The Dog Days of Summer, by Capt. Sam O’Briant
Now we are entering August or what is known as the dog days of summer. What do we do when it becomes very hot and humid outside? We act like our other family member, our dog, and take a lot of naps. Well, the fish do exactly the same it seems.
The trout will move slightly away from the grass flats. The water becomes even hotter due to the darker background it provides. Specks may move from 3 ½ – 4 feet of water to over 6 – 8 feet. The earlier in the day, the shallower you can fish. As the day warms, if your bite has slowed or stopped, move out a little and try again. The odds are that the fish have not moved very far, just to a more hospitable area.
If the tarpon hold to their past habits, most of them have departed for parts west, far from us. This does not mean they all left. There will still be plenty around for our enjoyment. They will still be found in their normal haunts: the passes, off St. James City, Knapp’s Point and up river. Find the bait and you will probably find the fish. When you decide to try your luck, you should try using either ½ a catfish or mullet, a pass crab if you can get them, or live bait. Spanish mackerel halves have also been used, but be sure the mackerel came with you on the boat. Any you catch on the day of your trip must be brought to shore whole, thus you cannot cut one in half that day.
Snook season is still closed. If you must catch a snook, look in the shade under the overhanging mangroves. They will be sitting there just waiting for food to go by. They are also very lazy. You can drift your bait just outside the overhang and they may never hit it. Then if the next cast happens to go under the bushes, you may hook up. Snook do know the area where they live. When hooked, you can watch them run back and forth between snags then if able, they will wrap you around one. Do not short change a snook’s ability or you will end up on the short end of the line.
Redfish, now if Louisiana would share some of theirs with us we could really have a great fishery! Although there are a lot of redfish around, it is quite often hard to find a lot of them and get one in the slot. Here again, I would look under the overhangs and in any shade. But instead of live bait, pieces of cut bait like pinfish, ladyfish, or mullet will work better. This is not to say live bait will not work. If you are lucky enough to hook a bull red under the trees or anywhere, hang on and be ready for a treat and a fight.
Like fish, you need to be careful with the heat and sun also. Be sure to take precautions.
Capt. Sam is a local licensed guide for hire who may be reached at 239-994-1495 or captainobriant@gmail.com