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VOLUME 31 • ISSUE 379 OCT 2026 F R A N C H I S E

O P P O R T U N I T I E S

A V A I L A B L E

PUBLISH YOUR OWN FISHING MAG OCTOBER 2026

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The Magic Starts in October

his is the time of year I live for, especially for o!shore bottom fishing of numerous species. This year is going to be di!erent, however, thanks to regulations that have completely shut down our gag grouper fishing. October, November, December, and the first three weeks of January are the absolute apex of gag grouper fishing. In my opinion, flawed science and highly extrapolated data are the reasons we are now facing a zero creel limit for gag grouper for the rest of the year. The situation with the Atlantic’s American red snapper is just as bad. Divers report having to wait for the Americans to get out of the way before they can shoot other target fish, and hook-andline fishing is o! the chart. It’s common to catch and release 20 red snapper per trip, yet we are legally forbidden from keeping a single one, at least for the moment. Where did they get the data to justify shutting down and keeping the American red snapper fishery closed? I would love to take these decision makers out on the water, or show them the underwater video footage captured by my diving friends, because it completely contradicts

2 NATIONAL

OCTOBER 2026

TIM BAREFOOT

the flawed data they are using to make decisions. Despite the regulatory headaches, the beauty of October through January is the gags and snapper will be literally right up on the beach. Last year, some of our best trips were within eyesight of the beach and we caught a serious number of fish. The larger male gags are starting to congregate on the inshore edges now in anticipation of the females coming soon. They will gather enlarged numbers on traditional spawning grounds that typically have good bottom and schools of bait, like cigars and sardines, and the little known fact of it is the same places will hold squid. I always say, “Find the bait … find the fish!” Yes, it’s important to find pretty bottom with some type of structure. If nothing else, look for live bottom and vegetation, but the ultimate scenario is finding big stacks of bait right on top of it. Let’s face it. That’s where your fish are going to be. You wouldn’t hang around in a place with nothing to eat, and neither will they.

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It’s a simple recipe this time of year to catch everything on the bottom. I always make sure to grab two boxes of frozen cigar minnows and whatever live bait we happen to have in the traps at the marina. But one of the best things you could possibly do is put one person on the Sabiki when you get to where you’re going. In addition to the frozen cigars, catch some live snappers or live cigar minnows and/or sardines. A live sardine on the bottom has a life expectancy under five seconds. It’s easily one of the most e!ective baits, especially when attached to a Crab Decoy Jig. The beauty of the shallow water gag and American red snapper fishing in the fall is that almost none of the fish are injured with bladder inflation. You can release them at the side of the boat and they will take o! immediately back to the bottom healthy and unharmed. The biggest problem we have now is the sharks are on to us. Wherever we stop, they hear the trolling motor and the fish struggling, so they come to it. Chances are pretty good you’re going to get a gag bit in half. When that happens, you need to move right away, otherwise you’re just feeding the sharks. They start gathering in numbers - we’ve seen as many as six or eight full grown sharks under the boat at one time. Here’s your sign…it’s time to move. Above all, take your kids out on the water, let them experience these amazing resources, and teach them to be good stewards for the future. To learn more tips and techniques from Tim Barefoot, visit barefootcatsandtackle.com.

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AUTUMN IN APPALACHIAN BROOK TROUT COUNTRY

By Devin Davenport

hen people think of autumn in the Smoky Mountains, they think of crisp,cool mornings, bluebird skies, and the leaves changing into striking yellow, orange and red hues as they begin to fall. What many don’t realize, is that a spectacle just as remarkable is taking place under the surface as well. Southern Appalachian brook trout in autumn put on a show as they prepare for their coming spawn, which usually occurs in mid to late October. As the season approaches, larger brook trout begin to boast the most vibrant colors that they will have all year. Their fins and bellies turn bright orange. Fish also produce more pronounced red dots, blue halos—and aggressive attitudes. This is all in an attempt to attract a suitable mate. It is the best time of the year to catch one of the prettiest fish in North America. Brook trout are the only salmonid species native to the Southern Appalachian region, and a fish that has lost 70% or more of its historical native range. This is primarily due to logging in the 18th and early 19th centuries, as well as the introduction of non-native fish such as rainbow and brown trout. While they are not typically picky eaters, they can be di%cult to find, as they inhabit only the coldest, cleanest, and highest-elevation creeks in Appalachia. Over 99% of native Appalachian brook trout never reach 8 inches in length, so finding a truly large Appalachian brook trout is a real feat for most fly anglers in the Southeast. There are also some areas with stocked brook trout in the southeast, and even these fish in the fall can boast some very impressive colors, and o&en are greater in size. Appalachian brook trout are most o&en found in tributaries that exceed 3,000 feet in elevation. They inhabit creeks so thick with rhododendron that casting room is o&en very limited. They exist below this, but the best place to find them is above 3K as high water temperatures in the late summer months can play a huge role in their existence. In most areas brook trout are found, food sources can be scarce. Bug life is limited the higher

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up you go, and the fish are opportunistic when a fly or lure is presented in a natural manner. The purest way to target a brook trout is with a dry fly, such as an Elk Hair Caddis or Parachute Adams. These flies have withstood the test of time and are a staple when it comes to rising brook trout. It’s a beautiful sight seeing a large, orange brook trout rise from the depths to crush a fly on the surface. Flies such as pheasant tails and prince nymphs are also very productive. One of the best ways to target larger brook trout is with a small streamer or spinner, as they will attack smaller fish that come within range. They are a remarkable fish and we are lucky they still have some strongholds in the Appalachians. Devin Davenport, (@appalachian.trout on Instagram) grew up fly fishing in the Southern Appalachian mountains. He primarily fishes for wild trout, smallmouth bass, musky, and other fish found in western North Carolina and East Tennessee. While he lived in South Florida for several years and loves saltwater fishing, he now resides back in the mountains of East Tennessee.

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PRO FISHING TECHNIQUES

Specks of the Smokies

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

GAME PLAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

AN OCTOBER

ctober is one of my favorite months to !sh the coast. Cooler weather makes a day on the water more comfortable, boat traffic begins to thin out, and the bays and marshes come alive. Trout, red!sh, and flounder are feeding on shrimp and !n!sh, and it is not uncommon to !nd all three in the same area. My October game plan starts before I launch the boat. Satellite imagery is a great tool for locating shallow coves connected to drains, bayous, or small cuts. I look for areas with shell, grass, subtle depth changes, and a drain that is still open rather than sanded in. Once I arrive, I slow down and look for bait. A promising shoreline without bait usually does not hold my attention for long. Outgoing tides are my !rst choice because moving water concentrates bait and !sh. Mouths of drains are obvious places to start, but do not overlook bends, narrow sections of a bayou, points extending into a bay, or cuts through a reef. Anything that increases current or funnels bait can create a feeding area. I will occasionally start with a topwater, but most of the time I have a durable paddle tail tied on. A smaller paddle tail helps match the young bait common in the marsh, while a 4-inch version is a dependable choice on open flats. I rig it weedless around grass and other cover or use a jig head in cleaner or deeper water. A paddle tail lets me cover water quickly, and its vibration helps !sh locate it. Add a built-in rattle and the lure gives !sh another reason to investigate. Before changing colors or lures, I change my retrieve. Red!sh often respond to a steady retrieve. Trout may prefer an erratic twitch-twitch action. For flounder, I keep the lure close to the bottom with the rod tip down or to the side and use !rm twitches that make the lure dart forward without jumping too high. Around a drain, I concentrate casts along the edges, bends, and small washouts where flounder can wait in ambush. Fish do not read !shing articles, so none of these rules are absolute. Let the bait, current, structure, and strikes tell you what to do next. Enjoy the cooler weather, try a different approach when the bite slows, and take a kid !shing. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor and owner of Knockin Tail Lures® — knockintaillures.com.

