Alpha and Omega Fishing Charters

Fishing Charters Charlotte Harbor Florida

September Coastal Angler Fishing Report

Hello fellow anglers! September is here and we are two thirds of the way to a New Year.  It has been really hot in our area and the rains have been minimal so the Gulf waters have been very warm.  The fish seem to move slower like we do when it is hot. There is a way to avoid the heat and that would be to do some night fishing. Yes there are some of us that will go out into the dark just to catch some fish. Depending on the phase of the moon, there could be plenty of light. Some like to venture out on the full moon. I don’t mind going when the moon is growing towards full. There is some light and of course you do need lights on the boat and some like to have them for the water as well. This may seem like a lot of work but it is cooler at night so it makes it worth it. Get your plans together and target some of the snappers, mangroves, yellow tails and lanes to harvest for great table fare.  At night the grouper will feed also, but we have mostly targeted snapper at night.  When targeting the snapper it is good practice to down size on your tackle. I like a 4000 to 6000 size reel with a smooth drag and fill the spool with 20 or 30 pound braid. And I like to use a 20 pound leader with circle hooks starting with a 1/0. Depending on your style, some would use a fish finder rig, chicken rig, or a knocker rig. If you believe in one of these, you will fish it and catch fish. There are different methods – some like to chum, using ground up fish parts.  Others use macaroni noodles soaked in menhaden oil, oatmeal, and sand and chum mixed. I have an old school Chum-Churn. I fill it with small fish and slam it up and down in the water where it chops up the fish. Then they float out of the tool while hanging in the water. Keeping an eye on it, you slam it every 10 to 15 minutes to keep the flow going, and refill when needed. It seems like a lot to prepare for night fishing, but when you have it all in place and your efforts bring a harvest of some fine snappers, it is worth it. Also offshore this month you may encounter some of the Bull Reds that are coming to feed on the many baits that are along the beach and in the bays. They are there to fatten up for there swim out into the Gulf for spawning. You may find a school along the coast and have a blast as those Bull Reds really can test your tackle. Red grouper can be found starting at 70  feet and some AJ’s out deeper on some kind of structure. During your day trips, always try and put a flat line out away from your rods with a sardine or some type of live bait with a little wire for the toothy critters, cuda’s or king’s. Doing this while you are bottom fishing can be productive. So while you are reeling up fish from the depths they purge there stomach which creates its own natural underwater slick that attracts kings etc. If you would like to experience a night trip or day trip with Capt. Bart Marx, call and schedule your offshore experience. 941-979-6517 or e-mail me at captbart@alphaomegacharters.com Or just go to my web site alphaomegacharters.com and check pricing and learn a little about the crew. If you make the phone call I can respond more quickly. And always remember: singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{