The water has cooled down with the recent fronts. Bait has been plentiful, with scaled sardines, threadfin, shad, ladyfish and blue runners. This has started the nearshore to explode with Spanish Mackerel, and their big brother, the King Mackerel. With these speedsters, you want to use a longshank aberdine style of hook, from a #1 to a #2 o/t with a 30 or 40 florocarbon. This is ideal for Clearwater, to increase your strikes. If you're getting bit off, use a 29 lb. 6" piece of wire, for these toothy fish.
For the King Mackerel, use a 12" to 24" main wire with a 2-3 o/t front hook, then a treble hook as a stinger rig. You should use a rig with a 40 lb. trace wire to match the size of the bait. The stinger hook should be a #6 to #4. This is the rig that Kingfish pro's have used for years. There is no mackerel, lady fish, or mullet too big to catch that big smoker King.
Cobia are migrating to the south. Look for these brown bombers cruising near the beach in pairs. They're also on the reefs and ledges. Chumming will bring them to you, as well as the Mackerel and Kings. These species can be caught from a few hundred yards from the beach, to 3-7 miles out.
The back water bite has been getting better. Redfish are getting to be in good numbers with the cooler water. For the artificial enthusiast, topwater bite will help you locate these bruisers, as well as Speckled Trout. These fish will often be together with the mullet schools. With the extreme lowtides, you can find the Reds tailing on scattered turtle grass or around pot holes. For these conditions, live shrimp, cutbait and soft plastics will be your ideal baits.
With higher tides, concentrate on points, oysterbars and spoil islands. Make sure there are mullet in these areas, because the Redfish and Speckled Trout will be there also. The best bait to use now is whitebait, silver dollar size pinfish and cutbait. Your leader should be 2-3 ft. of 20 to 30lb florocarbon, with a 3-4 o/t light style circle hook. As for the fly enthusiast, all species can be caught.
Until next time, tight lines.