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OCTOBER 2026

FLORIDA 1

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By A. deGruchy ctober is a great month to chase black!n tuna in the Florida Keys. The weather starts to change a little, the bait gets moving, and the offshore bite can get really good. Black!n are one of those !sh that can turn a slow morning into chaos pretty quickly. Once you !nd them, it is usually fast action, hard runs, and a lot going on at once. Around the Keys, we usually start looking around deeper wrecks, offshore structure, current edges, and anywhere bait is getting pushed around. There are plenty of deeper wrecks and arti!cial reefs scattered off Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon and the Lower Keys that can hold black!n. You do not always have to be right on top of the wreck either. A lot of times the !sh will be moving around the area, especially if there is good current and bait nearby. Birds are always worth watching too. If you see birds dipping, bait getting pushed up, bonito going crazy or flying !sh getting chased, there is a good chance something is feeding underneath them. Trolling is one of the easiest ways to cover water and !nd !sh. Small feathers, skirts, diving plugs, and other smaller tuna-style baits all work well. Black!n are fast !sh, so you can keep the boat moving and still get plenty of bites. We like to spread the baits out behind the boat and work around an area instead of just trolling in a straight line all day. Once you get a bite, circle back through that same area because where there is one black!n, there are usually more. If birds are working, try not to run straight through the middle of them. Work the edge, keep the baits in 4 FLORIDA

OCTOBER 2026

clean water, and let the !sh come to you. Vertical jigging is probably one of the most fun ways to catch black!n. If the !sh are holding deeper around a wreck, drop a jig down and work it back up fast. Sometimes they will eat it deep, and other times they will follow it halfway back to the boat before crushing it. Savage Gear jigs are a great choice for this style of !shing because they drop fast, have a good pro!le, and are easy to work through the water column. Current plays a big role in what size jig we use. If it is ripping, go heavier. If the current is lighter, you can !sh something smaller and get a little more action out of the jig. The biggest thing is keeping it moving because black!n usually want something fast. For this kind of !shing, we like a PENN Authority spinning reel matched with a Carnage III rod. It is a solid setup for jigging, casting, or throwing a bait at !sh that suddenly pop up on the surface. The Authority has plenty of drag for a hard-running tuna, and the Carnage III has enough backbone to put real pressure on the !sh. That matters a lot in the Keys because getting the tuna to the boat is only half the battle. The sharks have been bad, especially around some of the deeper wrecks. You can hook a perfectly good black!n, !ght it halfway up, and then suddenly everything changes. Sometimes you get the head, sometimes you get half a tuna, and sometimes you get absolutely nothing back. It is frustrating, but it is part of !shing these areas right now. The best thing you can do is put pressure on the !sh and get it to the boat as quickly as possible. This is not really the time to play a tuna

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for 20 minutes if you can help it. Once the sharks !gure out what is going on, they can make !shing the same spot pretty tough, so if you start losing multiple !sh, sometimes the best move is to leave the area and !nd another school instead of feeding the sharks all afternoon. Having a heavier setup like the PENN Authority and Carnage III really helps because you can pull harder and shorten the !ght. One of the best parts about !shing black!n in October is that you do not have to stick with one method. Start trolling and cover some water. If you !nd !sh around a wreck, drop Savage Gear jigs. If they suddenly start blowing up on bait, grab a spinning rod and start casting. Things can change quickly, so having a few rods rigged and ready makes a big difference. October can be a really fun month offshore in the Florida Keys. The black!n are fast, they !ght hard, and when you get into a good school, the action can be nonstop. Just make sure you get them to the boat before the sharks do. Follow all of deGruchy’s adventures at @bean_sportfishing on Instagram and YouTube.

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Chasing the Fall Feed T he days may still be hot now, but the nights will begin to cool as fall moves closer. Water temperatures that have been in the 80’s and 90’s slowly drop, and bass start changing their behavior. This seasonal transition can create some of the best opportunities of the year to catch a true monster. During the summer months, many of the biggest bass spend a lot of their time around deeper structure, offshore cover and areas where they can !nd cooler, more comfortable water. As we move toward fall, bait!sh become the key. Shad begin moving, and bass know that an easy meal is available. When I see that transition starting, I want a bait that can imitate those shad and give me the ability to cover water. That’s one reason I developed the Bloom Shad with Bait Cave Customs. Making its debut at ICAST 2026, the Bloom Shad is designed to imitate a natural shad pro!le while giving me plenty of versatility. I can !sh it around grass, brush, docks and other cover, or work it through areas where bass are actively feeding on bait!sh. When the bass are roaming, I want something I can cast, retrieve and cover water with while still having the ability to slow it down when I !nd a productive area. It has quickly become one of my favorite soft plastics to utilize when I’m looking for quality !sh. One of the biggest keys during this transition is paying attention to the bait. If I !nd shad around

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points, creek channels, grass lines or the mouths of pockets, I know there’s a good chance bass won’t be far away. I also pay close attention to changing water conditions. Fall rains can raise lake levels, push fresh water into the system and move bait!sh into newly flooded cover. When that happens, some of the biggest bass in the lake will take advantage of the opportunity to feed up. I like to start shallow when conditions tell me the bait is there, but I’m always prepared to move deeper if the bass haven’t followed the bait!sh yet. The transition isn’t always predictable, and sometimes the best !sh can be caught by checking

several different depths until you !gure out where the bass are positioned. For me, the biggest lesson is to follow the food. Bass don’t have a calendar telling them it’s fall— they respond to water temperature, weather and, most importantly, the movement of their prey. When those !rst signs of fall begin showing up, I’ll have a Bloom Shad tied on and I’m going to be looking for that one area where the bait and the big bass come together. That’s when the summerto-fall transition can turn into some of the most exciting !shing of the entire year. Follow Joey Bloom on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube at Joey Bloom Fishing. The Bloom Shad will soon be available at batcavecustoms.com.

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OCTOBER 2026

FLORIDA 7

The Fall Kingfish Migration is Coming! A s summer fades and cooler water begins pushing south along the East Coast, one of the most exciting migrations of the year is about to get underway. King mackerel are on the move, and October can be prime time for chasing them. Known as king!sh or “smokers” to anglers, king mackerel are built for speed. They are powerful predators that spend much of their time chasing bait!sh along the coast, and their seasonal movements are closely tied to water temperature and food availability. NOAA Fisheries says kings prefer water warmer than about 68 degrees and migrate north during the summer before heading south for the winter. For East Coast anglers, that southbound migration is what makes fall so special. North Carolina’s Division of Marine Fisheries notes that king mackerel move inshore along beaches and near the mouths of inlets and rivers during the summer and fall. The !sh follow concentrations of bait such as menhaden, mullet, thread!n herring and sardines, and feeding kings can sometimes be spotted skyrocketing through schools of bait on the surface. That makes October a great month to start watching the water. From North Carolina and South Carolina

By CAM Staff

through Georgia and Florida, king!sh can show up anywhere from nearshore structure and arti!cial reefs to the edges of bait schools farther offshore. A moving body of bait is often a better clue than simply !shing a particular piece of bottom structure. Trolling remains one of the most popular ways to target them. Live bait such as menhaden, cigar minnows and other locally available bait!sh can be deadly, while dead ribbon!sh and arti!cial lures also have their place in the fall king!sh arsenal. And when a big king decides to eat, things can get exciting in a hurry. The fall migration also brings tournament anglers out in force. King mackerel support a substantial recreational !shery and are a favorite target in tournaments throughout the Southeast. For anglers planning October trips, the key is to follow the bait and watch the water temperature. Kings migrate south as conditions change, so the !sh that are showing up off one area early in the month may be considerably farther south later in the season. The good news is that the migration stretches along a huge portion of the Atlantic coast. And somewhere between the beaches of the Carolinas and the waters of Florida, the next big smoker is already on the move.

