Captain Bob Bushholz
Jensen Beach, Florida
(772) 225-6436
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ALL YEAR LONG!!!!' | | Fishing Report for
September 2nd, 2002
"September's Forecast"
The big event on the Treasure Coast the past
couple of years in September has definitely been the tarpon bite. Each
year, fishing gets better and better. Pretty soon we will see Florida Keys
residents traveling north to Stuart to target our "silver
kings". I can picture it now. Stuart, the "Sailfish AND tarpon
capital of the world". September provides many angling opportunities.
It's the beginning of fall and we will cover it all!
This month marks a few changes in both weather and fishing. The dog
days of summer are waning and temperatures will begin to drop slightly.
September also marks the opening of snook season. Remember your
regulations: 26-34 inch slot with 2 fish per person. Another welcomed
change is the start of the fall mullet run. Schools of six- inch baitfish
will be everywhere. Along the surf, large pods will be traveling south
with plenty of predators following them. Nighttime fishing along area
bridges is awesome at times reminding me of the fourth of July. From the
Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, try Gulfstrem flair hawks and DOA rootbeer
terrorize while the current is running. Last year this bridge was hot the
first few weeks of September. The finger mullet will be thick everywhere.
The Stuart Causeway is sure to see lots of action this year with nearby
Jensen under construction and closed to landlocked anglers. Twenty feet
from the bridge, look for a 4 foot wide shadowline. The snook will be
lying there waiting for unsuspecting bait swimming by. Snook are big-time
ambush feeders and this is a perfect spot for them. Try casting topwater
lures (bombers, mirrolures, windcheaters) or DOA glo shrimp, live shrimp
or mullet 20 feet past the shadow line and retrieve. I have occasionally
hooked up tarpon on this bridge with windcheaters which you can cast a
country mile. Most tarpon will be far from the bridge but within casting
distance with these babies. Try to fish at least two nights in a row and
take notes. You will notice about a 45-minute period when the snook simply
go nuts. Most snookers throwing topwater lures go with spinners or
baitcasters with around 20-lb. test and beef it up to 80-lb. mainline
throwing flairhawks. No matter how heavy you fish, sooner or later you
will get your clock cleaned. My buddy Billy who manages Boater's World in
Jensen Beach is a nonstop, dedicated night time snook fishing machine and
will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We don't call him
"Bridge Billy" for nothing.
Starting in the surf, whiting and croaker are still around in the
first trough. Try ultra light 6-lb. test, casting no more than 10 feet
out, using crappie jigs tipped with shrimp, squid or clams. Guaranteed
great action for everyone on light tackle. Don't be afraid to toss a
whiting out on a circle hook with beefed-up tackle (12-20 lb. test) for
snook roaming in the trough. You can also cast net all the finger mullet
you want, so fling one out on a livebait rig. If you feel like taking a
stroll, bring a 7-foot rod with 12-lb. test using a 20-lb. leader,
throwing an assortment of artificials and there's a good chance of hooking
into snook, tarpon, permit, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and who knows what
else. DOA's baitbuster, crabs and terrorize, bombers, spoons, Gag's mini
mambo, Yozuri plugs and windcheaters are best for those long casts. Just
look for the baitschools. A good place to start, if the water clears up,
is Bathtub Beach, fishing south to the Inlet. If conditions are dirty
heading south, just fish north casting diagonally, working the baits in
the first trough (the "strike zone"). Last month we experienced
terrible water conditions but hopefully things will change. Resident
bluefish, pompano and Spanish mackerel always show up at the craziest
times. Early morning till 10 a.m. and near dusk (low light hours) seem to
produce the best results. If fishing from a boat surfside, look for tarpon
inside 20'. Schools of permit and snook are also in close. Be respectful
of the surf anglers by not crowding their already limited space. It's
easier to motor 300 yards than it is for the angler on the beach to walk.
Don't forget to use plenty of sunscreen and bring lots of water.
Moving into the River, it's the same deal. Fish early or late. If you
must fish midday, the fish move into deeper water into the inlet,
crossroads, bridges, channel markers or anywhere they can find cooler
water temps and/or shade. By 11 a.m., shallow water reaches the hi 80's
and there won't be anybody home. Water temps in 10 feet of water are
cooler by up to 10-15 degrees. Since we all know fish have a tendency to
outsmart us, just follow their lead. Cooler is better. It's still hot out
there. If there are more releases from the canals and Lake Okeechobee,
fishing deep will keep you in saltwater. Fresh water sits on top in the
St. Lucie River, so the dirtier the water, the deeper you need to fish.
Last year in September, water quality improved dramatically so let's keep
our fingers crossed.
Tarpon will be everywhere. In the North Fork of the St. Lucie, look
around Club Med south to the Roosevelt Bridge. These tarpon will be
munching on abundant glass minnows and eels that run through the area in
September and can be found all the way to the Hospital dock. Heading east,
the St. Lucie Inlet and crossroads to the Stuart Causeway are a good bet
for tarpon action just east of the ICW channel. Sailfish flats will hold
tarpon, but it's a large area to cover. Channels into the Dolphin Grill
and Anchors Aweigh Marina hold a few huge tarpon (over 100 lbs.) and like
to feast on mullet. There seems to be a resident "monster" that
stalks the Indian Riverside pier looking for easy prey. You can spot them
rolling in the channel all the way north to Fort Pierce, but
"rolling" doesn't necessarily mean "eating". At the
power plant entrance, right up against the yellow boom and just outside of
Little Mud Creek in 12 feet of water has produced some super jumpers.
These fish have been in Little Mud Creek for two months now and will
really test your patience. They almost seem to recognize certain boats and
absolutely refuse anything you might throw at them. Maybe a disguise is in
order. Bullsharks will show up in this area at times spooking the tarpon,
but these tarpon will reappear.
Tripletail will still be hanging around channel markers up and down
the Indian River until the beginning of October. It seems the hotter the
air temp the better they like it. Live shrimp on a 2/0, ¼ oz. trollrite
jighead seem to be the preferred bait with DOA shrimp and terrorize,
assorted sort rubber baits working well too. You have to be mobile,
spending no more than 10 minutes on each piling. Flounder and jacks will
be spread out all over. Spanish mackerel in the past few years have
appeared unexpectedly around the Mosquito Bridge on the Jensen Causeway,
making them a "boaters only" target for the next two years
during the construction period. Black drum are hanging around the
structure of the bridges, with the Roosevelt and Jensen Bridge holding
drum to 10 lbs. on the bottom. Snook remain on the beaches, inlets, flats
and bridges.
Night fishing is excellent in September. Private lighted docks hold
plenty of trout and snook. If you're fishing these docks, approach with
much stealth, cast into the shadow lines and work your casts close to the
docks. Slow sinking DOA glo shrimp are hard to beat. Live shrimp (baitshops
should now have) and topwater plugs will definitely work. If there are
lots of glass minnows around, try throwing Gag Grabber's Mini Mambo and
match the hatch. They've made a believer out of me! Remember to respect
the dock owners and not blast your casts onto the docks leaving line and
hooks behind.
There are plenty of great fishing opportunities in September. The key
is low light for shallow fishing, deeper water for midday. New fish
pictures are now posted on my site. Just click on "Latest Fish
Pictures"
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