Hot! Hot! Hot! That’s how the weather has been. August will continue to be hot, but the fishing should continue to be good. August used to send us some pretty good Redfish. The old timers used to say that about the 3rd week of August you can expect the big schools of Reds to show up. Well, over the years it seems this phenomenon pushed back into September and then all the way to October. I still look for it in late August in hopes that things will get back to the way they used to be.

We just hope that more Reds start to show up, as they have been scarce overall this past month. If you catch 5 or 6 you had a good day on Reds. That should be a slow day. Snook fishing has been decent with some big females being caught inshore. I am not catching 50 to 60 per day like in times past, but there are still some big ones around. The biggest issue is that releasing these fish while they are played out can result in them being eaten by a Shark. Be careful on your releases. If you can get these fish close to the bank before releasing them they have a better chance. The Sharks are the worst I have ever seen them and they can find a stressed fish in a heartbeat, so be careful.

We are still catching some big Seatrout too when the winds allow. The Banks have been getting stirred up a lot with these prevailing SW winds. The wind direction should be SE all Summer long but due to some sort of high pressure it is all messed up. This has made it a windy Summer! And stirred up water is so much more difficult to fish.

Tarpon are around all Summer so that is always a fun hook up. You never know when they will just show up as they are moving to feed. You might hook one on the Trout flats, or while you’re Snook fishing. A few jumps and they are on their way! That’s the way I like it. And then there is our Jewfish, AKA Goliath. These are loads of fun for those that want a good fight. Catching 6 or 8 out of one hole is always possible and double hook ups can be chaotic in a good way. Glad these fish are almost always willing.

Mangrove Snapper were biting pretty good in the deep rock holes even though the Jewfish might grab them while reeling them up. We caught some nice Snapper in July up to 18 inches. A few of these and you have a nice Snapper dinner. May and June were fantastic for the Permit, but July and here in early August they just are not inshore like they were. It was fun while it lasted. I think my best day on them was 15 landed. I still look for them when the winds allow, which is not much right now.

Keep on fishing and let’s keep on pushing for some good water flow to come our way. Maybe they will eventually get it right. I for one am not holding my breath. We need a re-education of the people in charge! Good luck everyone! Go wet a line and enjoy. Capt. Mike Merritt

You may also be interested in Summer Fishing in the Ten Thousand Islands 2026 or The Backcountry Isn’t What It Used to Be.

Capt. Mike Merritt
Guide
(561) 252-4324
SnookFishing1@juno.com