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OCTOBER 2026

ORLANDO 1

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Lake O’s water level is slowly rising mainly due to the typical afternoon summer rain showers. red I’m seeing areas out on the lake that the vegetation has really come back, lowering the water level has helped for it to take hold and really blossom. The water quality looks great ! I’m anticipating a great start to the upcoming season which typically kicks off first of November for the pre spawn bass and crappie bite. What’s working now for the bass bite are: frogs; swim baits/swim jigs; worms; flipping isolated grass clumps; top water early in the morning; crank baits and c-rigs in the Kissimmee River. Color patterns to have handy are: white; shad; black/ blue; june bug; red bug; plum; watermelon red flake or purple flake. The bream bite is still going on with most Anglers sticking to the Canals such as

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entral Florida’s premier supplier of trailers, parts, accessories and service, AT Trailer Center is now open in Cocoa! After several successful years at their two existing locations in St. Cloud and protected pockets. Those are the Punta Gorda on Florida’s West Coast, thewhere company decided to open areas they will be moving to. a location on the East Coast. Cocoa was the perfect a short ride Usually looking location, for a little deeper David Paycheck water, point Smyrna or a brush-pile between from Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville and New Beach, as well as 605-681-4883 those isareas are and greatready areas to many other close cities. The new location now open to serve davidpaycheckfishing.com check. They will be on the move so new or existing clints at 909 N. Cocoa Blvd., the west side of Highway don’t be on discouraged if you don’t U.S. 1 a little north of SR 520. catch them right away. This is the timestainless of yearsteel you parts, need replacement to cover They carry all types of marine grade As October is rolling in here. water. Once you findfenders, one, youhitches, will parts, hubs, wiring, harnesses, lights, axles, bearings, Summertime patterns are going to find more in the area. But you will wheels, tires and anything else you may need for replacing or repairing slow down and fall patterns will be need to fish around a bunch more your existing trailer. starting to play more. The first of than likely to find them with chatterthisThey seasons’ fronts have already baits, rattletrailers traps as and topwater are Florida’s premier supplier of new well, carrying pasted! baits.a trailer Whatever more brands they we can list. They have to meetyour your moving needs for confidence bait is. That’s what I business or pleasure. boat trailers from Ameratrail andjigBandit, We’re going start toCustom get cooler would fish with. Even a swim can utility type, PWC, enclosed, dump, equipment, nights along with shorter days. play this timeflat-beds, of year asauto, well.golf-cart Stick Withmany that water temperature cooling with your standard colors on Toho and others. off Take it’s going to check allow you catch Junebug, black new / time to themtoout if youwhich are in are needwhite, of parts, accessories, fish all throughout the day more blue, plum colored baits or maybe or replacement trailers! They’re open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. consistently and not be as miserably try copper field. to p.m., andout Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. hot5:30 while being there! The bass areTell going start thinking aboutin The crappie bite will also start themtoyou read about them getting towards their pre-spawning to heat up for all of you speck Coastal Angler Magazine for a staging areas. Late December- fisherman all over the chain, get a “Special Discount!” March is when they spawn and bunch of fresh live minnows and tip November and December are when they’re in their pre-spawn phase. It’s late summer and they’re gonna start moving towards those areas where they’re going to fatten up spawn.

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OCTOBER 2026

Harney Pond and Indian Praire and the Kissimmee River fishing with live worms and/or crickets on Ultra light spinning gear. Anglers are fishing the Shoal area (west side of the lake) accessible travelling up from Clewiston and launching from Harney Pond running the pole markers or making the run from Scott Driver in Okeechobee. Other areas are Kings Bar; Tin House and parts of Indian Praire. Some boats are making the trip across to the East side of the lake fishing around J & S. Thanks to Orlando Coastal Angler Magazine for being a partner for over 14 years now, If you want to gain local inside knowledge as to the best places to eat and other activities that you may want to check out while you’re in Okeechobee. Call me at 863-228-7263, send an email to adouthit49@gmail.com and be sure to check out my website www.southfloridabassfishing. com for all the latest customer pics; trip info; past fishing reports and etc.

your colored jigs and get out there and get catching them. The 18th Annual Orlando Coastal Magazine Shad and Crappie Derby starts November 1st, it is “Free to Enter”, it only takes 1 fish to WIN!!!

Look for the fish to start moving from the summertime homes to the areas with harder bottom, andLearn more at ATTrailerCenter.com

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OCTOBER 2026

ORLANDO 3

With the findi has push find Fast getti a ch bait trap bait your days the the are With front bass pre-s over phas near river deep flats Look bait 4 ORLANDO

AUGUST OCTOBER 2026 2026

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With all the rain from last month the water levels are high and finding areas with moving water has been easy. Moving water pushes the bait up and once you find the bait the bass are closeby. Faster moving baits have been getting the best bites of late. Try a chatter-bait, medium-size swim bait and the old stand-by rattle trap and always have a spook type bait or top-water popper tired on your favorite spinning rod. As the days continue to get shorter and the daytime temperatures cooler the bass all throughout the chain are starting their fall transition. With the first of this years’ cold fronts have already past so the bass will be heading towards the pre-spawning and staging areas over the next few months of moon phases. The areas to look for are near the mouths of the canals and rivers, grass lines close to both deeper waters, and near shallow flats or edges of Kissimmee grass. Look for schooling bass chasing bait shad and match their size. Top

water plugs like a pencil popper or Zara Spook Jr. will work best early and later in the day. The younger and more aggressive buck bass will head to the shallows with the coming Full and New moons searching for areas for the big females to join them to spawn. Both mouths of the Dead River, Haines Creek, Apopka, and Dora canals are places to check. Once you get a bite slow down and fish the area thoroughly. The crappie bite will also be getting better as the temperatures get cooler. The bigger females will follow the males to shallow water by the end of the month. Shallow flats with grass and lily pads and wood as well as docks all throughout the chain will be areas to check. Try different depths for your baits until you start getting bit. Try jigs in assorted colors tipped with a minnow or a live minnow under a cork until you see what they want best. The 18th Annual Shad and Crappie Derby starts in November, you can register at Owen’s Fishing & Marine in Eustis, Lakeside Bait and Tackle in Tavares or Nobles Marine in Leesburg, it is “FREE” to enter.

Fall season. The river mullet has migrated north past Central Florida and the black crappie bite has turned on. Bass will readily take spinner baits, rattling crankbaits, topwater chuggers, and soft plastic worms and swimbaits. With high water levels, look for feeding largemouth bass in shallow, two feet or less. Crappies in the early season are found in the lakes; they move into the deep river bends after the second major cold front.

