June 16th:
I'm starting my trips as early as possible here in late June because the water is very warm. The earlier the better throughout the summer months as water temperature will be in the upper 80's in the morning and can reach into the low 90's by afternoon.
Andy and Hayden were on board the Salt Aire this morning as we fished the top of the out going tide. We were fishing some flats just inside Clearwater Pass using white bait looking for snook feeding in the moving water. After several position shifts and no takers, we moved on to a grassy area along side a mangrove shore line in search of redfish. This area has several stopping points were grass and sand dot the underwater landscape. Redfish feed on shrimps and crabs throughout this type bottom. We fished each spot and finally found a nice 22 inch fish. The tide was heading out so quickly we had to relocated across the bay. We anchored up in 3 to 4 feet of water along a shallow grass flat. We caught several trout, one over 20 inches and redfish up to 25 inches. Also Hayden landed a 2' Bonnethead shark. The bite slowed here and we moved down the flat to a patch of grass where you can usually find trout. Andy and Hayden boated about a dozen trout and several high flying Ladyfish until we called it quits.
Get out early in the morning and fish the moving water. It will be your ticket for summer time catching.
June 26th:
John, Jacob and Padyn from Texas joined me today. Morning air temperature at 6 am was already 80 degrees and muggy. Water was 86 and the day was over cast with some showers in the area. We started fishing on a flat just inside the Clearwater Pass looking for snook. It was the last of the out going tide and the water was getting a little shallow. But we still had some good moving water and threw out our baits. Snook are all around the passes this time of year. Inside, outside and on the beaches. All three anglers were great casters and were able to keep their baits in the strike zone. Jacob had the first snook hook up and after a couple of great head shakes at the surface, the hook pulled. Shortly after, Padyn hooked up and we landed a 30 inch fish. We caught a small trout as the tide bottomed out and I moved on south. We anchored in 3 to 4 feet of water between two shallow flats. The tide just started moving in and Padyn didn't waste any time catching a nice 20 inch trout. John added a small black tip shark and a lady fish or two. After a rain shower got us all wet, I relocated across the bay next to a mangrove shore line. There we found some hungry redfish. Jacob caught the first red, John and Padyn each landed redfish all in the 24 to 26 inch size. Padyn's redfish completed his three fish slam (snook, redfish and trout). At our next spot, the tide was just high enough to get in a grassy flat off the channel. We *staked out a location that has a large oyster bed surrounded by grass and moving water. If you find this type of area, give it a try. Chances are there will be fish present. John quickly hooked up on a redfish and Jacob and Padyn soon followed. What an ending to the day, everybody catching a redfish. Check out the redfish trio.
Capt. Gary Burch
AllCatchCharters.com/
captgary@saltaireinc.com
727 458-6335
