Springtime is around the corner and should bring the mullet out of their winter hiding holes. Redfish will start to scatter on the flats and will be hanging around the pods of mullet eating whatever gets kicked up. Look along Spartina grass edges, oyster patches during high tides and ICW for low tides. Slayer Penetrator 3/16oz hooks with a Fish Bites Extreme Paddle tail, High Roller topwater plugs and jerkbaits are proven lures that work for reds in March. Trout will be devouring topwater plugs at first light along ICW, creek mouths and docks. Once sun gets high, whip out that jig and soft plastic for subsurface trout. Bluefish will be around Matanzas Inlet mixed in with the trout. Flounder can be found on the flats during all stages of the tide also in creek holes and inlets. Finger size mullet on a fish finder rig with a 2/0 Daiichi Octopus hook or a mud minnow on a jighead should do the trick. Snook will show up from winter holding spots if water temps warm rapidly or else look for them in April.



Capt. Chris Herrera of Palm Coast / St. Augustine Charters (386) 437-2545

www.palmcoastfishing.com

January Fishing Forecast



Creek fishing for Seatrout is about as sure as it gets this time of year, jigging for Trout in creek holes with a ¼ ounce Slayer Jig and Fish Bites Extreme paddle tail will get the attention of every schoolie in the hole. Most Trout will be on the small side but if numbers is your game, creek hole fishing is the place. Small Reds also occupy the same creek holes and can be caught with live shrimp; small split shot and a Daiichi 1/0 circle hook.

Red fishing on the flats isn’t an early morning ritual like in the summer; waiting for the sun to rise and warm the waters is your best bet. A low mid morning incoming tide is a perfect scenario as the sun heats the oyster beds and once the tide floods schools of Redfish will sit on these hot spots for warmer water. Approach the school with stealth as not to alert the school of your presence before getting into casting distance. Small soft plastics baits or flies are the best fish catching methods, as a quiet entry is a must.

Fly fisherman get their best chances on landing the elusive Sheaphead on fly this month. Sheapheads can be found on the most oyster-laden flats during low incoming tides, these striped bandits will be foraging for oyster crabs so a crab pattern is the best fly for the job. If fly fishing isn’t your thing, live bait fishing with fiddler crabs and a fish finder rig vertically fished around bridges, docks and rocks will put the bend in the rod.


Capt. Chris Herrera
386-437-2545
www.palmcoastfishing.com

Sight fishing season is here so grab your polarized glasses a casting platform or stepladder and start looking for schooling reds on your favorite flat. Go ahead and sleep in as sight fishing doesn’t get good till late morning, if wind is not a factor keep the sun to your back and when a school is located approach with stealth. Using a push pole or trolling motor on a low setting will get you within casting distance, when close enough to the school look for the lead fish or pick off the reds located on the outside of the school. Small soft plastics like Fish Bites Extreme paddle tails work best for schooling reds, fly fisherman will bend a rod with a Flats Bunny, Olive being one of my favorite colors.

Rat reds and dink trout to just keepers will be taking over all the creek holes and thumping any jig and soft plastic combo. Live shrimp with a bb split shot is the alternative for trout, black drum or reds if artificial is not your thing.

Sheep head are another sight fishable species located during first of incoming tides on oyster beds on the flats or around bridge and dock pilings. Best bait are fiddler crabs hands down but shrimp will do in a pinch. During high tides look for sheepheads in the Palm Coast Canals, most fish will be feeding on the barnacles that are on the seawalls and docks.



Capt. Chris Herrera
www.palmcoastfishing.com

October Fishing Forecast









Look to bail from your skiff and wade during fall flood tides that produce tailing redfish on flooded spartina grass flats. Finding the right day for flood tide fishing takes nothing more than looking at your tide charts and looking for tidal ranges that peek over a 5.4 or better. Time is of the essence as most flooded flats will only stay flooded for a few hours. Red fish that are found tailing in flooded grass are gorging themselves with fiddler crabs, mud crabs, shrimp and other small critters. Light tackle spinning rods with 20 lbs leader are the norm along with 8-9 weight fly rods. Live or artificial baits can be used (just make sure its weedless) popular baits are Fish Bites Extreme soft plastic jerkbaits, shrimps and any shrimp or crab fly.



