Where to Fish in August and September

If you happen to might solely goal one gamefish species proper now, what wouldn’t it be? That’s the query we put to 5 prime skippers from Rhode Island to California to learn how prime professionals goal their favourite gamefish species over the following two months. See what these consultants might be out chasing this time of 12 months.

Quicklook: Greatest Locations to Fish in August and September

Greatest for the Northeast: Bluefin Tuna

Greatest for the Mid-Atlantic: Redfish

Greatest for the Southeast: King Mackerel

Greatest for the Gulf of Mexico: Tarpon

Greatest for the West Coast: Bluefin Tuna

Northeast: Rhode Island Bluefin Tuna Fishing

August is tuna time in these ­waters. Capt. Max Dispoto out of Level Judith can’t get sufficient of the feisty school-size bluefins roaming the ocean in packs. The 50- to 200-pound tuna “are among the many most aggressive fish within the ocean,” Dispoto says, making jigging and popping for them an adrenaline rush.

Whereas they’re usually 20 to 60 miles out, that’s nonetheless inside attain for a lot of anglers. Dispoto appears for “wherever the life is” on the Atlantic: humpback whales, minkes, porpoises and seabirds point out the place the bait is, and that’s the place he finds tuna. Being on them early within the morning ­gives the perfect motion.

Don’t hesitate to make lengthy casts with a loud popper, even when the tuna aren’t displaying on prime. Typically floor commotion will get their consideration. Dispoto, a Shimano professional staffer, favors the Ocean Bomb Dip 170 in anchovy. 

Mid-Atlantic: Chesapeake Bull Purple Drum Fishing

Chesapeake Bay’s hit checklist consists of seatrout, stripers, mackerel, bluefish and cobia, says Capt. Pete Dahlberg, who fishes out of Solomons, Maryland. “The celebs of the present in August are big bull redfish. They pull like freight trains,” he says. Better of all, the prospect to land a ­big crimson has elevated drastically over the past decade.

Dahlberg says it’s a problem to search out them as a result of they meander round miles of territory, searching menhaden. He finds them by way of his Humminbird side-imaging unit, by way of slicks smelling of baitfish or, better of all, “an enormous faculty of giants smashing the floor over an space the dimensions of a soccer subject!”

They are usually within the space from Buoy 76 on the bay south into Virginia waters, usually alongside the sharp drop-offs of shipping-channel edges. Given the dimensions of those fish, it’s best to depart the sunshine deal with at house. 

Southeast: Charleston King Mackerel Fishing

If it’s August, it’s time to pursue king mackerel off Charleston, says veteran skipper Capt. Robert Olsen. That’s the species most on his thoughts in late summer time, when tuna and mahi have moved out. Olsen fishes them in 50 to 100 ft, the place the kings run within the 10- to 25-pound vary. For smoker-size kings, he suggests fishing both nearer to the seashore or farther out across the ledge (the 30-fathom curve). With the Atlantic slope off South Carolina so mild, determine a 50-mile run to the ledge, Olsen says.

“We by no means had many 40-pound kings right here till a number of years in the past,” he says, “when a man first discovered ‘em on the ledge.” Lately, the variety of massive people who smoke has been rising.

Gulf of Mexico: Texas Tarpon Fishing

Within the calm seas and inflow of blue water that August brings, Capt. Brian Barrera, out of South Padre Island, says, “A number of individuals right here select to put down the sunshine deal with and choose up larger gear to chase tarpon.” Barrera acknowledges that “chasing big migratory tarpon is my true ardour.”

To seek out them, Barrera focuses on inlets, jetties, channels and bridges in South Padre waters. As for the tide, “motion [versus slack water] helps, however that doesn’t dictate whether or not we go or not,” he says.

He’ll fish as much as 65-pound braid for the large boys, with reside mullet, pinfish or ribbonfish (aka cutlassfish).

West Coast: California Bluefin Tuna Fishing

“Bluefins are such elegant and numerous fish, and nice enjoyable to focus on right here in the summertime,” says San Diego-based Capt. Brandon Nelson. Off Southern California in August, this single species reveals up offshore in many alternative conditions. They’ll seem wherever from 5 to 130 miles offshore, usually favoring each native and offshore banks. The scale of fish encountered and their habits dictate a number of approaches: kite-fishing, high-speed trolling, casting to foaming fish, and conventional stop-and-go live-baiting.

“On the bigger fish—100 to 300 kilos—we just like the kite,” Nelson says. “Aerial kite bites are a number of the finest offshore visuals.”