It Feels Like Summer
Capt. Dave Stephens
Well, it’s not officially summer yet, but it sure does feel like it.
Hopefully, with the arrival of June, we will start seeing some late afternoon and early evening thunderstorms. This helps regulate the water temperatures in the harbor. Last year we had a very dry summer resulting in very high water temperatures.
So far this year, the fishing has been very good. Snook have moved out to the barrier islands in good numbers. The bars are also holding good numbers of fish. Moving water is the key to the best bites. On high tides look for fish such as snook and also reds to be closer to the bushes and mangroves. As the tide drops, fish will move offshore or possibly into a nearby pothole.
Another species will start making its presence known, mangrove snapper will be moving into the harbor. During the summer months, these guys move into deep creeks, Mangrove Point, and the local bars will hold them. Best known for their incredible taste, but they also put up a great fight. If you’re trying to get a youth angler involved in fishing, these guys can be very cooperative.
In clear water, I recommend using a light leader and a small circle hook. These guys have really good eyesight which makes them picky at times. So dropping down the tackle size will get the job done.
The warmer water will move the trout onto the deeper flats, look for feeding fish in 4-6 feet of water. I prefer areas that have a mixture of grass and sand. Drifting is also effective in finding areas that are holding fish.
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