School is out, grouper is in, and if the weather ever settles down, June should be a stellar month. A breezier than normal spring, coupled with a red-hot early dolphin run in February and March caused May to be a little less productive than normal. But with the hard north winds we experienced last month, there are some benefits. Dolphin fishing should get good again with a body of fish that has pushed back down the coast to us. Live bait or troll a few bigger baits this time of year. Dolphin are one of the most aggressive fish out there, and it’s amazing what you’ll find in their stomachs. The north winds and swells will also help the grouper fishing. Although grouper are bottom fish, they definitely migrate. Soak large live baits, or chunks of bonito for big gag grouper this June. Don’t be under armed for these brutes, 80-pound power pro, paired with 80-pound Yo-Zuri or Vicious fluorocarbon leader is the bare minimum. Strong Eagle Claw circle hooks, a 200-pound barrel swivel and 16-ounces of lead or more should do the trick. Test your knots and use a drag setting as tight as you can hold onto to keep fish from getting you back into the reef. Expect to catch scamps, and reds too. For now we still need to let the red snapper go, but it’s looking like that might change soon too.
June is also a great time of year to live bait for kingfish down off of the loran tower and Jupiter ledge. Maximize your hookup ratio with smoker kings by using 12- to 20-pound test with 30-pound leaders and a short wire trace with small treble hooks in tandem, along with light drag settings. And obviously don’t forget about the Bahamas—summer offers ideal weather to take a family vacation over to the pristine waters just a couple hours away.
Give me a call to set up your next Off the Chain fishing adventure, talk with you soon.