Summer is here and it’s the end of school for our young ones, so let’s get them out to enjoy this amazing area and its many diverse eco-systems. We are a lucky bunch. One could start a morning hiking some amazing trails and be jumping a100lb. tarpon hours later. Or kick off your day tackling Mahi offshore and finish it catching a mess of bluegills or bass as the sun sets. With fresh water, saltwater lagoons, the mighty Atlantic Ocean, the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, swamps, springs, flowing fresh water rivers, and so much more within hours of our homes or many times much closer. It’s truly a paradise. Sadly, paradise can be lost, and we must become active. By taking the time to explore, understand, experience, and enjoy these amazing products of nature, we can finally appreciate them enough to invest in their care.
With fingers crossed we will have a banner May in the Atlantic. Shake off those brown lagoon blues and bend some rods. Nearshore and offshore waters should be teaming with hungry predators ready to crush baits or lures. June will typically see the yearly push of giant beach tarpon start off. Some (cooler) years it’s a bit late, but it’s been warm so be ready. Large plugs, live pogies, and large live mullet will get inhaled by the 80-150lb fish. Find the tarpon by locating schools of Menhaden (pogies) or rolling fish. Slowly get within range and get offerings in front of your targets. Slow trolling live baits around bait pods with tarpon in the area will not only allow you to hook said tarpon, but also get you a mixed bag of everything that swims and eats fish in our ocean. Great fun fishing! Be sure to always keep an eye out for cobia and tripletail, both can pop up without notice at any time. Cobia have a habit of siting right in or on top of bait dense bait pods so be sure to drop a cast or to around all nice sized pods. Another by-catch to the “beach” kayak fishing is one of my favorite fish, the Snook. Hard fighting, beautiful, and a pleasure to meet at the dinner table! The snook pretty much has it all. As summer progresses the snook will fill Brevard County beaches in preparation for their late summer spawn. This is an opportunity to not only catch “a” snook, but potentially catch a massive one that will be burned into your memory forever.
