[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ed snapper season has been outstanding so far this summer. We continue to catch easy limits of 10-20 pound class fish. Word on the street is the Feds may give us a fall season. I wouldn’t get my hopes up though, this has been said before. The tuna bite in June has been about as spotty as the Wahoo bite this past winter. July should bring things into our typical summer pattern. Live bait has been showing up on the floaters and rip lines. I have been using SEAGUAR 60 pound, or lighter fluorocarbon leader when out in the blue water. I only spool about ten feet of flouro on my reels. Once it gets down to five feet or less, (from replacing hooks taken by toothy critters), I will cut it off and replace it with a new ten foot piece. This allows me to always be fishing with a fresh leader that isn’t full of nics and scrapes that could lead to losing a fish. Top that setup off with a Mustad 7/0 circle hook and you will be on your way to catching yellowfin tuna. Keep an eye out for those summertime showers. The rain may be uncomfortable to deal with but it’s the lightning that worries me. My boat is equipped with XM SIRIUS weather, it’s a lifesaver in my opinion when it comes to lightning in the area. If you don’t have it on your vessel and you hear me or one of the other captains talking about lightning in the area, feel free to call out to us on the radio. Most of us are always willing to help others on the water when it comes to safety. Enjoy those summertime Bar-B-Ques! Good Luck and Stay Safe out there.
