Summer fishing is still slow in the from the surf and piers. When the water clears, the flounder bite is a bit better than most days, but live bait seems to be is the only bait that gets any bites at all. Live bait, mainly shrimp will get a few speckled trout when fished under a cork to keep the shrimp off the bottom. When fished too close to the bottom, the pin fish devour the shrimp in no time at all. Cut shrimp are getting a few black drum and sea mullets. Fish bites are producing just a few summer spots, most really small. There is the occasional red drum, but they are really scarce and are mostly near the inlets. The king anglers are taking the occasional king from the end of the pier, mostly small, but they are appreciative of any king that hits the baits. Which is another problem. Bait for the king anglers is hard to find. They are using everything they can find, even pinfish.
Offshore is a different story. The offshore bite is much better than the near shore, and although the kings are not real large, they seem to be plentiful. Live bait slow trolled is the best best, with the bait in the prop wash getting the most action. Boat captains sometimes site a school of spanish, and site casting with light gear can produce some good action and good eating. Bottom fishing offshore is "OK", but it takes the most experienced captains to find the fish.
Inshore, large schools of red drum are patrolling the sounds and waterway, but are spookie and hard to catch. Your best bet is live baits, then grubs and spinnerbaits if live bait isn't available, fished around docks and bridges during falling tides. Fish the grasslines near oyster beds on the rising tides with live bait or Berkley Gulp on light jig heads. I like no weight at all when the fish are really spooky and moving fast. I use a #2/0 weedless worm hook, rigged with a live pogie or Berkley Gulp Swimming Mullet if I don't have live bait. And just drift with the wind. This seems to work for me when nothing else will. There are some nice speckled trout to be caught with live shrimp fished under a popping cork over or near deep holes in the creeks. I have been told of limit catches from 3lbs to 5lbs caught in one creek. You just have to search for them.
Fishing is tough in the summer time, but it is still fishing. And what is better than fishing? Not much in my book. So get out there and give it a shot. Send in the pictures, and we will make you famous. I PROMISE I WILL NOT GIVE AWAY YOUR SECRET FISHING HOLE!
Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny
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