Massive fish are looking for lucky anglers! The 18th Annual Shad and Crappie Derby will begin November 1 – you only need to catch one fish to win…thousands of dollars’ worth in prizes to be awarded! Shad show up around Christmas, so it’s crappie time for October and November.

To catch crappie, simply tie a small 1/8th ounce jig on 8 lb. test monofilament and tip with a minnow. Take that minnow-tipped jig to the up-wind side of the lake and slow troll it behind the boat fishing with the wind at about 1.0 to 1.5 mph. Slower trolling and/ or farther away from boat, your bait goes deep where the fish live. The more rods you can deploy, the better. When you catch a fish, mark the spot on your GPS. When you get to the other side of the lake, go back and repeat making sure to troll over your newly found crappie spots. Crappies will congregate in the same area with up to 50 fish or more schooled up for the spawn. Good luck catching!

Don’t miss the kick-off meeting at Celery City Craft Beer Garden in Sanford on Thursday October 29th from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. This is your first opportunity to register. All anglers receive the official Derby Photo Token and Derby Ruler. On hand will be local crappie experts to help with last-minute tackle tips and rigging techniques. The only way to enter this FREE tournament is to visit one of the Derby sign-up locations. Visit www. coastalanglermag.com/orlando for complete details.

October is the month we experience the highest water levels in the St. Johns River system. Love bugs and the first cold front bring in the COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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OCTOBER 2026

ORLANDO 5

Tide Charts Brought To You By: deeper from there. Be sure to put out a few naked ballyhoo for the sails, and don’t forget the shotgun rig. A wire-rigged bait sent way back can be deadly, with black and purple being great color choices.

For those of you who have been waiting to catch something different—something other than kings and tarpon—or, better yet, something you can actually take home for dinner the wait is over. The fall run is here! This is a great time of year to target the fish that migrated north during the spring and are now making their way back south—assuming that’s actually what’s going on. Mahi, wahoo, blackfin tuna, and sailfish will all start showing up. We’ve already seen quite a few green fish hit the boards, along with a good number of blackfins. The fall run generally isn’t quite as strong as the spring run, but it can still produce some awesome fishing. A lot of fish are being caught in relatively shallow water right now, especially on slow-trolled live bunker while targeting kings. Now is also the time to start rigging your ballyhoo again and paying close attention to temperature breaks and weed lines. Start around 100 feet of water and work

Troy Perez 321-607-2033 capt.troyperez@gmail.com October the weather is a little cooler. Tarpon fishing is tapering off but you can still catch small tarpon in the canals and ditches. Use a small mini jigs, some people call them crappie or speck jigs. Use light 8 lb. line with 15# test leaders. Black drum fishing should pick up, look for small schools on the flats usually in areas where there is not much grass in 1-2 ft of water. Schools could reach in the hundreds. They tail similar to redfish, so they are a great fish to sight-fish for. Usually the best way to catch them is with a flyrod and small black clouser. A piece of shrimp on a 1/4 or 1/8 ounce mission fishing jig head works well. Don’t use a jumbo shrimp, use ½ of a small shrimp, it is harder to cast but once out there don’t move it. All this is sight casting, so of course, calmer, sunnier days are best. You can find lots of small redfish with the water be-coming higher, so the of variety of catches is much better like reds, black drum, snook, trout and small tarpon. Use lures like 1/8 ounce mission fishing jigs with paddle tails, also try gold spoons or gulp jigs. The bigger redfish should be spawning till the end of October. When

6 ORLANDO

OCTOBER 2026

Continue working the regular reefs with live bunker and mullet, but don’t overlook the wrecks. If you find a wreck loaded with bait, there’s a very good chance something is nearby feeding on it. Bonita have been hot lately and are a blast when they’re fired up, and they also make excellent strip bait—and, of course, they’re good eating too. (You eat a tuna, right?) Beach Fishing Beach fishing is heating up as well. With the nice weather and plenty of bait along the beaches with the “Mullet Run” in fullswing , there are plenty of opportunities right now. All of the regular predators are chewing on them, Pompano, flounder, snook, sharks, tarpon, kings, jacks, and whiting are all being caught and especially the shark fishing from the beach has been going off too. Air temps are cooling off as the days get shorter, All in all, this is a great time to be on the water. The fall run is getting started, the variety of fish is increasing, and the next few weeks should only get better. Get your gear ready, keep an eye on the bait, and go fishing!

you find 1 big red, you should find more in same areas with it. Typically these big reds are more aggressive so use top water plugs, big spoons or live bait like blue crabs will also work well. Triple tail fishing starts getting better in the ocean around the buoys. Use live shrimp on a 3/0 J hook with a small split shot with 30-40# leader tied to 20-30# braided line and toss around the buoys. Best time to fish triple tail is after a south or southeast that blows for a few days. Other fish like large reds are also around the buoys. Use a 1 ounce egg sinker tied to a swivel tied to 30-40 # mono leader tied to 20-30 lb braid with a 6/0 circle hook. For bait I use large chunks of cut-pogies, live pogies and croakers. The jetties will normally hold snook and redfish at the port. For bait I use live pogies or croakers. If you can find live jumbo shrimp, those will work well also. Jumbo shrimp on a 1/8-ounce jig heads can out fish everything else. Side scan is typically the best method to find fish by the buoys or jetties. Tip of the month: go small on the hooks and leader 2/0 hooks and 30 pound fluorocarbon leaders more hookup’s you will lose some fish but you’re out fish everybody else

CENTRAL EAST COAST OCTOBER 2026 DAY

TIME

1TH 12:06 AM 6:00 AM 12:57 PM 6:34 PM 2F 1:01 AM 7:01 AM 1:57 PM 7:38 PM 3SA 2:05 AM 8:09 AM 3:03 PM 8:51 PM 4SU 3:16 AM 9:23 AM 4:12 PM 10:03 PM 5M 4:30 AM 10:33 AM 5:17 PM 11:08 PM 6TU 5:39 AM 11:35 AM 6:14 PM 7W 12:04 AM 6:39 AM 12:30 PM 7:05 PM 8TH 12:54 AM 7:32 AM 1:20 PM 7:51 PM 9F 1:40 AM 8:20 AM 2:06 PM 8:33 PM 10SA 2:23 AM 9:04 AM 2:48 PM 9:13 PM

HEIGHT

2.86 H 0.24 L 2.98 H 0.8 L 2.77 H 0.36 L 2.86 H 0.9 L 2.7 H 0.47 L 2.79 H 0.93 L 2.68 H 0.53 L 2.79 H 0.86 L 2.73 H 0.53 L 2.85 H 0.72 L 2.85 H 0.49 L 2.94 H 0.54 L 3 H 0.45 L 3.03 H 0.37 L 3.13 H 0.42 L 3.08 H 0.24 L 3.22 H 0.42 L 3.1 H 0.17 L 3.25 H 0.46 L 3.06 H

Miami Beach, Government Cut 11SU 3:03 AM 9:45 AM 3:29 PM 9:51 PM 12M 3:43 AM 10:24 AM 4:09 PM 10:28 PM 13TU 4:22 AM 11:03 AM 4:48 PM 11:06 PM 14W 5:01 AM 11:43 AM 5:28 PM 11:44 PM 15TH 5:42 AM 12:24 PM 6:10 PM 16F 12:25 AM 6:27 AM 1:09 PM 6:58 PM 17SA 1:11 AM 7:18 AM 2:00 PM 7:56 PM 18SU 2:06 AM 8:17 AM 2:56 PM 9:00 PM 19M 3:08 AM 9:21 AM 3:54 PM 10:02 PM 20TU 4:13 AM 10:21 AM 4:50 PM 10:55 PM

