August has definitely been a change of pace for me. This is my first year in a while that I haven’t spent the entire summer running scalloping trips, so I’ve had a little more time to focus on our offshore and inshore fishing. And honestly, the fishing has made the change pretty easy!

We’ve had some excellent catches lately, with strong numbers of snapper and grouper and plenty of bait showing up throughout the area. With gag grouper season just around the corner, things are really starting to line up for what should be an awesome fall.

Bait

There is a ton of bait offshore right now. From roughly 30 feet all the way out to 120+ feet, we’ve been seeing schools of bait getting absolutely hammered on the surface.

The 40–50 foot range has been especially interesting, with huge schools of bluefish crashing bait and following mangrove snapper right to the boat. When you see that much bait activity, it’s a good indication that the food chain is in full swing and there are plenty of predators taking advantage of it.

Gag Grouper

We’re only a couple of weeks away from the start of gag grouper season, and this year we get the entire month of September 1st–30th. That’s a huge improvement over the short seasons we’ve had the last couple of years, and we’re looking forward to taking full advantage of it.  The gags have been fired up lately. We’ve been seeing them from shallow water all the way out into the deeper offshore areas, and everything we’ve seen over the past few weeks has us feeling very optimistic about September.

If you’re planning on targeting them this fall, now is the time to get prepared. Heavy tackle, plenty of leader material, and your bait situation figured out before the season opens will save you a lot of headaches once September gets here.  And if you’re planning to book a charter, don’t wait until September to start looking for a date. With a full month of gag season this year, we expect the prime dates to go quickly.

Red Snapper

Red snapper fishing has continued to be very good, with our best action lately coming from 110–130 feet of water.  Cut threadfin herring and chunks of bonita have been our go to baits. Thankfully, the sharks haven’t been nearly as much of a problem lately, which has made getting good fish to the boat considerably easier.

One thing that has surprised us is how well 40-pound leader has been producing. If the fish are being finicky, don’t automatically assume you need to go heavy. Downsizing your leader can make a noticeable difference when the fish are pressured or have a lot of natural food available.

Red Grouper

The Middle Grounds has been the most productive area for red grouper lately.  You can certainly still find fish in less than 60 feet of water, but if your goal is to consistently put numbers of quality red grouper in the boat right now, I’d be looking toward 100 feet and deeper.

Live pinfish have been the bait of choice lately, especially when targeting the larger fish. The deeper water has been producing some very nice grouper, and the offshore bite should only get more interesting as we move toward fall.

Mangrove Snapper

We’ve had a push of dirty water from the shoreline out to around 60 feet, and that has actually been a big help for the mangrove snapper bite.  Mangroves are notorious for being difficult to fool. They have excellent eyesight, and when the water is clear they can become extremely selective and very good at stealing bait without getting hooked.  The dirty water takes away some of that advantage.  Live shrimp has been our go-to bait, and areas with good structure and current have been producing some quality fish. With all the bait currently in the area, it’s also worth paying attention to what’s happening around the structure rather than simply fishing one spot for hours.

Redfish

If you’re a redfish fan, this is one of my favorite times of the year. As we move toward fall, redfish begin staging in larger schools before making their way offshore to spawn. Over the next month or so, we should see some great opportunities for anglers looking to target these fish along the Nature Coast.  Live pinfish or cut bait soaked along the spoil banks can be extremely effective. And don’t be surprised if you run into some overslot fish this time of year can produce some seriously impressive redfish. Early mornings, moving water, and areas where bait is concentrated are going to be key.

Looking Ahead

September is shaping up to be a big month on the Nature Coast. The biggest story is obviously gag grouper season running September 1st–30th.

October-December hogfish is our main target. However that time of year brings great mangrove snapper plus this year red grouper will remain open through December 31st.  Red snapper season ends for us October 26th so there's a little bit of time for those guys too!

As the water temperatures begin to change, we’ll start seeing more and more bait movement and the seasonal migrations that make fall such a special time to fish Crystal River.  For us, September through November is one of the most exciting stretches of the year. The heat starts to ease up, the bait is everywhere, and the fishing just keeps getting better.

If you’ve been thinking about booking a fall trip, now is the time to get it on the calendar. Whether you’re after a trophy gags, a cooler full of snapper, or a big Nature Coast redfish, fall is coming and it’s looking really good from where we’re sitting.

See you on the water!

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