Fish of Fall 2010

Autumn is my favorite time of year for a lot of reasons. Florida is hot, but we get a bit of a reprieve in the fall, and as the temperatures begin to drop, everything kicks into gear. I don't think you could say we have harsh winters down here, but to animals who have evolved in this climate, any temperature change is going to have an effect on their behavior. Water, unlike air, takes a while to cool off, so cooler air temperatures do not necessarily mean cooler water. It takes a pretty good flush of cold air to drop the water temp any noticable amount. But the annual cool-off signals the coming feast.

Once the water cools a bit the fish start to feed more heavily, as their cold-blooded metabolisms kick back into gear. September is usually the starting point for this cool down, and the fishing just keeps getting better until the cold of winter finally decides to set in for good. 2010 was a good fall. It cooled off rather gradually, and the fishing remained good through the middle of December. Flood tides, low tides, and the surf all produced fish for me last fall. I'll outline below just how good of a fall it was....



A beautiful autumn sunrise over the marsh



This big red ate a topwater plug on the edge of the ICW in September

Not a fiddler, but I'm sure he shared a similar fate when the water came in.

There are low spots in the spartina marsh that flood first. The reds tend to stage in these areas before foraging farther into the grass.

Sunset red

Watch those edges on the falling tide after a flood, the reds cruise looking for fiddlers before departing.

Low tide

A bright ocean red from the surf.

Jacks run down the beach as well, following the mullet that come through in the fall.

My third red of the morning, right at sunrise.








Evening red on the Marsh Demon



Released to fight another day.

Bright skies and tailing reds don't usually coincide, but when they know winter is on its way, reckless feeding ensues.



The Abomination



COLD December morning red, had a little ice on my guides this morning. Not typical.

A pack of reds feeding up the bank. You could see them from hundreds of yards away this morning.

My last Northeast Florida red of 2010.