FISHING REPORT: July 8, 2026
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Weather/Water Conditions
This past week brought an intense heat wave, with "feels like" temperatures climbing well over 110°. The heat didn't keep anglers off the water though, and the fishing stayed just as hot as the weather.
Water temperatures continue holding in the low to mid 70s, keeping fish active throughout the bay, oceanfront, and inlets.
- Wind: Light to moderate with calmer mornings and evenings
- Water clarity: Fair to good depending on recent weather and tides
- Overall conditions: Hot weather, hot fishing
The biggest key this week has been fishing around the heat. Get out early before the sun gets high or wait until the evening when temperatures begin to cool off.
Fishing has stayed hot despite the heat, and we're loving all the fish coming through the shop. One of the highlights this week was an 11-pound citation flounder, along with another citation flounder weighing just over 8 pounds. We can't wait to see what this week brings, good luck, stay hydrated, and we'll see you at the shop!
What's Biting Inshore
The inshore bite has remained steady with plenty of opportunities to bend a rod.
- Flounder – continuing to bite well with quality fish coming from the inlets and beaches.
- Croaker & Spot – still providing consistent action throughout the inlets.
- Sheepshead – the bite has stayed hot since May and continues to produce around structure.
- Red Drum – a few smaller fish are showing up, but we're still waiting on that stronger puppy drum push that usually starts around this time of year.
Most consistent setup we've seen:
Flounder rigs tipped with squid strips, paddle tails, mud minnows, small bucktails, and even Fishbites on double dropper rigs have all been producing fish.
What's Biting In The Bay/Ocean/Offshore
The Bay/Ocean continues to produce across multiple species.
- Cobia – anglers continue finding fish throughout the bay and oceanfront despite the heat.
- Sheepshead – still one of the most dependable bites around bridges and structure.
- Spanish Mackerel – great action with fish crushing Gotcha plugs from the piers, casting spoons from the beach, and trolling spoons throughout the bay and oceanfront.
- Bull Drum – still being caught throughout the bay with quality fish continuing to come through the shop.
Offshore action continues to stay productive with:
- Flounder
- Golden Tilefish
- Black Sea Bass
- A few Spadefish
- Tuna
Last week's Tuna Tournament produced some awesome fish, and we even had a few smaller tuna come across our scales here at the shop.
Hot Tip:
If you're targeting Spanish, keep a Gotcha plug tied on around the piers and have trolling spoons ready if you're heading offshore. For flounder, don't be afraid to switch between natural bait and artificial until you find what they're keyed in on.
Best Bite Window
For those trying to time it right, here's when we're seeing the best action:
Best times:
- First light through mid-morning
- Late afternoon into sunset once temperatures begin cooling down
Tide influence:
Moving water continues to produce the most consistent bite, especially around bridge structure, inlet mouths, and channels.
If you're new, planning your trip around the cooler parts of the day will make fishing much more enjoyable and productive.
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 heat with opportunities to fish around the cooler morning and evening windows.
- Water temperatures holding in the 70s.
- Strong flounder, sheepshead, cobia, and Spanish mackerel action continuing.
- The puppy drum bite should continue getting closer as we move further into the season.
Don't forget, we're also a weigh-in location for the upcoming Sheepshead Tournament happening over the next couple of weeks. If you're planning on fishing it, stop by the shop beforehand and let us get you set up with everything you'll need.