Fishing Report: August 6, 2021

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. - 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 July 30, 2021.

Inshore

It’s been another week of positive trends in red tide for Tampa Bay. Currently, the overall bay area has trended a bit more positively with large areas of water clearing up.

However, from Northern Boca Ceiga Bay north and from around Egmont Key south at the shorelines seem to be more concentrated with negative trends towards a more concentration of red tide bloom. Keep an eye on the forecasts and reports via this link if you are interested.

MORE: Skeptical fishermen worry about future of the bay -- and their livelihoods

Snook fishing has picked up in those areas where the clean water can be found. There are lots of smaller fry baits around the snook that are hiding out from the sun, along that more foliage-covered shorelines or in the shade of docks, piers or bridges trying to find some reprieve from the summer sun.

During the heat of the day, the bite has been a little slower, so you want to target them in the early morning or later in the day once the heat breaks a bit. Snook fishing at night around bridge lights or dock lights seems to be improving in areas you can find good water.

They are mostly found around those points, pockets, and passes where the water is moving, and the waters are clear and as red tide-free as possible.

Redfish have been biting well in shallower waters at the edges of those same mangrove covered shorelines or around oyster bars. Like snook, the best action for any -- most any -- inshore species is in the start or end of the day when the sun is not cooking up the shallow waters adjacent to the areas they forage for food like grass flats, oyster bars, or mangroves.

Trout action has been going well on those deeper flats at the edges, potholes, cuts or anywhere they can stack up to hit passing baits. Live shrimp, white bait and soft plastics are a great option for the trout.

This time of year, early morning top water lures, especially in low light conditions, provide an exhilarating rush when fish try to get the lure. Skipping soft plastics under docks and mangrove overhangs and working the lure out of the coverage is the best way to produce action in the start of the day.

The mangrove snapper bite has been hot even during the heat of the day around local structures like docks, piers, jetties, and rock piles. Look for them with small pieces of shrimp or white bait and light tackle with minimal weight. Smaller hooks, light leader and sensitive fishing rods help to produce plentiful mangrove snapper bites. 

Near shore and offshore

Hogfish action picked up for us this past week with a great near shore bite happening around 40-60 feet of water, but we have seen them up to around 90 feet of water.

The bite is not crazy like we see in cooler months, but a significant improvement compared to what we typically see this time of year and what we have been seeing. They love those live shrimp on lighter tackle, but with the size of shrimp being overall smaller around local bait shops, we have been using doubles when needed to get more smell going and entice more hogfish to bite.

Red grouper action has really heated up over the recent weeks in that deeper near shore water around 60-100 feet of water. We are seeing them bite best on those bigger pieces of dead bait like bonita strips, squid strips or octopus tentacles.

Look for them on those potholes, small ledges, or areas of flat hard bottom. Around 40-60lb test and about a 5-6ot hook is plenty near shore for the red grouper.

Offshore, we are seeing plentiful red grouper as well with the same style approach as the near shore red grouper, but they are best on even larger dead baits with around 7-8ot hooks and 60-80lb test in around 140-200 feet of water. 

Gag grouper have slowed a bit recently, but with red snapper season wrapping up on us we will be focusing out deep to target these big gag grouper, fat red grouper, scamp grouper and triggerfish with hopefully some amberjack sprinkled in.

The largest challenge to the gag fishing right now is getting the big live baits offshore and keeping them alive to use for the gag grouper bait. However, we have had luck with dead threadfins, bonita, octopus and even whole squid. Use heavier tackle when targeting gags or seeing them come up with 80lb leader minimum.

Amberjack season has re-opened for the next three months until the end of October. They are tricky to find in large concentrations of bigger keeper size, however, we are getting lucky from time to time. Plus, this past weekend we had some of the best amberjack action we have seen in an exceptionally long time even through all of the amberjack season we had in May. Hoping this trend will continue for us this weekend on the backside of this low pressure.

New moon is upon us through the weekend and into the start of next week. That means bigger currents and tides offshore to battle when fishing deep for bottom fish. However, the new moon also typically improves the bite during the day when the fish are not as active at night and when there is little to no light available.

Typically, the pelagic action is best around the new moon and full moon as water is moving around more. We did see a great wahoo caught this past week and the kingfish have been active too with the occasional blackfin tuna. 

DON’T BE A FOOL, bring a venting tool & Descending device

Keep in mind the importance of dead discards and discard mortality when engaged in near shore or offshore fishing. How many do you know right now that are all for catching and releasing snook, redfish, and trout but will be the first in line to kill a mangrove snapper, gag grouper, or red snapper? But the attitude completely changes when discussing these offshore species?

Plus, the same person inshore that will hold their breath and wet their hands before handling a breeder snook will go offshore and then cull through 20 red snapper before keeping their two red snapper they deem large enough to fill their two-fish bag limits. Meanwhile, the other 18 they released will often end up suffering fatal damage if not properly descended or vented?

Please help us to spread the word on the importance of descending or venting your released fish. Descending devices are most easy to use and quick to pick up on their use. They are most effective for most anglers.

However, an expert and precise angler with proper training and tons of experience can use a venting tool properly with similar outcomes. A venting tool requires you to pierce the fish while most descending devices are much less invasive. While using a venting tool, it is imperative you pierce them in the exact right spot, and you do not go but a quarter-inch or less in the fish. Most venting tools require you to ‘choke up’ on the tool to prevent over-penetration into major organs. 

When fishing deep water, especially in the hot summer months, please make sure to treat all fish intended to be released like that breeder snook inshore and minimize the time it takes you to get him from the bottom to the boat using heavier proper tackle, not an ultra-light spinning reel.

Then once onboard, minimize the time out of the water. Then use a proper de-hooking tool and then, for the love of God, use a descending device or venting tool PROPERLY to ensure that fish has a chance to live another day.

Three things will help ensure the survivability of those fish released offshore:

• Making sure they are brought up quickly and do not expend all their energy in the fight.
• Make sure they are unhooked smoothly, easily, and as quickly as possible.
• Finally, make sure they spend the least amount of time at the surface at negative pressures where barotrauma exponentially increases its effect with each passing second.

Also, keep in mind when the water is warm, there is less dissolved oxygen content and the chances of barotrauma increase even more while its effects can be even more deadly. 

LINK: Here’s all the information and more on barotrauma and how to mitigate that fatal damage to your future offshore catch 

**Note: I recommend the Salt Strong articles at the bottom of the page under ‘webpages.’ I helped them develop those personally.

STATE SURVEY to improve recreational data and access

It is imperative that you have your Gulf Reef Fish survey endorsement on your fishing license.

You should get one if you are a private recreational angler or diver fishing from a private boat anywhere in Florida who intends to harvest, attempt to harvest or possess one or more of the following reef fish species: mutton snapper, yellowtail snapper, hogfish, red snapper, vermilion snapper, gag grouper, red grouper, black grouper, greater amberjack, lesser amberjack, banded rudderfish, almaco jack, gray triggerfish, Gag grouper, Red grouper, Scamp grouper, Mangrove snapper, Lane snapper, Kingfish, Tuna, or Mahi mahi.

Here is all the information and more on that program and how you can sign up.

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

INSHORE – from the back bays out to the bridges and including right on the beaches

NEAR SHORE – From the beaches out to 20 miles, or up to 100ft of water

OFFSHORE – from 20 miles or 100ft and beyond 

For more fishing reports, photos, videos and more check out Hubbard’s Marina on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Snapchat. Just simply search "HubbardsMarina" and do not forget our family motto, "If you’re too busy to go fishing, you’re just too busy!