August
2008- Fishing Report - By Captain
Stewart Ames.
August
snook fishing can represent a challenge to even the most skilled
angler. Fish tend to eat a bit less aggressively than in June
or early July, but they are still out there and can certainly
be caught. You must be willing to change your approach to catch
snook in our warmest months however. Fish strong tidal movement,
preferably during low light periods. In order to be fishing
at first light, plan on securing your bait the previous night
or before first light in the morning. This preparation will
allow you to get to your fishing spot both first and early,
which is important as the bite may end shortly after the sun
rises. If you can't struggle out of bed in time to catch this
early morning bite, just wait for a strong outgoing tide. Set
up at your favorite snook hole and repeatedly drift baits through
the zone where you believe the fish to be. Be prepared to fish
at least an hour or two of the outgoing tide. The best action
usually starts about an hour and a half into the outgoing tide.
Look for the biggest fish to be in the deeper parts of the cut
that you are fishing, especially if there is an area that has
slightly reduced current, like an eddy. Once you begin fishing,
pay careful attention to your drifted bait. If you feel a slight
tap or simply see that your bait has stopped moving with the
current, reel down and feel for weight. Chances are, your bait
is already in a snook's mouth. Once you come tight on the fish,
it will be off and running.
Redfishing
in August can be very productive, however schools of redfish
were elusive during the last few weeks of July. Nevertheless,
most trips yielded a half dozen, slot-sized fish. Local guides
normally prefer to fish open flats, spoil islands and mangrove
shorelines in search of redfish but docks are a structure to
target when it's hot. They do present some additional challenges,
however. First, they require very accurate casting and second,
they provide lots of structure for fish to break off on. Nevertheless,
if that's where the fish are, then that's where to focus your
efforts. If you're interested in only pursuing redfish, no need
to get up early and throw your cast net. Plan on being on the
water about two hours before the high tide. Catch a couple dozen
pinfish and pick up some shrimp at your local marina and you're
ready to go. Better yet, if you can get your hands on some fresh
mullet or ladyfish, both of these make excellent cut bait and
are perfect for dock fishing. Preferred tides for this type
of fishing are about and hour and a half before the high tide
until about an hour and a half afterwards. Fishing these docks
is fairly simple. Anchor on the upwind side. Use a large split
shot (PSS2) and secure it right above your hook. Pitch your
cut bait, shrimp or pinfish under the dock. It is critically
important to be in the shadow of the dock so if your cast falls
short, reel in and cast again. Once you're bait is positioned
under the dock, leave it there until you get a bite or you feel
that the pinfish have removed your bait. This will happen much
more quickly with the shrimp. If fishing pinfish, cut their
tails off as this will both put off more scent and will prohibit
the pinfish from dragging your line around a dock pole. Once
your baits are properly positioned wait no longer than ten minutes
for a bite. Dock redfish bite fast so there is no point in lingering.
Move on to your next dock and repeat the process. Usually, when
you find a dock with redfish, it will have more than one. Although
this approach takes a lot more work than fishing some of the
more open redfish habitats, it will produce when other areas
will not.
Larger
trout can still be found in a few spots off of our local beaches.
Throwing live whitebaits into some of the deeper swash channels
can result in legal fish but this fishing is hit or miss this
time of year. There are two other rod bending summer fishing
options if you want to try something a little different. The
first of these is near shore fishing. Many inshore boats are
fully capable of going out five or ten miles from shore on our
calm summer days. Fishing near shore artificial reefs and rock
piles almost always results in a variety of smaller fish being
caught. As with any open water fishing, there's always a chance
that something bigger, such as a shark, barracuda, cobia, bonita
or even a stray 30 lbs plus kingfish will show up. Bring larger
spinning tackle, whitebait and live pinfish and head out early.
As thunderstorms are almost a daily occurrence this time of
year, make sure you take a look at the weather before departing
so you know what to expect.
Another
great summer fishing option is night, dock fishing. If you live
in a neighborhood populated with lighted docks, you have a great
opportunity waiting for you. Head out an hour or two before
dark to allow yourself time to secure bait. Having a live well
full of whitebait will definitely improve your chances of success,
although shrimp and pinfish will catch their share of fish.
Once bait is obtained, go to the area where you intend to fish.
You might plan on arriving right before dark as this allows
you to drive one direction in daylight. Since lighted docks
need about an hour of darkness to attract bait and predators,
fish some of your "day time" spots in the area first to let
these docks "warm up". When the time is right, cautiously approach
these docks. In some cases, you'll see fish busting bait before
you make your first cast. Stop about 40 feet short of the dock.
This will allow you to see fish in the lighted area and also
easily cast to this area. Start by throwing an un-weighted bait
into the lighted area, bearing in mind that fish sometimes prefer
to sit on the edge of the light. Make enough casts to cover
the lighted and partially lighted area. If you get no bites,
throw a split shotted bait to the edge of the dock if you feel
redfish might be in the neighborhood. If, after ten minutes
on a given dock you get no bites, move on as the "dock rule"
applies here as well. Fish under these docks will usually bite
quickly. There are many advantages to this type of fishing.
These include cooler temperatures, no sunscreen required, fewer
boats on the water, more aggressive fish and no vacation day
from work required. The best fishing days in August are the
1st - 4th, the 14th - 23rd and 26th thru 31st. Many of these
dates are still available, so if you're interested in a night
fishing trip, a near shore adventure or a summer afternoon redfish
outing, call Gone Fishing Charters @ (727) 421-5291. Good luck
and good fishing
Captain
Stewart Ames - Gone Fishing Charters -
www.Tampa-Fishing-Charter.com 727 421-5291 - sames001@tampabay.rr.com
- Gone Fishing Charters, P.O. Box 541, Crystal Beach, Florida
34681.
