When fishing from the shores of Florida during the warmer months the tactics and techniques can vary greatly from cooler weather fishing.
Start Early
Here in Florida the water can get quite warm during the heat of the day. This warm water makes many species lethargic and difficult to catch. Starting a fishing trip early will help increase the odds of catching more fish. Getting to your preferred fishing hole by sunrise will almost always provide more action than showing up around noon!
Fishing late in the day works almost as well. As the sun is getting lower and the temperatures begin to drop, fish become active again. Many fish are still active after sunset, trout are famous for being very active at night around dock lights.
Use Larger Baits
Because many species of fish are far less active in the heat of the day, one way to increase the chances of catching is to increase the size of your bait. If you are using lures, step up one size, if you are using live bait, use the largest available.
When in a lethargic mood, fish will often pass up a meal that is small, preferring not to use their energy to catch the small meal. However, they will often times, even when they are not aggressively feeding attack larger meals. The opportunity to eat an easy, large meal is often to much to pass up!
Protect Yourself from the Elements
The single most important thing to remember when fishing in Florida during the summer is to protect yourself from the elements. Here are a few recommended items to have with you on any trip:
- Sunscreen
- Plenty of Drinking Water
- Hat
- Long Sleeve Shirt (better to sweat than burn)
- Umbrella (if fishing in an area that it can be mounted)
- Cooling Towel
These are just some of the items that can be brought to help protect yourself from the elements, but sunscreen and water are the two most important.
Water is the most immediate need, especially if the fishing is active. Anglers often forget to hydrate if they are catching a lot of fish, and this is when they need it most.
Sunscreen is the most needed long term! Florida’s sun can be quite damaging to unprotected skin leading to many health issues, including cancer!
Take these warm weather fishing tips into account next time you go fishing here in Florida during the summer and you will catch more fish and feel better doing it!
