Robin Phillips’ Tripletail snapped up a live shrimp near some floating debris south of the Canaveral Ships channelIt’s anyone’s guess as to what the weather will be like this month, but if it follows the milder, warmer trend we have experienced over the past few year, anglers could hit the jackpot with a variety of great tasting species. On calm days, boaters need to look outside of the Ports basins in the near-shore waters for tripletail and cobia. Floating debris and weeds can often work into the area known as Canaveral Bight if light easterly breezes are blowing. Look for these weeds or flotsam between the Cocoa Beach Pier and tip of the Cape. Sometimes it can be found within a mile of the beaches, but more likely will be slightly farther from shore in the 3 to 6-mile range. Cast live shrimp to these fish and you should have one on your line in short order. Whiting and pompano should be possible along the beaches and near the entrance to the Port. Small pieces of shrimp or cut clam are great choices for these fish. Bluefish and small jack are almost a given this month. Small Rapala Lures like the X-Rap (in size 10) can be extremely effective if you are looking for an action-packed day near the bulkheads and jetties. If the winds blow cold most of these fish will move on to warmer waters to our south, but weakfish often replace these other species along the main shipping channel leading into the Ports Basins. Live shrimp on a jig head or lightly weighted rig will usually interest them as they suspend 10 to 15-feet above the bottom.
Captain Jim Ross W-321-636-3728 Book your fishing trip at FinelineFishingCharters.com Catch a Memory Outdoors Radio show host-Live shows Saturday mornings from 7:00 to 9:00 am on 1510 am, 99.9 fm and 100.7 fm
