East Central Florida Forecast
June 17, 2022
By Capt. Jim Ross
Capt. Jim Ross discusses fishing from Tomoka Basin to Sebastian Inlet, including Daytona Beach, Titusville, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa and Melbourne
June 17 - 19
REGIONAL OFFSHORE King mackerel are cruising the beaches feeding on pogies, pilchards, and threadfin herring. Slow trolling or drifting with one of these live baits in the 20- to 40-foot depths will usually produce a good-sized fish or two. Farther offshore angles are also catching kings with lipped trolling plugs, seawitch/bait strip combos, and naked chin weighted ballyhoo. Dolphin, wahoo, and blackfin tuna catches have been slow this week after the recent full moon. The best bite has been very early n the morning or later in the afternoon especially for the tuna. Weedlines, rips and temperature breaks are your best areas to troll ballyhoo near for these fish. Vermilion snapper and triggerfish seem to be good options for anglers fishing outside of the Ponce Inlet area, mutton and mangrove snapper are best in the Sebastian area. Grunt or ballyhoo plugs and live pilchards are working best for these fish.
REGIONAL INSHORE Tarpon are starting to show up in the lagoons over the past week or so. Live mullet, pilchards, and croakers are good live bait option for these fish. Some of the tarpon are scaling over 100 pounds but most are running 30 to 50 pounds at this time. Redfish and snook are holding tight to shorelines. Live shrimp are a good bait option for these two species. Look for them near rocky areas or underneath overhanging mangrove branches along the lagoon shorelines. Speckled trout are holding a little farther off the banks in the 2- to 4-foot depths where glass minnows, mullet, and silver perch are present. Saltwater Assassin 4-inch sea shad or 5-inch jerk shad are top lures options for these fish.
Until next week... catch a memory!!
Capt. Jim Ross www.FinelineFishingCharters.com
