[dropcap]I[/dropcap]’m continually impressed as day after day the charter boats out of Sebastian load the boards with amazing catches. For the last couple of months, the mangrove snapper bite has been on fire! We’ve been chumming up record numbers of mangroves with small chunks. Talk about challenging, try stopping an 11-pounder on a spinning rod with 20-pound test. It’s a great way to go after them. Cut about five chunks and drift your bait back with them, no sinker or swivel. The grovers are smart and won’t hit your bait if it doesn’t fall naturally like the others. Keep in mind, when you have them fired up on the surface they’ll be chewing on the bottom too. Live pinfish are the ticket down there.
The deep water ground (around 180 foot) have been producing big amberjack. It’s a blast to put a guest on one of these powerful fish. Large baits, like a 10-inch blue runner, work great. If you’re out there and can’t get a live bait through the AJ’s for a grouper, try a butterflied poggy.
Back in the 70-foot-depths, use a chicken rig with squid as bait for lane and vermillion snappers.
June proved to be a good month for dolphin. Keep in mind that without steady east winds, the weedlines won’t form and we’ll have scattered weed and we all know that’s a pain. Most of our dolphin were caught in the 90-foot area last month. Our wahoo bite was a little slow, but hopefully it will improve this month.
Look for live bait just outside the inlet this time of year. Thread fins and sardines show up this time of year and nothing beats a live-well full of quality baits.