July is a tricky time to fish out of Sebastian. The warming water from hot summer temperatures drives many of the bottom fish to deeper water. The big snappers and groupers often leave their 60 to 90 feet homes for the comfort of 120 to 300 feet  The tricky part is when the cold-water up-welling occurs. Each summer we get cold water that pushes in from the deep ocean. It comes in under the warm surface water and varies in temperature, depth and timing. SCUBA divers will often describe jumping into bath water and descending through a sudden thermocline where the bottom layer is a chilling 60-degrees. Bottom fish become stunned and lethargic at these temps and are difficult to catch. Sometimes they leave to find warmer accommodations. It can be a challenging time of year to fish because of these quickly changing water temps.
Youâll notice the cold water by interpreting your depth finder and feeling the temperature of what you bring up from the bottom.  A lead sinker will hold the cold temp and will feel cold to the touch. Fish will feel cold too. Your depth finder may look barren at some of your previously lively spots and a thin solid line may appear showing the thermocline. Go fish somewhere else when this occurs. Make a big move in depth: go deep or go shallow. Often the reefs along the beach can be productive at this time. Another option is to fish above the thermocline. Amberjack, cobia, and even snapper will rise easily to a chum slick on the reef. Look on your sonar for big fish way up in the water column. The cobia and AJâs will slam a buck tail with a twisty tail worked very aggressively. The summer cobia and amberjack bite was great last July on the reefs. Also troll ballyhoo and big plugs where there are flying fish and other bait fish in the area. Remember that the fish can be in close this time of year. Big kingfish near the beach is a staple this time of year. A slow trolled blue runner is hard for a smoker to resist.
In the Gulf Stream, there will be plenty of dolphin, wahoo and sailfish caught this month even though the spring run is well over. Usually there is a good run of summer sailfish in July. Watch for the free jumpers and change your spread up a bit to include some naked ballyhoo. I think calmer waters call for less commotion on the surface and a sneakier presentation. A good teaser will bring them into the spread.
Donât forget about the two-day lobster mini season on July 26th and 27th. Hordes of boats will pack the boat ramps and reefs on these days. First, donât be that guy who plans a relaxing weekday fishing trip on one of those days. If youâre a SCUBA diver, get out there and grab one of those giant Sebastian lobsters before they are picked clean. The lobsters of Sebastian are not as numerous as they are in south Florida but they make up for it with their size. Five to ten pound lobsters are common in our waters. Any of the reefs from the beach out to 100 feet will hold them if the right kind of cracks are present. Remember to always dive safely first and collect lobsters second.
We also must pay close attention to those summer thunderstorms this summer. If the forecast calls for afternoon storms, plan to get out early and get back in before the storms hit.  Watch out for those days when the severe thunderstorms are predicted to form early and move offshore or along the coast. These offshore moving storms can be severe and can catch you off guard.
Best of luck out there, and remember: âWhen life gets too hectic, stay calm and go fishingâ.
FORECAST BY: Capt. Randy Lang
Sebastian Gypsy Fishing Charters
Email: gypsycharters@gmail.com
Website:Â www.sebastianfishingcharter.com
