July Fishing Report

Mid summer is already here and that means showers will occur almost each and every afternoon from now through September. The good news is, the mornings are usually rain free with light breezes and cooler temperatures. Work the mangroves of the backcountry early and then move out to the Gulf waters in the late morning. That will give you a break from the heat and the best opportunity to catch fish.

The nearshore Gulf rock piles and reefs are producing a nice mixed bag of fish. Spanish mackerel are leading the way and will take small bait offerings on jigs as well as just about any artificial that's flashy. You'll also get trout, pompano, grunts and sheepshead. For the latter you'll need to get through the macs. Cast away from the boat, leave the bail of the reel open and let the jig slowly sink to the bottom. Then retrieve the offering slowly across the bottom.

Grouper and mangrove snapper are also in the mix. We've been dropping wighted cut baits on circle hooks to the bottom. A stout rod is a good idea and be prepared for the unexpected. There are some big goliath grouper hanging out in less than 20 feet of water along with lemon, hammerhead and blacktip sharks.

In Estero Bay the redfish have been sparse but still doable if you get out early. We've only been getting 2 to 4 per trip but they have all been mid to upper slot fish. Live shrimp under a cork works well and helps cover a lot of ground. Once we locate a red I've been switching to cut ladyfish on circle hooks. The smell will usually bring in another fish or two and may even produce a nice snook.

In the ‘fun fish' category... Keep your eyes open for big jacks busting bait on the surface. They are schooling up early and late in the day and love a fast moving artificial bait imitation.