And for Northwest anglers who are pleased to catch lots of good-eating fish, panfish top the list. All of the local rivers are brimming with bream.
Redbreast fishing is outstanding on the Ochlockonee River, especially on the lower stretches when the water is low. Small popping bugs, sinking flies, tail spinners and even small crankbaits are effective. Of course nothing beats live crickets, red wigglers or grass shrimp.
The Sopchoppy, New and Crooked rivers should not be overlooked. All three of these dark, tannin-stained rivers are scenic, remote and productive. The Sopchoppy joins the Ochlockonee River before emptying into the Gulf. The New and Crooked rivers also join the Carrabelle River at the coast. These rivers are ideal for small powerboats and canoes. The current is moderate so a paddle or small trolling motor is perfect for easing along the shoreline.
Other productive small rivers include the Econfina, Aucilla, St. Marks and Wakulla. Of course the Apalachicola and all of its tributaries offer panfishing possibilities. Generally, low water makes for best fishing and a falling tide is tops for fishing near the mouths.
Freshwater lakes such as Talquin, Seminole, Iamonia, Miccosukee and Jackson also have great panfishing. Lakes Talquin and Seminole are famous for their mayfly hatches which can produce incredible bream action for anglers lucky enough to be on the lake when they occur. Lake Iamonia usually produces trophy-sized bluegills around areas choked with lily pads. Popping bugs with long rubber legs drive the jumbo bluegill crazy this month. Lake Miccosukee also has great bream fishing around the vegetation and along the boat trails.
All of these lakes have good topwater bass fishing in the shallows. It’s time for bass fishermen to break out the spinnerbaits, buzz worms and noisy plugs. Some of the larger bass will still need to be finessed with a plastic worm or enticed with a live shiner, but the schoolies should hit topwater lures.
Lake Jackson can be hot for shiner fishermen this month, especially around the reeds at Brill Point. Fishing over the submerged vegetation is almost always a good bet on this lake. Get out early or late in the afternoon to avoid the skiers and jet skiers.
For freshwater anglers who want more pull on their line, flathead catfish are now regulars on the Apalachicola River. You’ll find them in the section below the Jim Woodruff Dam. Recent catches have also been made downriver as well. These big cats seem to prefer two things: deep holes and small bluegills. Drop a 3- or 4-inch bluegill into a deep spot in the river and odds are one will bite. Stout tackle is a good idea since these fish frequently weigh 20 pounds or more.
Surf fishing is especially good this month. Most of our region’s inshore species are in the surf and the water temperature is comfortable for wading. St. George Island and St. Joseph Peninsula are the most accessible. Dog and St. Vincent islands do not have bridges. Mexico Beach also has miles of fishable beach but since it is on the mainland, it doesn’t have the offshore reach that barrier islands and peninsulas do.
Surf anglers like the east end of St. George Island because of the wide variety of fish that can be caught there. It’s one of the best spots for pompano, which will still be coming through on their annual migration. A small, yellow jig tipped with a sand flea is the tried-and-true bait for these delicious gamefish. Redfish can be caught in East Pass and in the surf with jigs tipped with cutbait or sand fleas. Gold spoons, live pinfish, shrimp and plugs also work. Some of these cruising reds can reach 30 or 40 pounds so you should select your tackle accordingly.
Spanish mackerel are at times so numerous that they interfere with your efforts for other species. Speckled trout are also available, but usually on the bayside of the pass. Jigs, other sub-surface lures and topwater plugs will take them. Surf fishing can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. The usual setup is a couple of rods and sand spikes along with an ice chest and terminal tackle. Some fishermen use a big-wheeled cart to haul gear to the beach.
Speckled trout will rule on most grassflats. The water temperature is ideal and the baitfish are abundant. Most of the moderate-sized trout prefer turtlegrass flats while the larger ones are around creek mouths, oyster bars or over rocky bottom. The Rock Garden at St. Marks can be good for trout as well as redfish, as are the shorelines around the Aucilla and Econfina rivers. The bayside of St. George Island has been producing 4- to 6-pound speckled trout over the last several years and St. Joe Bay holds individuals reaching eight pounds or more. This is an ideal time to fish for these bruiser trout over the white sand patches of grassflats or along the deeper edges of the flats. A live shiner or shrimp is always good for large trout, but plenty smack topwater plugs.
Wahoo, dolphin, kingfish, amberjack and grouper head up the offshore menu. Mexico Beach will be a good jump-off spot for anglers heading offshore. With deep water so close by, targeting these species involves just a short run.
East of Apalachicola, you’ll have a longer run to reach blue water. Recently, red snapper have moved into these areas. Usually snapper are found on the hard sandy or coral bottom west of Apalachicola. For some reason, numbers of snapper are being caught east of Apalachicola over “live” bottom, which is typically dominated by grouper. These snapper are not huge but they are certainly a nice addition to your bag.
Best Bet: NORTHWEST
One of the neatest things to try this month is fly or ultralight spin fishing the shorelines of Lake Talquin. The bluegills and redbreasts are ready to bite. They don’t need much of an excuse, just a small popping bug, sinking fly or spinner cast into the dark water under the overhanging limbs along the shore.
Some locals dispense with the fly rod and simply rig a short piece of mono on a bream buster. With a little practice, “flipping” is just as deadly at short distances. The most popular lures are No. 12 poppers and tail spinners such as the venerable Beetle Spin. Crickets, grass shrimp and wigglers can be fished the same way with good success, it’s just harder to keep a bait on after a lot of casting or flipping.
Lake Talquin certainly has plenty of shoreline to fish. The larger coves—Little River, Stoutamires, Blounts and Oklawaha—are most popular but any stretch with steep banks and overhanging limbs can be productive. The north shoreline of Lake Talquin warms up before the south side because of the sun’s angle. With a little luck, you might catch a mayfly hatch. During hatches, which are common this month, the fish will either hit anything you offer or they may insist o
n a mayfly or good mayfly imitation. Either way, the feeding frenzy is exciting to watch.
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