Redfish and snook respond to a lure change in warm water
Gulf Coast water is still warm this morning, with tide station 8725520 reading 85.1°F and station 8727520 reading 80.2°F. Salt Strong reports a quick inshore slam of redfish and snook after switching from plugs to soft plastic jerk lures on a spot loaded with bait that had otherwise gone quiet. A second Salt Strong post says water is high across much of the Southeast, which floods shorelines, grass and creeks and gives fish more territory, so finding them takes some adjustment. Salt Strong also ran a day throwing only dark soft plastics, a useful reminder to carry more than one profile and color. Coastal Angler Magazine's October Martin County column shows a 31-inch snook on the Atlantic side, so snook are eating around the state this month.
New to these readings? What water temp, tide, and moon phase mean for fishing →
What's biting
What's next
Plan around the tide first. Station 8725520 predicts a high near 4:53 AM and a low near 1:10 PM Eastern today, while station 8727520 shows a high near 3:16 AM and a low near 10:19 AM. That gives moving water through much of the morning at the first station and a falling tide through the middle of the day at the second, the kind of flow that typically pushes bait off flats and edges and lines up redfish and snook along them.
The new moon helps too. Coastal Angler Magazine points to moonrise and moonset as feeding periods, and a new moon rises near sunrise and sets near sunset, so the dawn and dusk windows may stack with the moon this week. Expect the best action at first light and in the last hour of daylight.
If the high water Salt Strong describes is also affecting your area, work newly flooded edges, grass and creek mouths rather than only your usual spots. When a bait-rich area stays quiet, do what Salt Strong's slam story suggests: stay on the water but change profile, from a plug to a soft plastic jerk lure, before leaving the spot. Keep a dark option in the box alongside natural colors. Tide times move later each day, so recheck before every trip.
Context
Mid-October is a transition period on the Gulf Coast. Summer heat is easing, the water is still warm enough to keep fish feeding through the day, and the first fronts of the season typically start to arrive later in the month. Fish tend to stay active and spread out while it stays warm, then group up as the water cools. Snook in particular typically shift toward warmer, more sheltered water as winter nears, while redfish often gather in larger groups over the fall. That pattern is on schedule for this region rather than early or late.
Readings of 85°F and 80°F fit a coast that has not yet felt a real cool-down. Check current state rules on size and harvest limits before keeping any fish, since both species carry specific regulations that can change.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
EVERY SATURDAY MORNING
Weekly fishing intelligence
Nationwide conditions, what's biting, and honest gear deals. One email, no noise.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.