A Good August Afternoon - Aug 22, 2009

It's a beautiful late August afternoon and Downtown Apalachicola is looking pretty busy for a back to school weekend. I know Fall is coming because Tommy is packing up his Permit fishing gear and getting ready to head south. Chris just got a new truck and trailer for his skiff - anybody fishing with him will be riding in style. Normally about this time I end up reporting that the fishing has slowed down quite a bit but possibly due to the rain we have received this month, water temperatures haven't rocketed off the charts and inshore fishing remains strong. Sight fishing totally dependent upon the conditions and clarity of the water but blind casting with bait or shrimp has just not quit all summer.

The Juneau Family from Atlanta own a home on St. George Island and are regular customers of ours whenever they get a chance to get away from the big city. Today (8/22) they fished with Capt. Jr. Holland and Capt. Dave Armentrout. On Jr's boat they caught 60 to 70 fish including Redfish, Flounder, Speckled Trout, Skipjacks (aka - Ladyfish - they jump like little tarpon!) and catfish. Capt. Dave also caught white trout and some Black Sea Bass outside the cut and kept the kids busy with skipjacks. The Gunther party fished a half day with Capt. Tommy Holland (That's him holding the redfish out front of our office) Tommy says that the trout have already moved up the river and they haven't been there long because they haven't changed color yet, but what they WERE doing is biting every time the bait hit the water, some of which were 3 and 4 pound fish. They must have thrown back at least 50 fish over their limit. Oh, and I'm supposed to tell you that they caught 1 flounder and 2 redfish. I hear tell that there are upwards of 20 to 30 boats out floundering most nights.

September Fishing Forecast: During the first part of September we normally experience summertime conditions (Hot & Muggy) that continue on until the 3rd or 4th week when we finally get that first slightly cooler night, and that first marginally less humid morning. Already this season we have seen some storms bring in rain and with a little more rain in the area it should help the bay shrimp. Many people think the best redfishing is in October but as long as the right tides line up in September the redfishing should light up!


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