By Jimmy Tomazinis
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I just had to think pretty hard about whether to write this report for August or September. That's where I am fishing this year. It seemed like everything was at least a month late this year, and then somehow it was a month early. At least some things were. Like the mullet run. September is usually the best month for it, but when Hurricane Debby came through in August, a flood of mullet poured out of the bays and for a few days it was incredible. The mullet were so small I think even they were surprised they didn't have an extra month to grow.
So if you haven't been to the beach to enjoy the run, I'd recommend that you do so. I don't expect it to last a month longer just because it started so early. All you need is a bucket with a small cast net and a fishing rod. It's not necessarily about catching a tonne of fish, but about being part of the spectacles that take place every day somewhere along the coast. We usually see a small run of mullet in the river too, but unfortunately it's here today and gone tomorrow. Keep your eyes peeled though.
The rain from Hurricane Debby doesn't seem to have done much to the shrimp, so they should be mostly larger than bait size now if you want to try some. The smaller ones are still great bait, so you can still trade them for some nice fish. Redfish, flounder, and a surprising number of drum have been under the docks lately. I would expect to see even more striped bass around the bridges. Schools of mackerel are everywhere, ready to go at just about anything. It's still very hot out, so you may find fishing early or late a little more comfortable.
I also want to mention bass fishing as this is probably my favorite fish to catch with live shrimp. Look for places with flowing fresh water like creek mouths and culverts. The water is a little cooler there and may be full of food so the bass will congregate there. If you can time it after a big rainstorm when the current might be higher, that can be ideal. It's worth doing a little poking around. Trust me. Tight lines.
