This is the time of the year when all we are anxiously awaiting the king run and everything else run for that matter. Thanksgiving is the time frame that the big kings come in and the fishing really starts to go off. Normally, it’s usually the week around Thanksgiving, give or take. With that in mind, commercial season starts up as well. So lets give the guys doing their “circles” a little bit of room. I know how it can be but they put food on the table doing this. A little respect goes a long way.
The bait has been sketchy to say the least. One day has been one throw of the net and the next day has been a struggle where I want to give up on the net. If you cannot get bunker try a box of minnows and troll those. Skirts in a few colors help make the baits look a little better. Be sure to use a good swivel while doing this. Spinning minnows can mess your line up pretty good, a swivel will help straighten it out.
If you want to stick around the beach there has been acres of glass minnows where you will find Spanish mackerel, jacks, blues, redfish and snook. You really have to match the hatch so to speak on this. If they’re feeding on mullet then use live mullet. If they’re on the glass minnows then use small clark spoons, tiny buck tails or those tsunami lures that are thin and shiny. I like to use light braid in the 15/20lb class.
Farther offshore should be starting up as well. Mahi should be seen more frequently as the 140 to 160 foot depth has been decent lately. There has also been some decent weed lines out there and if you can find that “yellow brick road” you will do just fine. I like to use small islander lures and small chuggers. You can tip them with strip baits (bonita) or the trusty ole ballyhoo. Either way you cannot go wrong. I have noticed that if you use smaller baits the hookups have increased. Wahoo are normally starting up this time as well. They do better on the early morning bite. I don’t target them so to speak but I send my shotgun line way out on wire and I use a larger black or red islander and it works just fine.
Good luck this month. This report has been brought to you by Captain Chris Cameron of Fired Up Fishing Charters, your premier fishing guide charter of shark fishing Cocoa Beach, offshore fishing Port Canaveral, Daytona Beach, Orlando fishing Florida area.