2013 Mullet & Fall Run South Florida Area Reports--RIP Zebco

[BoatlessFisherman]

Ok it that time of year, I have seen some posts already, I have done this one to keep it all in one place. So please add to this--- info, Mullet and Bait reports.

Also this is going to be A VERY strange year for me with Tommy aka Zebco not here I have fished beside him for more years than I can count on the Fall run, if I can ask all who new him do me a favor and release your first keeper Pompano for him, I am sure he would love to see your face releasing it knowing you want to keep it.

RIP Tommy you are still fishing next to me


When and what will happen????

Right Now
Water Temps are lower than last year by a few degrees from my records.

Sardines have been moving south with some Pilchard this is the first start and the Sardines have been thick on a couple of days this past week, Bait is up and down the beach.
Resident Mullet have been starting to move.

What do we need to happen for it to get better?
Water Temps to decrease some
Wind out of the NE above 12mph would be ideal
South Moving Current consistent (The current has been more to the south this past week but it does need to be more consistent)

A Storm that would kick it up would be good

As for timing
Sometime with in the next 6 weeks --- I think 3 weeks and things should really start to happen.

So How will it unfold
From the past it goes like this
First Resident Mullet get antsy and start moving about North one day and south the next until current get consistent to the south, when this happens as I think we are in and around that time, Bait begins it move south Pilchard, Sardines, Gold spots, Cigar Minnow, Speedos once this starts normally Mullet are just behind and sometimes they are with them all depends are if the bait moves early or late. Mullet are moving south up in North Florida so it is just a matter of time so get ready and Hopefully this will be a great year because Last year sucked.

As I hear where the mullet is moving I will post as I will post also when we see more fish as in Blues,Macks, Pomps.

As for Mullet in Stuart and the Cape their residents are moving but they have not seen the Northern mullet yet.

Juno Has been doing great on Bonita and they did have a small Spanish Mack and Ladyfish run last Thursday from what I know.

Some of you may wonder how I know, well I am at the beach everyday and have others at the beach everyday and I am watching and have been watching close for the last 4 week and this is why I am posting now because a change has occurred and i did not want to post to prematurely .

The images below show water Temps all the way up the coast where the mullet come from and the north is much cooler and we are a couple of degrees different don't how much difference it will make but it could be the difference from last year.

Water Temp comparison
August 31 2012 Last Year

083112temp.GIF

August 31 2013 This year

083113watertemp.GIF

[fishnfool73]

It will be a strange season not shooting the poop with him between bites. I will toss back my first pompano making sure all the googins see me doing it. Confusing and pizzing off the masses would make him smile.

[Cookinman]

Im in....

I will definately toss back my first keeper, making sure to gather a crowd around as I unhook it, shouting w glee like a googan when it lands on the deck. RIP...Lomax !

And yea, Tommy, I agree, I've been up north/central FL a bit recently and temps have started to shift a bit earlier than last year....But then again last year was wierd. I had been able to paddle out the kayack for BFT untill nov and had mangos still on the tree in early DEC... VERY Late autumn for sure !

Lately these last few years, the runs are the only times I get to see some of my my ol boatless buddies, and Im looking forward to it again this fall

Cheers !

[Username28]

That will certainly piss off some people, and Tommy will definately be happy!

[cantseeme47]

im gonna throw back every other keeper till i get my limit ill make sure to record the reaction lmao

[tears143]

A few years ago, I toss back like 3 keeper reds and people were giving that look lol.

[released]

Can't wait. Release is my name!!

[Username28]

I'm in.... Will toss an extra one back if Taz is close by.

Oh no, not taz...please no...

[ffishermen1]

I will also toss one back.

[crashmister]

Funny how often I think about the guy. I know Scotty misses him, he Tommy and Scotty's bro Cody were real tight.
Love the first pomp release idea, Tommy would get a kick outa that. especially around the "Pelicans"

[crashmister]

Funny how often I think about the guy. I know Scotty misses him, he Tommy and Scotty's bro Cody were real tight.
Love the first pomp release idea, Tommy would get a kick outa that. especially around the "Pelicans"

Yea Pat he was my boy went to Dania the other day and it was my first time since his memorial annd just flooded with memories always good times when he was out there. I will let every pomp i catch go if i happen to go hopefully Taz is out and about i'm sure he will be kookin it out with his rod holder tied to the rail. that shouldn't be allowed btw. Pat what's up with the boat you been going out?

