October 2026 Stuart Inshore & Nearshore Fishing Report
September ended with the mullet run in full swing, and that action is continuing into October around Stuart and Florida’s Treasure Coast. Schools of mullet remain thick both along the beaches and throughout our inshore waters, creating plenty of opportunities for anglers targeting snook, tarpon, redfish, and other local species.
The abundance of bait can also make October fishing challenging. When predators have thousands of mullet to choose from, presentation becomes especially important. Matching the hatch, working the edges of the schools, and getting your bait or lure below the main concentration of mullet have been producing our best results.
Here’s what Captain Max is seeing while fishing the inshore and nearshore waters around Stuart this October.
Stuart Inshore Fishing Report
The mullet run continues to be the main story for inshore fishing around Stuart.
With so much natural bait in the water, one of the most important things anglers can do right now is match the hatch. That applies whether you’re fishing live bait or throwing artificial lures.
Instead of casting directly into the middle of a large mullet school, we’ve been seeing better results by concentrating on the outside edges of the schools, where predatory fish can pick off isolated baitfish.
We’ve also been having success keeping presentations slightly underneath the schools—roughly 5 to 10 inches below the mullet—rather than running directly through the center of them.
For artificial lures, mullet-style presentations have been working well. The DOA Swimming Mullet has been a productive choice around the inlet, while MirrOlure suspending and diving lures with mullet patterns have been producing good results throughout the inshore waters.
When there’s this much bait around, making your presentation look like one vulnerable mullet among thousands can make all the difference.
October Mullet Run Fishing in Stuart
The mullet run is one of the most exciting seasonal events we experience around Stuart, and October continues to provide plenty of bait activity.
Large schools remain present along the beaches as well as inside the inshore waterways. Predatory fish naturally follow this movement, creating opportunities throughout the inlet, St. Lucie River, Intracoastal Waterway, bridges, docks, and surrounding inshore areas.
At the same time, having enormous amounts of natural forage available can make fish more selective. That’s why we’ve been focusing on matching the size and appearance of the mullet and positioning our presentations around the edges and underneath the schools.
As the mullet continue moving through the area, conditions can change quickly from one day to the next, so following the bait remains one of the biggest keys to finding fish.
Watching for October Cold Fronts
The next major change we’re watching for is the arrival of cooler weather and our first meaningful cold fronts.
Once those cooler conditions begin pushing into the Treasure Coast, we expect the fishery to start transitioning.
Flounder, sheepshead, bluefish, redfish, pompano, and permit are among the species we’ll be watching as conditions change.
We also expect snook to begin pushing deeper into the backcountry of the St. Lucie River as water temperatures and seasonal patterns change.
Once that migration becomes more noticeable, we’ll begin shifting some of our attention away from the current mullet-run patterns and toward fishing the flats and backcountry areas.
That’s one of the things that makes October such an interesting month for inshore fishing around Stuart—the month can begin with one pattern and look considerably different once cooler weather arrives.
Stuart Nearshore Fishing Report
The heavy concentration of mullet along the beaches continues to influence our nearshore fishing as well.
Just as we’re doing inshore, the key has been finding the bait and then presenting live bait or artificial lures around the outside of the schools rather than simply casting into the middle of thousands of mullet.
Matching the size and profile of the available forage is particularly important during the mullet run.
As October progresses, we’ll also be watching how changing weather patterns affect the nearshore fishery. Cooler conditions can bring different species and opportunities into play, so we’ll continue adjusting our approach based on where the bait and fish are concentrating.
October Fishing Regulations to Keep in Mind
Seasonal regulations are important to check before keeping any fish.
Captain Max notes that Florida’s recreational flounder closure begins October 15 and continues through November 30. He also provided current size and bag-limit information for flounder, pompano, and sheepshead.
Because recreational fishing regulations can change, anglers should always verify the latest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations before harvesting fish.
What to Expect as October Progresses
October is a transition month for fishing around Stuart.
For now, the mullet run remains one of the biggest factors influencing both our inshore and nearshore fishing. Continue watching the bait, matching the hatch, and working the edges of the schools.
As cooler weather and cold fronts arrive, we’ll be watching for changes in species activity and the movement of snook farther into the St. Lucie River backcountry.
That transition should create new opportunities on the flats and throughout Stuart’s inshore waters as we move toward November.
Planning an Inshore or Nearshore Fishing Charter in Stuart?
October is an exciting time to experience the seasonal changes taking place around Stuart and Florida’s Treasure Coast.
Whether we’re following schools of mullet, targeting fish around the inlet and St. Lucie River, exploring the flats and backcountry, or fishing the nearshore waters along the beaches, our trips are built around the conditions and opportunities we’re seeing locally.
Split Tail Charters specializes in private inshore, nearshore, and nighttime dock light fishing charters in Stuart, Florida with Captain Max Luzzi.
See You Out There,
Captain Max Luzzi
Owner & Captain | Split Tail Charters
Private Inshore • Nearshore • Dock Light Fishing Charters
Stuart, Florida | Florida’s Treasure Coast