Big redfish and flounder are hitting now as the water temperatures slowly creep towards lower numbers. Although real fall fishing hasn’t kicked in the enthusiastic redfish bite has been surprising and strong.

For more fishing articles and reports see my website Surf and Salt.

Big redfish are hitting at the jetties. You can catch them on a variety of baits. Some anglers have had success with live mullet minnows. Both the finger mullet and the corncob size can be used.



Anglers are working mullet near the rocks with Missin Fishin jig heads or using a sliding popping cork. You can also target redfish with cut blue crab baits at the jetties.

Inshore redfish are hitting around the creeks, and finger mullet on a fishfinder rig is a good set-up. You can also catch them with mud minnows or small pinfish, and at night around the bridges and docks with cut shrimp. Black drum are there as well, but the pinfish make it hard to fish cut shrimp during the day.

There are redfish in the surf too and they are being caught by pier anglers and surf fishermen. Cut mullet on a two-hook bottom rig is good, as are live finger mullet and mud minnows. Bottom fishermen are also taking some on cut shrimp.

Flounder are hitting for the drifters and trollers in the boats through the inlets using mud minnows, finger mullet or pogies. Big flounder are around the bridges and docks. They can be caught on fishfinder rigs with finger mullet or small pinfish or spot.



The surf is holding whiting (sea mullet) and pompano. Some big pompano are in the surf now. The best bait surf bait is live sand fleas, especially those with the orange roe. Other good surf baits are really fresh cut shrimp and cut bloodworms and Fishbites bloodworms.

Spanish mackerel are still hitting at the ends of the piers when the water clears, chasing the mullet schools. They can be caught on Gotcha plugs with silver or gold on them or gold hook and straw rigs. Bluefish are hitting too and will hit the red headed Gotchas best during the morning.

For more fishing reports and articles see my blog A Dash of Salty.