Coastal Fishing Connections Newsletter - 9/17/2018
- Coastal Fishing Connections
- Sep 17, 2018
- 12 min read
Summer Transitions To Fall
With the last week of summer upon us, the transition into Fall is one that many anglers along the Gulf Coast look forward to annually. As the air and water temperatures begin to cool, those hot summer days that make fishing miserable and the bite screech to a halt after the sun gets up, will thankfully be in the past. Pelagic species start migrating to their winter scavenging grounds making the king and spanish mackerel and cobia fishing offshore outstanding. The blue water pushes in closer making it more palatable to make those runs to Ram Powell and Petronius. Speckled trout move up the bays and into the rivers for the fall, then winter, as the temperatures continue to drop. Early mornings, redfish will be so thick you could walk across the top of them as they chomp on pogies. If you've been wanting to target flounder, Little Lagoon should provide you an outstanding opportunity in October.
For those new to the area, fishing the Fall is like Spring, but in reverse. Fish will typically return to the same areas if the conditions are similar to what they have been in the past. Various reefs around Mobile Bay are loaded with shell and should always hold fish of some sort. Slip corks and popping corks with a live or vudu shrimp or free-lined shrimp should do the trick around these reefs and wrecks, or other structures such as docks and old pilings. It's not uncommon to see 20-30 boats around Daphne Pilings in late September through October, so if you plan to fish those areas get there early. Also, try to not to MOTOR around the other boats while spot hopping. This happened to us once last year while we were on a hot bite and it immediately shut down.
As October days go by, the concentration of boats will increase around Blakely Bar, North Pass, Turtle Ditch, Devils Cut, Crabbers' Ditch and Traders'. Live and cut bait will always catch fish, but personally, for speckled trout, this is the time of year I return to artificial lures such as the Slick Lure, Matrix Shad, Egret Baits Vudu Shrimp, Zoom Flukes (finesse and super flukes) and Mirrolure (Mirrodynes). For redfish, I like to fish soft plastics, gold spoons around grass lines, chatter baits and rattle traps. For live bait fishing, you will find that carolina rigged menhaden fished around drop-off's and near creek mouths can be quite productive. Tidal movement will be key to success in many of these areas. My best success for speckled trout fishing in these areas has always been a decent falling tide.
Over the past few years, Fall and Winter fishing has quickly become a personal favorite type fishing in our Coastal Alabama area. For someone who was raised with a love to bass fish, it is the perfect upgrade. You will still have to move around a lot to find fish or limits of fish, but besides learning new areas to fish, you will learn to navigate new waters. If you have any doubts as to whether the area you will be fishing this Fall is holding fish, just look at the day of the week and the number of boats.
News, Notes and More!
Make plans to attend the annual CCA Fall Out Banquet at Five Rivers Delta Resource Center on Thursday, September 20th. There will be a Raffle, Silent Auction, Give-aways, and great food and drinks! Tickets are only $85 per couple and $65 for a single ticket. Both entry options include a 12 month CCA Alabama membership. Catering is by Georgia Roussos with Live Music by Cooper Trent! Tickets may be purchased from a local CCA member or by going online to CCAALABAMA.ORG. For questions or sponsorship email info@ccaalabama.org
This week, it's still going to be hot limited chance of rain and seas less than 1 foot for the majority of the week. If you weren't planning to ling or triple tail fish, this would be a good week to modify those plans.
For information on what's biting, what to use and other tips to catch more fish, check out the guide reports each week. We cover Orange Beach to the Mississippi Sound. Be sure and check out MeMe's kitchen below for a great new recipe. Until next time, Get out there, keep those lines tight and rods bent!
These reports require a collaborative effort from all the contributors, so please click their link and follow their social media accounts. Look for the column header that says weekly drawing, email your answer to coastalfishingconnections@gmail.com to get in the drawing held on Facebook live on Sunday nights @coastalfishingconnections at 8 p.m.
Also, subscribe on our website at www.bentoutfittersfishing.com to receive these reports as they come out. Please leave comments at the bottom of the blog after reading and let us know if you find the information interesting and helpful.
MeMe's Coastal Delights by Melinda Ellis
"This week is another family favorite! These beans go great with just about anything or can easily be a meal in themselves." Notice in the second picture how good they look with the "White Potato Salad."
"Cowboy Beans"
Ingredients:
2 - large cans of baked beans (I prefer Bush’s original)
2 - pounds of ground hamburger meat or venison (venison pictured)
2 - cups of dark brown sugar
1 - Small container of real bacon pieces/bits
A Few Bacon slices
Directions:
1. Brown meat and drain off excess grease.
2. Mix together baked beans, brown sugar and bacon bits.
3. Add in browned meat.
4. Spread beans and meat in a 9x12 pan or disposable pan.
5. Lay bacon slices across beans.
6. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, then uncovered for another 15 minutes.
