Doc on October Fishing

Those that have been waiting for fishing conditions to improve will be happy to join me in the celebration of Fall. October heralds some of the best fishing, both fresh and saltwater, that the Mississippi Gulf Coast has to offer. As water temperatures slowly begin to drop, area waters - bays and backwaters, the front beach, the barrier islands, and area lakes and ponds - will begin to show increased signs of feeding activity.

For the front beach fisherman, October is a good month for night fishing. High tides begin occurring increasingly during the late afternoon and evening hours, and trout, reds, flounder, and a full entourage of front beach gamesters will start to feed under the lights of front beach piers, jetties and casinos. Lofting a silver and black Countdown Rapala or topwater Mirrolure into the fray at such times can often result in fast and furious action with monster trout that lurk in the shadows to take advantage of the easy pickings that the night-time environment provides. Fishing a live finger mullet, croaker, pinfish or pigfish either freelined or beneath a popping cork can also be especially productive under these conditions. And, of course, a live shrimp can also be counted on for dependable action.

Bay and backwater anglers will also benefit from the noticeable improvement in weather conditions that October typically brings. As water temperatures decline, fish show increased tendencies to school; and this, of course, makes them much easier to locate in numbers. Catch one fish, and you can be certain that there are others in the immediate area. Trout, naturally are not everyone's first choice among target species. For those that prefer larger game, October's many offerings will include red drum of formidable proportions. As the reds begin their annual spawning run, these fish will begin to appear in and around the barrier island passes where they will provide excellent sport for those trolling Tony Acetta or Reflecto spoons. And bottomfishing with cut bait will also pay off with these big fish. The average size of an October-caught red, particularly during the early part of the run, will reach upwards of twenty pounds; and fish in the thirty-pound-class are not uncommon at this time either.

Most fishermen who target red drum will use relatively heavy boat rods with matching conventional reels like the Penn Senator or Daiwa Sealine series loaded with forty or fifty pound-test monofilament. My preference is a six-foot, medium- heavy boat rod and an Ambassadeur 6500C spooled with twenty-five pound-test line. This rig is plenty stout enough for most any species that I typically encounter bottomfishing, yet it is light enough to be cast repeatedly without making one arm-weary.

Offshore action with the likes of migratory pelagic species like Spanish and king mackerel, cobia, bonito and such will continue to be good throughout the month of October; but these warm-water loving species will begin a slow migration offshore as water temperatures continue to drop towards the end of the month and on into November. In the meantime though, fishermen will enjoy good success trolling the barrier island passes and nearby offshore oil and gas structures for them.

Bottomfishing for snapper, grouper and other reef-fish species at the offshore Fish Havens and Liberty Ship reefs where water temperatures are more stable always seems to be good; and anglers with the wherewithall to locate and venture out to these hotspots will be rewarded with good catches throughout the fall months. As water temperatures continue to decline though, many of these fish, like their nearshore cousins, will begin migrating to deeper-water holding stations.

Chandeleur fishing is always superb this time of the year, and anglers venturing into this fisherman's paradise can expect to come home with their limits of good fish. Trout and reds alike will be found all along the island's western shores as they binge feed among the oceans of seagrasses that carpet the nearshore zone. In recent months, strawberry-hued Kelly Wigglers and similar soft plastic jigs have developed a good reputation for taking fish in the grass; but topwater baits - Mirrolures, Rebels, Rapalas, Norm-Baits, Zara Spooks, and such will provide much more exciting fishing action.

Fishing a floater can be especially productive during both the early spring and early fall when trout and other gamesters are actively feeding in the shallows. Topwater baits year after year have accounted for larger average-sized fish than any other lure that I have tried, and that alone would be enough to account for my high regard of them. Equally important though is the fact that topwater fishing involves all the senses when fishing. You smell the water-melon fragrance of a trout slick, you see the fish explode beneath your topwater offering, you hear the staccato sound of the hooks thrashing against the plug with each shake of the fish's head, and you feel the fish's powerful surges as it takes off with your offering. And catching fish on a topwater fly of your own design and construction is more exciting yet. Though catching a fish on a jig or other sinking bait certainly offers plenty of satisfaction, it pales by comparison...