Southeast Florida Forecast
July 11, 2024
By Capt. Jonathan Earhart
Capt. Jonathan Earhart predicts fishing trends from Wabasso Beach to Boca Raton, including Vero Beach, Ft. Pierce, Stuart, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth
Action Spotter Podcast
Updated July 11 Fishing this month is off to a great start. Inshore our snook spawn is taking place currently from Lake Worth to Ponce Inlet. Good amounts of spawning snook are concentrated around local inlets and along local beaches near structure. Use heavy tackle as the predators seem to be bothersome this month. We have had multiple shark and goliath grouper encounters while trying to catch spawning snook over the past few weeks. Tarpon fishing has been great along the beaches from Lake Worth to Sebastian. Fish large chaining schools of tarpon and cast to the lead fish, and hold on! Threadfins, mullet and crabs have been working well. Also, try a white paddle tail swim bait for constant hookups. Permits are around; just need to find where they are staging offshore right now. Lots of crabs are flushing out of local inlets so scoop up a few and drift them around your favorite permit hole for some morning or afternoon fun. A few redfish, black drum and the occasional cobia are mixed in while fishing crabs nearshore or offshore this week. The sailfish bite is red-hot offshore right now in 90-to-160-foot depths. Live bait fishing is working best this week. There are a few mahi, blackfin tuna and kingfish mixed in as well. Snapper fishing has been excellent when the tides are not ripping. Red snapper season is open July 12th. Lets go!! It’s one fish per person for one day this year. We have been seeing some larger fish to 20 pounds in 140 feet of water this week.
Capt. Jonathan Earhart www.chaosfishingcharters.com
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PREVIOUS REPORTS June 13 Report It's starting to feel like summer here in SE Florida. Warm air and water temps have larger predators more actively feeding this month. Inshore fishing has been great for oversized snook and tarpon this week. Snook fishing local inlets from lake worth to ponce inlet has been holding good concentrations of spawning snook this month. Large live or dead baits fished on the bottom will yield plenty of bites. Tarpon fishing is also heating up from Lake Worth to Sebastian along local beaches and inshore along deeper channel edges. Live mullet or crabs are producing the bites. Nearshore fishing has been stellar for kingfish, jacks, snapper, permit, sharks, goliath grouper, and sailfish. Fishing around bait schools are providing anglers with a diverse selection of predatory fish as of lately. Offshore has been good for sailfish, mahi, kingfish, wahoo, & tuna. Depths from 70-360' have been best around varying conditions. I've seen some wahoo caught this week up to 87 pounds locally and some nicer mahis caught north of Ft. Pierce in 140-160'. Let's go fishing!
Capt. Jonathan Earhart www.chaosfishingcharters.com
May 1 Report May is prime time for snook in Southeast Florida. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Jonathan Earhart) May is prime time for snook fishing here on the Treasure coast. As we approach the summer snook spawn, expect to catch bigger snook as the month progresses. Live bait fishing around structure is key. Pilchards, greenies, pinfish, croakers, & mullet are all working well for snook, jacks, tarpon, redfish, & inshore snapper as of lately. Artificials are producing snook and tarpon at night around local bridges. We can also expect to catch some very large jack crevelles this month both in the rivers and along local beaches near shore. These large schools of jacks are very easy to see from a distance. Cast live bait or artificial to the lead fish in the school and hold on! Nearshore fishing will also present some great opportunities this month for tarpon, permit, kingfish, sharks around bait fish schools. Offshore this week we are seeing good numbers of mahi migrating along the treasure coast near weed lines and color changes or random drifting debri. Trolling or drift fishing with live or dead bait is working well. Some cobia, sailfish, bonita, blackfin tuna, kingfish, & the occasional wahoo are in the mix when targeting said mahi. Bottom fishing has been hit or miss for grouper but the season is now open so take advantage by dropping a large live bait to the bottom on the 6 or 8 mile reef. Remember to reel them in quickly as the sharks have been bad lately. Check your local regulations for size and bag limits on the fish rules app. Bottom fishing for snapper should also pick up this month for large mutton snapper and larger mangrove snappers in 70- 120'. Long leaders and live or dead sardines on or very close to the bottom will work best.
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Capt. Jonathan Earhart www.chaosfishingcharters.com