Sponsor Spotlight
This week, Coastal Fishing Connections would like to introduce you to Overcast Lure Company. Home of "Hogzilla," and "Swimming Shad," Overcast Lure Company based in Sorrento, Louisiana, offers a wide variety of inshore and offshore fish catching lures. They have quickly become known for having some of the most popular lures in the state of Louisiana. As evidenced by local Alabama anglers' Scott Kennedy and Tanner Martiniere, the lures' catch fish. Not only does Overcast Lure Company have lures but they also offer an apparel line using artwork from local Alabama artist "Coleman Bradley."
Overcast Lure Company "strives to produce effective, high quality lures that will bring great memories of fishing and the outdoors with friends and family. Spread the word and enjoy a great day of fishing with Louisiana's number one fishing lure!"
Be sure to tune in next Sunday night at 8 p.m. for the Coastal Fishing Connections live broadcast with special guest, Overcast Lure Company owner, Zach Breaux.
Weekly Giveaway
Congratulations to Judson Pizotti, winner of this weeks drawing and the LiTup gear!
Read below and get in the drawing for this weeks' giveaway! This week Overcast Lure Company will be giving away an anglers package.
Name the NEW hot lure from Overcast Lure Company? Visit their website for the answer.
Submit your answer via email to coastalfishingconnections@gmail.com
Like and Follow the 2 new social media accounts set up for the weekly report and share our report to get an extra entry into the drawing.
Coastal Alabama Fishing Reports
Mobile Delta
Dippi Outdoors - Dip McMillian
Email: alkeenmcmillan87@gmail.com
Phone: 251-747-9261
Dip says, "Finally got a chance to fish Sunday morning on Tensaw. I targeted the south end of the Mobile Delta. I launched at Cliffs Landing and fished a familiar creek south of it. My first stop was at a stump submerged in 10 feet of water. There were a few crappies there and I caught two that were over 14 inches. My second stop was a area with underneath structure in 6-8 ft of water and it was covered with crappies all sizes. Although I I caught a few on blue and chartreuse jigs, they preferred minnows.
My last spot was on a point off a creek with underwater structure and it was also loaded. While I ended up using all my minnows before 10:30, I had a live-well full of slabs. This morning was one of my best trips in a long time. The fish are coming shallow and getting ready for the fall bite for sure. Minnows are their number one choice right now, but they will still hit a chartreuse color as well. Hopefully I can get back after them again soon.
If you love dem crappies, there is only one man to call around here, Dip McMillian of Dippi Outdoors!
Surfside
Orange Beach - Gulf Shores – Fort Morgan
Bama Beach Bum Fishing - Matthew Isbell
Facebook: @bamabeachbumfishing
Instagram: @bamabeachbum_fishing
Cell: 334-391-5913
Reminiscent of the Dr. Seus classic, "Red fish, blue fish…I’ll let you finish that. These are the two species that have been presenting themselves with the most consistency this past week in the surf. The reds have been pretty fired up and not picky on bait choices. We have caught them on shrimp, Fishbites, cut baits, and lures. I haven’t seen any bulls, all the ones we are catching are in slot. There are a ton of pinfish and blue crabs in the surf and I think this is a big reason for the solid redfish bite. Not long and we should start seeing the bulls mixed in.
Other species that are not quite as active are whiting and pompano. They have been low in quantity, but the few we have caught have been quality fish! The fishing for both of these species should continue to improve over the coming months. Also still seeing some small black drum or puppy drum. They have most certainly thinned out the past few weeks but are usually mixed in with the redfish when you get on a good bite. Hold on tight, fall will be here soon!
Matt Isbell of Bama Beach Bum Fishing offers fun-filled family surf fishing experiences while feeling the sand between your toes on the beaches between Fort Morgan and Orange Beach.
The Pier Review
Captain David Collins
Captain Collins says,"It's time. Get out there now! These storms are pushing the good water in and stirring the Gulf is setting up awesome conditions. The spanish and king mackerel are here, you just have to fish for them. Get out there and lean over the rail. Free line a cigar minnow on 15 to 20 lb spinning gear and be ready! use a #4 - 4X strong treble hook, about 18 inches of 30lb wire with a good 75lb swivel. Mono will get you bit faster than braid, but hey, that's your choice.
This is a great time to potentially catch your biggest pier king of your lifetime. You need to fish that cigar minnow like you are trying to bring him back to life. Tight Lines!!!"
Keep up with the latest Gulf State Pier information at GSPierfishing.com. or on Alabama Pier Rats.
Offshore Report
Orange Beach, Alabama
Bent Outfitters Fishing - Captain Billy Howell
Facebook: @bentoutfittersfishing
Instagram: @bent_outfitters_fishing
Website: www.bentoutfittersfishing.com
Cell: 601-938-7161
Since our big boat is heading to the shop to have some repair work done to the T-top frame, most of our fishing will be inshore over the next month or two. We will continue to talk with Captains who are headed offshore to give you the latest reports. We did hit the water last week and caught speckled trout split-shotting live shrimp around deep water structures in Mobile Bay. We got on a hot redfish bite around mid day split-shotting feisty live shrimp and finger mullet near rocks and other structures.
This weekend should have presented you a perfect opportunity to head way offshore to troll for king and spanish mackerel, tuna, wahoo, mahi or bottom fish for AJ, grouper and other reef species. With the storm bringing in better water, your catch opportunity should vastly increase without having to travel quite as far as you did.
