Of course summer gets hot on Florida’s Gulf coast; but we have plenty of fish and no oil, except in our frying pans! All the media hype is about the terrible oil spill this and that. Yes, this is a disaster “anywhere it hits”, but so far Florida is only affected by all this sensation driven, negative press. Our beaches and waters are beautiful and full of fish. Fishing is great and Tarpon are in full swing from Boca Grande to Tarpon Springs. Snook are starting to drop into the Gulf Passes and look to be in good shape. Spanish and King Mackerel are still available and some will be here all summer. Permit, Cuda, Goliath Grouper, and much more are on the wrecks and reefs. Grouper are open and Red Snapper are finally also open this month. Don’t let our crazy media wreck your summer fishing plans. Take advantage of the great deals and get out and enjoy Florida’s fabulous fishing.

Get out early, enjoy some fishing before the heat of the day; and then come in ahead of the evening thunderstorms. Midday can get uncomfortable but even the shade of an umbrella stuck in the rod holder will offer some relief. I certainly appreciate my “T-Top” now. Do not play around with our summer lightening; it can kill you! Sunscreen is a must and the best protection comes in anything that leaves your face looking white.

Do not depend on your TV newscasts for the facts about Florida’s Gulf beaches. The state is setting up a network for accurate info and Mote Marine already has updated information on their web site. Call and ask before you travel and you may even get a deal because of all the media mess.

Tarpon are biting all along our region’s coast. If you want to tackle a big game fish, this is the fish and it’s prime time now! Boca Grande is rocking but fish are migrating up and down in our area now. Heavy spinning gear (40#) and a live crab or minnow can help you create a life time memory. A professional “local” guide can usually put several on your line daily. Stealth is critical to everyone’s success—happy fish feed and scared fish just run off and play. If fish get spooked just observe them until they calm back down; then carefully set up again, also be extra careful.

Snook have started to show up and we are catching a few. The schools are not big yet but we do have fish of all sizes;, we caught some big ones last week. Minnows have already spawned and they can be challenging to locate. You can always Sabiki a few threadfins for Tarpon then use the leftovers for big Snook. By next month I’ll know how many Snook survived our winter freezes.

We do also have some Redfish and Trout inside if you’re into food fish. Reds require more effort because we have more pressure on ‘em with Snook closed so far this year. Trout have been awesome all spring and will be along the deeper edges now that waters have warmed up. Try fishing around any baitfish activity also.

Spanish Mackerel are the blessing when you want a mess of fresh fish. They have been plentiful and big. Live minnows are best but spoons and jigs work too. They are scattered through Charlotte Harbor and along the beaches from Boca to and into Tampa Bay. Some larger Kings also hang around through the summer around our deeper passes and near shore reefs.

Barracuda, Permit, Giant Grouper, and many other species hang around these reefs also. You can encounter a variety of fish, so carry varied gear to take advantage of the diversity. Try crabs for Permit and Cobia, minnows for the others, and anything big for the Goliaths.

Offshore is cooking now. Grouper and Red Snapper are both open briefly, so do not miss this opportunity to bring home some tasty treats for your family. Charter boats are your best bet and their fuel bills are outrageous, so it is not cheap. It costs to go deep but this is the time to get out there.