July is in full swing, bringing hot weather, afternoon thunderstorms, and some great fishing opportunities along the Nature Coast. If you can get an early start and stay ahead of the weather, the fishing has been well worth the effort.

Red Snapper

Red Snapper fishing has been best in 100 feet of water and deeper. There hasn't been many quality catches inside of that depth lately so be prepared for a long ride. Frozen threadfin herring and sardines have been producing the majority of the fish. One challenge has been the sharks, they’ve been relentless over the past couple of weeks. On some spots, it’s been nearly impossible to get a snapper to the surface before a shark gets to it, so don’t be afraid to move if they’re becoming too much of a problem.

Red grouper

Red Grouper fishing continues to be very good in 80 feet of water and beyond. The largest pinfish you can find have been the top live bait, while frozen threadfin herring has also been producing consistently. If you’re targeting grouper, spending a little extra time catching quality bait has definitely been paying off.

Midrange

The 30-50 foot range has been producing solid mangrove snapper action, along with a good mix of hogfish, grunts, and the occasional keeper grouper. Freelined shrimp has been the most productive presentation. One thing that’s really helped lately has been the stained, cloudy water. When the water gets too clear and you can easily see the snapper under the boat, they tend to get extremely wary and much harder to convince to bite.

Nearshore

If you’re looking to stay closer to home, rockpile hopping continues to be the name of the game. Fishing the 5-20 foot depths has been producing steady action with a variety of species including mangrove snapper, black sea bass, grunts, Spanish mackerel, and grouper. It’s a great option for anglers wanting plenty of bites without making a long offshore run.

Looking Ahead

September will be here before we know it, and Gag Grouper season opens September 1st. We’ve been seeing plenty of quality gags while targeting other species, and they should be in great shape when the season opens. If you’re planning on fishing September I'd suggest getting on the calendar soon. There's not too much left.

While everyone’s focused on snapper and scallops right now, fall hogfish season is just around the corner. As water temperatures begin to cool, hogfish become the hottest fish to target. They’re outstanding table fare, fight well on light tackle, and you catch A LOT of other species in the process.

Fall dates are already starting to disappear(especially weekends). If a hogfish trip is on your to do list this year, don’t wait until the weather cools off to book or you'll miss out.

Check out some of our other reports!