6/26/24 fishing report
It’s been another week of summer heat and with it some welcome rain along the First Coast. The fishing has been ok, we’re getting into the summer doldrums inshore and we’ve definitely seen a pattern shift on the beach bite. Offshore the action has been better with consistent bottom fishing.
Inshore this time of year is always a slog, the fishing can be good but the heat is almost unbearable some days. Low light windows early and late in the day or during overcast periods around storms have been productive. In the creeks Capt. Justin Anderson has been chasing shallow water Redfish and reported the activity has been picking up on the incoming tides as cleaner and slightly cooler water moves in.
The Flounder bites been pretty consistent and we’ve seen a few good waves of fish move into the inlets already this month. I’ve caught most of my fish in 8-12 feet of water the last couple weeks targeting structure near the inlets. It’s a hard to beat a gulp for Flounder bait, my go to is the white 5” but I don’t think they mind much. If you prefer live bait then using mud minnows or finger mullet on Carolina rigs can be deadly.
There’s been some Tarpon inside around the bridges and in the deeper creeks. The inshore Tarpon bite can be pretty good mid summer through early fall and we’re getting into that window. There are fish spread along the ICW and you can find them far up the St. John’s feeding on Mullet around Doctors Lake. If you’re looking for them in the creeks they will congregate around deeper spots with good current and areas with fresh water flow meeting the brackish water. Juvenile Tarpon especially will push far back into creeks, ditches, ponds. These small Tarpon can thrive in very low oxygen and salinity which lets them get into areas other predators can’t access.
The beach Tarpon fishing has been dismal so far this summer, a complete switch up from last years epic season. The last few weeks of onshore winds and super clean water along the coasts made the pogies push off the beaches. They prefer dirty water and anytime we get that real nice clear water on the beach the bait tends to disappear deep. Unfortunately this season that scenario lined up with the window where thousands of migratory Tarpon were moving North along our coast. Some pushed upriver following Mullet, some staged on the inlets for a few feedings, and I fear many just kept swimming North until they found more forage. With some West wind in the mix this week we’ve got some hope for Pogy pods and happy beach fish in the forecast.
Offshore the bottom fishing has been good from the party grounds out to the break. Gag season is closed now but there’s still Scamps and Reds to satisfy your Grouper fix. The Mutton’s have been biting well, and we’re into prime Mango fishing season. We’re lucky to get big Mangrove snapper year round on the First Coast and July through August have always been good months to target them. These fish really fire up around the summer full moons.
A little closer to the beach the Kingfish bite has been wide open. The rain caused a pattern change with an increase in sediment and decrease in salinity shutting down the beach bite to start the week. I’d skip over the chum hole and hit the party grounds for cleaner water and bait schools with plenty of fish on them.
As always wishing y’all tight lines, fair winds, and following seas going into the weekend! If you’re looking to book a charter, submit a photo, or have a report to share reach out to me directly at chris@fishjax.org or visit www.fishjaxcharters.com.
Capt. Joe Curtis of Set ‘Em Up Fishing has been all over the Kingfish bite this year putting Tiger on a nice one during a recent trip. With all the action this is a great time to take your kids fishing while they are on summer break!
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