Sheephead continue to thrive under docks and along seawalls in the residential canals. A live fiddler crab on a 1/0 Daiichi j-hook pegged with a bb split shot is a bait that will not be refused. Most sheephead can be sight fished as the stripes are dead give away when seen laying sideways and feeding on the oysters that collect on the dock pilings or seawalls.



Look for water temperatures to start cooling off a bit that will bring trout to the surface for early morning topwater action. Flounder will start making their yearly march to Matanzas inlet during the fall mullet run. A fish finder rig baited with a finger mullet is best when targeting flounder. Its last chance for Tarpon around the Inlet and just outside the breakers on an outgoing tide.




Capt. Chris Herrera
www.palmcoastfishing.com
396-437-2545

September marks the autumn bait movement that will eventually turn into the fall “mullet run” by months end. Starting your mornings off with topwater lures that resemble a mullet like the High Roller Steel Shad will produce Redfish, Trout and Snook. Cast topwaters parallel to ICW banks, over flooded oyster beds or docks that are holding mullet to find the “trophies”.

September’s full and new moons brings the tidal waters up into the Spartina grass where Redfish and Sheephead will be found tailing and gorging themselves on all sorts of crustaceans. Bailing from the skiff and wading with the fly rod and a rattle crab pattern is one way to hook up or a live shrimp hooked through the tail with a Daiichi Octopus wide bait hook.

Snook and Tarpon will be in the canals feeding during low light conditions, a live select shrimp will trigger a bite from both species. Lead a rolling Tarpon with a live select shrimp on a Daiichi 3/0 circle hook and a loose drag to help your chances of landing the Silver King. Pitching the docks with live shrimp will get the attention of most linesiders (Snook) especially when encountering a school and the competition factor kicks in.

Area inlets will host Flounder and Bull Reds during the change of tides, a live 6-inch mullet on a fish finder rig will get the doormats to the boat. The fish finder rig consists of a 1/0-3/0 kahle hook with a 10-inch piece of 30lb fluorocarbon leader, a good swivel, glass bead and ¾-1 ounce egg sinker. Once you cast this rig, slowly drag and pump it back to the boat keeping contact with the bottom. For creek flounder a mud minnow or finger mullet on a ¼ ounce Slayer inc. Destroyer jig head fished around creek bends. A knocker rig with a 6-ounce weight a Daiichi 5/0 circle hook and cut or live mullet/ pogie will be the choice set up for Bull Reds at the inlet. Just remember take time to revive these breeder reds and get them back in the water as quickly as possible.

Trout catches can still be expected to be best at night fishing the dock lights, a live free lined shrimp or non weighted artificial tossed up current and drifted through the lights will produce Trout and Snook. Remember to wet hands before handling fish if you plan on doing some catch and release.


Capt.Chris Herrera
www.palmcoastfishing.com

August Fishing Forecast

The early bird gets the worm, starting your mornings off with topwater plugs on the flats, ICW or jetties will produce everything from Redfish to Tarpon. The key to success is being on the “spot” before the sunrise. Redfish will be cruising creeks and the flats at low tide looking for shrimp and mullet, look for the wakes and redfish pushing onto the banks. High tide reds can be caught hanging over oyster beds and along grass edges. Big breeder Redfish will be lurking the deep waters of the area Inlets, cut bait with enough weight to hold bottom will put a big bend in the rod. Circle hooks are your best bet for big Redfish to facilitate a quick CPR (Catch, Photo, Release).

Flounder are fired up and caught all day along grass edges where baitfish are found. Low tide creek or residential canal flounder are easily fooled by jigs and mud minnows slowly dragged along mud banks.

Snook will be worth a shot along Bridges and residential canal docks at night and first light, live lining pinfish or select shrimp will fool linesiders into the boat. Spoons have worked well as well soft plastics like Fish Bites Jerk Bait.

Pogies pods are on the beach and rolling and crashing tarpon can be seen shadowing pods. Free lining pogies on a Daiichi 5/0 circle hook on the outside of the bait pods should produce silver kings. Other catches on the beach will include Spanish Macs, Blue fish and big Jacks. For back country tarpon an early start is a must and free lining a live shrimp tossed in front of a rolling tarpon should get their attention. Make sure to sharpen the hooks for best bet hook ups.


Capt.Chris Herrera
www.palmcoastfishing.com