I t’s mid-year and likely our last month of relatively comfortable weather for a while. As I’ve frequently stated many times in the past I love fishing in central Florida in April, May and June more than most other months. Simply put, these months USUALLY offer us the best weather of the year. In retrospect April’s winds were as awful as March’s and the first half of May was nearly as windy.
Still, we enjoyed some great fishing thus far this spring with only a few slow days. I’m fully expecting June to be an awesome “catching” month and here is why.
The Indian River Lagoon is alive with bait-fish. Pinfish have become a nuisance for anglers who like to use a live shrimp, but excel as a live bait option for over slot redfish. Silver mullet abound in every size from fingerling to adult and obviously all of our typical game fish rely on the mullet for much of their diet. Pigfish are now large enough to trap and I can think of no finer live bait for trout anywhere in Florida. Pigfish are actually exceptional live bait for redfish, snook and any other meat eating fish swimming through our waters! Mud minnows are scurrying about on nearly every shoreline, creek or canal and everything eats these too.
Not enough options yet; how about our shellfish? Local blue crabs are fantastic live and cut bait for redfish, black drum and more. We’ll still have a local shrimp run for another month or so even if it is near the end of this season and we know every sport fish here eats shrimp. All of this banter about natural baits it to suggest to the savvy angler our options are many as we pursue our passion.
Whether we choose natural bait or artificial lures it will be tough to choose something that will not work somewhere. With my arsenal of soft plastic lures by Exude and Banks Lures my clients will be well armed to imitate the live baits we’ve talked about above. Add in a few hard baits either swimming or top-water and an Aqua Dream weedless spoon and the fishes are in trouble!