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August 3 Weekend Fishing Forecast

Captain Chad Starling
904.502.7408
TeamBuckRogers.com

For the record…

I think a 6 day season is an absolute slap in our faces given the current numbers of red snapper off our coast.  Last year they approved 9 days, with a 3 day extension because of bad weather.

Out of 12 possible days, the weather only allowed literally about 3 days total of fishing.  They pay us back this year by giving us 6 days?  The Gulf gets 40 days, and we get 6.  What a joke!!!  NOAA is an embarrassment.

The government should be embarrassed by how they have managed this fishery.

Not to mention Red Snapper has been closed for 8 years and they give us 2 and a half weeks notice of the ridiculous 6 day opening? Embarrassing!!  But there's no sense in getting into the weeds with this because it will be a waste of my time, which has been proven by NOAA time and time again.  They don't listen to the people AT ALL!

With that said, Red Snapper Dates have been released!  Red Snapper will be open August 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 with a 1 fish per person bag limit.  We will be running 4 hour trips with the exception of those who have already booked these dates.  The times will be as follows: 6a-10a, 11a-3p, 4p-8p.  The trips will cost $750 per boat which will cover up to 6 people.  We will not be offering individual spots this year.

Our fishing has been good for the past several weeks.  We've been getting a good number of king mackerel, some cobia, sharks, plenty of red snapper to throw back, jumping a tarpon and sailfish once in a while, barracuda, bonito, an occasional amberjack, and we've been seeing some nice sized schools of Spanish Mackerel offshore.

The best tactic for the king mackerel is slow trolling or drifting live bait such as menhaden (pogies), threadfin herring, cigar minnows, or Spanish sardines over artificial wrecks and natural ledges.

You need a reel that holds at least 400 yards of 15-30 lb. mono, a wire leader (30-40 lbs.), a live bait hook and/or some treble hooks (#4 or #6).  Slow troll or drift the life bait behind the boat and get ready for a long hard run, and an occasional jumping kingfish chasing one of your baits!

Call or text 904.502.7408, PM on Facebook, or email teambuckrogers3@gmail.com.

Thank you all for choosing to fish with us!!