Lets hope this heat and wind doesn't hurt the fishing. We are having to cancel trips this week so far due to rough conditions from a 20 to 30 knot SW wind. The whole week doesn't look good at this time. But, time will tell the full story!!
Before the windy and HOT weather we were having great catches on the Red Grouper. Limits were not uncommon. Baits that were producing were live Cigar Minnows, Live Pogys, frozen Cigar Minnows and hand size pieces of cut baits.
Also, find a spot where the current was not "screaming", the deeper the water the less current. The areas around the Tower in 40 feet of water has had terrible currents lately and I have found that to the East and South West in the deeper water, 80 to 100+ feet the current has not been bad at all. But, by the time you read this, this could all be changed to a different scenerio!!
In the less current areas is where you will have your best luck on Bottom Fish like Black Bass, Vermillion Snapper, Grey Snapper, Triggerfish, Joltheads, etc. Squid, and cut bait will serve well here to get these tasty fish on the hook!!
King Mackeral were biting well at the areas like the Horseshoe's, 15 mile rock, Jungle, 90/90, etc. Here, you will do well to get some live pogys. However, if the live bait is hard to get, they will bite the frozen cigar minnows good as well. I like to pull them on the "Hank Brown" style lead heads, this will make the dead minnows swim to look like they are alive. Just be sure you hook them straight up from the botton through the center between the eyes to prevent them from spinning. I like to check them at boat side for running properly before I send them back in the spread.
Keep an eye open while Bottom Fishing for Mahi-Mahi. We have been having them come up around the boat while grouper fishing. Keep a couple of spinning rods ready, and when you see them, pitch a small quarter sized piece of squid at them on a plain #4 wide bend hook. Keep one Mahi-Mahi in the water hooked up at all times, this will keep the school around the boat long enough to catch several before they move on!!
The Flounder fishing season is here. The inshore reefs are producing with mullet minnows rigged "carolina style". Speckled Trout have been biting well off the piers on live shrimp as have the King Mackeral on live baits!!
Spanish Mackeral fishing is "spotty". The fishing for these have been tough with all the Sargasco Grass that has blown in on the beach from offshore. I have had reports of a lot of Spanish Mackeral action taking place at the 90/90 and Jungle. Try your 00 Clark Spoons in gold and/or silver pulled on #1 and #2 Planers around 6 to 7 knots. Watch for the white terns working the schools of glass minnows that the Spanish chase to the surface, a dead give away that Spanish are in the area, you will also see the spanish jumping out of the water a lot of times when feeding, but, not always.
Spade fish are on the reefs now in good numbers. A piece of "jellyball" will usually trigger a bite from the verocious fighters. Don't rig up to lite here, or you won't land these hard fighters. Keep a few to eat, but please release what you can't eat to help preserve these fish for future fishermen!!
SHARKS, OH YEAH!!!! The Shark fishing is wide open now!!! There have been some "monsters" hooked up lately!!! Some have eaisly broken 150 lb. test line lately. But, some in the 100+ pound range have also been brought to the boat. Baits here include Pogys, Spanish Mackeral or just about any kind of oily, fishy chunk of bait will work here. Just tie a big circle hook 10/0, 12/0, etc on you line, wire leader is up to you, free line it out behind the boat while drifting around the shoals or off the beach and HOLD ON!!!!!!!!!!
FISH ON!!!
Capt Butch
www.yeahrightcharters.com