Fall fishing takes off

Even though we still have some very warm days in October,  it’s definitely fall for inshore fishermen.

“Fall arrives first on the coastal waters,” said Capt. Jordan Pate of Carolina Guide Service (843-814-7900). “Even before the leaves shift inland, the coastal marsh begins to change.”

The signs are unmistakable.

“Nights turn cooler, water temperatures slide out of the eighties into the mid-seventies, and oxygen levels rise in the creeks,” he said.

The baitfish notice it in a big way, and that’s part of what triggers what many inshore anglers consider to be the most consistent fishing of the year.

Lots of bait

“Finger mullet gather into dense schools instead of scattering loosely,” he said. “Shrimp ride every outgoing tide, flushing from the grass and concentrating in predictable seams.”

The entire inshore system appears renewed this time of year.

“Oyster rakes, creek mouths, and grass lines pulse with life,” he said.

And this doesn’t impact just one species of fish. They all feel it.

“The first fish of fall are not limited to one or two headline species,” Pate said. “Multiple inshore fish respond to the same conditions at once, creating a lineup that defines the early season.”

Redfish

Redfish are among the most popular. This time of year, Pate said they begin schooling, grouping up into as many as fifty fish, sometimes more.

Live finger mullet, shrimp, cut menhaden, soft plastics and gold spoons are all good bets for redfish, Pate said.

Specks

Speckled trout are another fall favorite, and Pate finds them in deeper creek bends, channels and drop-offs with current.

Topwater plugs, especially at first light, soft plastics under popping corks, live shrimp and finger mullet will all catch specks this time of year.

Black drum

Black drum are predictably active around structure this time of year, and Pate finds them on dock pilings, sea walls and oyster-encrusted structure.

Fiddler crabs, small shrimp and barnacle scrapings are all good choices for black drum in the fall.

Flounder

Flounder also feed heavily this month. Pate suggests looking for sandy points, creek mouths, docks with current, and edges of oyster beds. Sure-fire baits include finger mullet, mud minnows, shrimp or jig-tipped soft plastics bounced along the bottom.

Bluefish

Bluefish also move into inshore waters in big numbers this month, feeding on metal spoons, jigs, topwater plugs and cut bait.

“Bluefish provide fast action, but their teeth tear soft plastics quickly,” he said.

Get on the water

Pate said the fall season is prime time for inshore fishing, and anglers looking for some of the hottest fishing of the year should make every effort to get on the water during this magical time.