[dropcap]E[/dropcap]arly risers will have the advantage fishing the flats before the heat drives the fish into deeper water and shuts them down. Big trout are going crazy for “Walk the dog style” plugs like Spooks and Skitterwalks. Bounce a D.O.A. C.A.L. 1/8-ounce jig head with natural colors through the sandy pot holes, along mangrove points and docks for positive results on trout and reds.
Snook season is closed for the summer so handle the big girls carefully and get them back in the water quick. Upon release make sure sharks and dolphin are not waiting for an easy meal. The inlet rocks are holding some very impressive mangrove snapper and can be caught using pilchard plugs or cut mullet on a knocker rig. Cobia are still hanging around the inshore wrecks and reefs with a lot of pressure fishing for them. Best offering is live bait or big chunk mullet or squid.
Big schools of jacks are cruising the green water ready to blow up on a high speed retrieved topwater plug. Try removing the hooks from the plug for a few good laughs as the jacks crash on the plug without getting hooked. Be on the lookout for tarpon around the inlet and crossroads early in the morning before boat traffic puts them on alert. Drift big mullet on circle hooks for a solid hook up. Work the channel markers with live shrimp on a jig head for triple tail that can easy go double digits.
Keep the waterways clean and wear your sunscreen.