M ay turned out to be better than projected for the surf anglers. Bait pods and predators roamed the surf and that seemed to turn on the classic whiting bite. Sharks ran the surf line from Cocoa Beach to Sebastian Inlet and every beach in between. Light winds and calm seas made the beaches appealing and fun to fish. A number of my surf trips with friends turned out to be more like social gatherings than hard core fishing and that was okay, too. Fortunately, I was able to catch a few fish dinners and had enough left over to share with the neighbors. I must also report that I saw and caught sand fleas on several local beaches during the raising tides throughout May. This has forced me to take back 49% of my bad mouth on the Beach Restoration Projects this year. (I hate it when that happens.)
June will have to go a little to surpass the May bite and I am hopeful that happens for all our surf anglers. Don’t get off the fresh clams and frozen shrimp when prospecting for fish dinners. However, if you are looking for bigger game then the larger chunks of mullet or blue fish will bring the shark bite right to you. Remember you will have to beef up your surf tackle a bit to handle a 5/6 foot shark but, they can be a blast to catch, just ask my Son. (I hate it when that happens too.)
Finally, summer is here and the kids are out of school. The beaches will be packed with families, visitors and fisherman. Go early and get off the beach by 10:00 usually works for me. Occasionally, I will stay to 11:00 but that is on a fishing charter and not my norm. While we are talking about the beaches please do your part to help keep them cleaned up as best you can. We will all appreciate the effort and so will the turtles and sea birds who can’t tell the difference between our trash and their food.
Unfortunately, this will be my last Surf Fishing Report for the next two months, July and August. I am closing down for the summer and will restart my guide service and surf fishing forecasts in the September issue of the Coastal Angler Magazine. I will however, be available on email at jdetmer1@att.net and phone at 321-777-5554.
During my down time, my son Adam will be available for those who are interested in a shark fishing or surf fishing charter on a weekend basis only. Adam can be reached at 321-614-5170 for availability and scheduling.