Down on the coast, it’s prime time for marsh trout, whether they be speckled or not. Trout of the spotted variety will take a weighted clouser or shrimp pattern set 30 inches below a VOSI over reefs and in cuts, canals and bayous. Fish the fly off the bottom, and the result could vary from white trout to redfish to drum.
As the water cools, it clears and sight-casting opportunities greatly increase. After a cool front, fly anglers fishing from kayaks and canoes should look for exposed flats where fiddler crabs, cocahoes and other bait have been pushed out of the grass. The reds will be cruising these flats.
A wide variety of flies work this month for reds, including poppers, Dahlberg Divers, charlies, crab patterns, Shwimp and the always-reliable spoon fly.
Barring a hurricane, streams in the Florida Parishes and Kisatchie Hills should provice excellent spotted bass action this month. Try poppers and woolybuggers around fallen trees and cut banks.
The lower Pearl River should be excellent this month. On a few occasions, I’ve thrown poppers for bass and had an unexpected visitor take it. Hooking a nice red on a 5-weight rod will make your trip.
The Red River from Shreveport to Alexandria is a bit intimidating to some fly anglers. But the water is typically clear in October, and lots of white bass can be caught using fast-stripped flies on intermediate sinking lines.
Stocking of rainbow trout renews this month in two tailwater rivers just north of Shreveport: Mountain Fork near Broken Bow, Okla., and Little Missouri near Murfreesboro, Ark. Early in the season, olive or black woolybuggers are all you need.