“Bare the heat to score the meat,” sums up the searing month of August. Anglers must be ready and willing to endure the August sunshine to catch the big one. Be prepared for slob-size catches of grey and mutton snapper, mahi, king mackerel, cobia, grouper with a side dish of lobster.
Much like the first part of the summer, the snapper fishing will continue to be exciting. In addition to the wide variety of snapper available, the cobia will be making some moves as the water (temperatures and currents) do the same. Baitfish are plentiful, and the availability of live bait (shiners, goggle eyes, and pilchards) give the summertime anglers an added advantage.
Nighttime fishing offers booming catches and a cool break from the unforgiving August sun. Grab your favorite spinning setup, your live-well and hit the reef. Live bait will be plentiful, and you can find pilchards right along the beach, with sardines and cigar minnows along the second (outer) reef. Live bait is a great way to increase your bite and presenting lighter tackle and a change in bait, day or night, will make for increased catches.
The words cold water upwelling makes any angler cringe, and the presence of cold seabeds will pester anglers once again in the late summer months. We expect to see a thermocline, or cold water upwelling, that will cause some changes in the bottom fishing bite. The upwellings are nutrient-rich and bring both positive and negative changes to the snapper and reef fish game. On the up-side, cold water pushes the cobia to the surface which makes for great targeting, catch and dinner. On the flipside is the snapper bite. The cold water is known to cause the snappers to take on a “lock jaw” attitude. Thankfully, we know of a few tricks to fight off the “lock-jaw” and keep the snappers biting.
Safety first is key as boat traffic increases over the summer. Lobster season draws in many crustacean crazed divers, so keep a close eye out for dive flags. Take some time to brush up on the General Boating Rules for safer boating and show due diligence when protecting and hydrating yourself. The intense sun and heat can drain both mentally and physically.
If you are looking to take advantage of all that August provides, come join us on the Shock Leader. Check us out on Facebook www.facebook.com/shockleadercharters and Instagram. We look forward to seeing you catch a big fish!
Tight lines and good vibes!
FORECAST BY: Capt. Cole Hazellief
Shock Leader Charters
(772) 800-5448
www.shockleadercharters.com
