We are mid way through July and it is really feeling like summer with the heat. But luckily the fishing has been just as hot too! Actually it has not been too brutal we have had light breezes just about every day which makes a huge difference, plus I like to get our early before daybreak to beat the afternoon heat. I’ve been mostly tarpon fishing still and that has been really good. Consistent would be the best way to describe it and the bait and fish patterns have stayed that way with the relatively calm winds and stable conditions. Mullet have not been super easy to catch every day, but we’ve been finding them and some days you just have to work a little harder at it. The tarpon have been in the backcountry channels and hitting them early morning has worked well for me the last several weeks. In the afternoons I’ve been finding some off the beaches of the mainland and those fish can bite just about any time of day, on any tide. Some days have only yielded a bite or two, but on the good days we’ve landed multiple fish with up to a half dozen hookups. Other than tarpon I’ve been having good luck with snapper and trout in the bays of the near gulf. I’ve also been doing some snook fishing and that has been a lot of fun. Finding the right bait for them is key to get ‘hot snook action’ which means trying to catch pilchards. They aren’t always able to be found but pinfish will suffice and you can still pick away at the snook and redfish with those. Out in the gulf there have been a few tripletail floating around, though with the crab and lobster pots gone not much structure for them to hang on so you have to get lucky and see them floating, or have them drift by you while you are tarpon fishing. Permit are a definite possibility too I haven’t really tried the wrecks lately but I have seen a few randomly on some closer inshore spots in the everglades. Fishing is really good and it is one of my favorite times of year as the crowds are gone and you have the place to yourself. This will remain the next several months. August can be a very good time to fish and I’ve already started filling in some days with customers who have experienced this the last few years with me. Get in touch with me and lets go fishing!
7/21/15 July Islamorada Fishing Report for the backcountry
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Capt. Rick Stanczyk is a locally born and raised charter fishing captain in Islamorada, FL. He caught his first bonefish when he was 3 and has been 'on the water fishing' ever since. He loves what he does and enjoys showing his clients a great time fishing in the Florida Keys. Contact him at 305-747-6903 or rick@fishingislamorada.com!
