My heart goes out to those that experienced damage and loss from our latest weather event, especially those that just rebuilt or are still suffering from the last round of extreme weather. Boats AWOL, sunk or, in my neighborhood, drifted off the dock and deposited up in the yard next to the screen cage door requiring expensive crane services. Sea Tow sent out emails offering recovery info help for boats disabled in the water or high and dry on land.

For future weather events, boats on lifts should be cranked up high and ropes secured to the dock pilings to minimize swinging. Depend-ing on bilge pumps alone is risky if batteries go down, so pull drain plugs. With water weighing approximately 8 pounds per gallon, lift cables can be overwhelmed and part. Adding another rope to a secure land-based anchor point helps keep your boat at home in the event of lift or total dock failure.

Boats on trailers should be kept away from potential damaging falling limbs and drain-clogging debris. Boats tightly secured to their trailers in my totally flooded neighborhood did well by hammering anchors into the ground and attaching ropes to the bow and two off the stern leaving enough slack for the whole rig to float without pulling the anchors.

I recently became aware of long screw-into-the-ground anchors used to hold down house trailers that could be of great future help. During this year’s dry season, which can’t come soon enough, some plan on digging into the ground and pouring concrete at three points finished off with heavy metal rings at the top to rope trailers to.

Obviously, there is no sure way to defend against random extreme wind and water when it comes to homes and boats as storm conditions vary greatly, often from block to block and, as we’ve recently seen, from state to state. Let’s all hope and pray that the newest possible threat AL94 or Nadine doesn’t amount to much.

For those lucky enough to escape Mother Nature’s latest wrath, please help out those less fortunate around you, especially members of our large, seasoned citizen population.

In the meantime, if you made it through the storm, the fish haven’t left town and fall redfish, trout and snook will always be hungry and looking for your lure, fly or bait. Red October is still in full swing so cast those gold spoons and top-waters along the mangrove edges or to the edges of spotted schools, then skip cast soft plastics under the brush or docks during high water periods. Camping out on high percentage spots and placing smelly bottom baits as far back under the thick stuff as you dare cast is a sure winner as redfish have a keen sense of smell and will come running. Give a spot 20-30 minutes before moving on and setting up again.

Snook are still along the beaches and passes but most have already left, fleeing eastward to eventually settle into their cold water period locations so you might encounter them just about anywhere along the way with any structure a potential hot spot.

Trout are becoming happier and hungrier as the water cools and wind drifting a grassy flat with ultra-light rigs and cast soft plastics or classic popping cork and shrimp offerings seldom fails. Be quiet in the boat and cover water.

Tarpon were ladyfish-eating happy in the harbor before the storm, and may still be found there now.

Weather permitting, red snapper are still waiting offshore for your weekend opener baits (Oct. 18-20) as well as year-round open mangrove and lane snapper action. Lots of Spanish macs action from coastal to offshore locations.

Tripletail fans are happy to see stone crab trap floats in the water. Crab claws must be at least 2 7/8 inches to harvest with 1 gallon of claws allowed per harvester. Check the FWC site for registration and rules.

Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. You can contact him at 239-282-9434 or via email at captgeorget3@aol.co