Fall is here, bringing shorter days, cooler temperatures, and some of the best fishing of the year. So don’t put those rods and reels away just yet! While live bait will continue to produce plenty of fish, artificial lures are becoming increasingly effective as water temperatures cool. It’s a great time to get out on the water and enjoy everything the season has to offer.
Redfish—including plenty of bull reds—have been feeding aggressively on cut and live bait fished along the bottom. Mullet are abundant throughout our waters and are easy to catch with a cast net. For redfish, try rigging a mullet on a 3/0 circle hook with a Carolina rig. Use enough weight to keep the bait in place and prevent it from drifting into snags. This setup works well both on the flats and around docks. Once everything is in place, put the rod in the holder and wait for that reel to start screaming as the fish takes the bait and hooks itself.
Artificial lures have also started producing some excellent trout action, with traditional paddle-tail soft plastics leading the way. I like to pair a paddle tail with a 1/4-ounce Trout Eye jighead and tie it on with a loop knot to give the lure plenty of freedom and action. Experiment with your retrieve speed as you work different areas and look for pockets of feeding fish. If you want to add a little extra attraction, try tipping the jig with a small piece of shrimp. Frozen or live shrimp will both work and can create a scent trail that fish have a hard time ignoring.
Even with artificial lures becoming more productive, don’t give up on those popping corks. Live shrimp, artificial shrimp, and mud minnows have all been working well when suspended 18–24 inches beneath a cork on a fluorocarbon leader with a size 1 circle hook. Redfish, trout, and flounder will readily take these baits as they drift through the water column. Popping corks have been especially effective along grassy banks during the middle and higher stages of the tide.
See you on the water!
