Capt. Rick Davidson, Editor Grassflats2@yahoo.com
Fishing Report, June 2023
After a pretty heavy rain event for the first few days, scallops started coming in with easy limits when the weather cleared up, and things are looking up for the near future. And red snapper season hit with a bang, with massive fish being brought in for dinner. And while this isn’t the best time for redfishing, we had some great catches. Here are a few photos from this month.
Fishing and Scalloping Forecast for July
Scallop limits are back up as of the first–up to two gallons of scallops in shells per person and 10 gallons per boat. This shouldn’t be a problem given the quick limits the guides have been reporting for the past two weeks. It’s certainly reasonable to go out and look for the scallop fleet, remembering how important safety is when there are divers in the water, but our guides usually have places they have researched that may not be as crowded. For hints in our area, please read this link on our website: https://seahag.com/scalloping/
Inshore fishing slows down during scallop season, especially for trout. They’re out there, just in deeper water and more spread out, but fishing in 5-10 feet on the bottom with jigs tipped with Gulf baits may provide some action. Redfish will be most active at daybreak or dusk, and especially when you can get a flood tide at those times of day. For example, July 8thhas a 3.3 high tide at 7AM. Fishing shorelines with jigs, topwater plugs or live shrimp along the shallow grasslines is a great place to start. Hotspots behind Big Grass Island, around Long Grass Point to the north, and Drum Point to the south, have been producing nice fish. That’s also the best chance for fishing a solitary gator trout. With the high water temps we’ve been having, as the flats heat up the redfish become lethargic and the trout head for cooler deeper water. And the offshore fishing will continue to be excellent for snapper and red grouper. Red snapper season is open the entire month of July and some weekends in October, so take advantage of this opportunity. But mostly, July is one of the most exciting months in Steinhatchee. Scalloping is a great family activity; just about anyone of any age can do it, and kids love it. Consider an early morning fishing trip and scallop trip as the sun comes higher in the sky. If you want to make it easier on yourself, consider one of our excellent guides who can put you on both fish and scallops. And, here’s some advice from old-timer Tommy Thompson: be sure to ice down your scallops in a cooler as you bring them to the boat. Doing that will ensure the scallops will open when you get back to shore, making cleaning them an easier task.
Our Tiki Bar is open this summer; you can enjoy great coffee drinks on the deck in the morning, and the food truck is here too. Make sure you’ve got accommodations because they are already difficult to find—or just come for the day. Bring the family, have some fun, and enjoy the Big Bend at Sea Hag Marina.