Not as much as I'd like Scotty. Rigging it to fish is trial and error. Figuring out the mercury smart tech is a bit of a mission as well. My throttles are fly by wire. I can adjust them to do pretty much anything I want. Right now I'm trying to figure out shift delay. I have a setting for maneuvering that slips the throttles in and out of gear as I shift. It also increases the throttle lever travel before the RPM's increase. Until I figure it out I'm stuck at a wide open throttle of about 45 MPH. I'm loosing about 20 MPH because my throttle lever don't engage the motor throttle for over 30% of the lever travel. And the sterio took a poop for some reason. B O A T, Bust ,Out , Another , Thousand. How you been bro, feeling better? And how's the ladies doing? Tell em I said hi. Well hook up after Yuri, you Cody and I.

[gruntking]

guys the mullet run is on just got off a 28 hour fishing binder an boy oh boy an i whiped too many fish to count caught somany slots we were giveing them away

get outthere an get your fish on

[fishnfool73]

Nice job on those snook. Once I get back in town going to have to meet up with you.

[gruntking]

100 forsure by then the mullet will be in full swing n the fish will have moved off the beach

[Poseidon10/31]

100 forsure by then the mullet will be in full swing n the fish will have moved off the beach

Hmmm. Didn't see anything happening yesterday (or recently) in Miami beach. Where abouts were you? Pompano? Hasn't even been any decent white bait around south beach yet...

[gruntking]

well i was somewhere between coco beach an miami exactly where i'll never tell
well atleast not in the open so when i go back out tomorrow there isnt 5000 ppl fishing

100 forsure by then the mullet will be in full swing n the fish will have moved off the beach

Hmmm. Didn't see anything happening yesterday (or recently) in Miami beach. Where abouts were you? Pompano? Hasn't even been any decent white bait around south beach yet...

[BoatlessFisherman]

There is a good amount of Mullet and they are between Cape Canaveral and Fort Pierce still not thick in fort pierce.

I am seeing 2 to 5 schools of bait a day heading south, NOT MULLET--- white bait a mix of Gold spots, Sardines, Pilchard, Cigar minnows and some speedos.

I have seen more Spanish Macks caught this last week then previous weeks, Large Ladyfish have started to show, Small Jacks are everywhere along with Blue runners.

Tick tock tick tock the clock is counting down

Snook are on fire around fort Pierce Inlet and beaches, Juno has been hit and miss one day ok next not so, Broward Beach has snook roaming with the bait that is moving south, I see alot in the first trough day break and Sunset.

There is Sand fleas scattered along our beaches but a better amount in and around Palm beach area

I have read for a couple of weeks that New smyrna area has been in full swing this is internet chatter I am sure there is some truth to it just don't know how much.

[chumbucket1]

Haven't been able to get out to the beach. Thanks for the report.

[Poseidon10/31]

well i was somewhere between coco beach an miami exactly where i'll never tell
well atleast not in the open so when i go back out tomorrow there isnt 5000 ppl fishing

Oh jeeze, I'd hate the pier or beach you consider a secret spot to get blown up cause we all know those mullet and snook will just stay there in the exact same spot for weeks...

I was just wondering if the fish are getting to miami yet. Last year I was posting pics and reports on the regular from the same exact spot and I let everyone know it was 5th St on South Beach. Not one single person showed up there with a pole even when I let everyone know I was catching multiple slots every morning.

Anyways, I fished 5th St on South Beach this morning. Saw one little pod of 20-30 silver mullet cruise by and no white bait. Saw plenty slot or undersized snook cruising real shallow at first light. Had a wolf pack of slots take turns popping my 14" mullet but none would commit and really take the bait. Saw an over-slot tailing in the trough (that's a first for me), pitched him a bait. He popped it once to strip it's scales and then swam off. Some 10lb jacks also came through, caught one and gave it to a homeless guy. A finger mullet or swim bait would have done the trick for sure this morning.

