October Inshore Fishing Opportunities The majority of Texas inshore anglers are familiar with the 'Big 3' inshore species - redfish, speckled trout and flounder. Hands down, these three species are the most popular among Lone Star State saltwater fishermen. Catching all three in a single session is a feather in any fisherman's cap. October offers up the best opportunity to do so on a routine basis. Reasons to love October There is no one reason for the opportunities October affords. Rather, it is a combination of elements that provide fishermen a perfect platform for accomplishing a Texas slam. Cooler temperatures - Simply put, October's cooling weather makes fish more active and makes fishing more comfortable for fishermen. Typically, aggressive fish are easier to catch. Anglers can use a wider variety of baits to tempt them and hard striking fish are easier to hook. Furthermore, cooler temperatures mean angler can fish longer, giving them more opportunities, and will be 'crisper' in their presentations, retrieves and hook sets. Lighter winds - Light winds offer a couple of advantages. For starters, day after day of mild wind allows bay waters to regain clarity, which allows anglers to effectively use a wider variety of lures and baits. Also, light-wind conditions put the entire bay in play - no water is off-limits due to being too rough. And, a light-wind day makes it easier for fishermen to cover a wide-expanse of water, by being able to run full throttle between fishing spots, rather than slogging through rough, choppy water. Food availability - By October, the season's crop of shrimp has matured and begins making it way from the marshy backwaters into the main bay. Small crab and baitfish are also readily available, giving predator species plenty of menu choices. Biological clock - Probably the biggest contributor to October's unbelievable fishing is several inshore species begin to hear the ticking of their biological clock. Redfish and flounder have their primary spawning period during the spawn. And, these two species each migrate to Gulf passes in order to complete their spawning rituals, which places them in close proximity to one another - yet another advantage for anglers. Additionally, speckled trout have a 'secondary' spawn during the fall as well. In each instance, as these fish prepare to spawn, they begin to feed voraciously making them quite a bit easier to catch. Where to look As mentioned above, the call of the spawn will cause these various species to intersect the paths of one another at some point in October. The relatively close proximity these fish species find themselves in during October also makes it easier to catch all three in a single session. However, although flounder, specks and reds will share water for much of the month, there are a few species specific locations to consistently find fish throughout October. Redfish - Throughout the end of summer and early fall period, redfish gang up in pods inside the bay and begin making their way to the nearest Gulf pass. By October, most of mature fish are either inside passes, along the beachfront adjacent to passes or cruising toward a pass from inside the bay. If they are still making their way out from bay waters, they will most likely be found along channel edges or shorelines that lead them to a pass. Along the beachfront and in passes, they will be found cruising close to the surface, looking for an easy meal. Trout - Although they don't migrate like reds and flounder, trout will also be moving during October. For the most part, they will be vacating their deeper summer homes for the shallow flats and shorelines. Quite often, they will occupy flats within close proximity to a Gulf pass, putting them in close quarters with redfish and flounder. During October, trout will also slowly start easing off hard bottom areas and working their way to more mucky bottom flats. This transition will continue as fall turns to winter later in the year. Flounder - Like redfish, flounder have a biological need to make their way to the nearest Gulf pass during autumn. At the onset of October, flounder will be making their way out of the back lakes and can be found ganged up around marsh drains and cuts. As the month goes on, fleets of flatfish will be inching closer and closer to Gulf passes. Like redfish, they will usually follow channel edges or shorelines during their trek. Once anglers intercept them during their migration, they can usually follow them the remainder of the way to the nearest pass over the course of days and weeks. Additionally, with so many shrimp and baitfish making their way out of the marshes and back lakes, birds will often point the way to successful fishing. Although it's unlikely to get into fast flounder action under birds, specks and reds are routinely found foraging under flocks of gulls. At times, anglers can spend an entire day moving from school to school, catching full limits by just keeping an eye peeled for working gulls. What to throw During October, a wide variety of lures and baits are productive. As always, nglers should base their selections on where they are fishing and the prevailing conditions. Fishermen looking for a general, all-purpose bay technique during October can't go wrong with either live shrimp or DOA Shrimp under a popping cork. This rig can be fished along the flats and channel edges and will produce all three species. A variety of soft-plastic jigs can produce good catches of this highly sought after Texas trio as well. Paddle-tail baits like the Texas Tackle Factory Killer Flats Minnow are good 'all-around' plastics. In areas of good visibility, straight-tail baits like the Brown Lures Devil Eyes or TTF Trout Killer will also produce well. Another 'catch-all' lure during fall is a weedless spoon, like the TTF Texas Weedless Spoon in copper, gold or silver can be worked in a variety of manner and will tempt trout, reds and flounder. Of course, one of the most exciting and enjoyable methods for taking specks and reds during the fall is to employ surface plugs. The Bomber Badonk-A-Donk and Heddon Super Spook Jr are among the best 'walking' plugs, while the Bomber 14A is an excellent floater/diver that allows fishermen to work the surface as well as the first two feet of the water column with one bait. Anglers specifically targeting flounder should use a DOA Paddletail Grub, TTF Worm Killer or Puzzler. All of these baits are traditional-style flounder lures that continue to tempt flatfish when drug slowly across the bottom. Carolina-rigged finger mullet and mud minnows will produce good results for live bait fishermen. When fishing the passes and beachfront for bull reds, faster sinking lures and jigs are often necessary. Even when they are seen cruising high in the water column, schools of reds are usually suspended at least 4 feet beneath the surface. They also are generally traveling at a steady clip. Therefore, lures need to sink quickly to get into their line of sight. Among the most effective lures for this type of fishing are the Creme Spoiler Shad and the Blakemore Bucktail Roadrunner. These same lures can be worked lower in the water column if fish are cruising along the bottom in deep water areas. And, finger mullet, cracked crab and jumbo live shrimp will all attract plenty of attention when fished on a bottom rig. Additional crown jewels Although speckled trout, redfish and flounder are the 'Big 3' of the Texas inshore triple crown, each area of the coast offers plenty of additional species during October as well. Sheepshead and Spanish mackerel will be hanging around most every jetty on the Texas coast this month. A bit further south, October is the prime time to catch solid mangrove snapper. Tarpon will also be hanging around the passes and beaches along the middle and lower coast regions. And, at the tip of Texas, snook action will be red hot in October. The final bonus for fishermen chasing the Texas Coastal Triple Crown in October will be the solitude they find on their local waters. With football and hunting seasons, as well as kids' school, back in full swing, many fishermen will find it hard to fit in too many days on the water this month. However, the rewards are great for those who do.