Family Fishing Summertime, this is for those Moms and Dads that have plans or ideas of maybe taking the little one or ones fishing during summer break. It’s simple, what ever they catch will be great for them so don’t stress and use this simple technique.

Cast out fresh pieces of shrimp fished on a double guppy rig ( 2 or more hooks on a rig spaced 8 to 10 inches with the weight on the bottom ) Aka chicken or pompano rig. I use a light rod small enough for them to handle with a 1 or 2 oz pyramid weight and number 6 or 8 circle hook size (this is a very small hook), fish this anywhere there is sand from the beach or pier area and also on the sandy sides of Jetties. Keep the line taught and just let them hold the rod and when the fish takes the bait it should hook itself.

We should have an abundance of sand perch (mojarras), blue runners, small jacks, grunts, and croakers all will be a blast for kids under 12 and they should not have to wait to long for a bite. Don’t forget a rag or gloves, kids can be kind of funny about touching fish and they are much easier coached into it with a rag for that photo op.

So for the salty ones – Bait Bait Bait, pilchards should stack up pretty solid for June, goggle eyes should be here and scattered small schools of mullet.

Summer time begins, this is I think the hardest fishing time of year to fish. Our weather patterns make changes and the wind, water, and surf calms. Water temps will blast up and fishing is better early morning, late afternoon, and just after dark. I also like to fish more weather affected days and especially after storms for snapper. I have my best luck from piers and Jetties during these conditions. The calm days you need to target the species more prevalent to the area to produce well.

Northern piers should see spanish, cero, and king mackerel. There will also be mangrove snapper in and around pylons under the pier, barracudas, snook, and an occasional cobia. Also, tarpon should be moving north and should be on the list of possible catches.

Our piers to the south should offer up more snapper due to the bottom containing more reef. Mangrove snapper love the structure Broward’s southern piers provide, we should see some chunky mutton snappers also caught further away from the piers. I am sure permit and hogfish will also make an appearance.

Jetty Fishing I find best at current/tide change in and out going hour and half before and hour and half after. I fish close to the jetty next to the rocks on the bottom, or in and around any structure like docks with fresh small pilchard or silversides and live shrimp for the mangroves and occasional mutton. I also will live line a Pilchard or Live shrimp out and work the in and out flow around the Jetty points or along the banks of the jetty.