The summer pattern begins to take shape this month. Calm mornings, hot days, afternoon sea breezes, and thunderstorms. The warm water and abundance of bait will bring tarpon in to the Lagoon. Small fish from 5-15 pounds can be caught on redfish and trout tackle. The big fish can top 75 pounds and you need some heavier gear to have a reasonable shot at them. They can be seen rolling on the surface on calm mornings in deeper water such as the ICW. Live baits can work but will often get devoured by the many ladyfish and sailfin catfish that hang out in the same areas. Casting a DOA sinking Baitbuster to rolling fish can be a more effective method to get bites from the target species. Use 50-80 pound leader with 20- 30lb mainline.
Seatrout will offer some excellent topwater action this month. Single hook lures will be easier to use with the abundance of floating grass and will cause much less harm to these delicate fish. Look for the best trout action to be where schools of small mullet are congregating. Sand bars and spoil islands are good places to look.
Redfish schools will begin to break up but there will be some schools that stay together all year. Giant redfish can be see tailing on shallow flats but the tails will instantly go down when they hear a noisy boat approaching or when a bait or lure lands next to them. Calm summer mornings make it easy to spot the fish but also make it easy for the fish to hear the anglers.
In the northern Mosquito Lagoon, cuts, creeks, and channels offer some nonstop action for a myriad of fish from trout, redfish, and drum to ladyfish, sharks, jacks, bluefish, snapper, flounder and more. Small shrimp on a #2 hook with just enough weight to get it to the bottom will result in some fast action.
