The June fishing has been excellent in general. But it is definitely summertime. The best trip so far: Topwater trout. Two clients caught 50 trout that were all over 17 inches. That is rare. The lure of choice: Topwater lures. Going out before sunrise is a good idea. The best bite is right as the sun rises until about 9AM. You will still catch some fish later in the morning but it is best early. Avoid midday trips. You just won’t have as good results.
Trout are a straightforward undertaking. You have to be over seagrass bottom. Water temperatures nearing 90 degrees, slightly deeper water can be a benefit, though the trout mentioned above were caught in a depth of two feet. Nighttime trout action can also be excellent. Go early, go later: Trout are our easiest species to target in the Tampa Bay region. Topwater lures are good and should remain good. Technique is simple: Work at twitching these lures where the lure makes small splashes with every twitch of the rod tip. Let trout blast lures until they hook themselves. Pro tip: For safety and ease of fishing, bend down all the barbs on your treble hook lures. This will make handling fish easier but may also save you a trip to the hospital. Trout are edible. Regulations, each angler may possess four trout 15 to 20 inches. One of the four can be over 20 inches. I release all trout over 20 inches and keep the slot size fish. Personally, I believe the smaller fish are better to eat and larger fish released promotes a trophy fishery.
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
- The Catfish - July 26, 2023
- update - July 22, 2023
