July offers some great fishing opportunities with several species to be found throughout our local Inlets, beaches and lagoons. Redfish, trout, tarpon, flounder, kingfish, and triple tails will be looking for an easy meal just to name a few. Summertime fishing in Central Florida has a lot to offer. This guide finds that no matter what species your after live bait tends to produce bigger fish. Not to say that artificial baits won’t catch fish just that artificial baits produce better earlier and later in the day. Mid-day live baiting is the ticket to catching big fish.
Depending on what species of fish your targeting throw the baits they tend to feed on, finger mullet, pigfish, mud minnows, pinfish, shrimp, pogies, sardines, goggle eyes, and don’t forget small crabs and sand fleas. Learning what baitfish the target species your targeting prefers to eat you will become a more versatile angler. You can pick up some bait at your local tackle store or catch your own. Your local tackle shop can help you with info on the best method to catch your own bait and what species feed on those baits.
As I stated before – artificial baits will catch fish…I recommend fishing the flats in the early morning with topwater baits, then as the sun rises go to jerk baits, or a DOA Bait Buster and/ or DOA Shrimp. When fishing the inlets and beaches, use large swimming plugs 6” to 9” long or DOA Swimming Mullet or Drone spoons. Summertime fishing has a lot to offer so get out and enjoy the action. Tight lines and remember take only the fish you need for a meal or two and release the rest back for another day
