Capt. Rick Davidson, Editor (grassflats2@yahoo.com)
Fishing Report AUGUST 2021
There’s been a lot of rain, and the scalloping has been a little tough, but some great limits are coming in. And the offshore fishing continues to be on fire, which massive grouper and amberjacks coming into the cleaning tables. And there have been a bunch of less common catches as well: mahi, snook, scamp grouper and hog snapper, along with the usual suspects. Here are some pictures from this month’s catches at the Sea Hag Marina.
To view a full-sized version of an image, simply click on any one of these smaller versions!
Dana Taylor found a nice trout. Nancy Self with a fine trout. …and followed it up with this great snook. Nancy Self with a fine trout. Captains Chase and Conor with a giant amberjack. John Lannon with a beautiful redfish. Nathan Price and Zach Simpson found these mahi offshore. Renee Norris from Branford with a hog snapper. Mitch Wilkerson and his niece Ava with a late afternoon redfish. Wally Brooks with a kayak redfish. Steve Vick took his kayak down to Pepperfish and found this nice snook. Will, Alyson and Sam got their scallop limit before noon. Lily VonStein fished down south at Horseshoe for this nice redfish. Ben and Hanna found this nice pair, a redfish and a trout. Jaden Bray with a nicd scamp! Will, Alyson and Sam got their scallop limit before noon. Gene Dibble from Salt Springs with a redfish caught near Keaton Beach. Faith Case got her limit of scallops in the middle of the fleet. And Eli Bray also found a hog snapper. Capt. Chase Norwood found a good number of mahi offshore this month. Capt. Eli Bray, Stuart and Eli Bray with a giant gag grouper. Chase Norwood with a scamp grouper. Andrew Maddox managed to get this goliath grouper to the boat.
September forecast
Scallop season ends Labor Day (September 6th) in our area. They are still out there, and the easiest limits have been coming in either water 6 feet or more, or in very shallow areas if you can get to them. Many of the limits in our pictures came from guided trips, and with many of the best areas picked over, hiring a guide for a scallop trip or a combo scallop/fishing trip may be worthwhile. If you head out on your own, some of the reports have been best around Little and 9-Mile Bank, between Keaton Beach and Sponge Point, and further south near Pepperfish. Even in areas with decreased visibility, limits have been gotten by feeling the bivalves with your feet in areas of silt. Finding clear water is always best, though, as long as there is grass present. As far as fishing, offshore has been fantastic in 60 feet and deeper. Gag and red grouper, scamp and mahi have all been coming in for dinner recently. Consider one of our offshore guides for the trip of a lifetime. Inshore, while trout are schooling in deeper, clearer water, surprising catches have been made nearshore of both trout and redfish. A good friend took out his boat just to run it, threw a rod in the boat, and caught three redfish and a snook in an hour within sight of the channel. Look for baitfish and fish lures that make noise….topwaters, poppers or even fresh water frog lures that make a lot of surface noise. Fish near shorelines and structure.
We have three tournaments this month. On September 11th, the Lady Raiders Fishing Tournament takes place, raising money for the softball team; on September 18 there is a Trash Tournament sponsored by Sea Hag, and on the 24th and 25th is the Saltwater Angler Redfish Ladies Series Tournament. Call the marina for more information about these tournaments.
And remember: we have everything you need for a great vacation, from comfortable lodging, dive gear, bait including live shrimp, rods and reels, and the largest selection of lures in the area. Come see us before summer runs away Wilkerson and his niece Ava with a late afternoon redfish.