Jawstoo Fishing Charters · Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
WHAT’S IN SEASON?
Around here, there isn’t one fishing season. There are twelve months of them. The Gulf changes, the water moves, bait shows up, fish follow — and the game changes right along with it.
A Fish For Every Season
THE CALENDAR CHANGES. THE FISHING DOES TOO.
More than four decades on these waters has taught the Jawstoo crew one thing: the Gulf doesn’t care much about a printed calendar. Water temperature, weather, bait movement and migration all affect what shows up and when. That’s part of the fun. Here’s the general rhythm of fishing from Indian Rocks Beach throughout the year.
January · February
WINTER ON THE GULF.
Winter doesn’t mean fishing shuts down in Florida. It means we play the weather, watch the fronts and take advantage of those clean Gulf days when they line up.
Cooler water shifts the game toward bottom fishing and wreck action. Grouper, snapper, hogfish and other hard-pulling reef species can make a winter trip a whole lot warmer in a hurry. And when a big fish decides it wants the bottom more than you want it on the boat, you’ll understand why Dave always called this a tug-of-war.
March · April · May
SPRING. IT BUSTS LOOSE.
This is when the Gulf starts waking up in a big way. Water temperatures climb, bait pushes into the area and the predators aren’t far behind.
Kingfish arrive hungry. Cobia move through. Tuna, sharks and barracuda add to the possibilities while grouper, snapper and amberjack keep the wrecks and bottom structure interesting. Some days the hardest decision isn’t whether there are fish to chase — it’s deciding which ones we want to go after first.
Mid-May · June · July
SUMMER SHOWS ITS TEETH.
By early summer there can be action in every direction. Tarpon move along the beaches while offshore bottom fishing heats up. Snapper and grouper become major players, and the wrecks can produce some serious battles.
This is classic Gulf fishing: hot sun, blue water and something down there trying its absolute best to take your tackle back to the rocks. Some trips are about filling the cooler. Others are about hooking something you’ll be talking about long after you get back to the dock.
This Is The Gulf
YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO EAT.
That’s not a problem. That’s fishing. Four decades of local experience means knowing how to change the plan when the Gulf changes hers.
July · August · September
HOT WATER. BIG FISH.
The temperature is up and so is the variety. Offshore wrecks and reefs become the stage for barracuda, sharks, cobia and some truly enormous goliath grouper. Snapper and grouper fishing can keep the rods bent too.
This is the time of year when the food chain can feel like it’s happening right beside the boat. One minute you’re fighting the fish you hooked. The next minute you’re watching something much bigger decide it wants in on the action.
Wrecks · Reefs · Heavy Tackle
THINK YOU’RE STRONG ENOUGH?
Some Gulf fish don’t exactly cooperate. Goliath grouper, amberjack, barracuda and sharks can turn a fishing rod into exercise equipment in seconds.
There are fish you catch because they’re good eating. Then there are fish you hook because you want to find out who wins. Jawstoo has always had room for both.
October · November · December
FALL BRINGS THE SMOKERS.
As Gulf temperatures begin dropping, the fall migration can kick the kingfish action into gear. Big kings are built for speed, and when one lights off with your bait, there isn’t much confusion about whether you’ve been hit.
Grouper can push toward shallower water while amberjack, sharks, barracuda and other wreck species keep plenty of options on the table. Warm stretches can even keep the kingfish action hanging around later into the year.
January Through December
THE BEST SEASON? THE ONE YOU’RE HERE.
If you’re waiting for the one perfect month to fish the Gulf, you may be waiting for the wrong thing. Every part of the year brings a different opportunity, and that’s exactly why we fish year-round.
Tell Captain David what kind of trip you’re after. Big fight. Good eating. Family day. Offshore adventure. Then we’ll look at the conditions, what’s moving and what’s been biting — and build the day from there.
Fish move on their own schedule, and harvest seasons, size limits and regulations can change. The species above reflect the general seasonal fishing patterns we see in the Gulf, not a promise that every species can be harvested on every trip. Captain David will always fish the current conditions and current regulations.
Know When. Now Meet Who.
YOU KNOW THE SEASONS. NOW MEET THE FISH.
Grouper. Kingfish. Tarpon. Amberjack. Sharks. Meet some of the Gulf characters that make every trip different.
Meet the FishEnough Reading. Let’s Go Fishing.
WHAT’S BITING WHEN YOU’RE HERE?
There’s one really good way to find out. Tell Captain David when you’re coming and let’s put together your day on the Gulf.
Fishing Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
YEAR-ROUND GULF FISHING WITH JAWSTOO
Jawstoo Fishing Charters runs private offshore and deep sea fishing charters from Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, aboard a 40-foot Dorado Bluewater Series Sportfish. Captain David Mistretta is the second-generation captain of Jawstoo, carrying forward more than four decades of fishing history on the Gulf of Mexico.
Seasonal fishing opportunities off Indian Rocks Beach can include grouper, snapper, kingfish, amberjack, cobia, barracuda, sharks, tarpon and other Gulf species depending on the time of year, weather, water temperature, migration patterns and current fishing regulations. Jawstoo offers private fishing charters for groups of up to six passengers from 401 2nd Street, Slip 33, Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.