Fishing Report October 1st
Red October is the name of the game this month! Fly fishing in Boca Grande in October for Redfish is as good as it gets. I love when the larger groups of Reds break up to tail on the low-in coming tides, it is stalking fish at its finest. A stealthy presentation is key, be it from the skiff or on foot that fly needs to land in the right spot not to spook them when their heads are buried in the grass and mud. After locating the fish fly line is the most constant variable when it comes to feeding a fish or not. Be it poor presentation, tangles or knots in the line, the best way to avoid this is constant cleaning after each use and not ‘stretching’ the line too much on smaller weight lines I have found. Talking about fly lines, we as guides are on the eternal search for the perfect line and they are producing some really great ones these days. Personally I think the RIO line is pretty consistent along with Scientific Anglers lines. There is a brand new much anticipated ‘RIO Flats Pro’ on the market, this is RIO’s first full float ‘clear tip’ as well as a stiffer core that helps with hook-sets, I’m very excited about this product as it is available in weights 6-12. Here is good article from ‘Gink and Gasoline’ about the line if you would like to learn more about it.
Boca Grande will continue to produce big fall snook as well as the southern migration of some larger Tarpon from Chokoloskee to Flamingo. I like throwing big top water plugs to these fish as well as ripping and stripping some edges when the water is dark. The big snook are still on the outside edges of the bigger bays looking for food before making their east migration to the brackish shallow water of the Glades. It is a great time to explore Boca Grande as it can be very explosive with the fall bait being pushed back near shore!
