A confluence of conditions, species, and events that makes this every fisherman’s favorite month.

Story and Photography by Danno Wise

For many people, Christmas is the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” If you are an inshore fisherman in Texas, you could very well say the same thing about October. Really, there is no one thing about October that makes it so special. Rather, it is a confluence of conditions, species and events that tend to make October every fisherman’s favorite month.

To begin with, the weather is far more comfortable than just a month or two before. In October, it really is possible to fish all day and still feel fresh at the end of your outing. The weather is turning fall-like, but is still warm enough to wet wade for those wishing to get out of the boat. Plus, those cooler temperature encourages fish to be more active and spend more time in shallow water. As a result the topwater bite lasts later in the day during October.

October’s moderate temperatures also mean there is a great variety of fish still available to target. In addition to all of the year around species, many of the Texas coast’s seasonal summer visitors will still be hanging around until the year’s first truly hard fronts push through. And, this fish can be caught in a variety of manners – drifting, wading, sight-casting, fly fishing, etc. Really, fishermen can almost pick the species they want to target and the technique with which they want to catch them during the weeks leading up to Halloween.

So, with so many options, what are the best ways to make this October memorable? Here are but a handful of suggestions to help inshore anglers take advantage of what this month has to offer along the Texas coast.

 
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