Heat and rain have made some fishing rather slow. The trout bite, however, has been fantastic on the flats from Alligator Point to the inside of St. George Island. Some of the biggest catches come from using a popping float with a lure attached to 3 feet of leader. Artificial baits and shrimp attached to the jig sweetens the deal. Redfish are on the same flats but they like a higher tide and can readily be caught on top water plugs. It sure is fun to see a red crash a surface bait. Try the mornings since the water heats up pretty quickly this time of year.
Tripletail have been the best success story this year. We usually don’t find them on this side of the Sound, but this year it has been really good. They love to hang around any floating structure like a trap buoy or a navigation post. Besides a really good eating fish, they also give you a good fight on light tackle…I guess that’s because of the three tails!
Offshore is strong this month for trolling baits and artificials due to the currents that spin off the deeper Gulf. Wahoo, dolphin (mahi) and tuna follow the sargasso weed since it holds flying fish and other prey. Inshore, the Spanish mackerel are all over Dog Island Reef along with some nice cobia when you can find them. The surf is holding lots of silver trout and you can take a swim if the fishing gets too hot. Remember to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Good luck out there and be safe.
And on another note from Capt. Chester…
Being on the water is great fun and can be a wonderful experience for friends and family, but there are those who would spoil it. Last month we were running in from Dog Island and approaching the Carrabelle Harbor entrance when a boatload of young men passed me and sent a wake that almost swamped my new flats skiff. Luckily, my customer hung on and I was able to control the skiff by powering out and off to the side of the channel. They kept going to the ramp and did not even respond to the near collision. Just another weekend day on the Carrabelle River I suppose!
We hear numerous stories of boats encroaching on anchored vessels just to take a GPS position and not caring that, besides being rude, there is a safety issue. Collisions between boats are one of the most dangerous events that lead to fatalities in Florida waters. By law, vessels must be 100 feet away from other boats and approach at idle speed. The increase in speed of outboard motored boats has made the reaction time for operators tight. Many operators only get limited time on the water with no formal training. This, coupled with alcohol, makes for some scary close calls or worse. You may be the best fisherman there ever was but if you do not practice good seamanship and courtesy on the water you are just another GUGAN….please don’t be one of those.
CAPT. CHESTER REESE
Natural World Charters
(850) 228-9060
www.naturalworldcharters.com