Fall is officially here and most anglers along the gulf coast know what that means. Both saltwater and freshwater fishing is about to heat up. Hopefully, within the next few weeks, we will experience a cold front or two that will really change the feeding habits of most species along the gulf coast. The cooler temperatures along with lower humidity will cause the fish to be much more aggressive as compared to those hot summer months.

Nearly six inches of rain has fallen during the first two weeks of September. The flood waters will tend to push the Flounder and Redfish further away from the mouth of the rivers out into the bays and sound.

Flounders are showing up well around the bridge pilings and the jetties in the Pensacola pass. A one or two once slip weight with a live bull minnow or pinfish on a 1/0-2/0 hook is a guaranteed dinner. The Redfish are still hanging in and around the deeper holes up and down the Santa Rosa Sound and Grand Lagoon areas. A golden colored spoon is great for working these holes, but a good live bait is always best. Once the fronts begin to cool the water temperature down a little, the larger Redfish will begin schooling around the Pensacola Pass.

Submitted photo Danny Stutts shows his friend from Atlanta his 98 pound yellowfin tuna.

Offshore waters are excellent for blue water trolling. There have been reports of Sailfish being caught as close as 10 miles offshore. There has been quite a few reports of White Marlin near the 29 edge and around the nipple. The water 20 to 30 miles offshore is as pretty as any you will see in the Caribbean. This is prefect conditions for Wahoo and Dolphin as well.

Last Sunday aboard the Entertainer, we had caught our limit of vermillion snapper and proceeded over to a larger wreck to try some live bait for Amberjack. The first live bait in the water didn't produce an Amberjack, but did catch a 35 pound Bull Dolphin.

Later in the week we were bottom fishing for Vermillion Snapper and Scamp and the same thing happened. We were moving from spot to spot and came across a free drifting buoy. I recognized the buoy and its markings from the Dry Tortugas, which lies 70 miles west of Key West. Yes, it had drifted a long way from its home, some 450 miles to the north. We tossed out a Wahoo lure and made a pass by it but nothing happened. So we turned about with some live bait. Yabo our fill in mate while Rusty plays down in St. Thomas, tossed a live pinfish over to the buoy and a 10 pound Triple Tail jumped on it. He turned and handed it to a female angler and quickly got another bait to cast out. In the mean time the Triple Tail spit the pinfish and a 25 pound Bull Dolphin took the bait. Jumping like crazy, Yabo throws another bait out and we have on Dolphin number two. There is total chaos, aboard the Entertainer now and another angler tosses a third bait out and there is Dolphin number three on. After several jumps from each fish and untangling lines all three were boated. They were all 25 to 30 pound fish and a nice bonus for the days catch.

We then rigged up for the Triple Tails and did manage to catch three of them using cut squid. They averaged about 8 to10 pounds a piece. These fish fight a lot like a Flounder on the top of the water. They put up a pretty good fight and are excellent on the dinner table.

Bottom fishing for Vermillion Snapper, Grouper, Scamp, Triggerfish and Amberjack will get better and better in weeks to come. I know its getting close to hunting season and football season is in full swing, but fishing is going to be its best here along the gulf coast for the next two months. Take a break and lets go fishing.

As we always say aboard the Entertainer "May the Good Fishing be Yours!"