FISHING REPORT: July 23, 2026
Weather/Water Conditions
The weather has been all over the place this past week. Forecasts have called for rain on several days that ended up staying mostly sunny, while some of the "nice" days turned out to be the roughest with higher winds. It's been another reminder to always check the forecast, keep an eye on the radar, and sometimes even take it with a grain of salt.
Temperatures have cooled slightly, with highs settling into the mid to upper 80s. The cooler afternoons have made it much more comfortable to stay on the water later in the day, and the fishing has remained hot from sunrise through the evening.
- Water temperatures continue holding in the low to mid 70s.
- Wind: Variable throughout the week, with calm mornings mixed in with some unexpectedly windy afternoons.
- Water clarity: Fair overall, with cloudy skies making sight fishing a little more challenging.
Overall conditions: Excellent fishing when you can take advantage of the weather windows.
What's Biting Inshore
The inshore bite continues to stay productive, with a few changes from the past couple of weeks.
- Red Drum – starting to show up around the inlets, with a few fish still being caught off the beach. We're hoping this bite continues to build into a strong slot red fishery over the coming weeks.
- Bluefish – still running through the inlets and keeping anglers busy.
- Flounder – the beach bite has slowed down, but the action has shifted into the branches, inlets, and around the CBBT where anglers are finding much better success.
- Striped Bass – a few fish continue to be caught during the late-night hours.
Most consistent setup we've seen:
Live mud minnows and fresh mullet have been hard to beat. Mullet have been running thick through the inlets, making them easy to catch with a cast net. If you're throwing artificial lures, the Z-Man Mullettron, Prawn StarZ Shrimp, Z-Man Paddle Tails, and Gulp! Grubs have all been producing quality fish.
What's Biting In The Bay/Ocean/Offshore
The bay has stayed hot with plenty of opportunities across multiple species.
- Sheepshead – the bite was on fire during the recent Sheepshead Tournament. The winning fish weighed around 13 pounds, and we had some great weigh-ins here at the shop throughout the event.
- Cobia – still hanging around the bay and keeping sight fishermen busy, with plenty of quality fish continuing to be brought in.
- Bull Drum – anglers targeting the bulls are still finding success around the bay.
- Spanish Mackerel & Bluefish – both have made their way around the point and continue providing excellent action.
Offshore reports continue to be strong with:
- Flounder
- Golden Tilefish
- Bluefish
The golden tilefish we've seen brought into the shop—and even in photos—have been outstanding, with some incredible colors and healthy fish coming over the rails.
Hot Tip:
The cloudy conditions have made sight fishing a little tougher for cobia, but anglers switching to chum or working jigs deeper in the water column have continued finding success.
Best Bite Window
For those trying to time it right, here's when we're seeing the best action:
Best times:
- Early mornings before boat traffic picks up
- Late afternoons and evenings as temperatures cool down
- Late-night hours for striped bass
Tide influence:
Moving water continues to produce the best bite, especially around inlet mouths, bridge structure, and channel edges. If the current is moving, your chances go up.
If you're trying to figure it all out, don't be afraid to move around. Covering water has been one of the biggest keys to finding active fish this week.
Shop Recommendations
What's been working consistently (and what we've got ready for you):
- Live mud minnows
- Fresh mullet
- Z-Man Mulletrons
- Z-Man Prawn StarZ Shrimp
- Z-Man Paddle Tails
- Gulp! Grubs
- Jigs for cobia
- Chum for cloudy fishing days
Fishing Tips
What's been working consistently (and what we've got ready for you):
- Fiddler crabs for sheepshead
- Flounder rigs with squid strips
- Paddle tails and small bucktails for flounder
- Fishbites on double dropper rigs
- Gotcha plugs for Spanish mackerel
- Casting and trolling spoons
- Live eels and bucktails for cobia
We've got all the rigs, bait, jigs, and tackle you need to stay on the bite. Stop in and ask the staff what's been working, we're always happy to point you in the right direction.
Looking ahead
Heading into next week, expect:
- Continued summer temperatures with changing weather patterns
- Water temperatures holding steady in the 70s
- Strong sheepshead, cobia, and bull drum opportunities continuing
- Flounder remaining productive around the CBBT and inshore waters
We're really looking forward to seeing the inshore red drum bite continue building. With more fish starting to show around the inlets, we're keeping our fingers crossed that those slot reds make a strong push over the coming weeks.
Fishing has stayed strong despite the unpredictable weather, and it's been awesome seeing everyone stopping by the shop with fish, tournament stories, and pictures. Good luck this week, and we'll see you at Long Bay Pointe!