Snook-Nook Fishing Report

Inshore Fishing Report 

September provided our inshore anglers some steady mullet run action! We can expect to continue seeing schools of mullet pushing our way over the next few weeks as there have been reports of them as far north as Jacksonville. Some of the better fishing has been found early in the mornings and in the evenings/at night as the mullet schools have seemed to be more prevalent then. For those targeting Snook, the low light conditions will play to your advantage as the Snook will use the shadow lines from dock lights and bridges to ambush the mullet that are pushing through. Making your bait stand out in the school is key to getting the bite when the bait is prevalent, many anglers will prefer artificials such as paddle tails, jerk baits and top waters depending on the situation that you are fishing. Some of the most popular artificials we have been selling this month have included; NLBN paddle tails, NLBN Lil Mullets and Mini Mullets, 3” DOA CALs, Hogy Pro Tail Paddle Tails, Yozuri Crystal Minnows, Fingerlings and Top Knock Pencils, Rapala Xraps and Bomber Windcheaters. If you’re into fly fishing, the dock lights this time of year will provide you plenty of opportunities. If you do prefer fishing a live mullet, adding a small cork to slow the bait down or trimming the tail fins will give your bait a more injured presentation making an easier snack for the fish.  For those Snook fishing inshore during the day, there has still been plenty of action. Locating schools of bait in areas such as canals, on seawalls, along mangrove lines or near any ambush point or structure will be keys to your success. This is one of the best times of year to fish the sea walls even if you aren’t seeing any bait around. Larger mullet in the 6-10” range are one of the best bait choices if you’re hunting for big Snook. You will want to keep that mullet tight to the seawall for the Snook as when the bait comes off the wall a few feet you will start running into more Jacks. For those fishing docks, anglers have been finding success with Bunkers, Pilchards, Pinfish, Pig Fish, Croakers and Mullet. If you can get your hands on pins, pigs or Croakers anglers have been finding success around the causeways fishing the bridge fenders. 

We’ve had a steady Tarpon bite over the past month! Those fishing for them around the Jensen, Stuart and Roosevelt causeways on outgoing tides have been able to pick a few of them off on larger mullet and crabs. Fishing mullet heads is also an extremely effective method for some of the lazier fish. The crossroads and North Fork have yielded encounters with the Silver King as well by those fishing those larger mullet. We typically see a consistent Tarpon bite this time of year towards the power plant. A lot of times the feeding window may be short and is typically right at sunrise and sunset but at times it does last longer. 

Anglers fishing the flats and mangroves around the power plant and north have run into a few redfish and trout. Pitching artificials such as small paddle tails and shrimp into pockets in the mangrove lines is an excellent way to target them. A few flounder have been caught by those fishing shrimp on a jighead and live mullet. A few Black Drums and Sheepshead have begun to make an appearance at the Jensen and Roosevelt Causeways by those fishing shrimp, fiddler crabs and chunks of blue crabs. As we begin to get some cool fronts and north winds we will begin to see more of them showing up inshore as we get into the fall. Those cool fronts will also bring along Croakers, Spanish Mackerel, Pompano and Bluefish. October always brings us a nice variety of opportunities inshore with the mullet run and early signs of some of our migratory fall/winter fish!