0.17 L 3.23 H 0.53 L 3 H 0.22 L 3.15 H 0.63 L 2.9 H 0.33 L 3.03 H 0.76 L 2.79 H 0.46 L 2.88 H 0.9 L 2.67 H 0.61 L 2.74 H 1.03 L 2.56 H 0.76 L 2.61 H 1.15 L 2.45 H 0.88 L 2.51 H 1.22 L 2.37 H 0.97 L 2.46 H 1.22 L 2.35 H 0.99 L 2.47 H 1.14 L 2.4 H 0.96 L 2.54 H 1 L

21W

5:14 AM 2.52 H 11:15 AM 0.88 L 5:41 PM 2.63 H 11:41 PM 0.81 L 22TH 6:09 AM 2.69 H 12:03 PM 0.78 L 6:29 PM 2.74 H 23F 12:24 AM 0.59 L 7:00 AM 2.88 H 12:48 PM 0.67 L 7:13 PM 2.84 H 24SA 1:05 AM 0.38 L 7:47 AM 3.06 H 1:32 PM 0.58 L 7:56 PM 2.93 H 25SU 1:46 AM 0.2 L 8:33 AM 3.2 H 2:15 PM 0.51 L 8:40 PM 3 H 26M 2:29 AM 0.06 L 9:19 AM 3.29 H 2:59 PM 0.48 L 9:24 PM 3.04 H 27TU 3:14 AM -0.02 L 10:07 AM 3.31 H 3:45 PM 0.49 L 10:11 PM 3.03 H 28W 4:01 AM -0.02 L 10:56 AM 3.26 H 4:33 PM 0.55 L 11:00 PM 2.99 H 29TH 4:52 AM 0.05 L 11:48 AM 3.17 H 5:26 PM 0.64 L 11:54 PM 2.92 H 30F 5:48 AM 0.17 L 12:44 PM 3.05 H 6:24 PM 0.72 L 31SA 12:53 AM 2.83 H 6:50 AM 0.33 L 1:43 PM 2.94 H 7:31 PM 0.78 L

PONCE INLET (Halifax River)

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE

SEBASTIAN INLET BRIDGE

TIME OFFSET High +5 min / Low +33 min HEIGHT OFFSET High *1.18 ft / Low *1 ft

TIME OFFSET High -64 min / Low -38 min HEIGHT OFFSET High *1.5 ft / Low *1.43 ft

TIME OFFSET High -48 min / Low -24 min HEIGHT OFFSET High *.93 ft / Low *1.0 ft

CAPE CANAVERAL

CANOVA BEACH

SEBASTIAN (IRL)

TIME OFFSET High -66 min / Low -44 min HEIGHT OFFSET High *1.5 ft / Low *1.42 ft

TIME OFFSET High -53 min / Low -26 min HEIGHT OFFSET High *1.49 ft / Low *1.5 ft

TIME OFFSET High 92 min / Low 156 min HEIGHT OFFSET High *.15 ft / Low *.5 ft

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OCTOBER 2026

ORLANDO 7

Boat Dealers New & Consignment Astor Marine (352) 759-3655

1 24535 FL-40, Astor FL

www.astormarine.com

Nobles Marine (352) 787-5792

2 3

437 N Palmetto St., Leesburg, FL 1931 N. Hwy 19, Crystal River, FL www.noblesmarine.com

Craig Catamaran (407) 290-8778 4333 Silver Star Rd. $100 Orlando, FL

Triangle Marine (352) 343-6146

Sea Tow of Central Florida Lakes

6 (877) 800-1492

12307 Wedgefield Dr., Grand Island, FL

AT Trailer (407) 892-1100

9 4820 E. Irlo Brunson Memorial Hwy., St Cloud FL www.attrailercenter.com

Marinetec Systems (321) 363-6550

61 1061 TidenVille School Rd., Winter Garden FL www.marinetecsystems.com

Bait & Tackle Shops / Outfitters / Apparel Adventures in Florida (407) 924-3375

4 11415 US-441, Tavares, FL

15 The Original Central Florida Guided Kayak Tour

Aamco East Orlando (407) 277-3311 30 6304 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL Full Service Mechanics

Lakeside Bait & Tackle (352) 742-3336 5 1000 W. Burleigh Blvd., Taveres, FL

www.trianglemarinecenter.biz

Central Florida Marine (407) 647-6262

25 1021 N. Orlando Ave., Maitland, FL www.centralfloridamarine.com

Orlando Boat Sales (407) 253-7111

38 3165 B. John Young Pkwy., Orlando, FL www.orlandoboatsales.com

Boat Max USA (321) 866-0306

24 9700 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL www.boatmaxusa.com

Gibson Truck World (407) 321-0660

46 3455 S. Orlando Dr., Sanford, FL www.gibsontruckworld.com

Boat Tree Marina (407) 322-1610

14 4370Carraway Pl., Sanford, FL

Next Level Inc. “Florida Marine Customs”

704-5676 60 (407) 87 W. Michigan St., Orlando FL

info@floridamarinecustoms.com

Boat Improvement / Service & Repair Centers / Replacement Parts All America Marine (407) 855-9988 36 7024 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL www.allamericanmarineorlando.net

Advanced Marine Services

498-5142 35 (407) 1322 Carolina Ave., St. Cloud, FL advancedmarine.co

Fairview Marina (407) 295-0117 29 Lake 4503 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL www.lakefairviewmarina.com

Portside Marina (407) 249-1124

32 2730 Forsyth Rd., Orlando, FL www.portsidemarina.com

Talon Marine Services (407) 542-7600 439

23 Aulin Ave., Orlando, FL

www.talonmarineservices.com

Team Marine Services (407) 260-8236

20 1350 28th St., Orlando, FL

www.teammarineservices.com

Ahoy Marine (407) 323-8373

19 311 E. 25th St., Sanford, FL www.superpages.com

8 ORLANDO

Company Since 1995 www.adventuresinflorida.com

7 Owens Fishing & Marine (352) 357-3030 935 N. Bay St., Eustis, FL

Highlands Marina & Camp Resort (336) 668-4491

11 488 W. Highbanks Rd., DeBary, FL www.campresort.com

Boat Tree Marina (407) 322-1610

14 3370 Carraway Pl., Sanford, FL www.boattree.com

Bitters Bait & Tackle (407) 699-6619

21 65 N. US Hwy 17-92, Longwood, FL www.bittersbaitandtackle.com

Academy Sports & Outdoors

East Colonial 11955 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando

Vista 6640 Eagle Watch Dr., Orlando 43 Lee Millenia 3557 Gardens Ridge Way, Orlando

Lake Mary 3641 Lake Emma Road, Lake Mary

CJS Aluminum Inc.

100 210 N. Goldenrod Rd., Orlando, FL

CF (407) 281-9210 Spacecoast (321) 345-2011 www.cjsaluminum.com

A&H Storage (407) 678-0507

31 2500 N. Forsyth Rd., Orlando, FL www.AHStorage.co

RoMac Building Supply

841-1250 34 (407) 231 W. Gore St., Orlando, FL www.romacfl.com

www.martintreeservice.com

Campbell Renovations Inc.

