JULY 2014

2014: July Pier Fishing Forecast

This is one of the best months for pier fishermen. King Mackerel will still be in full swing this month because of warmer water temperatures. It is a schooling and pelagic fish that spends the winter months in south Florida and moves to more northerly waters in spring / summer. Fishing gear should be no less than 20-pound line and tackle. Higher rated tackle may be recommended if you are targeting larger kings. Steel leaders are required to survive those sharp teeth. Hooks must be sharpened to a fine point to ensure a good catch. Reels must have strong drags and be filled with at least 300 yards of line to accommodate the “run.” King mackerel are constantly feeding carnivores that can attack with high speed, powerful jaws and razor-like teeth. They feed on all and any available food but favor hard tails, shrimp and squid. It is recommended that when fishing for a King, you will be best productive using Gotcha lures and straw & bubble rigs. Kings love a Gotcha with a silver body and a red head. They will hit it every time, tail or no tail. Don’t forget that steel leader or the King will take away your best lures and leave you with nothing on your line but water. Your limits are a minimum of 24” at the fork, bag limit is 2 per fisherman per day, and there is no closed season. Word of advice, don’t forget your pliers to remove hooks.

Often found in very large schools near the surface of the water, Spanish mackerel are prevalent throughout Florida waters, inshore, offshore and near shore. The average size is from 2-3 pounds, while a weight of 9-10 pounds is considered large. To catch these, the best bet is to use live bait which, at this time of year, should be able to be caught around the pilings of the piers. Many fishermen will also catch them with metal lures and spoons and use a very fast retrieve. Other methods include using 7/8 ounce Gotcha plugs with a 30 pound mono leader. Just remember that Spanish are a schooling fish so when they come by the pier get ready for some fast action.The limits on this sought after fish are 12” at the fork, bag limit is 15 per fisherman per day and there is no closed season.

Reds come into shallow water to feed especially at night. They prefer an incoming tide and may also feed actively at daybreak and dusk. Use cut bait such as fresh mullet, frozen cigar minnows, squid and frozen shrimp. Other options include, metal spoons, lead head jigs and bucktails. If you choose to fish with bait, use a triple swivel rig or a fishfinder rig with sliding sinker clip. The slot for reds is 18” to 27” with a bag limit of two per day per fisherman. There is no closed season.

Other available species include:Bonita, Tarpon, Blackfin Tuna, Black Drum, Black Snapper, Bluefish, Cobia, Pompano, Flounder, Mangrove Snapper, Sailfish, Sheepshead, spotted Seatrout, Striped Mullet, White trout, Barracuda, and Whiting