By: Capt. Dave Stephens
Well, it’s not officially summer yet, but it sure does feel like it. With June now here, hopefully we will start seeing some evening thunderstorms as this helps regulate the water temperatures in the Gulf and harbors. Last year we had a very dry summer resulting in very high-water temperatures. The fishing has been very good, snook have moved out to the barrier islands in good numbers and the bars are also holding good numbers of fish. Moving water is the key for the best bites. On high tides look for fish such as snook and reds to be closer to the bushes. As the tide drops fish will move of the shore or possibly into a nearby pothole. Mangrove snapper will start making its presence known and will be moving into the harbors. During the summer months, these guys move into deep creeks, mangrove point, and the local bars will hold them. Probably known for their incredible taste, but they also put up a great fight. If you’re trying to get a youth angler involved in fishing, mangrove snapper can be very cooperative. In clear water, I recommend using a light leader and small circle hook as these fish have really good eyesight that make them picky at times. Dropping down the tackle size will get the job done. The warmer water will move the trout onto the deeper flats, look for feeding fish in 4-6 feet of water. I prefer areas that have a mixture of grass and sand. Drifting is also effective to find areas that are holding fish.
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