DWR Plumbing LLC. (407) 293-3717 Orlando Painting Service (407) 896-0839

27 65 Harold Ave., Suite B, Winter Park, FL www.orlandopaintingservice.com

Millennium Electric (407) 420-2001

28 4340 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL www.millennium-electric.com

Water Works Pressure Cleaning & Sealing

(407) 376-9526 41 490 Buck Lake Lane, Geneva, FL www.jmwaterworksinc.com

AUGUST OCTOBER SEPTEMBER 2026 2026 2026 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Lake Harris

947-0015 50 (407) 285 Campbell Ranch Run, Geneva, FL www.campbellrenovationsinc.com

Vapor and Company (407) 878-7397 3621 S. orlando Dr., Sanford, FL 51 SR 436, Altamonte Springs, FL East SR 50, Orlando, FL www.vaporandco.com

Area Best Picks for Restaurants Jolly Gator Fish Camp Bar & Grill (689) 263-3232

47 4650 S. State Rd. 46, Geneva, FL www.thejollygator.com

Fish on Fire (407) 812-6881

39 7937Daetwyler Dr., Orlando, FL www.fishonfireorlando.com

High Tide Harry’s (407) 273-4422

40 4645 S. Semoran Blvd., Orlando, FL www.hightideharrys.com

Boston’s Fish House (407) 678-2107 Aloma Square Shopping Center 33 6860 Aloma Ave., Winter Park, FL www.bostonsfishhouse.com Mud Hole Custom Tackle, Inc. (407) 447-7637 48 2133 Component Loop Suite 1001, Oviedo, FL St. Johns River Steak & Seafood www.mudhole.com 17 (407) 878-0980 550 N. Palmetto Ave., Sanford, FL Orlando Outfitters (407) 896-8220 56 2814 Corrine Dr., Orlando, FL Huey Magoo’s (407) 706-6802 www.orlandooutfitters.com 22 www.hueysmagoos.com 10 Locations - See our ad on restaurant page Captain Troy Perez (321) 607-2033 99 capt.troyperez@gmail.com Camp House Restaurant (407) 915-5401 Mosquito Lagoon - Indian River - Port Canaveral 13 100 S. White Cedar Rd., Sanford, FL www.camphousebarandgrill.com

26 6344 All American Blvd., Orlando, FL

441 6

Martin Tree Service, Inc. (407) 359-1119

39 1215 Bob White Trail, Chuluota, FL

Wojo’s Bait & Tackle (407) 891-1003 45 Oak Park Center, 4245 13th St., St. Cloud, FL

Home Improvement Contractors & Service Providers

The Deli (407) 332-8800 52 4360 Carraway Pl., Sanford, FL TJ’s Seafood Shack (407) 365-3365

53 197 E. Mitchell Hammock Rd., Oviedo, FL 12231 E. Colonial Dr. #230, Orlando, FL www.tjsseafoodshack.com

Marina (407) 322-2910 54 Sanford 531 N. Palmetto Ave., Sanford FL Celery City Craft (407) 915-5541

56 114 Palmetto Ave., Sanford, FL www.celerycitycraft.com

West End Trading Co. (407) 322-7475

55 202 Sanford Ave., Sanford, FL www.drinkatwestend.com

Flo

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429

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Community Service Providers Triangle Marine

Sea Tow of Central Florida Lakes

11415 US-441, Tavares, FL 32778 Phone:(352) 343-6146 www.trianglemarinecenter.biz

(877) 800-1492 12307 Wedgefield Drive , Grand Island, FL 32735

Always Looking for Captains

Bennington Pontoons – TideWater Johnson – Evinrude – Yamaha

Lake, Orange, Western Volusia, Seminole, Osceola, Western Brevard, Eastern Sumter, Eastern Polk

!"#$%&'()*+ Boat Max USA

All American Marine

7024 S Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32809 Phone: (407) 855-9988 www.allamericanmarineorlando.com Service All Outboard Brands – Stern Drives – Canvas – Interiors – Trailer Repair

AHOY MARINE INC.

www.allamericanmarineorlando.net

Mercury Premier Service Center Pioneer -Marine Glasstream - Aquasport - Stottcraft Mercury Marine Center New Boats Sales -Repower Authorized Yamaha and Factory Authorized and Service Suzuki Dealer Parts Parts and Service Mariner Parts and Service

Lake Fairview Marina

Thomas Lumber Company ,#&'-%./)01)*2%3/440$

Consignment Sales – Outboard Service – Storage – Ship Store – Sailing Classes

Fashion Lumber• Yard – Lumber – Trim •Old Lumber • Drywall Insulation • Trusses Custom Doors – Hardware •–Doors • Windows • Roofing –• Delivery Siding – Customer and More Service

Nobles Marine

Campbell Renovations Inc. Adventures in Florida

Mako – Tracker – Nitro – Tahoe - Mercury Regency - Sun Tracker

State Certified Contractor CBC 1255779 www.econoutfitters.com (407) 924-3375 Providing & Kayak/Canoe Rentals Residential Commercial Newon the Econlockhatchee River Construction – Renovations – Kitchens – FREE Shuttle Service! Bathrooms – Additions – Tenant Build Out

Owens Fishing & Marine

Vapor and Company

231 W Gore St, Orlando, FL 32806, Phone: (407) 841-1250 www.romacfl.com www.thomaslumber.com Phone: (407) 841-1250

4503 N Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32804 Phone: (407) 295-0117 www. Lakefairviewmarina.com

285www.adventuresinflorida.com Campbell Ranch Run, Geneva, FL 32732 (407) 924-3375 The Original349-0016 Central Florida Kayak Tour Phone:(407) Cell:Guided 407-947-5460 Company Since 1995 www.campbellrenovationsinc.com

437 N Palmetto St, Leesburg, FL 34748 or 1931 N. Hwy 19, Crystal River Phone: (352) 787-5792 www.noblesmarine.com

Econ Outfitters

935 N Bay St, Eustis, FL 32726 Phone: (352) 357-3030 Saltwater Tackle & Bait - Ballyhoo, Freshwater Tackle - Live Bait - Wild Shiners Costa - Shimano Top Shelf Dealer Outboard Service & Boat Parts Hunting & Snorkeling Accessories Bow Fishing

3621 S. Orlando Dr. Sanford FL 32773 Phone:(407) 878-7397 www.vaporandco.com

St. Johns River Steak & Seafood

capt.troyperez@gmail.com Orlando Painting Service

550 N Palmetto Ave, Sanford, FL 32771 Phone: (407) 878-0980 On Water Location – Special Events – Full Bar – Steaks – Fresh Seafoodel

10 ORLANDO 10 ORLANDO

9700 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando FL 32817 511 E 25th St,866-0306 Sanford, FL 32771 Phone: (321) Phone: (407) 323-8373 www.boatmaxusa.com

OCTOBER 2026 AUGUST 2022

Electronic Cigarettes and E-Liquid Experts in Smoking Cessation Orlando Coastal Angler Magazine Approved! Altamonte Springs, Orlando East SR 50

