The ocean water temperature is finally getting back to normal. At last report from Flagler Beach Bait and Tackle at the pier the water temp is back up into the low 80’s and the king mackerel are back and biting. No tarpon yet or any signs of menhaden. There is still a slight chance that the tarpon may appear before the fall run starts at the end of August.
However, tarpon are all over the areas inshore waters. Tarpon are rolling in the Tamoka basin and river, the Flagler Beach canals, Sea Ray canal, Palm Coast canals and the flats north of the 206 Bridge in St. Johns County. How long will they stay around? Who knows, but take advantage of this fishery while it’s here. Last year I caught tarpon up until Dec. 8th.
What are these tarpon hitting on, a number of things. Live bait is always a good bet. Live shrimp, mullet, pinfish or small menhaden. Artificials such as topwaters, soft plastic jerk baits and diving plugs will work. If your tossing flies, try a tarpon bunny or something in a purple/black that imitates a mullet. You also might want to try using an intermediate fly line.
I haven’t been able to do much in the way of trout but the snook are all over the area. I’ve been getting reports of snook stacked under the docks in the Palm Coast canals and the lighted docks at night along the Intracoastal Waterway. I can tell you this much, a snook can’t pass up a freelined live shrimp. On a recent trip I had clients that hooked up with 5 snook and landed two. One was so big it broke 10 lb test braided line. They wound up landing 2, a 6 ½ lb and a 20” and the other 2 they lost were larger than 6 ½ lbs.
What type of bait to use for snook? Like I said a live shrimp is probably the best bet. Topwater plugs are good early in the morning and again in the evening. As the day wears on try using plugs that swim lower in the water column like a catch 2000 or a mirrolure 17 MR.

The waters ocean water temperatures in the Volusia/Flagler area plummeted form 85 degrees to 70 degrees in the past few weeks. This is caused by a phenomenon known as an upwelling. The upwelling is caused by steady and lengthly west winds. It draws up colder bottom water dropping the overall water temp. The colder water will just about shut down the offshore, surf and the inland waters around Matanzas inlet. It also has a big effect on ocean migrating fish such as tarpon, king mackerel, cobia and some of the reef dwellers. The inshore waters farther from the inlet are not really affected by the colder water. The west wind pushes the water out to the ocean significantly lowering the water levels. this makes it very difficult to access the backwaters and concentrates the fish to the deeper waters of the ICW.

Before the blow the fishing was good. The last charter I had out before the winds had trout up to 4 lbs and snook to 30". They also lost a 20 lb tarpon and a red that was over 30". Last week I fly fished for 2 days and could only muster a 10" snook. I ahd numerous other hits but the fish just wouldn't take the fly. I also had tarpon up to 40 lbs rolling around my boat but I find them very difficult to land on a fly when they are in deep water. The best bet would be to use live bait when these fish are encountered. I have also seen some big redfish tailing along the banks of the ICW but for one reason or another I just haven't been able to connect with these fish either. Hopefully the next report will be better now the the winds have begun to subside