Alright, diving right in to the July report and info. Lots to talk about. Let’s start with lobster mini season. I WILL be offering 1 day trip of lobster mini season on July 30th ONLY. No, I am not offering mini season trips for lobster July 31. I will be offering a fishing trip ONLY on the 31ST. Last year Florida residents were allowed a 1 day “local” lobster day before mini season. If it is announced, I will be offering a trip for that day to Florida residents that can produce a Florida ID. See my rates page. I don’t think that’s going to happen though. Regular lobster season opens August 6th and we will see how that goes when the time comes. Hopefully our water quality is good and we have a good lobster season. All of my lobster info is HERE.
July weather can be a little bit of everything including really beautiful!
Fishing on the reef has been great through June. Early starts (like 7am) has been the key to getting a good snapper bite. Please, no afternoon half day reef trips. It won’t work. It’s too hot and the water is too clear. Mangrove snapper have been really good and yellowtail snapper have been fair, with mostly smaller keeper fish, which is normal for the hot months. I am offering night trips for mangrove snapper for July and early August, call and ask for details before booking please. My off the boat schedule needs to be factored in for a night trip to be booked. The weather has to be really nice too. All of which we will discuss before booking a night trip.
an early morning reef trip resulted in a very nice catch of mangrove snapper
Offshore tuna and mahi have been great to good. It hasn’t been easy, but covering water and capitalizing on opportunities have led to success. Lots of smaller fish, but each trip has produced good results. My crew has made more of a difference in what we catch than the fishery. Offshore trips are not appropriate for beginners and require working knowledge of how the fishery and equipment works. When you don’t know anything about anything, your trip doesn’t normally go well when it is supposed to. Electric deep dropping is still open for a few species and may be an option if the conditions are right. Mainly blue line tilefish is our target in July.
Blackfin Tuna was the main story on this trip, but a few mahi were around too
This is a great time of the year for snorkeling trips. I have not run many for whatever reason. Water quality has been excellent to this point. Keep in mind that fishing early and finishing up snorkeling is a great trip for July and August. The fish generally stop eating when the heat of the day sets in, so let’s go snorkeling! Wind and overall lack of rain has kept our reef water clear blue further into the summer this year compared to previous rainy years.
July is a great snorkeling month and June was full of clear water days
If you made it this far, I want to finish with kind words for my customers. I understand many of your challenges and how what you are doing with me is unfamiliar and hot and everything in between. I understand your perspective. Take preparing for your trip very seriously please. You are essentially paying me a thousand dollars or more to hang out and do something you want to be fun and productive. My perspective is that my trips are a high price point to not be invested in your charter with me. Growing up, my family would never have been able to afford to charter a trip with my business as you may. I have a ton of respect for your trip and I feel I have to deliver a result for what you are financially investing in me and my business. I have run every kind of trip many times and have learned how to prevent problems. Your planning before you show up makes a huge difference in the quality of your trip. I have my end covered. The more you prepare and know and learn makes each trip more enjoyable.
They’re biting!
….and Biting!!