As we begin to see the change in our weather move toward the wet season, the last of our summer pattern will become complete. The mornings are getting hotter and more humid, and the sand gnats are in full swing at first light. As we begin to receive rain throughout the area, lakes, streams, and rivers fill up. Eventually the dikes and levees will fill up and then crest. When these water tanks fill up and start to drop water over them, Summer will be at its peak.
The fishing around the local levees during the first week or so of the water cresting is epic. The snook, tarpon, snappers, jacks, and even large mouth bass and peacock bass in some areas will be fired up. Id recommends keeping tabs on the water levels at your two or three local spillways and make sure you’re there the first few days that it starts dumping water. Simple artificial lures work well, thrown directly into and along the areas where the water is falling.
Inshore we now begin targeting juvenile tarpon. These fish seem to correspond with these rain events yearly. The influx of fresh water run off “water shed” fires up the bait fish. These schools of pilchards and other rain bait flood into the bays and the predators follow. Fly fishing early in the morning is fun, as well as using small swim baits, and of course top water. As the shadow lines begin to shorten hit the bushes on the higher tides for the snook and redfish.
The nearshore tarpon bite will only continue to be a worthwhile adventure. Most of the fish will range from 60-120 pounds and will be found in packs and schools from Naples all the way past Boca Grande. Crabs, threadfin herring, as well as artificial lures that mimic them all work now. On a side note, if you’re new at the game please do not be that guy that screws things up for the rest of us. If you see other boats anchored and tarpon fishing, then anchor. If you see boats sitting on their trolling motors, do that. Please do not motor all around scaring fish and breaking up packs of fish, it’s better to set up and let them come to you.
The offshore reports continue to be positive. There are a lot of snappers, mainly mangrove, yellowtail, and mutton being caught. The bycatch of tunas, wahoo, as well as mahi mahi continues in water that is 130 feet plus. It is time to keep tabs of the weather though, as when the offshore weather gets going, it is not something you will want to be running a boat in.
Tight lines, Capt. Greg Stamper
Snookstampcharters.com Bonita Springs, Fl
239-313-1764
Summer time
