Redfish and snook stay on the menu as Gulf water cools
Water on the Gulf side is still summer-warm, with NOAA buoy 42036 reading 84°F and CO-OPS station 8725520 at 84.7°F, while station 8727520 sits cooler at 79.2°F. That spread matters: the warmest water is holding fish in their warm-season pattern, while the cooler reading hints at the first fall shift. Wind at both buoys is light, 5 to 6 m/s, which is workable for inshore trips. On the inshore side, Coastal Angler Magazine's October roundup from Martin County features a 31-inch snook taken on a live bait by Chaos Fishing Charters. That is on the Atlantic side, but it shows snook are feeding on live baits this month as water temperatures come off their peak. Salt Strong adds a practical angle for redfish and snook: when a spot loaded with baitfish refuses plugs, switching to soft plastic jerk lures turned a slow bite into a quick inshore slam including redfish and snook. Salt Strong also notes water levels are high across much of the Southeast, which spreads fish out over flooded shorelines, grass and creeks and makes them harder to find. Saltwater Sportsman points to the fall mullet run, which typically begins in September and runs well into November along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Mullet pouring out of rivers, bays and estuaries is the baitfish event that redfish and snook key on this time of year.
New to these readings? What water temp, tide, and moon phase mean for fishing →
What's biting
What's next
Expect the fall transition to keep building. With the moon in a waxing crescent phase, evenings stay fairly dark, which tends to favor dawn and dusk feeding windows over midday. Plan your best effort around first light and the last hour before sunset, when baitfish are most active near shorelines and passes.
Tide timing is useful today. CO-OPS station 8727520 predicts a high tide at about 20:45 UTC, which is 4:45 PM Eastern. Station 8725520 predicts its next high at 23:05 UTC, about 7:05 PM Eastern. Moving water into those highs should push bait toward structure and shoreline cover, so an afternoon incoming tide is a sensible window to work edges, mangrove lines and grass flats. Local time varies slightly by location, so check a tide table for your exact spot.
If the mullet run is in your area, follow the bait. Look for nervous water, birds working, and mullet showing along beaches, passes and creek mouths. Redfish and snook tend to stack up where that bait funnels through. Start with live bait or a paddle-tail, and if the bite goes quiet, take Salt Strong's advice and change presentation on the same water before leaving the spot. A soft plastic jerk bait is a good second option.
High water can scatter fish, so cover ground. Work flooded edges at the top of the tide and move on quickly if you are not seeing bait. Winds near 5 to 6 m/s are manageable, but they can build chop on open flats, so favor protected shorelines if it picks up.
Context
Mid October on Florida's Gulf Coast is typically a transition period. Water temperatures are easing off summer highs, bait is moving, and inshore fish begin feeding more aggressively ahead of winter. Readings in the mid 80s are on the warm side for this stretch of the calendar, so the cool-down may arrive a little later than usual in some areas, while the cooler 79°F reading shows it is already underway elsewhere. As temperatures keep dropping into November, expect fish to concentrate more around deeper creek channels, backwater basins and warmer pockets. Check current state regulations on seasons and size limits before keeping any fish.
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.
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