jack nearshore fishing

The early morning trout and snook bite has been great this week on the 4” Rapala Skitterwalk in the redfish and trout colors. I’ve been consistently getting above-slot trout and snook anywhere from 20 to 28 inches using these baits between 6:30 and 8am. As the day goes on, the cut bait bite picks up and you can catch black drum, redfish, and even big trout, in and around the mangrove islands. But the coolest part about the river this week is that I have been catching big tarpon in the 70-95 pound range by slow trolling live baits.

kingfish

Off the beach the tarpon bite has been really consistent, as well, and while the fish have been hard to find, when you find them, they are eating! Another big part of my week was the kingfish bite in the 40ft water depth. Trolling live baits with a stinger rig has been the most effective way to catch these fish. We’ve also had big schools of large jack crevalle cruising up and down the beach, so make sure to keep a sharp eye out and have a rod ready to target those fun-fighting fish.

If you are interested in getting in on any of this action with a guided trip, be sure to go online to finelinefishingcharters.com to book a charter.