Nature Coast William Toney

As we move into September expect the trout bite to get better. Over the years I’ve found the pattern is on par with the trout moving closer to the keys as the days shorten and rainy days help cool the water. Spotty bottom or “yellow bottom” is the best place to target on the 3 to 5 foot flats. It’s easy to spot on a sunny day because it will look sandy and void of grass. On this hard bottom black sponges, orange brain coral and long strands of rock grass will be growing. 

 The best way to fish an endless flat of water is to first line up your vessel’s drift so that it will float over as much of the yellow bottom as possible. When you’re making your cast target the edges of the yellow bottom where it meets the grass for the larger keeper trout. In the turtle grass most of the trout I’ve caught as of late have been short but on the spotty bottom are where the keepers are. Outgoing tide is always the best bite in the Fall and a cork and soft plastic will get the bite. 

 The nearshore rocks are good for large white grunts and keeper mangrove snapper on live shrimp, with a few spanish mackerel mixed in. Incoming tide this weekend will be mid morning.