September Surf Fishing Report September turned in a variety of catches surf fishing the Space Coast. Black drum, pompano, margate, palometas and snook recognize the main cast of characters. While the conditions weren’t always ideal, the time spent understanding the varying scenarios helped improve on the consistency of catching. Cleaner water and cooling temperatures are something that will invigorate the bite to the next level. Mullet Run Madness The mullet run has officially kicked off!! Early mornings and evenings are producing the best results for big snook. Look for birds crashing to illustrate the major feeding frenzies. Furthermore, walk the beach with a casting plug or swim bait to target the first and second trough. Remember not to retrieve to quickly when approaching the shore. Often times snook will hit directly at your feet in ankle high waters. Be sure to remain patient and creat action for the entirety of the retrieve. Tarpon Fishing The Surf In addition to the snook bite, there’s tarpon and bluefish in the mix as well. Live bait seems to be the key for getting the tarpon too bite. High tide combined with low light conditions will yield the best results. Not to mention there’s plenty of sharks mixed in. Don’t extend the fight longer then needed, as you risk losing your catch to an opportunistic shark. Black Drum Hitting The Shores We have been catching black drum in the first trough, along with margate, pompano, palometas. Water has not been very clean in august or the beginning of september. Fresh peeled shrimp continue the be the hot bait for targeting black drum at high tide. Furthermore the sandflea resurgence continues as we’re still seeing them in the surf. are still around. October Surf Fishing Forecast What’s with this weather? That can be the deliberation for surf fisherman during the month of October. Based on the winds and sea conditions the patterns began to become inconsistent compared to the summer months. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For one it really fires up the movement of the fall mullet run. Furthermore it depicts a changing of the guard as we see different species pulse in with the changing water temperatures. So where does that leave the everyday surf fisherman? Flexibility is key for the month of October in terms of surf fishing the Space Coast. One day you could target snook, flounder and tarpon in the first trough. The next day possibly looking for black drum, pompano or bluefish using pompano rigs. Based on the conditions will dictate how each day or week should be approached. Leading me right into what conditions to look for in terms of how to most effectively spend your time surf fishing. Three variables that are the utmost important factors to consider when surf fishing. Water clarity, water temperature and sea conditions. Observations of these variables listed above, will result in the particular approach leading to the highest probability of success. For example, high winds and dirty water would lead me to live baiting or casting lures in the trough for snook, tarpon and flounder. As opposed to calm seas and clean water. These conditions would lead me to implementing a multiple rod setup. Consisting of live bait, pompano rigs with Fishbites and sand fleas, in addition a casting rod to work the shoreline. By making use of the diversified setups leads to increased opportunities to catch a large variety in short order. Pay special attention to the water temperatures! First of all, late October marks the early signs of our Space Coast pompano run. When the water temperatures begin to reach the mid to low 70’s you can bet those fish are already on the way if not already having reached to northern regions of Brevard County. Experienced surf fishing anglers privy to their homework will be ready for the prized pompano inbound. Nonetheless have your tackle ready for the opportunity as we know sometimes they can be short lived when a bite is hot. Fish multiple areas looking for those early signs of the pompano run and you just might strike gold early. Lastly the shark fishing will continue to be nothing short of phenomenal. Due to an all out assault of baitfish and predators in the water it’s peak season for shark activity. Space Coast Shark fishing charters make for a great way to make a memory and catch an apex sport fish. With the acrobatic jumps to boot and the speed to thrill it’s a one stop shop for a family fishing highlight. In conclusion, October highlights a changing of the guard and a wide array of species on tap. So grab your surf fishing gear and hit the beaches for fun in the sun.