The View: August 2025
Many days in August we pray for wind. Sure, it's hot, but if you leave the dock a little earlier and head back to the dock before it blisters, August can be just as profitable as June. Southeast winds normally bring a low barometer; and, falling barometric pressure is generally more conducive for fish to bite. North winds flatten the summer surf, giving us miles and miles of guts and bars to work the beach.
The good news with an easterly flow is that tides rise and push water to back lakes and estuaries devoid of tides for most of the summer. To put it plainly, the bays get a shot in the arm when southeast winds blow.
Reefs along the north shoreline are a boon for waders tossing topwaters on the incoming tide. Never underestimate the cuts leading to the bay on the incoming tide as well. Those fish enter and exit the ditch daily through those cuts.
The mid-bay reefs consistently hold good trout in August. We start out in waist-deep water on the shell drop-off and then end up in chest-deep water on the end of the reef as the water warms. Know your tides. There have been many mornings I have arrived to find nothing, but patience prevails knowing the incoming tide will bring fish to the reef.
When winds are light, we drift the middle of East Bay. Trout and redfish hang there all year, and slicks become more prevalent during August, especially for schooling redfish.
There are some good trout on the shorelines for waders as well. Again, it's an early bite with the heat. We find those trout over the grass early – they fall along the ledge in about 4-5 feet of water later in the day.
Don't be surprised to find birds working along the north shoreline with calm conditions. Since the ICW runs along the northern boundary of East Bay, those shrimp running the "ditch" often enter the bay on the incoming tide. There has been solid bird action on light wind days all summer long, proving this year’s shrimp crop is a good one.
August normally brings with it a few weak cool fronts that knock down the humidity, flatten the Gulf of Mexico, and usher in the first batch of blue-winged teal. We will work the surf and jetty rocks on these days, concentrating in the first gut on the incoming tide and tossing topwaters on the outer bars on the falling tide.
Speaking of teal, this year’s nine day season will run Sept.20-28. During the special season we will be hunting the morning and fishing the afternoon. If you are considering a guided teal hunt, don't wait till September to book it.
Seems I’ve said it every month but it is worth repeating – our bays are bouncing back due to conservation efforts and better fishing practices that promote catch and release. Better fish are showing daily and the quality of trout in our bays is impressive. Keep taking care of our bays and beaches and thank you to all who are letting a few more go.
For info on rentals, real estate, waterfront lodging and hunting and fishing, contact Sunrise Lodge and Properties.