Contributing Writer Capt. Alex Moran
SpiritFly Fishing Charters
I'm not sure who let Satan fart under a wet blanket perfectly shaped like Florida, but they need to be fired from security detail. To say "It's hot out" would be a gross understatement, especially on the water where the sun is hitting you from all angles. The good news is that right now you can have a free sauna visit before noon on the water if you feel so inclined. My skin looks great! Although, the feeling of your shirt and pants sticking to you as you get the boat ready and the sun has yet to come up is definitely not for everybody.
August is time for my friends and I to go out and try new fly patterns, and chase juvenile tarpon in the low light hours or snook on dock lights, and really tune in some gear changes (leader formulas, hook choices, fly lines etc.) to get ready for the snowbird's annual migration in late fall. Traffic jams at 7AM are my favorite.
The high waters in the summer offer a nice payday for anybody who did some research scouting around during those extreme winter low tides that reveal troughs, dump outs, and other structures typically hidden just under our noses. A point with a deep pothole and an oyster bar is always a good place to probe with a big plug in low light conditions if you're looking for that trophy snook, or you can shift your focus to a deep shoreline by the mangroves for juvenile tarpon. Pine Island is full of opportunities and quite often, people are running right past them in their boats, blissfully unaware. Keep your eyes open and look for bait and birds working shorelines and you'll probably get rewarded.
If possible I like to find the larger creeks near the mainland and try to focus on the salinity line after a big rain the night before. When you get into the areas with "sweet water" the smell in the air changes and you'll know you're in the right zone. Then I simply wok my way out with the falling tide and keep my eyes peeled on the shorelines for rolling fish or bait getting blown up.
If the tide is flowing hard and you're in a bay filled with glass minnows, you would do well to keep an eye on the current direction and focus on the opening in hopes of stumbling upon a smattering of bait crushing tarpon and snook. These feeding frenzies don't happen too often, in fact I usually only get to experience three or four a year but they're always in the back of my mind. It can be pretty wild seeing 20lb fish gorging on bait the size of a matchstick under mangrove roots.
Micro sized flies (size 1 or 2) with a tiny bit of flash are generally a good bet. I use craft fur for the tails on these little guys, and maybe a wrap or two of pearl chenille. These work great on the dock lights as well so it's a good idea to tie a couple handfuls at a time since they're so simple, hell if you're feeling frisky toss a couple of stripes on the tail of a few and see what happens, everybody likes shrimp tacos.
If you're throwing spinning gear at these guys, your best bet would probably be something light and tiny, a "Ned Rig" from Z-Man should get the job done. Keep your tackle light, they don't like big stuff landing on their heads… kinda like pretty much every person or animal on the planet. Poor "Piggy" from "Lord of the Flies" had to learn the hard way #betterhimthanme.
Now, I'm always still looking for the large tarpon until the cows come home and I actually put on socks (which is rare unless I'm bowling, the weather is cold, I'm at a funeral, or a wedding) which can be a treat with the still mornings that late summer offers. Generally I'll find a deeper grass flat laden with large deep potholes to start my day.
There are still fish swimming up and down the beaches this time of year but you can't see them until the sun comes up and it can be a pretty boring endeavor most days. If you're in the right area (which changes on any given day) and you see one roll, you're probably slowly floating over suspended fish as you drift with the tide. This is a time for an intermediate tip and a little bit of blind casting as you wait hopefully for that lucky errant roll within casting distance.
I'll have my anglers work larger (2/0) flies (typically black or purple) slowly and steadily as we work around the area. Keep an eye out for any extra bubbles or slight disturbances on the water, most will be bait, but the ones that aren't could be the fish of a lifetime (soooo cast at them you goof-ball!)
This summer has been odd in regards to redfish. I say that because generally I leave them alone in the hot months, plus they're few and far between (usually anyways) but we've had numerous schools of over 30 fish prowling around Pine Island Sound that are happy to eat a fly this year. I have no clue what makes this summer different from the other nine I've spent since moving here but hey, I'll take it if the tarpon wont play!
Daytime snook fishing can be awesome in the late summer months, as they're still prowling the beaches between moon phases and spawning cycles. While they're still in the back-country, I prefer to focus closer to the cooler, clean waters that the inflow from the gulf provides. They seem happier, and closer to the main event that draws them offshore periodically all summer. Who doesn't love a good fish orgy?
I'll often throw slightly larger white bait-fish patterns in the low light for these guys/gals just to get something different in the mix. White and pink can be a killer on the right days, as can white and chartreuse. Owner 1/0 Aki hooks are my go to when I'm tying flies for those fish. Keep the flies light so they're easy to cast and don't get too far down in the water column since they typically feed upwards (although snook will slurp stuff off the bottom every now and then.) First light is a great time to toss some top-water plugs in the shallow water too!
Feel free to give me a ring, shoot me a text, or an email if you have any questions about the area or want to hop on the boat. Bring sunscreen and a smile, we're going to have a blast.
Until next month take care. Tight lines folks!
Capt. Alex Moran
Spiritfly Fishing Charters
SW Florida
