Maybe September will cool down a little bit and the fish will start moving and feeding a little better. August has been a very slow month because the water temperature is so high the fish have not been feeding. However, September has always been a good fishing month and October gets even better as I am looking for some of those large grouper that have been hiding and not feeding that much in the deeper water. Until the Gulf water temperature becomes lower you are going to have to work a lot harder and slower to catch any of those grouper especially in water less than 150 feet deep. There are more grouper showing up in water over 200 feet deep in the natural bottom areas of the gulf and especially toward the south and southeast. A good live bait and a large cigar minnow will be your best bait to bring home a good mess of grouper.
Those travelling fish that have gone mostly to the West, even though a few of them are around, especially the kings, should be making their return trip south by the middle or end of September so be on the lookout for some kings and maybe even a cobia. October fishing will get even better because we should have more fish headed south and also the water temperature should be a lot lower off shore.
In shore fishing is still holding up fairly well, the hot water temperature does not seem to be bothering the flounder that much even though there appears to be more flounder around the artificial reefs that are in 30 feet or deeper water. The red fish are holding in the deeper water of the bay and also in the intercostal waterway. But the speckled trout are still feeding in the shallow water especially where the seaweed is holding the bait. I look forward to the fall fishing each year as it always improves so much. Hopefully this year will be the same.
Don’t forget to file a float plan, and let somebody know when you are going to return.