Fishing Report
Reported by Capt. Sherrie Stovall on
July 1, 2008
Offshore Sebastian Inlet
A full moon during the summer month of July will bring the mangrove and red snapper up to the surface to spawn. Anchor along some chunky rock ledges in the 50-80 ft range with a chum bag tied off to the back of your boat, and the fish should rise to the surface as the sun light fades. If the thermocline has set in bringing cold water in from offshore, the snapper should come up form the cold depths to feed on the surface. Drift small sardines or silver sides back into the current with a #2/0 or #3/0 hook buried deep into the meat. The snapper bite has been good at the end of June on the new moon and should hold out through the end of June. Take a look at the local radar and make sure the evening storms are at bay and hit the water.
King fish and Dolphin are roaming around the shallow 80 ft reefs and offshore to about 130 ft of water. Most of the action is early in the morning on trolled ballyhoo. Bigger fish may be further out towards the Gulf Stream, but with the price of fuel a good day can be had in shallow water with out going broke. The thermoclines have moved in from offshore which has dropped the bottom temperatures into the 60's and slowed the bottom bite down. Currents on the deeper offshore ledges around the Cones are running 3-4 knots and will made it hard to fish the deep spots. When the tide is ripping at those speeds you have one chance to hit the fish right on the nose before you have drifted passed the spot. Fishing out deep is just going to be a coin toss this month.
Cobia are showing up boat side along the shallow reefs and shadowing sea turtles along the beaches. The cold water on bottom is pushing them above the thermoclines and in close to the shoreline. Many kayak fisherman are finding schools of smaller cobia along Melbourne Shores and up towards Satellite Beach and boating fish up to 20 lbs.
Sebastian Inlet & River
As the water temperatures drop offshore, most of the smaller snapper like the mangroves and muttons will move into the channels at Sebastian Inlet. Try using small bait fish and shrimp fished on bottom close to the ledges that run along the channel. A few cubera snapper can be caught during this time also.
When the snapper show up in the Inlet, the barracuda seem to follow them inshore and hang out around the jetties. For some fast paced action and a great aerial show try casting a cuda tube at them. A cuda tube is made of colorful surgical tubing with a lead head and two hooks in tandem on a light wire leader. It should be cast past where the barracuda are laying, then crank over the bail on the reel and them begin reeling in the tube as fast as you can for some explosive strikes on the surface.
If you want to sharpen up your skills for snook season this is the time to do it. They are in the Inlet for the summer and are feeding regularly around the jetties. Buck tails, plugs, soft plastics, and of course live baits are all productive. Bait up a small hook on a very light line with a fiddler crab, sand fleas or clams and work it along the bridge pilings and rocks to catch sheepshead and black drum.
Large permit are showing up along the beaches and jetties. The blue crabs are being pulled out of the river and through the inlet on outgoing tides and many redfish and permit are there like clockwork to feed on them. If you can net some live crabs, try casting them towards the channel or floating them out with the current. The red fish and permit have set themselves up in the channel waiting to intercept the crabs as they drift out.
Although the river water temperates tend to get really hot this time of year you can still find some reliable action early morning and late in the evenings. This will be the coolest time of the day for you and the fish. Try top water plugs, soft plastics and live fish under popping corks with a little rattle to it, like a Cajun Thunder. Don’t ignore the docks or flats close to deep water because this is where most of your fish will be holding. If you want some great action, try fishing the flats at night. With the cooler temperatures the fish will come out at night to feed, and it can be explosive action. Noisy top water plugs seem to work the best under these conditions. Pitching live baits or plugs under docks at night also can produce some trophy size snook.
Surf
Whiting catches have been consistent along the beaches. An occasional pompano still might be taken as summer fishing conditions really settle in along the local beaches. Clams, shrimp and sand fleas are great baits to use, as well as a few shiny silver spoons and Got-cha jigs for the Spanish mackerel.
Keep a look out for tarpon rolling in the surf and busting through schools of mullet along the beaches. The summer time run of mullet and other small bait fish down the beach will bring these silver kings right up close to the shore within casting distance. Large top water plugs buck tails and diving plugs casted way out and retrieved though the action zone can produce some explosive strikes . Matching the hatch is always a good idea if possible, try to fish with what they are feeding on. Live mullet will be the secret to success.
Don’t let the gas prices get you down and take the time to enjoy the things that make you happy…….. Get Out & Go Fishing!
Whitey's Bait & Tackle
321-724-1440
9030 S Highway A1a
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
captstovall@whiteysonline.com
www.whiteysonline.com/
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More information, or wish to book an Offshore Charter, please call us on 321-724-1440, or email us: captstovall@whiteysonline.com
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