July Fishing Report

I’ve been finding a healthy number of Redfish and Black Drum in the Halifax River in the Ormond Beach Area from the Tomoka Basin up to High Bridge with some Trout mixed in. Also the small to medium shrimp (BAIT SHRIMP) are making their way down the river. Start checking the High Bridge to the Tug boat area and work your way south. Port Orange is covered with Mangrove Snapper up to 15″. Fish the Rocks or some type of heavy cover around Ponce Inlet. The best bite is on the outgoing tide. Don’t be surprised if you get a few Drum or Sheephead in the mix. There are still a lot of Bonnet Head shark to be caught around the Inlet as well.

Here is the local report from the news paper to add in on some other fishing going on around the Daytona Beach Area.

TOMOKA BASIN, RIVER: When you fish a saltwater body of water, you expect to catch saltwater fish. Capt. Kyle Busby of nobigreel.com said he was fishing up the river and caught a half dozen largemouth bass, which is a freshwater species. “Those freshwater bass were everywhere,” Busby said. “I’ve never seen them like that before. My buddy caught six of them using a top water lure.” Busby said the bass were running in the 2- to 3-pound range. In the same water, Busby hooked several snook plus a 28.5-inch trout that weighed nearly 7 pounds. “Fishing has been hot up here,” he said.

OFFSHORE: Jeff Burkhead at Fishin’ Cove Bait & Tackle in New Smyrna Beach said boats going way offshore, in the 25- to 30-mile range, are catching gag grouper in the 30- to 40-pound range. “They’re landing a whole bunch of amberjacks, too,” he said. Burkhead said cold water near the coast has pushed the bigger fish out towards the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream.

SURF, PIERS: The Sunglow Pier has seen spurts of activity over the last week, including a run of mutton snapper. Anglers have enjoyed a here-and-there catch of black drum, redfish, whiting and small sharks. The Flagler Beach Pier has seen a consistent bite of large, speckled trout, flounder, whiting, bluefish and spots. One lucky angler landed a kingfish over the weekend. The hot baits have been live mullet and shrimp. The surf is stuffed with whiting and the occasional pompano.

PONCE INLET, HALIFAX RIVER: Michael Callahan from Brigadoon Fish Camp in Port Orange said anglers are quickly reaching their limit on mangrove snapper using pinfish and live shrimp, anywhere from the jetties to Rose Bay. “They are everywhere,” he said. He said river anglers are catching flounder here and there. Burkhead said the inlet is packed with giant redfish which makes for “a really nice photo.” The redfish limit is 27 inches. Anglers are catching reds 40 inches or longer on a regular basis. “There’s not really a season anymore because they are always there,” Burkhead said. Busby said there is plenty of keeper fish of all varieties being caught around the Dunlawton Causeway in Port Orange.

MOSQ. LAGOON, INDIAN RIVER: Al Huffman at Lagoon Bait & Tackle in Edgewater said the south end of the lagoon-river area is covered in redfish and trout. “You got to catch them early in the morning or late at night,” he said. “Trout are strong around dock lights at night. Guys are catching plenty of mangrove snapper around rock piles and docks during the day.”

MATANZAS INLET, RIVER: Devil’s Elbow Fish Camp located on the north side of the inlet reports anglers are nabbing large numbers of flounder and a steady supply of redfish.

ST. JOHNS RIVER: Capt. Rick Rawlins at Highland Park Fish Camp in DeLand said the river water levels are up thanks to recent rain. “We’re getting a good bass bite early in the morning and late in the day,” he said. “Not a lot of big ones, but lots of fish being caught.” The bluegill bite is strong, but Rawlins said the shellcracker are still being shy.

This report is from the Daytona Beach News Journal