The heat of the summer is on, marking July as a complete shift from spring fishing tactics. While similar surf fishing techniques will hold true, there’s different species available in the summer months. Below we’ll discuss our game plan for Space Coast surf fishing techniques during the summer months.
Old habits die hard as they say. Meaning, look to change up your traditional pompano rigs and rod holders for spinning gear—rods and reels with the capability of casting live baits and lures. This is due to the fact that species including snook, tarpon and flounder are present in the summertime surf. To effectively target these species requires a different approach than fall through spring seasons.
Firstly, one of my favorite styles of fishing in the summer is the “light pack on the move” approach. For example, walking the beach with one rod and a light pack with various lures. These lures should include bucktails, swimbaits, diving plugs and jigs. Use the mobile approach by walking the shorelines and casting said lures in the nearshore troughs. Ambush predators such as snook and tarpon will be feeding in these zones during dawn and dusk. Due to the heat factor in the middle of the day, it’s best to avoid those times.
Secondly, if you don’t feel like casting repeatedly as you walk the shore then feel free to set up in a productive area. This requires using a series of rods with live bait. The live bait can be anything from finger mullet to croakers or even live shrimp. Use a fish finder rig with one to three ounces of weight and a 4/0-6/0 circle hook. Cast the live baits at various distances from the shore to present them in traditional feeding zones. The circle hooks will do the majority of the work, i.e., when you get a fish on just apply steady pressure to engage the circle hook.
Lastly, the pompano fishing in the summer may surprise the majority of surf fishermen. Due to the fact that the traditional pompano run takes place in winter and spring months, summertime is often forgotten about. But, I’m here to tell you, there are resident pompano available all year in the surf. Some of my best pompano fishing has taken place when there wasn’t supposed to be any pompano around. For these reasons it makes for wise decisions to set up your pompano gear, coinciding with the above mentioned tactics. This gives surf fishing anglers a broad approach to capitalize on all the seasonal opportunities.
Capt. Lukas Brickweg
Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters
cocoabeachsurffishingcharters.com
(321) 205-4672