Fishing and Diving in July: Tips for a Successful Outing
Greetings, fellow fishermen and divers! I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July celebration. For those who were lucky enough to hit the waters and enjoy the fireworks while catching some fish for dinner, congratulations! However, for those who missed the opportunity, don’t worry, there are still plenty of chances to enjoy fishing and diving in July.
Offshore Fishing Tips
For those heading offshore this weekend, here are some tips for having a successful day on the water. Firstly, ensure you have the required safety equipment on your boat. Secondly, display your dive flag at the highest point of your boat. This is important for safety and also required by law.
As for fishing, the action is usually happening from sunrise to about 11 a.m. before the fish head deeper to cooler waters for the afternoon. Fresh live bait fish fished free-lined, slowly trolled behind the boat, or fished from under a kite produces some of the better catches. Sea Witches, rigged with a bonito strip, trolled on the surface or deep with a trolling weight or planer are another technique that produces fish. Drifting fresh ballyhoos and Spanish sardines also helps land some fish.
When targeting fish, the depth to aim for is between 100 and 200 feet of water. The areas outside the ocean inlets, current rip edges, and artificial reefs between these depths have been the most productive. Anglers are catching a few kingfish, bonitos, barracudas, blackfin tuna, and sailfish outside the outer reef.
Lobster Mini-Season
On Sunday, July 14, the one-day lobster mini-season begins before the real two-day lobster mini-season. Ensure you have the required license and permits before heading out. Also, obey the rules and regulations for bag and size limits. Take only what you need and do not overharvest.
Dolphin Fishing
Dolphin fishing off of Key Biscayne has been spotty recently. Reports indicate that the fish have been along weed lines, under birds, and floating debris in depths from 600 to 1,000 feet of water. Most fish have been under the 20-inch legal limit size, but there are enough legal ones to meet the five fish per person limit. One boat gets them, and three others don’t. Some anglers report catching dolphins in numbers around weed lines, birds, and floating debris from depths of 350 feet out past 800 feet of water.
Bottom and Reef Fishing
Bottom fishing both day and night has been good. However, nighttime reef fishing has been excellent recently. Bring a variety of baits like shrimp, squid, and cut fish to ensure a successful catch. Remember to also have the required reef fishing permit before heading out. That way, you can fish in State and Federal waters (3-200 nautical miles offshore).
In conclusion
That’s all for now, folks. I hope these tips will help you have a successful fishing and diving experience in July. Always remember to stay safe out there, follow the rules and regulations, and help preserve our oceans and marine life for future generations. Tight Lines and Happy Catching!
Originally Post From https://www.islandernews.com/sports/fishing/consider-taking-a-break-from-spotty-fishing-to-take-in-the-lobster-mini-season-that/article_98a6303c-4096-11ef-a3e0-3bf1b97702a0.html
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Offshore Fishing Tips: Catch what you CAN!
Offshore Fishing Tips
