July brings more calm seas and great opportunities to catch some big fish. Most of the effective fishing in this month will happen when using live bait. There will be plenty of sardines and greenies around the beach and 12A buoy. There are also gentleman who sell live greenies and pilchards in the morning in the Fort Pierce inlet.
I recommend fishing anywhere from 60-to-90 foot of water around artificial reefs or the natural rock reef areas. You can either anchor and throw out flat lines or you can slow troll these baits. When anchored, the bottom bite for mangroves and mutton snapper will be on fire in July. The same live baits that you use on top or cut frozen sardines are my bait of choice when bottom fishing in the 65-to-90-foot area. There is also the possibility to catch a nice grouper in these areas. Therefore, always have a big rod ready to go.
When fishing the live baits on top, you can expect to catch mahi mahi, kingfish, and cobia, as well as a wahoo at times. Last month there was a 102-pound wahoo caught off Fort Pierce using these same techniques!
It is also our two days of red snapper season in July! Offshore in the 120-to-180 foot of water range there is a great population of red snapper to be caught around the artificial wrecks and on some rock areas to the north of the Fort Pierce Inlet. A live sardine or pilchard on the bottom is my bait of choice. It is not uncommon for big amberjacks and grouper to be hanging out around these wrecks too. A live blue runner is the best bait to use for these big fish.
Good luck and tight lines!
FORECAST BY: Capt. Colton Hester
Sonna Girl Fishing Charters
(772) 293-5342
colton@sonnagirlfishing.com
www.sonnagirlfishing.com
