June is the month when fish leave their spring haunts and transition to their summer spots. For example: Look for snook to move from the grass flats, estuaries, mangroves and river mouths where they have been on a pre-spawn green back feeding pattern to beaches, sand flats, and deeper water spots like deep docks, bridges and spoil islands, where they will spawn.
You’ll find tarpon moving from bridges, islands and towers where they we3re feeding on thread fins, to passes where they are feeding on pass crabs.
You’ll find that the reds move from the flats to deeper water. Trout will move from the 2- to 4-foot grass flats, to the 6- to 8-foot ledges.
Grouper will move out of the shipping channels and into near-shore and offshore reefs.
Mangrove snapper and cobia will bunch up around the towers, buoys and cans.
Kingfish and Spanish mackerel will leave the Bay and inner-coastal waterways and transition into the near-shore and offshore waters. Look for the huge pods of thread fins to start migrating out of the Bay and inner-coastal waterways.
Sheepshead will school up and will be feeding at all their usual structure areas.
Flounder and rays move from deep water to sand and grass flats.
Black Tip sharks (two years and older) start to leave the Bay and inner-coastal waterways after giving birth and migrate down to Key West. Bull sharks and hammerheads will be seen where the tarpon are found.
Goliath grouper move into the deeper residential canals, and huge goliaths will find a dock and call it its own and will dominate all fish that come in contact.
All of this movement is a big dance. June shuffles the deck. All of the fish you’ve been on in spring will move. That-was-then, this-is-now becomes the story of the Bay. It’s all about feeding and breeding. Follow the bait and you’ll find the gamefish. Look for birds to find the bait. Chum a lot in June and the gamefish will come.
We are very excited about this summer’s Ana Banana Kids Fishing Camp, located at Hooks Waterfront Grill on the grounds of Little Harbor Resort in Ruskin.
Our boys and girls will be ages five to 15 years old. Each child will be teamed up with kids their age and will go out on a guided boat every day except Day 1, which will be an orientation day.
On Day 5, each child will be in a tournament, and every kid will win! We teach ethical and responsible angling; they learn to catch the fish, clean the fish, cook the fish and eat the fish. They learn proper releasing techniques as well as the laws of the land and water.
Sign your child up today by visiting www.anabananakidsfishingcamp.com.
For a charter with Captain Joel Brandenburg, visit www.anabananafishing.com, call 813-267-4401, or find Capt. Joel in person at Hooks Waterfront Bar and Grill located at Little Harbor, Resort, 611 Destiny Drive, Ruskin.