Florida Inshore Report
By: Capt. Bob Bushholz
9-02-02

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"    

                                        Capt. Bob Bushholz

                                   http://www.catch22fish.com

                                           (772) 225-6436