July is one of my favorite months of the year to fish the beaches from Melbourne down to Sebastian Inlet, however June brought us North winds and rougher than normal seas early in the month of June which made it tough to fish for tarpon, kingfish, sharks and big jacks like we normally do this time of year. Hopefully the winds are going to subside and let us get out and find the bait and fish we like to target.
July is typically a great month to fish snook from the beaches with live bait, artificials and on fly. Anglers can fish from the beach with live baits as well as their favorite hard baits and soft bait with good action on snook, tarpon, false albacore, jack crevalle, sharks and king mackerel. Look for schools of baits such as glass minnows, greenies, or menhaden and fish bait pods close to the beach for consistent action.
The islands or mangrove shorelines in the Indian River Lagoon from Palm Bay to Sebastian, should be good early morning as long as we can get more bait in the lagoon. The rains we had in June pushed a lot of out of the creeks and into the lagoon around the spoil islands and mangrove shorelines to keep the predators happy. Using topwater baits such as Rapala’s Skitter V as the sun comes up and as it sets should be a sure bet for trout, snook or redfish. If the fish wont hit topwaters, go subsurface with the Rapala Twitchin’ Mullet or D.O.A. Paddletail or jerk baits. Look for bait pods in the areas you are fishing and work the bait pods, cast under the mangroves and along the deeper parts of the spoil islands.
The creeks from Sebastian to Melbourne will hold snook and tarpon this month and, as the rains push water out, fish the mouths of the creeks or way back in the creeks for big tarpon on live mullet, greenies or pilchards, or go with topwaters early and late in the day. Fish the docks back in the creeks for snook as well as big trout, redfish and some jack crevalle.
Whether fishing the beaches or the lagoon, be aware of the clouds forming and make sure to get off the water before you get caught in a lightining storm or hail storm as they come up quick and can be very dangerous.
Capt. Glyn Austin
Going Coastal Charters
www.goingcoastalcharters.com
321-863-8085
Capt. Glyn Austin is a lifelong Brevard County Resident and full time inshore/nearshore fishing guide. Glyn runs a 23’ Shoalwater tunnel boat which is comfortable for up to 4 anglers and will let us get shallower than most flats boats for inshore fishing and offers a smooth dry ride when fishing the Inlet and nearshore waters of Brevard County.