Last Updated on September 22, 2025 by Capt. Bucky
Autumn is my favorite time of year to go fishing. The weather is wonderful and the fishing is fantastic. Snook are still around and are slowly making their way into the creeks and canals as the water temperatures drop. The trout bite remains consistent as well. Trout will still be in their usual haunts, but you start to see a push of bigger fish on to the flats adjacent to the creeks. They stage up nicely at the mouths of creeks and cuts and will eventually seek the warmer water provided by these locations. Redfish are the stars of the show during this time of year.
Redfish fishing during the fall months can be absolutely insane at times. Redfish really start to school up as the water temps drop as they prepare for their annual spawn. The flats can be teaming with them. When the tides are at their highest look for the redfish to be under or near the mangroves. As the tide drops out the redfish are forced onto the flats and start foraging for food.
Redfish diets start to change with the colder months. When bait fish become less plentiful the redfish switch to diet consisting of crustaceans and other invertebrates such as shrimp and crabs. When the water levels are low enough and the redfish are looking for food, they will often exhibit a behavior called “Tailing”. This is when they are nose down in the seagrass, and the tips of their tails poke out of the water. There is nothing more exciting than seeing a school of tailing redfish.
Targeting redfish during this time of year can be done in a wide variety of ways. Live bait is always a go to option especially when you have less accomplished anglers. Scaled sardines and pinfish are the bait of choice as well as live shrimp. When fishing live shrimp, I like to pinch off the fan portion of the tail and place the hook in the tail section from the bottom up. This provides additional scent and allows you to cast the shrimp further without it catching the wind and spinning around. A well-placed shrimp to a school of tailing fish is almost a guaranteed hookup. That is, you don’t spook and blow out the school. A stealthy approach with the trolling motor is key and the longer the cast the better. Redfish can be very spooky at times so making the right cast and being patient is often the key. I like to cast in front of the school and let them come to the bait or past and adjacent to the school and very slowly work the shrimp within striking distance. Redfish are heavy scent feeders and will often find the bait on their own. If you can get your hands on some decent sized finger mullet you can have one hell of a day. That is if the seagulls are not constantly harassing your bait.
Another option when you have a lot of fish around or you’re just not seeing them is to use cut bait. A piece of cut ladyfish or pinfish work the best. I like to make the furthest cast as possible and let that bait just sit there. If there are schools of mullet around, I like to place baits within the schools. Redfish often travel with the larger school of mullet. School of mullet offer protection from predators like dolphin for one thing, but redfish often follow the schools of mullet for food. Mullet are vegetarians, and while they are eating the seagrass they spook up little critters that the redfish like to eat. Where there mullet, there are usually redfish close at hand.
For the more experienced angler and those looking for a challenge, artificial fishing for redfish can be exhilarating. Sight casting to tailer or cruising fish will forever be my addiction. Nothing is more satisfying that seeing a fish and watching it eat. You can use a wide variety of artificial lures for Redfish this time of year. Artificial shrimp or crab are must haves this time of year. ¼ oz gold spoons and 1/4 oz or 1/8th oz jig heads with a paddle tail or curly tail grub are also very effective lure for this time of year. Twist lock hooks are very beneficial when you have a lot of seagrass, and are looking for more weedless options. 3/0 to 5/0 owner twist lock hooks are my favorite hooks when rigged with 3” to 5” paddle tails of any type. Smaller profiled suspending twitch baits also can be very effective especially when you have some mottled bottom. That’s grass flats with sandy patches mixed within. These baits will continue to be effective in the winter and spring months as well.
When considering you next fishing adventure here in Tampa make sure to take your time and do your research. With all these booking sites nowadays, you can never be too careful with your hard-earned money. You want the best options out there as well as a personable and hard-working Captain. I pride myself on hard work and spend a lot of time on the water to ensure I put forth the best effort I can. Now fishing is fishing and sometimes it just tough, but that’s not all a fishing charter is. Fishing is fun and the right Captain will make sure you have a memorable day on the water. Don’t let this fall come and go without giving yourself the opportunity to catch some fish and make some lasting memories with friends and family.
