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Topwaters Come Alive As Fall Nears

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 15, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Mel Berman.

Throughout the sluggish summer, topwaters have not been as effective as they will be with the arrival of the fall cool-down. Yet on recent flats trips, the noisy surface plugs not only have attracted many fish, but also have enticed some of the larger ones. Usually, topwaters are at peak performance early in the morning, but recently, they have been productive even later.

Drifting along a patch of grassy areas off Dunedin, Jim Plastic and I tossed some of our favorite surface plugs, including the MirrOLure She Dog and Poppa Dog and the Storm Chug Bug. Earlier, we had been using jigs but catching only smaller trout and numerous pinfish. But on this day, our topwaters hooked some of our biggest fish, including trout well over 20 inches and good-sized bluefish and ladyfish.

To many, river fishing is a winter tactic. However, captain Craig Lahr said that as summer fades, area rivers have been some 5 degrees cooler than the outside flats. As a result, he has been catching a wide variety of fish in these tributaries, including several black drum, snook and reds.

This is definitely the year of the mangrove snapper. They are everywhere, although most have been small. We do have some reports of larger, keeper-sized mangos being caught using live shrimp or whitebait in the Gandy area and around most of the large bridges.

Hear 'The Captain Mel Show' Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. on WFLA, 970 AM, and Sundays from 6-9 a.m. on WDAE, 620 AM. Also, visit 'Fishing Florida OnLine Magazine' at capmel.com. Hear 'The Captain Mel Show' Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. on WFLA, 970 AM, and Sundays f

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