Congratulations to Captains Peter Deeks, Roland Jones and Don Patterson for outstanding performances in the inaugural Treasure Coast Flats Circuit finals held this past weekend in Sebastian, Florida. Peter won the TCFC ‘Fish-Off’, the championship among the top 25 finalists, with the heaviest inshore slam of redfish, snook and trout. Roland and Don finished the year first and second respectively in the trout classification from among 200 of the top area guides and tournament anglers. (Pictured below are Peter Deeks, Jr. flanked by Capt. Don Patterson and Capt. Roland Jones)

There is no better time of the year to fish then this time … for the fall mullet run has started and it has brought some of the best fishing of the year to our area. From Titusville in the north to Ft. Pierce in the south, whether in the in-shore lagoon of the Indian River or along the ocean coastline, this annual migration of massive schools of the favorite baitfish has once again triggered a feeding frenzy for our redfish, snook, tarpon, trout jacks, bluefish and ladyfish. Slams (catches of at least three different species) are common and the quality of the fish being caught has been outstanding. The following reports are submitted as prima facie evidence.

Slam One – Capt. Peter hosted Howell and Gene Riggs from Birmingham for four half-day charters split over a two day period. Fishing the “edges” of the day (early morning and late afternoons) they started on Monday with a school of over 100 juvenile tarpon in the Indian River near Melbourne – five of the ‘silver kings’ were hooked and two landed. After a siesta to escape the heat of the day, they resumed their pursuit near the southern reaches of Merritt Island and proceeded to catch six trout from 18 to 30 inches and one upper slot redfish.

Slam Two – The Tuesday portion of the fishing adventure took the Riggs to the pristine waters of the Indian River in the Ft. Pierce area for different adversaries feasting on the mullet run, Despite having to dodge several bands of thunderstorms, the crew caught big numbers of snook, trout, large bluefish and ladyfish. (Pictured below are Howell and one his trophy trout)

Slam Three – Yesterday it was my pleasure to guide Randy and Dennis Higginbotham, new residents of Cocoa Beach, on a redfish safari to Titusville. Again, the mullet were thick and the predators plentiful. We caught seven redfish with four approaching 20 pounds and twice we experienced ‘double hook-ups’ causing great excitement aboard the Flat Broke. In addition to the redfish, we battled a 25 pound tarpon (near boat-side ‘live release’), a large sneaky snook and pesky jacks. (Pictured below are several photos of Randy, Dennis, and their redfish.)

The mullet run will last for another couple of weeks and should produce a number of ‘memory making fishing trips’. If you’ve been waiting for the best time to book a fishing charter in central Florida, there is no better time than this time of year … you might even say that catching fish this time of year is a ‘slam dunk’!