The heat is on–both with the weather and the fishing! The key to this time of the year, is to get out early and be back in by the time the sun is at its highest. If you are using live bait, catch your bait as soon as possible, so you can get to your fist spot to have the most production out of it.
Snook have been hit or miss on the beach so far; but, I expect once the weather regulates to more of its summer patterns, the fish will be more aggressive. We have been catching quite a bit of quality snook in the backwaters using greenbacks. Free-line them into the stronger currents and troughs.
Redfish have been absolutely on fire! They are schooled up in big numbers when found. It’s not uncommon to have a day of catching 15-20 reds in a couple of hours. First thing in the morning, look for oyster bars with depressions around them, along with big schools of mullet. You can also throw cut bait free-lined; or, your favorite baitfish under a cork. Topwater has been simply amazing at first light. We’ve had great production working across open flats at the low tide. Try fan casting and you’ll get some amazing blasts from these aggressive fish.
We’ve seen small schools of tarpon starting to come through lately; but, they’re hard to locate with the windy mornings. Drift a crab or pinfish under a cork in the pass or on the beach. Pair up your line with an 8000 series reel and a heavy action rod. When there’s a slick calm morning, idle around until you see the tarpon rolling. Try to get ahead of the school, setup and wait. It’s challenging, but worth the wait!