As June rolls into July, we can almost count on daily rain storms like clock work for the next couple of months. Look for your best bite to be early in the day, and again late in the afternoon/early evening after the rain comes in and cools things off a bit. Day time air temperatures are now hovering around 90 degrees each day, bringing the water temperatures up into the upper 80's.
In July, the New moon falls on the 4th of the month and the full moon on the 20th. Expect higher and lower tides around these moon phases. With these higher and lower tides, you have more water movement which means more nutrients are being moved around for the fish to feed on. The Solunar bite calendar for our area says the 2nd – 7th and the 18th – 22nd should produce some of the better fishing days of the month.
Anglers can get into some nice Snook on the outside islands. Top water plugs and suspended soft plastic artificials will produce some nice morning action before the wind starts to blow. Of course nothing beats a livewell full of Pilchards and Thread Herring. You can live chum with a handful of these guys, then follow up with a nice one on your hook.
The Trout bite will remain steady. They are generally smaller than the winter Trout, but around in good numbers. They will take anything from a live shrimp, to a buck tail jig, to a topwater plug. Fish early on the incoming tide for your best results. You can count on the Redfish to take a Gulp shrimp on the last half of the incoming tide. Live shrimp under a popping cork works great for Reds too!
Triple Tail are hanging around markers and structure, and will happily take a live shrimp on a circle hook. Permit and Cobia are hanging around offshore structure. Bring some small silver dollar sized crabs with you for the Permit. Cast net some nice 6" mullet to present to the Cobia.
Mangrove Snapper are larger in size than most of the year and are hungry for a live shrimp around the Mangrove roots. Shark are all over the place and love Ladyfish. Tarpon remain solid early in the morning and in the evening and are looking for live Ladyfish and Mullet.
