Archived July 2019 update: Fishing expectations, departure times, booking instructions, and lobster availability below reflect that period. Confirm current offerings and regulations before planning a trip.
July brings a busy holiday, summer fishing, and lobster mini season approaching at the end of the month. June gave us excellent fishing, snorkeling, and weather, and I am looking forward to keeping that momentum going.
One thing you can count on is the heat. If you are visiting from somewhere cooler, our combination of sun, humidity, and summer showers deserves some preparation. How comfortable your group stays will make a big difference to the day.
Prepare Everybody Coming Aboard
Whatever trip you choose, start with my Trip Tips and share the information with your whole group. Bring sun protection, plenty to drink, and what you need to stay comfortable through changing weather.
Motion sickness has interrupted otherwise promising trips, including one recently with flat seas and an excellent bite. Calm water does not tell us how every person will feel. If you are concerned, discuss suitable prevention options with a pharmacist or healthcare provider before your trip and follow the directions for anything you use.
A little planning helps us spend more time enjoying the activity and less time trying to solve discomfort once we are offshore.
Morning Fishing and Late-Morning Snorkeling
As summer gets hotter, combination fishing and snorkeling trips become especially appealing. Our reef bite generally slows around 10 a.m., so I have been leaving the dock between 7 and 7:30 a.m. to take advantage of the early feeding window.
Once the bite fades, snorkeling can be a good way to finish the morning. That gives us time fishing and time cooling off, provided visibility and sea conditions cooperate. Morning departures also give us a better chance of working ahead of afternoon thunderstorms.
For this July schedule, I am offering morning half-day reef trips and night snapper trips rather than midday reef fishing. Snorkeling, sandbar outings, mermaid-tail activities, and the spearfishing trips offered during this period have more flexibility in timing. Lobstering also becomes an option when its season opens, subject to conditions.
My night-trip booking instructions at the time were to select the 1–5 p.m. reservation slot and clearly write “Night Trip” in the notes, along with your group details. The actual outing would run approximately 7–11 p.m. Those were special arrangements for this reporting period; confirm the current process before reserving.
July Snapper Fishing Outlook
June fishing has been so good that I am hoping July follows its lead. Yellowtail snapper should remain a main target, although their average size may decrease as the water gets hotter.
The larger schools of mangrove snapper have been late arriving on the reef. I expect them to become an important part of our July trips, with early mornings and nights offering opportunities for bigger fish, including mangroves around five pounds.
Recent reef catches have also included mutton snapper, yellow jacks, bar jacks, mackerel, and an occasional grouper. Conditions will decide which opportunities we work with each day.
Offshore Fishing and Electric Deep Dropping
I expect dolphin, also called mahi-mahi, and tuna to remain worthwhile offshore targets through July. Early starts are particularly helpful for the tuna bite.
When conditions are calm, I often bring an electric deep-drop outfit to fish the bottom in 650–1,000 feet of water. During this reporting period, tilefish and snowy grouper offered additional opportunities where regulations allowed. Those deeper, colder waters give us a different option when the surface fishing slows.
Offshore trips involve active participation. You are my crew, helping set and clear lines, handle rods, and fight fish. I teach throughout the outing, but some familiarity with the equipment and process makes it easier to build on those instructions.
Our offshore trips this year have produced excellent results, but the learning curve varies with every group. Knowing a little about fighting fish, handling tackle, and working lines helps us make the most of opportunities when they arrive.
My YouTube channel has some helpful information and visual examples. A little time learning before the trip gives us a stronger starting point aboard. You do not need to know everything, but arriving curious and ready to participate helps.
Lobster Mini Season and Participation Requirements
Lobstering returns at the end of the month. My mini season dates were already booked when I wrote this report, and I did not have information about other operators’ availability.
Before booking a lobster trip, make sure every participant understands the activity and meets the stated requirements. If you are arranging the trip for somebody else, involve them in that decision. Comfortable snorkeling is a useful foundation, but catching lobster requires additional underwater skills.
Conditions may include current or reduced visibility, so do not assume every dive will be easy. Discuss your experience honestly and stay within your abilities. Review my lobster trip information to help decide whether this is the right adventure for your group.
Thank You for Sharing Your Experiences
I want to finish by thanking the customers who have taken time to leave reviews and recommend my business. There is a lot of work behind each outing, and hearing what the day meant to you is rewarding. Your experiences also help future guests understand what they are signing up for. I really appreciate it.
Want to mix a little fishing with time in the water, or work toward a more involved offshore trip? Let me know your group’s interests and experience. I’ll help you choose a plan that makes good use of our time together.
