Full on Summer

Snook
We are finding good fish both on the beaches and deeper shorelines closer to the passes. The fish on the beaches are on structure of in deeper troughs just off the beach. For some great action wade and fish parallel with the beach, YoZuri Crystal Minnows are a great bait for this. For the fish on the flats look in deeper water close to the shorelines. Here a Gulp jerk bait in pearl white for clear water and camo color for dirty water. Fish slow and concentrate on the pot holes. On the higher tides fish right up under the mangroves.

Red Fish
Last week just before the Flatsmasters Tournament we were on schools hundreds strong in Pine Island sound. Having great success with Gulp Shrimp rigged weedless on a worm hook and worked slowly around tailing fish. With the full moon though I think a lot of these fish packed their bags and went west. We are still finding smaller schools and plenty of singles up close the the bushes on the higher tides. As the August new moon approaches I look for fish to start to school up strong again. When fishing these schools of fish concentrate on the edges. Throwing a bait right into the center only causes them to hump up and move. If this happens sit quiet and hunkered down, they will be back.

Tarpon
The center of Charlotte Harbor early in the morning has fish rolling. Also around the El Jobean and Pt Charlotte Bridges there have been fish on the stronger tides. Nothing works like a live bait for these fish.

Get out and go fishing it eases your mind.

Captain Tim Mills
941-270-6172
http://www.dhatldoit.com