As we get deeper into summer and the water gets warmer and warmer, it is important to adjust your fishing accordingly. Techniques that are effective during the winter and spring months just don’t produce during the dog days of summer. High water temperatures cause many fish to move out into deeper water. Not only do they move deeper but many times they actually hang out closer to the bottom.
Exactly where and how you fish is ultimately dictated by the species you’re targeting, but making smart choices is critical. What are the choices? Dolphin, snapper, kingfish and bonito are all ideal targets that can help bend the rods and put some fillets in the freezer. On some days, you might even be able to employ two or more of these fishing methods.
Let’s begin with dolphin, aka mahi or dorado. Mahi are undoubtedly one of the most popular gamefish found in our waters. Besides their great taste, they ares also a lot of fun to catch. Catching them usually involves trolling or running and gunning which I happen to prefer. It is sometimes important to be patient when you find a promising area because during the middle of the day when the sun is high and the water is warm they can stay a bit deep until something gets their attention.
If dolphin fishing isn’t you’re thing, you can anchor up and target snapper. Snapper fishing during August can be excellent both during the day and night. During the day, you can target yellowtail by anchoring and chumming. If you’re trying to beat the heat, you can also do this during the evening hours and catch both yellowtail and mangrove snapper. During the day, you may want to fish a bit deep from 55 to 85 feet and in the evening about 45 to 65 feet.
Trolling over the reefs and wrecks can also be very productive as long as you get your baits down deep. One great way to accomplish this is by using a planer and trolling spoon or natural bait. If planers aren’t for you, downriggers also work well. Exactly what you catch will vary from day to day, but you can expect action from kingfish, bonito and the occasional wahoo. Planers also work well offshore while dolphin fishing. Many wahoo are caught by trolling planers under floating debris offshore.
Kingfish and bonito can also be caught over the reefs on live bait. The key again, is to get your baits down. During the warmer months many kingfish, bonito and even sailfish fall prey to a live bait fished near the bottom. Even though a flat line should never be left out, you might want to add a bit of weight to them in order to get the baits down a bit.
Also, don’t forget that you can keep up with all of the action by following us on FACEBOOK, Instagram, and Twitter. If you like watching some of the action, be sure to check out my YOUTUBE page for the latest video additions.
CAPT. ORLANDO MUNIZ
Nomad Fishing Charters
786-266-0171
www.fishingchartermiami.com
SPONSORS AND FRIENDS: Mercury Marine, Bass Pro Shops, Offshore Angler, Gray Taxidermy, Orca Coolers, SeaDek, Costa Del Mar, AquaNutrition and Baitmasters.