STEINHATCHEE
The Heat is On
The word August, must originate from some ancient language, meaning ‘time when skin leaks water’. It is one of the few times, I wish I had an inside job in a pleasant, thermally controlled environment full time on demand, looking out a window at those outside and think, “Dude, you’ve got to be hot”. Actually, I’d rather be fishing in the heat, than boxed in an air-conditioned office building, amongst the marching ants.
Normally, I would write about fishing, but a palm-sized bivalve, called a scallop, usurps this month’s fishing. By the sheer number of people visiting Steinhatchee, and the flotilla of boats donning dive flags on the grass flats, the scallop is the number one August interest, and I can understand the interest. August is the scorcher month of the year, and even though the water temperature can reach into the 90’s, flopping in with a fun purpose, surely beats the heat of staying above the waterline.
Scalloping is an undersea Easter egg hunt in an enchanting environment. If finding a limit of scallops is your sole focus, then you need to open up your eyes and your mind. You’re snorkeling close-up to a living masterpiece; enjoy the view, take time to notice the subtle associations between the various flora and fauna. In doing so, you’ll not only better enjoy the experience as a whole, but figure out that scallops aren’t scattered randomly over the grass flats, but are best collected in certain habitats. It is a game of Clue, that leads you to become a more successful scallop collector. Always be cautious, courteous and put safety first, and put up the dive flag high.
Generally fishing, the best bite is early, or late in the day, regardless of what you’re fishing for. Mid-day can be the toughest time to fish, especially when conditions are slick calm. I believe slick calm conditions make the fish go to ‘sleep’. A chop on the water is a good thing, regardless if you’re fishing inshore or offshore.
I’ve found while offshore fishing, when the water is glass, it is best to target competitive fish such as Florida snapper (grunts) and amberjack (out of season, but still fun to catch). Besides, if there is action, it seems anglers deal better with the heat. During calm periods, just drift-fish and don’t sweat the anchor. When you get hot, take a slow, cool breeze ride and bust out the water guns.
All fish still eat in the heat. You just have to adapt.