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some relax, thing ok to heat. come g but heat, e bill s like n look plug sence fished ill get n’t let at the

surface. Picking out the biggest feet off the beach and hold on. fish can be fun especially for your Bonita and king are an excellent charters. bait for the toothy critters. Kingfish should continue to do

move in close. Pods October is the month of ghouls, goblins, pumpkins, and aofchange menhaden (pogies), in the “seasons” is here. Atlantic That change in season isn’t always fin just herring , layer noticeable these days, but ifthread you look undergreenies the surface baygetting anchovies of “it’s still hot outside,” the and days are shorter (glass and that sun minnows) will into all thebe seems just a little less oppressive as it slips farther southern by though predator sky with every passing day. shadowed Winter is coming, a bit slower like large tarpon, for us in the southern states.species It’s not just the weather that changes. blacktip The ocean itself will have asmoker different feelkings, as southerly winds shift Sea trout and redfish the and spinner jack a bit to northerlies and are summer’s calm is replacedsharks, with something primary targets for anglers crevalle, bonitoatand more on the sporty side. Those last chances someredfish. beach launch on thekayak Lagoon flats. your of attention on tarpon bait that action are Anglers here. WithFocus the amount snook and should focus their efforts pods where therewaters are visible have been in the surf and near-shore Coastal there should in areas of solid mullet schools, predators, feeding still be chances like this one (pictured) caughtactivity with a client. throwing water in is and active birdreal feeding. The top Indian Riverplugs Lagoon showing some signs of recovery. the early morning and like lateevery Lagoon story was about what we For years it seemed afternoon hours, or at night. As wefish approach the Today, end ofwe are had lost—seagrass, water quality, and habitat. Oncefinally the day getsto hot month thethe beginning starting see and some the of that trendand move other direction. the top wateris returning bite slows, theportions fall mullet look Indian Seagrass acrossoflarge of the run, Mosquito, switch(proper), your and tactics to River live Lagoons. for snookWith fishing in the comes surf bait, Banana that habitat bait and pigfish or been A seeing CAL the to redfish improve they as we’ve andas trout that move chase them. igs Oyster fished restoration on the deeper into the surf break to projects throughout the Lagoon arefeed. also doing edgesmore of the and don’t Remember snook season thanflats, just putting oysters back. In many areas we areisseeing overlook therecruitment large ladyfish closed inoysters August, so please natural and free-growing establishing even far schools shadowing handle, and release from those projects. glass Give Mother Nature a foothold andthem sometimes minnows out init the with care. Project The with she takes from deeper there. The IRL extreme Clam Restoration water.UF and Capt. Blair Wiggins snook in 130 our million has nowpopulations returned roughly areaLagoon, are elevated this year native clams to the Indian River putting another important If thepiece ocean stays due to thesystem warmer than of thewater Lagoon’s natural filtration back onusual the bottom. warmAlong above 80 degrees we experienced. the shoreline, efforts winter are expanding as well, including our alongwork the with near-shore coast, New Swell Restoration to re-establish mangroves and look for pods of baitfish toroots provide. Seagrass, oysters, clams the habitat those tangled and mangroves. None is the silver bullet, but together they begin M M •• THEANGLERMAG.COM THEANGLERMAG.COM rebuilding the system from the bottom up—and fishermen are beginning to see the results at the end of our fishing lines. There is still a long way to go, many large issues to be addressed, and continued restoration is going to matter if we want today’s improvements to become tomorrow’s normal. The Lagoon isn’t “fixed,” but it certainly feels like we are finally moving in the right direction. And after spending a lot of years writing about what the Indian River Lagoon was losing, it sure is nice to see with our own eyes and write about what is coming back.

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Big specks starting to bite down at the “Big O” fishing with Capt. Angie Douthit!

George with his first snook, fishing with Fired-Up Carters during the “Mullet Run” !!

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FISHING THE FALL MULLET MIGRATION

By Skye Nowak

he Atlantic coast of Florida experiences one of the planet’s greatest migrations each fall: the fall mullet run. When millions of mullet push south in giant schools toward spawning grounds o! the southern end of the state, it presents an exciting prospect for fishing. It’s an event anglers anticipate all year long. The mullet run doesn’t have an official start or end date. Large schools of mullet, some being the size of three football fields, move south as temperatures cool. Tarpon, sharks, kingfish and redfish are just some of the gamefish that move with these pods. Most years the fishing is on fire in the months of October and November. Obviously, mullet is the bait to use this time of the year. I prefer freelining finger-sized mullet as pretty much everything will bite! I mainly fish inshore, so light tackle is the way for me. However it is important to be prepared to switch up, depending on the size and species of the game fish present. In the backcountry, I like a light-to medium-action 2000 size spinning setup to fish 10/15 pound leader to a 3/0 circle hook, using a simple loop knot, tying a FG knot or double uni to connect leader to braid (main lines) creating a true free line without the added weight of the swivel. The rigging is pretty much the same if needed to beef up for larger catches.

That being said, in a 2500 size setup I’ll fish 15/20 pound leader, but I’ll bump that up to 25/30 pound test on a 3000 size gear for bigger game fish. To fish with mullet, I simply follow the pods, casting to the outside of the schools, opening my bail to let the bait swim naturally. When you hit it right you’ll find yourself hooking up on nearly every cast. With species changing from one cast to the next. From snook to tarpon. Big gamefish tend to seek out isolated or injured mullet, which is exactly what your bait is. This backcountry lady angler enjoys sight fishing and scouting the marshes from the Tomoka Basin to Mosquito Lagoon along Florida’s central Atlantic Coast. I’ll target large breeder reds in the inlets, however I spend my days chasing snook, reds, tarpon, black drum, and sighting tails in our estuaries and marshes. This style of fishing is perfect for throwing artificials on light tackle. This time of the year any artificial that resembles a mullet will produce—swimbaits, Rapala X-Raps, Bomber Lures, Savage Gear Pulse Tail Mullets, LIVETARGET Slow-Roll Mullets, MirroOlure Suspending Twitch Bait Mullets and, my “go-tos,” the NLBN 3-3.75 paddletail jigs, K-Tails and 4to 7-inch mullets. (You can never go wrong with a good ol’ fashioned spoon!) Please remember that during the fall mullet run our breeder redfish are much more susceptible to being caught from beaches, boats, bridges, docks and piers. Handling them with care and releasing them safely is important to the future of our fisheries! The statewide slot limit is 18-27 inches, intended to protect the larger fish which are part of the spawning stock. Landing a larger redfish this time of the year is easy with the mullet running simply freelined, or drop one on a weighted rig to land that trophy! Before you experience that drag-pulling run you should be knowledgeable on how to properly handle and release your fish. In recent years, Florida has adopted management plans for redfish, and there are new regulations across nine di!erent zones. Anglers need to understand these regulations because they are intended to protect one of our iconic species in the face of habitat loss. Most of the state now has a one fish per person daily limit in the 18-27 inch slot. Some regions have two fish per vessel limit and others have a four fish per vessel limit. The Indian River zone, from New Smyrna Beach South Causeway to the Martin/Palm Beach County line (not including Locks Of Hatchy), is strictly catch-and-release only for redfish. Make sure to visit myfwc.com for your area’s regulations, as well as instruction on safe handling and release.

