With the summer heat finally easing up and the water beginning to cool, the inshore bite has been firing off across the grass flats and mangrove edges. These temperature changes make October one of the best months to be on the water here, fishing in Crystal River.
Redfish have been schooling up nicely on the incoming tides, especially around mangrove points. Look for those golden backs pushing wakes early in the morning or tailing on the flats when the tide is low. Cut mullet, live pinfish, and shrimp have all been producing solid fish.
Speckled trout are starting to move up shallower as the water temperatures drop. The best action has been over sandy potholes mixed in with grass in 3–5 feet of water. Soft plastics under a popping cork or a slow-sinking jerkbait have been hard to beat when the bite gets tough.
Snook are still hanging around the backcountry creeks and river mouths. As the cold fronts start to roll in later in the month, they’ll begin transitioning toward deeper river systems for the winter. Early morning topwater plugs or soft plastic on a jig head bouncing off the bottom.
And while the fall inshore bite is hot, keep an eye out for what’s coming next—sheepshead and black drum are beginning to make their move back inshore. As the water cools and the stone crab traps start showing up, expect those fish to stack up around rock piles, bridge pilings, and channel edges.
Overall, October brings some of the best variety and action of the year here in Crystal River—whether you’re poling the flats or easing along the mangroves, now’s the time to get out and enjoy it before the winter tides settle in.
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