August 2023 – Late Summer Patterns

The heat persisted into August, with water temperatures remaining high. Anglers continued to focus on dawn and dusk trips to capitalize on cooler periods. Snook fishing was productive around dock lights at night, with live shrimp and small baitfish attracting quality catches.

Redfish began schooling in anticipation of their fall spawn, offering excellent opportunities on the flats using cut bait and topwater lures. Nearshore, mangrove snapper and hogfish were abundant over reefs and ledges, with shrimp-tipped jigs proving particularly effective.

Best Bait: Live shrimp for nighttime snook; cut bait for redfish; shrimp-tipped jigs for reef species.

Hot Spots: Dock lights around Anna Maria Sound for snook; grass flats near Palma Sola Bay for redfish; nearshore reefs for snapper and hogfish.