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PRO FISHING TECHNIQUES

3 BEST LURES FOR REDFISH

CAPT. MIKE SMITH

ou can !nd red!sh around oyster bars, grass %ats, mangroves, dock pilings, mud %ats and any other place where they can !nd crabs, shrimp, snails and !sh to eat. PRO TIP - Red!sh spend most of their lives looking down with their heads “literally” in the mud. &e best way to get their attention is with a lure that stinks and/or makes a lot of noise to maximize your catch. GULP SHRIMP - &at is why my number one lure choice for catching red!sh in every inshore scenario is the Berkeley Gulp 3” shrimp. I usually couple that lure with a 1/8 ounce jig head and a 20 pound leader. Cast it to your target and let it sink to the bottom. &en bounce it on the bottom back to you slowly and repeat. I think that many anglers !sh their jigs too quickly. You have to give the red!sh a chance to notice your lure and then come over and attack it. Another great technique is using a popping cork with 18 to 24 inches of line beneath the cork. You are using the same Gulp shrimp and jig head but you are dangling it just off of the bottom and popping the cork to get the red!sh’s attention. &is is a great combination because it lets the red!sh use its nose and its lateral line to !nd the bait. GOLD SPOONS- Gold spoons have been the gold standard of red!sh anglers for decades. &is simple lure catches the heck out of red!sh anywhere red!sh live. &ere are long time red!sh anglers who only use gold spoons to target reds. You will want to get a weed less gold spoon because you need to !sh them in the bottom part of the water column. &ey work the best when they are bounced on the bottom or when they are presented just off of the bottom. Cast your gold spoon and bounce it slowly on the bottom as you reel it back to you. &e spoons do not have any scent to attract the red!sh but they can see the %ash and feel the low frequency vibrations as the lure moves through the water. PADDLETAIL - A 3-inch paddletail catches just about every !sh that swims and it is very easy to !sh with. Red!sh prefer a slow and steady retrieve that bounces off of the bottom. Your best paddletail colors for red!sh are white with gold glitter for clean water scenarios or brown with gold glitter for dirty water scenarios. Choose a paddletail with lots of wiggle so the red!sh can feel your lure even if they can’t smell it. Bring the three lures mentioned in this article for your next red!sh trip and you will be very happy with your results. Go get ‘em. Capt. Mike Smith, owner of Fish Your Ass Off Charters, has been fishing the inshore waters, oyster bars and grass flats of Florida for more than 40 years. Reach him at (561) 339-2317, email: contact fishyourassoff.com or visit fishyourassoff.com.

Redfish Regs

all is prime time for targeting red!sh, but rules and regulations vary by state and often change, so always check with your state’s official Fish & Wildlife agency for the most current rules before !shing. • Texas: 3 !sh, 20-28 inches; special regulations apply to oversized !sh. • Louisiana: 4 !sh, 18–27 inches. • Mississippi: 3 !sh, 18–30 inches, plus 1 over 30 inches. • Alabama: 3 !sh, 16–26 inches, plus 1 oversized !sh. • Florida: Generally 1 !sh, 18–27 inches. Indian River Lagoon is catch-and-release only, with regional differences elsewhere. • Georgia: 3 !sh, 15–24 inches. • South Carolina: 2 !sh, 15–23 inches. • North Carolina: 1 !sh, 18–27 inches.

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Dometic Premier Film Reveals Innovation Behind Award-Winning DG3 Technology

ometic recently premiered “The Voyage,” a new documentarystyle film chronicling the development of its award-winning DG3 Gyrostabilizer. Featuring engineers, designers, and innovators at Dometic Marine, the film provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Dometic challenged conventional gyro technology to deliver significantly faster spin-up times, 40% lower power consumption, and broader accessibility for recreational boaters. With their ability to counteract wave motion and reduce side-toside boat roll by as much as 95%, gyrostabilizers have the power to make recreational boating more comfortable and enjoyable whether fishing, cruising, or relaxing on the anchor. With its new DG3, Dometic set out to overcome common obstacles to gyro ownership, delivering industry-leading spin-up and spin-down times, greatly reduced energy consumption, electric actuators with active precession for faster response and better performance, and maintenancefree design. The technology behind Dometic’s DG3 is so groundbreaking, it won both an NMMA Innovation Award at the 2025 Miami International Boat Show and the Dame Design Award at METS Trade 2025 in Amsterdam. This new film shares how the Dometic Marine team overcame engineering and design challenges throughout DG3’s development. It also explains the “why” — how Dometic designers and engineers set out to make the benefits of gyro stabilizing technology accessible to more boats and boaters around the world. The Voyage was filmed and produced in and around Dometic Marine’s design and manufacturing center in Vancouver, Canada — where many of the company’s award-winning boating products were designed, manufactured, and tested in one of the industry’s most advanced facilities. “We recognized early on that we needed outside-the-box thinking and bold adaptations of our core technologies to truly take gyro performance

to a “Whole New Level,” said Dometic Marine Segment President Eric Fetchko. “For DG3 to be truly revolutionary in terms of spin-up time, power consumption, ride-smoothing performance, and durability, we had to achieve things that had never been done. This film takes the audience into our design room, factory floor and testing facilities as we create what will be the first of many gyro systems in the future,” added Fetchko. To learn more about Dometic’s award-winnning DG3 technology, visit your nearest Dometic Marine retailer or go to www.dometic.com.

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he International Game Fish Association (IGFA) tracks record !sh catches around the globe. Here are a few highlights from their newly approved world records. To see all newly approved IGFA world records go to igfa.org.

Lytle’s Weakfish Rowan Lytle was !shing Long Island Sound in Connecticut on May 14, 2026, when he landed this 25.19-inch weak!sh. With this !sh, Rowan has set the IGFA AllTackle Length Fly World Record for the species. &e record weak!sh struck his Clouser and was landed after a short !ght. He then recorded the length on his official IGFA Measuring Device before releasing the !sh safely.

Wroth’s Skipjack Tuna

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On April 3, 2026, &omas Wroth was !shing Rottnest Island out of Perth, Australia, when he landed this 10.4-pound skipjack tuna. With this !sh, &omas has set the IGFA Junior Men’s 4-kg (8 lb) Line Class World Record for the species. He was trolling aboard the “Natraliste” when the record skipjack struck his lure. He was able to boat the !sh after a 30-minute !ght and returned to the Fremantle Sailing Club for an official weight on a certi!ed scale.

Taylor’s Bonefish Laura Ann Taylor was !shing the %ats of Molokai, Hawaii, on April 30, 2026, when she landed this 8.9-pound Paci!c bone!sh. With this !sh, Laura has set the IGFA Women’s 6-kg (12 lb) Tippet Class Record for the species. After an exciting !ght, she was able to land the bone!sh that had struck her shrimp %y, record the weight on her certi!ed scale, and release it safely.

Nechuta’s Walleye

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On May 10, 2026, Carter Nechuta, age 16, was !shing Big Eau Pleine Reservoir when he landed this impressive 27.17inch walleye. With this !sh, Carter has set the IGFA AllTackle Length Junior World Record for the species. Carter landed the record walleye on a jerkbait. He was able to record the length on his official IGFA Measuring Device before releasing the !sh safely.

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Binoculars -a $99 value-

with your purchase of the Grizzly Hunting Knife

Knife Specifications: • Stick tang 420 surgical stainless steel blade; 7 ¼" blade; 12" overall • Hand carved natural brown and yellow bone handle • Brass hand guard, spacers and end cap • FREE genuine tooled leather sheath included (a $49 value!)

The Grizzly Hunting Knife $249 $79* + S&P Save $170 California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product. *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: GHK375-04

Stauer, 14091 Southcross Drive W., Dept. GHK375-04, Burnsville, MN 55337 | www.stauer.com

Stauer | ®

AFFORD THE EXTRAORDINARY

VISIT SUZUKIMARINE.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION

Coastal Angler Magazine | Greater Orlando Edition | October 2026 Edition