Redfish red hot in the inlets

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**FISHING REPORT** 9-17-15

JIM SUTTON

**THE ST. JOHNS RIVER AND AREA LAKES**

The shrimping on the river is hit and miss. Most of the action from Green Cove Springs north has been slow. It better down in Palatka, and better yet all the way down to Lake George, where the numbers and the size are the best.

The redfish bite is insane from Palatka north of Green Cove. One report was by a guy trying to catch some croakers up in the channel north of the Shands Bridge at Mile Marker 18. He said he did not catch a single croaker, but caught 17 slot reds on as many drops to the bottom with dead shrimp. He finally had to move away from them with two 26-inchers on ice. He went to the bridge and found what he called the biggest school of reds he ever seen feeding there. He gave up and went home.

Bream fishing has been slow. That due mainly to the high water levels, especially in the lakes. The panfish are able to feed way back into the swamps  and apparently are.

There still a pretty amazing bite of speckled perch on Lake Lochloosa, with 25-fish limits doable. Most are on the small side, but two fish weighing 1 pound, 15 ounces were weighed at Lochloosa Harbor this week.

Catfish are a good bet right now. With all the high water, one very good bass angler suggests that tossing topwater plugs along bulkheads should be red hot, especially if there moving water along the wall.

**THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY**

Ground zero for fishing is the St. Augustine Inlet. It slap full of bait. Gobs of redfish are gorging on finger mullet and Porpoise Point is the place to be right now to catch them. These are all nice fish, more over the slot than under. The bigger black mullet are also in the inlet and attracting literally hundreds of big tarpon there. The downside seems to be that the tarpon arent too interested in hitting a bait because their bellies are full. But it exciting to watch.

The redfish bite in the inlet is filtering onto the beaches as well. It a good time to bring the cast net surf fishing. Put out a frisky finger mullet and a redfish dinner is a pretty good bet. Some big Spanish mackerel are also in the surf, and eating the finger mullet as well.

The flounder bite midweek has been really good in the creeks of North River. These are chubby 3-plus-pounders.

Nighttime trout fishing is always a good bet, but cooler temperatures will make them more aggressive early and late, especially on topwater plugs.

The usual mix of small jacks and ladyfish are rounding out the action.

**THE ATLANTIC**

There have been no reports from offshore this week. It been too rough. A few guys made it out to the local reefs and wrecks, and report lots of bonito and barracuda and little-bitty kingfish. That about it. The bottom fishing was shut down as well.

Surf fishing has been pretty slow. The best advice comes from a guy who forgot more about beach fishing than I remember. He getting the majority of his whiting, along with a few pompano, fishing 13-foot rods and targeting the outside bar on the last of the falling tide  and wading out if necessary to reach it. He also suggests using clams or sand fleas (or crab knuckles) for bait rather than shrimp. This helps keep all those pesky trash fish from picking you clean before a real one can wander across your offering.

The good news is that with the light north winds forecast the end of the week, the surf should clean up a little and the fish might decide to bite off the beach. But your best bet will still be live mullet near the inlets for the redfish and Spanish.

**THE WEATHER**

Light northerly winds will blow, with seas at 2 to 3 feet. Highs will be in the low-80s, which should feel a little bit like fall. Should be a nice weekend, with the normal chances of afternoon storms.

By Jim Sutton provides a weekly fishing report for The Record. Reach him at jim.sutton@stau ° gustine.com

**CONTRIBUTED Photo** : Kayden Ryan, left, and Ryan Mae Essery with a couple of nice grouper and a bucketful of Florida lobster, caught during the August mini-season in the Keys. °