Capt'n Tom

Fishing at Pier 60 in July has been great! The heat of summer is on us, and frequent squalls and summer afternoon thunderstorms are the norm. It is best to get out early to fish and catch the bite early, and then fish more later after the heat of the day has passed. The weather can go from a calm to a cloudbust in only a few minutes, bringing lightning and thunder to the beaches. Fortunately, the storms do not last long, and move on past after a cooling rain.

A young girl's1st catch

Spanish Mackerel are showing up at first light, and are biting shrimp, small live fish and lures. Though the bite is best in the early morning, these scissor-mouthed-speedsters continue to be found in the deeper areas of Pier 60 throughout the day. Some of the fish are in the 24-inch class, and are nice and fat. Most Macks are smaller, and there are some baby ones mixed in as well. Small Mackerel under the 12-inch limit must be returned to the water alive, and cannot be used as bait either whole or cut.

There have been a few recent reports of King Mackerel taking Spanish Mackerel off the hook when reeling them in. All these encounters have resulted in a cut line or a fish chopped in half, but the opportunity of landing a big King Mackerel from Pier 60 is still a possibility.

Late summer is also the time that a few Barracuda become residents of the maze of pilings at the end of the Pier. These fish will wait for an opportunity to ambush a hooked fish, and will chop off a meal just as the fish is about to be raised from the water.

Evan and friends release a large tarpon

Tarpon continue to travel past the end of the Pier in pods of a few dozen fish. Some anglers have managed to hook, jump, and release the “Silver King” successfully. There have been numerous fish caught and released in July, ranging in size from 40 pounds up to well over 100 pounds. Tarpon have been seen rolling, feeding and jumping all around the bait pods in the wee hours of the morning recently. Tarpon have been hooked on both live and dead baits.

Snook are still frequently seen under the lights at night, and have been fought and released in good numbers on many nights this month. Some fish have even been caught in the late afternoon on live baits. Florida has temporarily extended the statewide closure of Snook harvest and possession through September 16 in order to allow reports, information and input.  The Fisheries Commission will review the latest available information on the status of the Snook population, receive public input, and will then determine whether to reopen the fall harvest season or continue to prohibit harvest and possession.  Catch and release of Snook is still permitted.

Spotted Sea Trout are most often caught at night under the lights. Schools of keepers show up after dark, and will readily take a shrimp, small live fish, or lure. Good success with the grub-tail jigs tipped with a bit of fresh shrimp has been noteworthy. Many of the Trout have been keepers of over 15 inches, and there have been quite a few ranging well over 20 inches.

Only a few fishermen have targeted the Sheepshead in recent weeks, but the fish are feeding around the pilings in good numbers, and there have been a few really nice fat fish over 3 pounds taken by those who go especially for them.

Redfish have been caught and released this month off Pier 60. The fish have been “pups”, under the 18-inch to 27-inch slot limit. Look for more of these bruisers to show up as we get well into August. There should be fish both within the slot as well as fish over the 27-inch maximum.

George Indiana with a nice flounder

There have been Flounder caught off Pier 60 in July, with at least one doormat-sized fish landed. The bigger flatties have been caught on live Pinfish, and smaller ones caught on live shrimp.

Whiting are around in schools in the sandy areas about halfway to the end of the Pier from the baithouse. They readily take offerings of cut squid or shrimp.

Many species of Sharks have been caught and released from Pier 60 lately. Hammerheads follow the pods of Tarpon, and wait to pick off a tired or injured fish. Some of the Hammerheads seen have been over 6 feet long, with a couple of fish caught and released. BlackTip Sharks are a nightly catch on Pier 60. Most of these are babies, and show a lot of fight for such a small package. Spinner Sharks have provided a thrill for those fishing Tarpon and Snook at night. Imagine a 6-foot torpedo launching itself into the air, spinning as it goes! These fish all muscle, and jump repeatedly once hooked. BonnetHead Sharks are a frequent nightly catch on Pier 60, and include both babies and larger fish up to 36 inches. There have been both sightings and hook-ups with Bull Sharks this month on Pier 60. The resident fish range from 4 to 6 feet, and are powerful and experienced enough to thwart attempts to subdue them. Remember, intentionally fishing for Sharks is prohibited on Pier 60. All Sharks are to be released unharmed. Big Sharks are to be broken off once whipped, if the fish does not cut itself off first.

We have seen a fair number of Cobia caught this month on Pier 60. Only a few of the fish have been under the 33-inch minimum. These fish are powerful fighters, and excellent table fare.

Hardhead Catfish and Sail Cats show up when the waters are roiled up and cloudy. Beware and forewarned that these fish are dangerous to handle bare-handed. It is best to use pliers on the hook to remove these fish. The dorsal and pectoral spines are sharp and inflict a painful wound, as a few fishermen have found out to their dismay.

Additional species caught this month include Jack Crevalle, White Grunt, Pompano, and Mangrove Snapper. Look for larger Mangrove Snapper to show up along the rocky areas of the Pier in the weeks ahead.

August is one of the hottest months of the year here, and can also bring more violent weather with it. Keep an eye out for thunderstorms and lightning, and plan for fishing both early and late. We should see some great fishing here in August.

Good Luck Fishing!