Fall may officially be here, but it still feels a lot like summer on the water in Southwest Florida. Warm weather stuck around this week, and the offshore bite continued to produce a good mix of red grouper, yellowtail snapper, and American red snapper.

The red grouper fishing has been steady, giving us plenty of opportunities to put quality fish in the box. This is a species we target throughout the year on our longer offshore trips, and they continue to be an important part of our catches as we transition from summer into fall.

Yellowtail snapper have also kept us busy. They’ve been a great addition to the grouper trips and provide some fast action when we get a school fired up. Yellowtails are always a favorite on the boat—not only because they’re fun to catch, but because they’re excellent table fare.

We’re also taking advantage of the remaining American red snapper season. The fishing has continued to be productive, but time is running out. October 25 is the final day of the season for us, leaving only a few more weeks to get out and target them before the closure.

Even though the calendar says fall, the warm September weather has kept our offshore fishing patterns feeling more like summer. We’ll be watching for the first changes in weather and water temperatures over the coming weeks, which can start to shake things up and bring some new opportunities.

If you’re looking to book a Naples fishing charter, this is a great time of year to get offshore. And if American red snapper are on your list, make sure to get your trip scheduled before the October 25 season deadline.