7/5/2025

Birds Eye View: There is no point in sugar coating it and I always believe in being honest. Fishing Offshore is as hard as it gets right now. Battling a cold water upwelling for 3 or so weeks has been brutal. Inshore this has provided temporary relief to the inshore fish that are typically boiling hot this time of year.

Inshore: Inshore fishing remains an option. Early starts are absolutely key to avoid the heat of the day as well as pop up rain and thunderstorms.

Redfish action has been surprisingly awesome. First of the incoming tide has encouraged the bite nicely. I found them in their typical winter time haunts, while strange the water was in the mid 70s because of the upwelling its likely put them into a late spring pattern.

Trout fishing hasn’t been spectacular. I did find a few in 20’ while trying for some mangroves but not big enough to take home.

Flounder seem to be happy with the cold water coming in. Getting plenty of reports from the inlet and docks near the inlet.

Mangrove snapper action in the main river is improving with some decent sized fish showing up. Rocks, docks, basically anything you can snag there are mangroves there.

Offshore:

A mix of baits were used this past week. Every bait was a hard earned one though. Mackerel, Sardines, Goggle Eyes and Cigar Minnows were the usual suspects and even a few squid mixed in. Bait was glued to the bottom and hard to get. Typical of a winter time pattern.

Pogies have been present but a tough one to get a net over. Solid medium sized baits about 10 miles north of the inlet. plan for a dozen cast nets tosses for 10-20 baits. Cold water makes Menhaden quick and hard to catch.

King Mackerel action has been abysmal. Any Kingfish bite is being treated like a trophy fish right now. A far cry from our normal situation in July. But it’s allowed for some other species to get to the baits first like the schoolie sized mahi pictured.

Barracudas have been very prevalent over any and all structure. If you’ve ever wanted to catch one it’s certainly a good time for that.

Havent seen many cobia or sailfish in the last week. but as the water warms I expect that to change.

With news of the cold water upwelling the snapper and grouper species are the most affected. Reports from a dive boat said water on the bottom was 5’ visibility and 50*! Can’t say I blame them for taking it easy. Amberjacks cobia and African pompano tend to like these more than everything else, or it just forces them to the surface making them easier to catch.

Closeout: Summer fishing is here and so are the fish. Bookings are filling in more and more if you’ve been waiting to book, now is the time!

Trip Log:

6/23/25 6 Hour Offshore 4 Kingfish, Barracudas, Bonita

6/24/25 4 Hour Offshore 2 Kingfish, Barracudas, Bonita

6/25/25 4 Hour Offshore Kingfish, Barracuda

6/26/25 4 Hour Offshore 3 Kingfish, Red Snapper

6/27/25 4 Hour Inshore Mangrove Snapper, Sheepshead, Black Tip Sharks.

6/28/25 8 Hour Offshore Mahi, 2 Kingfish, Barracudas

6/29/25 6 Hour Offshore 3 Kingfish, Sharks

6/30/25 6 Hour Offshore 2 Kingfish. Barracudas, Red Snapper

7/2/25 4 hour Inshore Redfish, Black Drum, Mangrove Snapper

7/3/25 4 Hour Inshore Redfish, Black Drum, Mangrove Snapper

7/4/25 4 Hour Offshore Barracudas, Bonita