By Capt. Mike Weinhofer
July is a great time of year in Key West for fishing. This year it will be when the water warms up and the summer fisheries kick into high gear. It has been a cooler than usual spring and the fish are just waiting for the warmth. The dolphin will show up on weed lines in 700 feet of water out to 2500 feet of water. Weeds lines will begin to lie east to west and dolphin feed down them looking for small bait fish under the weed. Debris in the line will hold big dolphin and large wahoo. It is a great time of year to troll small artificial lures. It helps you pick up your speed and cover more ground and shake the weeds easier. Remember the more ground you cover the more fish you should encounter. The tuna will be feeding early morning and late afternoon from 200 feet of water out past the Wall.
On the reef the snapper bite will continue to be fun especially around sunset time of day. The mangrove snapper will spawn in 60-120 feet depending on the current.
The flats will warm up and the bonefish and tarpon will settle into the flats and sight fishing them whether you use bait or fly will be really productive. Permit will be on the shallow water wrecks and edges of the flats cruising for stray crabs. The gulf wrecks will fill with sharks and jewfish most of the cobia will be gone but the occasional straggler will still bite. All in all the summer fishery is one that fills your plate well so get out there and enjoy the calm winds warm days and fun fishing.
Capt Mike Weinhofer
Compass Rose Charters, 305-395-3474
www.fishnkw.com