Hook, line and sinker

The fishing for the month of November has been decent considering the time of year. Offshore, inshore surf and near shore have all been producing for those anglers reluctant to hang up the fishing gear for the yearww. Water temperatures are reading in the lower 60s and they could hover in that region for the coming weeks, or maybe even remain into the new year.

After the influx of family, turkey and overeating, anglers needed an out and they got just that with a weather break the day after Thanksgiving. Those traveling offshore found a good bite from wahoo in the areas of the Same Ole and Devils Hole with reports of some fish weighing in the upper 70s being boated, although most fish were in the 20- to 40-pound range. Anglers also reported some dolphin and billfish being encountered in the blue water.

Closer inshore, the bottom fishing has been good in the 20-mile range for gag grouper, snapper and black bass. Some anglers are reporting infestations with sharks but most move a mile or two further out and can get out of them. The king mackerel fishing has been good in the 10- to 15-mile range but as water conditions continue to cool, the 10-mile range may be a thing of the past. Slow trolled cigar minnows or even fast trolled spoons have both worked.

Surf anglers are finding good bites of large Virginia mullet on fresh shrimp in the deeper holes and sloughs along the beach. High tide falling seems to be best as the fish develop lockjaw on just about any other tide. Some bluefish, red drum and even a few flounder have been caught by those using cut bait.

Inshore, the speckled trout fishing remains relatively good but anglers are starting to have to put in some work to get their limit. Some small fish have also started to show up in local waters, adding to the work. Larger fish have been reported in the inlets and a few in the surf and that trend will continue as waters cool. With that said, there are still plenty of fish being found in the creeks and channels, they’re just not as plentiful as in weeks past. One fish that has been plentiful, however, is the red drum and while a lot of the fish are small, anglers are finding schooled-up fish around the area docks as well as the creeks. Remember though, that these fish have to recover, so pounding a school of fish for hours or even days does much more harm than good. Catch a few and move on to new territory if you’re so inclined. The fish will thank you for it.