June 2024 - Summer Fishing in Full Swing

As summer hit its stride, rising water temperatures in the mid-to-high 80s pushed many inshore fish into deeper waters during midday. Snook were fully in their summer spawning phase, gathering in the passes and along the beaches. Anglers found excellent success fishing for them at dawn and dusk, with live pilchards, pinfish, and shrimp being the top baits.

Redfish were still feeding well on high tides around mangrove shorelines and oyster bars. Many fish were caught using cut mullet or ladyfish, as well as artificial gold spoons and soft plastics. Trout fishing remained strong in deeper grass flats (4–6 feet of water), especially early in the morning before the heat set in.

Offshore, American red snapper season was in full swing, with anglers making long runs out to 100+ feet of water to target them. Gag grouper were biting well on natural ledges, and permit were stacked up on wrecks within 15–20 miles.

🔹 Best Bait: Live pilchards for snook and redfish; cut bait for red snapper; live crabs for permit🔹 Hot Spots: Longboat Pass for snook; Terra Ceia Bay for redfish; deep reefs for red snapper