[gruntking]

well i was somewhere between coco beach an miami exactly where i'll never tell
well atleast not in the open so when i go back out tomorrow there isnt 5000 ppl fishing

Oh jeeze, I'd hate the pier or beach you consider a secret spot to get blown up cause we all know those mullet and snook will just stay there in the exact same spot for weeks...

I was just wondering if the fish are getting to miami yet. Last year I was posting pics and reports on the regular from the same exact spot and I let everyone know it was 5th St on South Beach. Not one single person showed up there with a pole even when I let everyone know I was catching multiple slots every morning.

Anyways, I fished 5th St on South Beach this morning. Saw one little pod of 20-30 silver mullet cruise by and no white bait. Saw plenty slot or undersized snook cruising real shallow at first light. Had a wolf pack of slots take turns popping my 14" mullet but none would commit and really take the bait. Saw an over-slot tailing in the trough (that's a first for me), pitched him a bait. He popped it once to strip it's scales and then swam off. Some 10lb jacks also came through, caught one and gave it to a homeless guy. A finger mullet or swim bait would have done the trick for sure this morning.

thats the kicker bud nobody really fishes miami seriously besides a few ppl here n there fishing squid never really ran accross anyone seriously fishing here in the south

hell i live in miami an i wouldnt drive to south beach to fish i'll drive 2 hours north befor i go there

[streetfish]

Hey guys - thought this was a good thread to introduce myself...

So I just moved to Miami Beach 3 months ago, from NYC... where I would sneak away almost every weekend in the fall and spring to surf fish out in Montauk for striped bass.

So naturally, I love to "hunt" from the beach... and have been at it over at Haulover Beach.

My tackle is a 8ft St. Croix, matched with either a Shimano Stradic 5000 or a Sustain 10000fg.

Been going out at least 2x a week, usually right when the lifeguards pack up and leave. I'm primarily using the large Bass Assasins, the 7", with a large offset hook, skipping it across the top water column.

Unfortunately, not much success, and everyone I have spoken to in FL keeps telling me, wait for the mullet run... So far, I have only been able to hook up cudas and jacks... nothing else...

Well, I went out to Haulover yesterday, not a single bite. The water and wind was choppy... but surprisingly, not even Cudas out to eat...

Any advice or how to approach this mullet run would be EXTREMELY helpful... I'm starting to feel like an amateur... unable to hook into anything worth writing home about.

If any of you guys share the same passion for beach fishing, and would like to show a new Floridian the ropes, I'd would be much much appreciated.

Thanks for reading and Tight Lines everyone!

Brian

[gruntking]

Hey guys - thought this was a good thread to introduce myself...

So I just moved to Miami Beach 3 months ago, from NYC... where I would sneak away almost every weekend in the fall and spring to surf fish out in Montauk for striped bass.

So naturally, I love to "hunt" from the beach... and have been at it over at Haulover Beach.

My tackle is a 8ft St. Croix, matched with either a Shimano Stradic 5000 or a Sustain 10000fg.

Been going out at least 2x a week, usually right when the lifeguards pack up and leave. I'm primarily using the large Bass Assasins, the 7", with a large offset hook, skipping it across the top water column.

Unfortunately, not much success, and everyone I have spoken to in FL keeps telling me, wait for the mullet run... So far, I have only been able to hook up cudas and jacks... nothing else...

Well, I went out to Haulover yesterday, not a single bite. The water and wind was choppy... but surprisingly, not even Cudas out to eat...

Any advice or how to approach this mullet run would be EXTREMELY helpful... I'm starting to feel like an amateur... unable to hook into anything worth writing home about.

If any of you guys share the same passion for beach fishing, and would like to show a new Floridian the ropes, I'd would be much much appreciated.

Thanks for reading and Tight Lines everyone!

Brian

from what ive been hearing 5th street on southbeach is the way to go

[streetfish]

from what ive been hearing 5th street on southbeach is the way to go[/quote]

Thanks for that - I just hate fishing on SOBE, I live on 5th and West... so it's really close.

Just too many people out there at the end of the day... does anyone know what time the lifeguards leave?

Have the Mullet been spotted in SOBE yet?

And Grunt King - would it be worth my while throwing out live grunts on a large hook? I tried that yesterday at Haulover... not a single taker...