Beat the heat with morning and evening fishing.
Water temperatures are at their peak of the year on both the Atlantic and Gulf sides of Marathon. In additional to being more comfortable, fishing is most productive early in the day or in the late afternoon and evening.
Snapper
The real go-to fishing this time of year is snapper on the reef or in the bay.
Regardless of venue, all species of snapper are abundant and provide a consistent bite. Yellowtail and mutton snapper are thick on the reef and patches, while mangrove snapper are plentiful in the bay and gulf.
The warm waters cause your chum to disappear before your eyes. It is imperative to have copious amounts for any degree of success. In a half day of fishing, I often go through a dozen five-pound blocks.
To get the wiley snappers to bite on the reef and patches, I use #2 circle hooks and light leaders, starting with 15lb. and, on some days, going down to 10lb.
The mangrove snapper have a voracious hunger and are anxious to eat just about anything. The best bait by far for the biggest fish, those three to five pounds and heavier, is 50-cent size live pinfish. They work wonders attached to a 1/8 to ¼ ounce jig head.
I use 20lb. fluorocarbon for the mangroves as they have an impressive set of teeth and can easily cut through lighter line. The bay water is murkier than the ocean, allowing you to get away with the heavier fluoro.
Dolphin and blackfin tuna
Offshore, the two major players in September are dolphin and blackfin tuna.
Find weed lines and you will find the dolphin that are hunting for the small morsels that live in the Sargasso. For best results, troll ballyhoo or small plastic lures in the four-inch range.
Keep a watchful eye for any manner of floating debris or birds working the surface and you will most likely be rewarded with dolphin or even wahoo and tripletail.
The most successful tactic for catching blackfin tuna at the humps is to troll small feathers, small plastics or cedar plugs
Shallow-water shark fishing is prime
Sharks seem to love the increased temperatures, making September an ideal time for catch-and-release shark fishing in the warm, shallow bayside waters.
Shark adventures have an eco twist to them in that the fish are easily observed as they interact with one another around the boat in crystal-clear depths of about four feet. Often, there are also stingrays, turtles and all sorts of tropical fish to see. And, the bait used is the byproduct from other fishing trips.
Shark wrangling is a ton of fun for anglers of all ages and abilities. I highly recommend hiring a charter captain who has the expertise and experience to attract and handle large, toothy critters.
Tired of fishing? Go lobstering!
Lobstering is a favorite activity for Keys locals during September. Nothing beats a fun time snorkeling in the bay for spiny lobster with tasty rewards bathed in butter at the end of the day! The lobster soon begin their annual trek to the ocean to seek more secure winter homes on the reef line. Here, they are more elusive to the casual snorkeler.
Capt. Chris Johnson is a member of the Yamaha National Fishing Team and specializes in offshore, reef/wreck, gulf/bay, shark and tarpon fishing with SeaSquared Charters out of the 7 Mile Marina in Marathon. You can reach him at 305.743.5305, SeaSquared@bellsouth.net and www.SeaSquared-Charters.com.
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Capt. Chris and Christy Johnson SeaSquared Charters Member of the Yamaha National Fishing Team Marathon Florida Keys 305-743-5305 SeaSquared@bellsouth.netClick to be redirected to our handy CONTACT FORM …
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