June is here already! This is a going to be a great month for me because it’s Father’s Day, my birthday (the big 50!) and my two sons’, Cash and Kai, birthdays all fall within a few days of each other, and our summer Atlantic red snapper season is open through June 20!
As far as fishing is concerned, hopefully it’ll be just as good and get even better than it was for May. The fish have really started turning on. The bunker have finally been consistent, as we we’re getting them from the cruise basin all the way to the pier. Just look where the fleet is in the morning and you can’t miss them. (Please be courteous and let us get our bait. We do this for a living and need that bait to make our customers happy.)
From the beach to local reefs, tarpon, jack crevalle, bonita, Spanish mackerel and kingfish have been found 20 feet to about 40 feet from the beach. We are having a lot of fun on light tackle with all these power-hitting fish. Use live bunker hooked through the nostrils on a 50 lb. fluorocarbon leader with an 8/0 circle hook. If you start getting cut off a lot, then put the wired stinger rigs on for those toothy kings. Keep a jig ready for the cobia for when you see or mark the bait out there, as this is the time of year they start to show up on the bait pods just off the beach. The nearshore reefs such as Pelican and 8A have been great for the early morning king bite. Use your stinger rigs and live bunker for the best catch. In the last few weeks, there have been wahoo up to 45 lbs., chunky blackfin tuna, mahi and a handful of cobia all caught on king rigs in the same area.
From the reefs to offshore has been good as well. There were a few solid days of great catches of mahi and we should still see a few weeks of it. Many fish have been caught from 140-180 feet and some days past 500; it’s just a day-to-day thing and up to the winds and weather as usual. The basic ballyhoo rigs and skirts have been the key. There was a lot of wahoo caught recently and we should still see many more to come this month.
As far as bottom fishing goes, fish the offshore reefs such as 21 and 27, and if you fish any of the wrecks, that’s a good start too.
Good luck and have a great June!
–Capt. Chris Cameron
Fired Up Fishing Charters
firedupcharters@gmail.com
www.firedupcharters.com
www.sharkfishingcocoabeach.com
(407) 222-3573
Your premier fishing guide charter for shark fishing Cocoa Beach,
offshore fishing Port Canaveral, and nearshore fishing Cape Canaveral.
