Both our offshore and inshore trips have been very productive the past few weeks. Even though we have been in a drought here in west central Florida, the afternoon thunderstorms are beginning to form. Water temperatures inshore have been as high as 93 degrees and will continue to climb, making us concentrate more on the morning and late afternoon bite.
Offshore
Our six hour offshore trips have been doing very well with red grouper and permit. Our eight and ten hour trips have produced both red grouper and american red snapper in great numbers. The sharks have been taking some of the fish before they reach the boat, which results in bouncing from one spot to the next in an attempt to create distance. Tilefish, gag grouper, porgy, mahi, blackfin tuna and big vermillion snapper have all been mixed in while fishing in 100-400 feet.
Inshore
The inshore trout bite has been awesome. We have been catching them on live pilchards fishing in five to ten feet of water. Snook have been plentiful around the mouth of the Manatee River and Terra Ciea Bay and will be back in season this September. A few tarpon, mangrove snapper, redfish and mackeral have also been caught as we target snook and trout.
