By Capt. Michael Savedow, Edgewater River Guide
We are into the hottest month of the year, August! Also known as the dog days of summer, but that shouldn’t stop you from catching fish. The best times are early morning, late afternoon, and night time. Mangrove Snapper have been growing larger all year in our inshore waters, with more of keeper size in the Intracoastal Waterway, Edgewater Backcountry, Mosquito Lagoon and Ponce de Leon Inlet. They are schooling, structure oriented fish, hanging around docks, jetties, underwater rocks, and drop offs in the backwaters. Shrimp is always a good bait for river Mangos, but to target larger fish, go with any type of small live bait fish or cut bait. Minimum size is 10″ overall length with a pinched tail and bag limit is 5 per person.
In late summer Bull Redfish are preparing for the fall spawn at the Inlet, they can be found in the channels from the inlet, south into the ICW at New Smyrna, the bridges, in Edgewater, and Haulover Canal, you can drift the channels, or anchor, to drift, ride the tide, bait small or half blue crabs also live pinfish, pigfish, croakers, spots or mullet, out going tide can be best with the natural movement of drift crabs a main draw for the fish to be in any particular location. Best to use heavier tackle to shorten the battle on these big fish which are 20 to 35+ lbs. In summer with warm water, lower dissolved oxygen levels and lactic acid buildup can be damaging to the fish during a long fight. Never hold a big fish destined for release vertically by the jaw with a gripper tool for photos, always hold it horizontal for its best chance of healthy survival and make baby Redfish for our future fishery. Lagoon and backcountry fishing with live pigfish, croakers and shrimp continues to be good in August, free line fished near drop offs, docks, oyster bars, points, flats edges, and island shorelines will catch Seatrout, Redfish, Snook, Snapper, and Jack Crevalle. You want to twitch your rod often, keeping the pig active and off the bottom can be the best technique. For open water rolling Tarpon try live baitfish on the surface or with a small weight down deeper. Shallow water Redfish are a year round target in the backcountry and lagoon, in summer starting your hunt with top water lures both walk the dog types and soft plastics in early morning, after the sun is an hour or so go subsurface with weedless soft plastics, spoons, or bait as tail hooked shrimp, live finger mullet, mud minnows, or cut bait.
Near skinny water mullet schools, look for waking or tailing Reds and Trout, they can be in small schools or single fish. Night time dock and bridge light fishing continues to be a good choice for late summer, by docks and bridges along the ICW, Ponce Inlet, to Ormond Beach. From New Smyrna and Oak Hill to Bethune Beach have lights on at night which attract schools of baitfish, shrimp, trout, snook, and more. Late in the evening through early morning hours can be best with less boat traffic and human activity. The best bait is a free lined live shrimp, no weight or swivels, just a floro leader tied to your line and a hook, also try small size lures, the lights are also great for fly fishing. By the end of the month the early signs of the mullet run will arrive with the very first schools of “scout” migrating mullet coming in from the north, starting the baitfish and inshore game fish migration. First sign of these mullet is around Ponce Inlet as they travel the surf line with some entering inside the inlet area.
