Wait for cooler temperatures for a better bite

Welcome back to the weekly fishing report. I’m glad to report that for the first time in two months, this report is being written from my desk again and not a hospital bed! I can’t thank the entire community enough for the support over the last seven weeks.
This weekend, expect hot temperatures but less chance of showers and a lot less water moving as we get out of the flood cycle. Conditions on the water will be ideal for weekend pleasure boaters, so be ready for a larger crowd. Bring your patience and be careful out there. We have early morning and early evening negative low tides split by a midday high. Temperatures will push into the 90’s with only sporadic showers on the forecast.
Our offshore fishery has not changed a bit since my last report. Kingfish are ravaging pogies from the beach to the wrecks, tarpon and blacktip sharks are following shrimp boats along the coast, and red snapper are starting to chew like crazy. A bait well full of pogies and a handful of rods is all you need to have some serious fun offshore right now. Trolling, bottom fishing or sight-fishing – you name it, you can do it. However, inshore, the heat is beginning to have noticeable effects on our fishery. As the air temperature steadily rises into the dog days of summer, local water temperatures are pushing upward as well. This warming trend drastically affects the feeding behaviors of inshore fish. Their metabolism can slow significantly, causing some very tough fishing, but this doesn’t mean you have to struggle; find cool water and you will find fish.
Inshore creeks, tributaries and intracoastal waterways typically run hotter than nearshore ocean water and inlets. These small water bodies are heated by the sun and they circulate less than open ocean water. For this reason, many inshore gamefish will leave the steamy summer backwaters for the cooler, deeper waters of our inlets, river systems and beaches. Docks, rocks, concrete pilings and structures surrounding the inlets will fill up with redfish, trout and flounder. The cooler, fast-moving nearshore water provides an ideal environment for hungry predators seeking refuge from the heat of the backcountry. A perfect example of inshore fish leaving for cooler water is the current trout bite along the beach. Speckled sea trout can often be found along our coast, but their numbers are much higher at the moment. They have left the hot creeks and are feeding in the surf. You can pitch hard plastic twitch baits or float rigs with live baits along the beach to take advantage of this temporary migration.
Remember that early mornings and late afternoons or evenings provide the best opportunity to find cool water inshore. If you cannot get to the inlets or only fish the backwaters, your timing is important. When the light is low or it's dark, the air temperature obviously goes down, and as a result, water temperatures will also slightly fluctuate downward. This triggers a metabolic response in fish and they begin to feed. Most inshore species have a metabolism that peaks between 68 to 75 degrees, so the cooler the water is during the mornings and evenings, the better the bite can be. This is also why a lot of anglers turn to night fishing during the summer. Fish can become very nocturnal and feed heavily during the coolest periods of the night. They will hang around their usual spots, but will also congregate along brightly lit structures like residential docks, industrial docks and marinas. Dock light fishing is extremely exciting, and is something I would definitely recommend trying if you have not. Snook, tarpon, trout, redfish, jacks, spanish mackerel and all sorts of bait can be found schooling under these lights. Get yourself some headlamps and a good spotlight and try some of your local docks. You won’t be disappointed.
For any questions, to book a charter trip or to send in a report and pictures of your catch to be featured in a future report, email chris@fishjax.org.