Fall has arrived

This cool Spring weather combined with the great fishing out of Hernando Beach has anglers smiling throughout the area. This fishing is hot right now from the skinny waters to the deep. The back country fishing has been pretty productive. Red fish and trout are the popular catch in 1 - 4 ft of water. I am not seeing the reds in the bigger schools like I was a few weeks ago but groups of 2 - 6 fish can be found traveling with the schools of mullet near the mangrove shore lines with scattered oyster bars. For the trout, look to the flats just off these shore lines. Try a slow drift over an area and throw lures that match the bait the trout are feeding on. A Rapala Twitch N' Rap or a white 3" Gulp are my favorites. I feel these lures really look like the white bait that is all over right now. If you have a honey hole that holds a lot of bait then take the time to run there and load up. Set up at your spot and chum these guys right to the boat. Usually you will have enough bait for the day with just a few throws of the cast net. Having a good supply of white bait is always a good thing. Sometimes it's all the fish want and I often use my bait bat to sling a bunch of bait and get the bite going. One species that has arrived in good numbers to our area is Spanish mackerel. You can find these guy from 2 - 12 ft of water right now. There are many tactics anglers use to catch these guys. Trolling spoons, setting up near structure and chumming, or just drifting an area are all good tactics. No matter what technique I use, I always have some light steel leader ready to tie on if these toothy critters start cutting the line. I usually start with a 30 lb fluorocarbon leader with a 2/0 long shank hook and switch to the wire if the fish are winning. One of the best baits for these macks is the white bait I mentioned above. Good luck out there and tight lines! Capt. Keith Tomlinson Bulldog Fishin Charters www.bulldogfishin.com (352)238-3581 Now on FACEBOOK