If you have been wanting to catch that elusive cobia, head out of Mobile Bay toward the ships in anchorage and be sure to check the buoys all the way out. Captain Richard Rutland of Cold Blooded Fishing caught his personal best 67 pounder (pictured below) Friday before last on a live pinfish. Be sure to have plenty of live bait when you head out.
The offshore fishing will get better and better over the next 6 weeks as the migratory species work their way back to their winter feeding grounds.
Captain Billy has been providing fun-filled family fishing adventures on the waters between Fairhope and Orange Beach for the past few years.
INSHORE REPORT
Orange Beach / Perdido Key / Gulf Shores - Wolf Bay - ICW
The redfish and black drum bite continues to heat up in Orange Beach. In speaking with a couple anglers, the redfish have been on fire at West Beach where the water goes into Little Lagoon. The mangrove snapper bite is still solid around docks and concrete structures as well.
Mobile Bay - Dauphin Island – Fort Morgan
Irish Wake Fishing - Captain Jay O’Brien
Facebook: @ IrishWake Fishing
Instagram: @Irish Wake Fishing
Website: www.irishwakefishing.com
Phone: 251-272-4285
Captain JayO, "It's the last week of Summer but it doesn’t feel like Fall is anywhere close. The temperatures have been brutal; however, the midday bite continues to be good and the morning bite has started picking back up the past week for us.
Live shrimp under slip corks continue to be the ticket in most areas. We have been concentrating on the wrecks, artificial reefs and rigs from the middle part of the bay all the way to the lower end of the Bay. Along with live shrimp under slip corks, we have been picking up fish on Rappala Skitterwalkers early and Lil Slick lures fished deep on the bottom.
Captain JayO is very mobile running trips from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. Captain JayO has years of experience fishing our local waters and is sure to provide you and your family with a fun-filled, fish catching experience on the water. Irish Wake Fishing’s motto is Trophies, Groceries and Good Times!
Irish Wake Fishing would also like to thank their sponsors Islamorada Boatworks, Cajun Custom Rods and Smith Optics.
Eastern Shore - Mobile Bay - Dauphin Island
Ugly Fishing - Captain Patric Garmeson
Facebook: @ugly.fishing
Instagram: @ugly_fishing
Website: www.uglyfishing.com
Cell: 251-747-1554
Captain Patric says, "Aim small miss small. This week I fished with clients on the south end of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. It seems we have a tremendous amount of fish to target right now and I noticed that small minor adjustments made all the difference in the world.
Fishing shallow
"Speckled trout, redfish and Flounder were the three species we found in water less than 3’ Deep this week. The easiest tactic to locate these fish was to use a popping cork rigged with a live bull minnow, live pogie or live shrimp. We were working shorelines that contained both structure of some sort and a presence of baitfish. Letting the boat slowly drift along the shorelines while casting shallow and working out deep seemed to be the best pattern. Do not go straight an ideal location and fish that area and leave if no bites. Cover water slowly until you locate a bite. Once you locate the bite then stop the boat and get laser focused on fishing the particular area very thoroughly.
Fish quick if you want to maximize your bites. Keeping live bait in this area is imperative to help feed the bite. The polar opposite of fishing shallow is to fish deep and preferably in moving current. Again aim small miss small is the theme. We had our best luck fishing around the gas rigs. Catching good to great numbers of Spanish mackerel, redfish, speckled trout and even mangrove snapper around the rigs. Fish quick, don’t waste time waiting on a cork to go down or waiting on a bite period.
If you have three or more anglers you can be very productive at figuring out where the fish are located. Vary the depth of 2-3 slip cork rigs and let them drift till nearly out of sight. Move the boat slightly and repeat the same drift method. You can also mix in a free-lined bait. Once you locate your fish then set all corks at that same depth and then send them all to the same location as the previous bite came. If the free-line got bit then be quick to swap over to free-lined baits.
These fish will be in a different location nearly every single day so do not get hung up fishing where you are comfortable. We caught fish tight to the poles of the rig one day and caught them as good as it gets 120yards down current of a rig on a another day. If you don’t experiment then there's a good chance that you miss your target.
The ten day forecast has air temperatures remaining fairly stable with fairly low rain chances. My prediction is the fish will remain in a holding pattern for a couple more weeks but as the full moon approaches it could affect the mood of the fish you are targeting.
Go get em! It’s gettin time! Gimme 3 fish or we are gone.... This time of year I have decided that's the way to put numbers and possibly quality in the boat."
Captain Patric Garmeson is very mobile running trips from Dauphin Island to Gulf Shores. Captain Patric has years of experience fishing our local waters and is sure to provide you and your family with a fun-filled, fish catching experience on the water.
Summary
Regardless of the forecasts, the avid anglers and boating enthusiasts will find a way to get their fix. Just a friendly reminder; have all your safety gear up to date, be safe and courteous and but most of all keep those rods bent!
If you are planning a vacation to the area and want to take advantage of great fishing, cruise the bay or islands, there are plenty of options for you. Special thanks to all the contributors for this report. We look forward to keeping you informed each week of what's happening on the water.
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