Hernando Beach FALL fishing is ON FIRE!

The winds made it impossible to be on he water last week end. The brutal weather also stirred up the waters causing anglers to wait a few days for things to clear up. Once things settled down, it was Fall fishing at its best again. The bigger trout continue to move into shallow water as the Gulf water temperature dips into the 70's. Target 2-4 ft of water on a good moving tide over grassy bottom with sand holes. If you locate an area with "kelp" grass, fish the entire area thoroughly because there is a good chance you will find trout. Top water plugs like a Spook or a Skitterwalk has been very effective in these areas. A 3" white Gulp shrimp on a 1/8 jig is another good tactic. Big Shcools of red fish holding 100 plus fish have been spotted on recent trips but these fish spook easy and are hard to track. We take our shots at these fish with baits like Zoom Fluke jerk bait on a 3/0 circle hook but the best production has been with smaller schools of reds holding 10 - 15 fish near mangrove shoreline. Toss a piece of fresh cut mullet to these areas on that same 3/0 circle hook, and let them find it. A 25lb leader tied to a 3/0 circle hook is a very versatile rig. Anglers can hook a jerk bait through the nose to sight cast reds, or work it effectively through shallow water. OR they can take the jerk bait off and go with baits like cut mullet, shrimp, or a live pin fish. We have some low tides in the middle of the day this weekend so plan you trips accordingly. I like to get into some of my favorite back country spots while the tide allows me to and fish through the low tide. The down fall to this is you can't leave until the tide comes back in, but the upside is that the fish are easy to spot and find, Good luck out there and tight lines! Capt. Keith Tomlinson Bulldog Fishin Charters www.bulldogfishin.com (352)238-3581