, Spanish mackerel
