July's Fishing Report
MATANZAS INLET, RIVER: Herrera calls mangrove snapper the key fish this week, using mud minnows and live shrimp. Fish around docks, pilings, artificial reefs, “anything mangrove like to inhabit,” he said. Expect a lot of 11- to 12-inch keepers, he added. Redfish are good around low tide, but the numbers down in area, he said. Use shrimp and mud minnows. The flounder bite is still good on the outgoing tide with minnows and jig heads, especially where the creek dumps into the Intracoastal Waterway, he said.
Rob Ottlein also has seen a lot of “good-sized” mangrove snapper as well as some “decent-sized” trout. He’s still seeing a “ton” of tarpon, using live shrimp or mullet. But, of course, “mostly everything has been (caught) with live shrimp.”
MOSQ. LAGOON, INDIAN RIVER: Capt. Michael Savedow said “Several charters in Edgewater Backcountry this week. The highlight was a 38-inch tarpon landed and jumped a couple more.” He added that teenage-sized ones were rolling regularly in the “old channel,” but most were very picky and not biting baits. He said the summer variety catching was still strong with good numbers of keeper-sized mangroves, several sheepshead — which is not that common for summer, a few black drum and flounder, good-sized whiting, ever-present seatrout and a few small snook.
Al Huffman of Lagoon Bait & Tackle in Edgewater reports the trout bite is on fire, using pigfish. “25 inches and up gator trouts, they’re catching lot of them,” he said. He also reports some redfish bites.
OFFSHORE: Doug Davis said in an email: “We caught and released 21 red snapper. Most … were smaller, between 4-7 pounds. It was a trigger day. We caught some of the largest triggers I have even seen. They were biting on most anything, squid, cut bait and sardines. Also caught and released what looked like a 6-plus-foot sand shark. Came back with triggers, vermillion snapper, and sea bass.
Bob Avens at The Fishin’ Hole in Daytona Beach said whiting was prevalent at the pier and beach. They were mostly biting shrimp.
PONCE INLET, HALIFAX RIVER: Bob Avens at The Fishin’ Hole in Daytona Beach said things haven’t changed much from last week. He reports snook hanging around the bridges and the river doc
ks at night with a few tarpon off the bridge. He also reports a few mangrove snapper and an
occasional flounder. They’ve been biting mostly shrimp, but some artificials. Burkhead agreed that the snook are “tearing it up” around the fish. He said also to look for trout, redfish and mangrove snapper, using live shrimp and finger mullet. He had this report about the shrimp: “The white shrimp in Daytona are running better than they have been, and bigger than they have been.”
SURF, PIERS: Flagler Beach Pier reports catches of redfish, sheepshead, black drum, mangrove snapper and whiting.
The Sunglow Pier in Daytona Beach Shores said anglers are targeting whiting and spadefish, using shrimp.
TOMOKA BASIN, RIVER: Capt. Barry Englehardt said “Many hours on the water with some good and not so good. The bright side was three tarpon hookups, one caught.” He added there were about a dozen trout, three snook, snapper, cats and lady fish and seven reds.
Capt. Kyle Busby emailed: “As water temperatures continue to increase, the best bet for snook is either at the inlet or under the local bridges from Port Orange to Highbridge. These fish will be in the deeper water or on the shadow lines trying to keep cool. Outgoing tide is best. There’s also some decent snook fishing in the Tomoka River around the Palm Avenue boat ramp. Working the area from Palm Avebue to the mouth of Strickland Creek with topwater lures or live shrimp is the best bet. Again, outgoing tide is best.”
ST. JOHNS RIVER: Capt. Bryn Rawlins at Highland Park Fish Camp had reported early bites on bluegill, warmouth and shellcracker using crickets and worms, and bass on the main St. John’s River, mostly on wild shiners.
Report Credit Daytona Beach News Journal