Hello anglers!
It’s go-time for just about every species imaginable in our area. Most folks will be focused on snapper, grouper and king fish on the gulf side, and trout, redfish, Spanish mackerel on the bay side.
It’s getting hot so I recommend you start fishing early and/or late for trout and redfish. Sunrise and sunset will most likely yield the bigger and larger numbers of fish in the shallows this month. Pilchards, menhaden, and finger mullet are my favorite live baits for big trout in the back country. Soft plastic lures and an assortment of plugs will also produce in the shallows. I also like to fish live shrimp around docks and bridges on a slip sinker this month for redfish, sea bass, mangrove snapper and many others once the sun gets up.
Snapper will be red hot! We all know if you fish a structure 10+miles offshore, they are easy to catch, but inshore can be tricky. Fish with the lightest line you can get away with, and bury the hook in the bait, well out of sight. Try chumming them up and free lining if the current isn’t too strong. If the current is strong, use as much lead-weight as you have to, but use an extra-long leader. I often use as low as 20 pound test to get a shallow water snapper to bite.
Grouper digging is another story-you have to rig strong. They tend to only bite near the bottom and they pride themselves in their ability to break you off. Ambush feeders by nature, they hide in a hole, shoot out of the hole for your bait, then straight back to the hole. The first few seconds for you are critical; flex your muscles and crank! Rig with 40- 60 pound main line and 60-80 pound leaders to be on the safe side. Fish big baits with 6/0-8/0 hooks.
King mackerel will be hot and heavy this month. If you want a smoker, troll open water with skirted cigars, big diving plugs, or get near structure and free line a blue runner. Be rigged with plenty of line and a wire leader. They don’t call them smokers for nothing! You can also catch “schoolie” kings trolling spoons and free lining live cigar minnows around buoys and reefs.
Surf fishing will be great this month! Pompano will be schooling the beaches. Get those shrimp and sand fleas out there on the bottom and enjoy.
Thanks for reading and Fish on!
CAPT. JASON SHINGLER
Adrenaline On H20
Panama City, FL
(850) 348-2282