[dropcap]P[/dropcap]ier fishing in July is usually best when the wind is out of the east or southeast as this causes fish will to move toward the shore. In the early morning and in the evening will be the best time to land Spanish mackerel. There have been plenty of chopper blues around this year and if the water temp stays where it is they may stay around during Jul. These fish are voracious feeders and give you a great fight. I light rod with 30 lb braid and a wire leader is just the ticket.
More vacationers fish the piers with bottom drop rigs with cut bait or shrimp, than any other type of fishing. Small croaker and spot along with the occasional bluefish will be the most popular fare for these anglers. Try using some sand fleas to increase or change your luck. Summer Flounder are here but not in the numbers we have been used to.
King mackerel fishing should be decent this month. Pier fishermen using anchor rods with live bait will be getting the job done. A few Tarpon showed in late June and these fish should increase in numbers during July.
Spadefish will bite if you fish on the outside of the breakers and some of these will grow to be quite large and put up a good fight. They will be almost straight down so there is no need to cast for them. Many anglers use cut pieces of cannonball jellyfish but shrimp works well for them also.
Sheepshead are often caught off the pilings and can be a lot of fun. They also make great food. The best time to fish for them is at high tide regardless of what time of day that occurs. Most sheepshead anglers use a casting reel and rod combo with braided line to help them feel the bites. Sheepshead are known for a very delicate bite so it takes some practice to get good at catching them. Sea Urchins, sand fleas, shrimp, fiddler crabs and barnacles make good baits for Sheepshead.
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