July / August Fishing Report - 7/09/07
Fishing during June lived up to expectation with many good sized snook coming to the boat. Most of these were sight fished in shallow water, the most exciting way to catch a big snook. Sometimes these fish hit with a vengeance…other times they lazily come over, eat your bait and sink back to the bottom until the sting of the hook sends them off on their first run. Although snook will maintain their current positions in July, the heat will likely slow fishing down during the day. Evening fishing in or near the passes will continue to offer the best opportunity to catch really large snook. There should also be fish available in the swash channels, although these will be smaller. Baits of choice continue to be pilchards, threadfins and, for larger the larger specimens, ladyfish.
Redfishing slowed a bit in late June. With that in mind, it’s time to start fishing in the shade. When fishing docks, it’s important to throw up under them into the shadow area. Well placed casts are much more likely to be rewarded than casts along the perimeters. Another challenging summer option for redfish is fishing the mangroves on a high tide. First, it’s important to understand that, in many areas, the water line continues 15 to 20 feet up under the mangroves. Mangroves provide excellent protection for redfish as well as an abundance of food in the form of crabs and small baitfish. Casting baits into the shaded pockets created by mangroves can produce quality fish. Go into an area where you suspect redfish will be, throw your bait in a “pocket” and let it sit. If there’s a redfish in the neighborhood, it will eventually find your bait. Then pull hard to clear the fish from the mangrove roots. Redfish will eat almost any bait but compact, easy to cast offerings such as cut bait work best for this type of fishing. Although I have not run into schools of reds on the flats in the last few weeks, I expect they are still out there.
Small trout are abundant on the flats at this time of the year with an occasional larger fish showing up. Drifting a grass flat with jigs or bait can produce good numbers of fish and may represent a great choice when fishing with the kids.
Reports of tarpon in our area have been good lately. Although I have not been fishing them, I have spoken to people hooking fish off of the north end of Honeymoon and in under the Sand Key Bridge. There have also been a good number of fish in the Fred Howard Park area the first thing in the morning. Typically, live baits like whitebait or pinfish are thrown at these fish. Another option is to set up off the beach a few hundred yards and place dead mullet or shad on the bottom and wait for fish to swim through. I did spend a few weeks in Boca Grande this last month and will probably be running trips for both beach and pass fishing down there next May and June. Let me know if you’re interested in fishing tarpon next year so I can start to plan my schedule to accommodate everyone.
As fishing conditions will not change significantly until the weather begins to cool in later September, my next fishing update will not be until the beginning of September. Good luck and good fishing.
Captain Stewart Ames
727-421-5291
http://www.captainames.com/
sames001@tampabay.rr.com
