Good Catch: Amberjack season is open

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. (FOX 13) - Every Friday morning, Captain Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard's Marina joins Good Day to fill viewers in on his fishing forecast as we head into the weekend. Here is his fishing report for August 2, 2019.

Inshore
Snook are by far the most prolific and consistent catches inshore right now around the entire area at night or during the day inside the passes, on the beaches, and on the grass flats too. The new moon tides have them fired up and ready to feed.

We have been catching plenty at night inside the pass and into the morning time using the live shrimp, crabs, pinfish or even the artificial lures like the flair hawks, crankbaits, or soft plastics. During the day, the beaches and flats are holding more consistent fish, again feeding on artificial or live bait -- it doesn’t matter. 

Reminder: Snook, redfish and trout are catch-and-release only until the end of May 2020, but it sure seems to be helping that snook population bounce back with a vengeance.

Speaking of redfish and trout, we are seeing some redfish mixed in with the snook in the passes. While targeting snook yesterday morning from the docks here with our crew, we pulled up a redfish on our morning Facebook live video when trying to target snook. All that happened was the bait got to the bottom without the snook hammering it, allowing that redfish to take it. Those reds nearly always feed on the bottom in waters deeper than two to three feet. 

Trout are also biting well around the area at night around the dock lights, especially those docks closer to the passes where the bait is stacking up on the lights. With the new moon, this effect is even heightened. Those dock lights will often hold the redfish below them as well. If snook are around, they typically will be hanging just outside the light line ready to ambush if they are feeding, while the trout will meander in and out of the light more frequently 

Near Shore
Right now, is a great time to get out there near shore. We're starting to see the return of the hogfish action on hook-and-line. We had a long dry spell with very spotty hogfish action, but they are finally starting to come back a little on the live shrimp and super light tackle around 30 to 60 feet of water. They are a long way from really being the hot bite, but they will get better and better as our waters cool down. 

The mangrove snapper bite is going pretty good near shore around the deepest near shore waters with the lane snapper, vermillion, lanes and porgies mixed in with them on the big ledges, rock piles and artificial reefs. Live shrimp or cut threadfin plugs with 4ot hooks, 30 to 40 pound test and high speed reels are a great way to have lots of fun targeting these fun to catch fish around 80 to 100 feet of water 

Offshore
Red snapper season closed last night but we had some huge red snapper to close out the season. 

Amberjack season opened yesterday and we started that season off with some monster fish coming in. The jacks will remain open until end of October 

Gag grouper and scamp grouper were biting closer to 180 to 200 feet or more.

Red grouper can be biting anywhere from 150 to 200 feet of water.

Pelagic action is going well this past week. Out deep, big wahoo and plentiful tuna are on the trollers and flat lines.