Hello Anglers! August is here and it is bringing the heat! It’s time to get up super early for that morning bite. I plan and rig the evening prior and set my alarm for 3:30 AM. My goal is to reach that first fishing destination by the time the sun rises.
BAY: I like to work top-water plugs in the shallows at sunrise and sunset. My preferred areas are the roads less traveled, so to speak. I target areas that are laden with sea grass, but provide nearby deeper water and/or pot holes and bayou mouths. Trout and redfish move onto the shallow flats to feed during the hot months, then retreat to more stable water temperatures. I work the shallows early and late in the day. At mid-day I am dropping live baits around deeper structures. The big redfish, drum, and mangrove snappers will be chewing. You can’t beat shrimp and crabs on a slip sinker once the sun gets up.
OFFSHORE: The structures will be holding various snappers, grouper, amberjack, trigger fish and a few others. I like to rig several rods differently and vary my baits to broaden my chances at catching different species. Again, I encourage rigging the evening prior to your trip. You will be thankful when you get out there and have several go-to rods already rigged up. Keep a couple grouper rigs with 60-100 pound leaders and a few snapper rigs with 30- to 60-pound leaders. Have a couple of chicken rigs for vermilion, mangrove, lane snappers and trigger fish and a stinger rigged with a treble hook for that king on the surface. I’d also have a couple of jigs tied up just in case the mahi show up, and one jig designated for cobia on a big spinning rod with an 80-100 pound leader. Trolling in between bottom destinations is a good idea right now. King and Spanish mackerel, mahi, blackfin tuna and several others are likely to hammer a trolled cigar minnow or diving plug. I vary my speeds, locations, and depths until I get action. This morning I didn’t have to vary anything. Big kings smashed our cigar duster rigs right outside of the pass!
SURF: Sharks are everywhere! Throw a spoon or a gotcha plug and try to catch a bonito ,blue runner, or a lady fish for fresh cut bait. Next, send it out there on a big surf rod with a pyramid lead and don’t forget the wire leader near the hook. Pompano, redfish, whiting, and a few others will also be cruising the beaches so keep some jigs, shrimp, and sand fleas handy.
Good luck folks, thanks for reading and fish on!
CAPT. JASON SHINGLER
Adrenaline On H20
Panama City, FL
(850) 348-2282