Inshore fall and winter fishing means more forgiving temperatures out on the water than in the full-on summer sun. It also is a great time for new opportunities when it comes to finding and catching fish.
The months of October and November bring some of the best fishing on the East Coast. It’s a great time for catching redfish, trout, and flounder. Whether it's sight casting for tailing redfish on the salt marsh flats or locating schools of redfish & trout in the tidal creeks at low-tide, fall and winter is amazing time for hooking up.
Specked trout is most commonly caught in the months between October and January. Fall is the ideal time for finding these awesome inshore fish because the temperatures have not yet dropped far enough to discourage them from biting.
With that being said, in this blog, you'll learn a few tackle tips that will help improve your success on the water this fall and winter season.
Light Tackle Setup
As the water temperatures begin to slowly get colder, redfish and trout often become a bit lethargic. Although they're trying to fill up on their share of fiddler crabs, shrimp, and baitfish before winter, it is important to set the hook every opportunity you get. That's why we suggest using a light tackle setup, preferably a Medium or Medium-Light power rod with a Fast or Extra-Fast action.
My go-to inshore fall fishing setup is the Toadfish 7'4'' ML Spinning Rod paired with the Elite Carbon Series 2500 Reel and 15LB Braided Line. This setup offers the ability to make longer casts while maintaining a sensitive tip section to make sure I feel every bump and bite.
3 Best Fall Fishing Rigs for Speckled Trout & Redfish
1. Vudu Shrimp Popping Cork
The Vudu Shrimp is an absolutely beast. With a unique tail that makes natural swimming patterns, this lure is one of our favorites for fall fishing. Popping corks help create the noise and commotion that speckled trout and redfish are attracted to. Set the Vudu Shrimp about 30'' below the cork using fluorocarbon leader, toss towards the grass bank, and let it drift while simultaneously popping the cork.
2. Z-Man Scented PaddlerZ 5-inch Soft Paddle Tail
Pair this Z-Man 5'' Paddle Tail with a 3/16 oz EyeStrike Trout Eye Jighead . If the water is a muddy, brown color, we suggest using a darker color soft plastic. When the water begins to clear up, white and/or translucent color soft plastics CRUSH!
3. Z-Man 4-inch Diezel Minnow
My personal favorite fall fishing rig is a 4'' Z-Man Diezel Minnow in Pearl White paired with 3/16 Texas Eye Jighead.
If you find yourself fishing around a lot of grass, wood, or any other types of thick structure the Texas Eye is what you should reach for. It will come through a jungle of trash and not get snagged.
Conclusion
The best advice we can give you this fall and winter fishing season is get out on the water! To be successful, time on the water is key. Test out different colors and weights until you find what is right. However, we hope these tips can help get you started.
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