Is it really fall?
Around here, don’t bet on it.
But the forecast is sure going to make it feel like it.
Case in point: Sunday high of 65 after a low in the mid 40s to start the day.
Sounds like fall to me. Then again, I remember as a kid wearing shorts and new tennis shoes to meet the boys to play Christmas basketball when the temperature was in the 70s.
Yep, the mid-Atlantic sure can be a weird place this time of year.
It is also home to some of the best fall fishing – both for saltwater and freshwater species.
However, one aspect of the fall is that changing weather, hard winds and rough seas can make heading offshore tough, if not impossible. But when Mother Nature allows for it, sailfish, white marlin, tilefish, some tuna and scattered schools of dolphin make it worth the wait. It’s also swordfish time, but, again, conditions play a role.
All of which might be a big reason why many anglers stay inshore, along the coast and even head to some of the tidal creeks and retention lakes just inland.
One of the main attractions for more anglers is the speckled trout. Sure, it’s been a decent summer for the speckled, shallow-water species. But this is the time of year when many anglers take time off from work to get into one of the inlets or rivers what make up our area.
Sure, they likely spend a few days in a tree stand to bring some deer meat to the plate, but there’s nothing wrong with some good homemade surf and turf.
Puppy drum also like to play this time of year and a lot of them are found by anglers either targeting them of bumping into a school while trout fishing. Their larger brothers and sisters are fixing to head south, but many are still around.
Flounder are moving to coastal wrecks and artificial reefs along the coast, but that’s okay. Anglers fishing for them will find sea bass and triggerfish, as well.
Many anglers concentrate their fall effort on largemouth bass that are feeding hard in anticipation of colder temps. Some look for crappie, bluegill and catfish with lots of success.
The point is, we’re getting a hard taste of fall and that changes the focus of many anglers. It’s a good thing.
But just remember, when winds calm and seas flatten, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a few late summer experiences.
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