By Paul Bristow

The month of October brings the first signs of fall to the gulf coast of Florida. Anglers from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor will notice the days getting shorter. The predawn hours feel crisp and gunshots are often heard as the sun breaks over the eastern horizon. As these seasonal changes occur above the water, some of the years best flats fishing is happening below the surface.

Fall flats fishing on the west coast offers some of the finest multispecies fishing action that Florida has to offer. Many favorite angling destinations on the gulf coast are best thought of as large estuaries. While these large and complex systems are undergoing constant changes throughout the year, the fall season brings them more stability. There are several reasons behind this phenomenon. The extreme high and low tides of summer give way to more reasonable tidal levels. As daily afternoon thunderstorms become rare, water salinity is more constant. Finally, water temperature begins to decline, edging near the preferred range of many fish species.

As these positive changes are occurring throughout the estuary, many fish species are in transition from their summer patterns. Snook will begin to move from summer spawning grounds on the beaches and passes to their favorite flats and mangrove shorelines. Redfish that are often scattered throughout the summer months will begin to group up along oyster bars and small barrier islands. Spotted sea trout will leave the deepest grass where they sought refuge from the summer heat and move onto grass flats where they will spend the winter months. When seasonal fish migrations are met with very favorable water conditions on the flats, incredible fishing conditions occur.

The best way to approach fall fishing on the flats is to prepare for several different methods, with each targeting various ‘zones’ of a particular flat. Anglers will want to rig several outfits to present both artificial and natural baits in a multitude of fishing scenarios that might occur throughout the day. Such preparation is especially critical in the fall, when anglers can move from targeting redfish and trout in the morning to casting at a passing cobia as the flats warm up in mid-day.

On a high tide when water fills the mangrove shorelines, you might start by casting top water plugs or jerk baits along the edge of shoreline vegetation. Mangroves are a favorite haunt of redfish and snook, but occasionally produce monster trout. As the tide begins to recede, look for redfish and snook to move into the large troughs and potholes that weave throughout most flats. While some redfish can be seen tailing on the exposed grass, the fish in the troughs are much easier to catch in heavily fished waters like Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. Fishing a ¼ oz. silver spoon is a great way to cover water while targeting the prime pothole areas of a particular flat.

As the tide nears the low point, only the deepest troughs, creek mouths, and potholes will be able to support fish. In the fall, the feeding troughs of the flats are not limited to redfish and snook. Large numbers of tasty critters like sheepshead and flounder are comfortable in these same spots. One great tip for fall fishing is to have a bag of ‘fresh frozen’ shrimp in the cooler. After casting artificial baits to locate active schools of fish, you can now set up on some of the best spots that you know are holding fish. A freshly frozen shrimp fished on a 2/0 octopus style hook with a small split shot is a deadly combination. On windy days, try substituting an unpainted 3/32 oz. jig head for the live bait rig. This will be much easier to cast in the wind while still keeping your bait presentation as natural as possible.

At low tide as most of the water is flushed from the flats, a move to the deeper grass edges can provide some fantastic multi-species action. In the fall, large bait schools are often seen working the outside edges of the flats. These bait schools not only trigger feeding mechanisms in flats favorites such as sea trout, but also attract species more common to deeper water such as Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks, and even juvenile gag grouper. One great way to mimic bait schools on the grass flats is with a Love’s Lures Tandem Rig. The silver curly tail model is a perfect choice not only to imitate fleeing baitfish, but also to capitalize on competitive feeding behavior so common in fall fishing.

Estuary environments like those of Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor are great destinations for fall flats fishing. When favorable changes occur in these systems each October, many fish species will feed heavily in anticipation of the impending winter months. Anglers who prepare to employ multiple fishing methods and change their approach throughout the day will be more productive than those stuck in a single species mentality. Fall on the flats is ‘opportunity fishing’ in its purest form, where any flat can provide one fish, two fish, redfish and bluefish.

Paul Bristow has written articles for various outdoor publications since 1999. He is currently the manager of Apollo Beach Bait & Tackle Company, LLC which distributes the popular Love’s Lures line of baits. Questions can be e-mailed to Paul at loveslures@msn.com