Captain Greg's Fishing Report for June 2018
Port Canaveral, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, and Orlando
Last Month's Action
Thank you May for turning the fishing around for us!
The near shore fishing was decent with nice sharks and goliath groupers. The snook, red drum, triple tail and pretty much all other common near shore species were pretty slow going. Overall May was not a stellar month for fishing the shallow waters.
Offshore fishing was phenomenal when the sea conditions actually let us get out. Bottom fishing for amber jack, grouper, and all snapper species was better than I have seen in several years. The water clarity was beautiful with all the SE wind. The flying fish were abundant providing us with great trolling action. Mahi, king fish, sail fish, black fin tunas, barracudas and bonitos. The sharks were even cooperating most days because we could usually catch them when we wanted but weren’t so bad that they were eating all of our good fish The cobias even started making a appearance at the end of the month. The only fish we really didn’t see any of was the allusive wahoo.
June Near Shore Fishing Forecast
We should really start to see some nice and easy summertime fishing this month. The bait should be very easy to find and that is key to summertime success. Look for pogies in all the usual hiding spots along Cocoa Beach. Croakers will be thick inside the port and on the edge of the channel. Threadfins should be easy on the buoy chains. Once you get bait you just have decide how you want to use it. Tarpon should be abundant North of the tip and in the pogy pods South of Cocoa Beach Pier. Big jack crevalle, bonito, king fish, barracuda, sharks and the occasional cobia. The water is starting to get chilly on the bottom so we should find big sharks on the shoals and tight to the beach. Snook fishing and flounder fishing should be decent when the incoming tide lines up with early morning or right at dusk light conditions. June is going to be good!
June Offshore Fishing Forecast
We will start to settle into our easy breezy summertime fishing. I wouldn’t say June is the best month but then again yes it is the best month because calm seas and easy bait makes for great fishing no matter what. Looks like June is shaping up to be our typical run of the mill summertime fishing and let me tell you that is a relief after the wind and weather we have had the last 5 months.
Live bait trolling will be the go to style of fishing. All the reefs, wrecks, artificial structure, shoals, weeds and color changes will have fish. It is simple fishing. All you have to do is pull live baits up and down, over or free line to the bottom and see what pops up.
Thermo cline conditions will have everything in the upper water column so just run and gun, give each area or structure 30 minutes and then move on if it not producing. King mackerel, cobia, mangroves, red snapper, amberjacks, almaco jacks, banded rudders, sharks, barracudas, and the occasional mahi, black fin tuna, wahoo or sail fish will all be possible on the same spot along the reef or structure.
As the water on the bottom gets colder focus more effort on BIG structure. I would also plan on live bait trolling in the early morning hours and then change up to sight fishing or free line fishing in the afternoon. Live bait trolling in the summer is notorious for being a morning bite only.
As the thermo cline gets worst you will need to look out for schools of scaly minnows, cigar minnows and threadfins. These offshore bait schools will hold cobia and king fish for sure so keep a sharp eye and be sure to stop and fish them. You will be rewarded.
The bottom fishing will more than likely shut down completely like it usually does in the summer. Early in the month you can zigzag the reef until you mark fish. Once you mark fish the groupers will be below and willing to bite as long as the temperature doesn’t drop too much. All the activity mid to upper water column will be red snapper and amberjacks.
About Captain Greg's Reports and Forecast
Captain Greg has been fishing the waters of Port Canaveral and the Atlantic for over 30 years. He has the largest and most highly rated private charter business in Port Canaveral, Sea Leveler Sport Fishing Charters. Greg and his team of full time captains fish well over 200 days each per year. We have kept detailed catch history for every trip ran since 2010. You can access this history at www.sealeveler.com/reports. His engineer wife, Amber, has analyzed the catch history along with other historical data such as water temperature and weather patterns. Greg uses his fishing experience and knowledge along with his wife’s statistical analysis to bring you the best fishing report available for Port Canaveral. Greg will give you the honest truth on how the fishing has been along with his best prediction of what to expect by using all of this information.