Mullet Madness
As the tropical storm season wanes along the Atlantic coastal waters of Florida, we welcome September with its hot and humid days and then say farewell to the summer as September exits on the shoulders of a prevailing northeast wind. Shorter days, longer nights, and the prevailing shifts in the wind and swells all signal the end of summer, and the beginning of the season of the mullet.
Captain Chris Myer's Bait Buster RedfishI'm often asked the question, "When is the best time to fish on the east coast of Florida?" and the answer has arrived with fall and mullet migration south. Like many of the 700 plus species of fish frequenting the Indian River Lagoon throughout the year, silver mullet gradually return to our estuaries in spring and then form up for a mass exodus south once the water begins to cool. As the bait schools begin to gather, larger predators also realize it is once again time to fatten up for the arrival of winter.
As schools of bait move through the Lagoon and out of the inlets, they seem to move south in pulses rather than in a continuous flow, so as always, locating bait is the key to success. Bait pods are easily located by watching for diving birds and fish working them on the surface just inside the breakers along the beach, and along the shorelines inside the estuaries. Predator species like snook, tarpon, redfish, bluefish, jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel, sharks, and kingfish will be shadowing bait pods all along the beach. Once you've located the bait concentration, simply determine its direction of movement, usually south, and set up in front of it and let them come to you. Fall is also my preferred time of year to target tarpon and snook in the surf.
The beach snook run has already started with a few fish being caught, and the run will pick up substantially just in time for the September 1st opening of snook season on Florida's east coast. When fishing from the beach, I prefer using live finger mullet or mullet imitation lures, matching the run. Fish the very edge of the beach, just beyond the whitewater, and walk along the beach working your bait along in the direction of tidal flow. My live bait rigs consist of a #3 Daiichi Bleeding Bait circle hook, a one ounce barrel sinker, and a 24" section of 40-pound test fluorocarbon leader. I also prefer to use 20-pound test braided high-vis yellow Suffix line to improve sensitivity and avoid line twist. First, slide the barrel sinker onto the terminal end of your braided line, and then splice in the leader. The knot will allow the sinker to slide freely up the braided line keeping it off of the leader and the hook. This technique will allow your bait to cover more ground and help keeping it in the strike zone longer. Make sure your reel has the strength and line capacity to handle a large fish, so you don't get spooled.
In terms of lure selection we have all heard the term, "matching the hatch", well in this situation your success is better defined by "matching the run". With this said, Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka Florida has simplified maters by providing an established lure kit referred to as their "Mullet Madness Kit". The Mullet Madness Kit comes stocked with a selection of proven lure styles and colors utilized by their Pro Staff, which is available in store or can be ordered online. The kit comes complete with the following lures and hooks:
Flambeau 4007 Tackle Tray
Rapala X-Rap Subwalker - Olive Green
Rapala Skitter Walk - Silver Mullet
Rapala Skitter Pup - Holographic
Rapala Skitter Pop - Mullet
Storm Chug Bug - Metallic Blue Mullet
D.O.A. Bait Buster - Silver Glitter/Black back
D.O.A. Bait Buster - Gold Glitter/Green
Pack of VMC Ref 7381 3/0 Circle Hooks
To purchase your own Mullet Madness lure kit, visit the Mosquito Creek Outdoors store in Apopka, Florida, or save gas and your time by ordering the kit or any of the featured lures online and have them shipped to your doorstep at www.mosquitocreek.com .
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
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