By Jimmy Tomazinis
mail@floridanewsline.com
Happy shrimp season! I hope all of you have been mending nets or getting new ones in the off season, because this month marks the beginning of a busy but very productive time in the river. We may not have a ton of shrimp in June, but the few that you do catch won’t last long since the fish in the river might be more excited than we are to have them around. I did see fish chasing shrimp in May so they’re definitely here; we’ll just have to see how many.
The sheepshead bite in the river was great throughout May. Just about every piece of structure in the river was bound to have them on it. Clams were the preferred bait. The smaller shrimp this month should be great as well. Try either a fish finder rig or knocker rig with the smallest weight you need to hold it in place. Hook size is also something to minimize. I use mostly size 2 to 4. They are finicky fish by nature, so don’t give them any more reasons to be.
A good number of drum have also moved into the river, but most of them are undersized. Just more to look forward to later this fall as they grow into slot sized fish. Clam, shrimp, and crab are go-to baits for these bottom dwellers.
Stripers should also improve this month with live river shrimp at your disposal. Look for them on bridges and deeper docks. Like most fishing in the river, some tide movement helps a lot.
It has been a few months since I mentioned goals for this year and while there’s still a lot of 2024 left, my goal of catching my first river tarpon in 20 years came to fruition last month. The moral of the story would be to not neglect talking to your fellow anglers around town. I’m not proposing giving spots away or anything, but mentioning catching or seeing something can go a long way towards having success yourself. For instance, I got word of a tarpon sighting at a local ramp and after three days of searching I jumped two tarpon and saw others. The following day, I caught one. I’m determined more than ever to catch more now, but I hope this gets you thinking about your own goals this year and lights a fire under you to get after them. Tight lines.
