Warm water and calm seas will make for some great fishing in our area. Gag grouper are still on the menu but you have to get through all the short fish to get that 24 inch fish. We’ve been having some of the best shallow water red grouper fishing that has been seen in years and it’s still going strong. While fishing on the bottom don’t forget to drift a Spanish sardine or a live pin fish in the current behind the boat. There can be some big hits from kings or that passing cobia. Be on the lookout for Spanish mackerel crashing baits on the surface. Sometimes they can be seen far off creating white water hitting threadfins or sardines and making quite a splash. Many times, there are bonito (little tunny) and blackfin tuna mixed in. Try throwing a small spoon to them and hold on! The fight can be brutal on light gear and the bonito can make some great belly strips for deep jigs…grouper love them. Red snapper will be open for harvest on June 11th and close on July 20th; this will include State & Federal waters. It will be a short season but with the entire Gulf being open the take should be real strong and now we don’t have to worry about the demarcation line separating State and Federal waters. There have been good reports on Cobia so keep an eye out around markers and buoys. It’s good to have a live bait handy to pitch at them.
Trout and reds are on the flats most anywhere. Floats or jigs tipped with shrimp are standard rigs when anchored or on the drift. Dog Island is a good bet to find fish around grass patches. Spanish macs are thick and jigging them up can be a ball. The fish are fat and sassy with nice white meat that can be delicious when cooked right away. The pompano bite has been on and off, as usual, but when conditions are right you can limit out fast. Don’t be surprised if you find them in areas not know for them. Shrimp are one of their main foods and the flats close to East Pass can be a good bet. Tarpon are showing up in the Pass from time to time. Try drifting a live pin fish on a float, both in the pass and just outside on the start of the out going tide. Hold on, the fish are in the 100 pound class. The wet pants (shore wader fisherman) are also in for some great action. Cast a piece of mullet or shrimp with a bank sinker to hold the rig in place off any of our beaches. Black tip sharks roam up and down Carrabelle Beach along with every other species. One never knows what will take the bait, but that goes for most anywhere we fish.
Good luck out there and be safe.
CAPT. CHESTER REESE
Natural World Charters
(850) 228-9060
www.naturalworldcharters.com