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Doctrine · not a honey-hole list

Seasonal fundamentals

When a coast, a type of water, and a fish actually line up. If you elected Texas on the list, this page opens on Texas — Seychelles stays off the board until you ask for it. Filter by region, method or habitat, and species. The year bar is peak versus present. Limits cite TPWD and FWC — verify before you keep one.

All coastsTexasLouisianaFloridaBahamasMexicoPuerto RicoSeychelles
Any typeFlySpinSightWadeSkiffRocksMarshSkinnyOffshore
Any fishRedfishSpeckled troutSouthern flounderBlack drumSheepsheadSnookTarponBonefishPermitJack crevalleMahi-mahiSailfishTuna (blackfin / yellowfin)HogfishYellowtail snapperMangrove / gray snapperMutton snapperRed snapperLane snapperGag grouperRed grouperBlack grouperCobiaFlorida pompanoTripletailKing mackerelSpanish mackerelGreater amberjackWahooBlue marlinWhite marlinStriped marlinSwordfishGreat barracudaRoosterfishGiant trevally
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Bahamas

Bahamas — bonefish country

Winter singles. Summer schools. Permit on the west sides when it lays down.

Andros is the capital — west-side white sand, schools by the acre, double-digit singles in the creeks, tarpon in the bights, permit May through October on the west side and outer cays. Abaco is Marls and ocean cays; verify what is actually running after Dorian. Grand Bahama is the thinking wade, a town to sleep in, big singles on foot. Eleuthera and the Exuma edge take more weather and give you more permit. Tides here are a modeled lunar clock, labeled as such — there is no NOAA gauge on these islands. Flats licensing has been tightening; verify before you wade. Jacks will find you. They are not why you booked the week.

June. Summer schools of 3–5 lb bones. Permit on the west sides. Bring the buff and the 8-weight and go early.

June · peak

What is actually on

    TarponBonefishPermitHogfishYellowtail snapperMangrove / gray snapperMutton snapperBlack grouper
Peak Present Off

Closures

No coast-wide harvest closure on the board. Still verify before you keep a fish.

Jack crevalle

Caranx hippos

Peak JuneBahamas

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Thermal window

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64°94°

68–90°F · best 74–86°F

Summer noise. Texas passes and beachfront. Not the reason you booked Andros, but they will find you. They do not own a Texas or Keys headline.

Fly. 9–10 wt baitfish. They will destroy a trout setup. Fun, not subtle.

Spin. Topwater or heavy spoon. If the birds are on them, you are late — cast past the boil.

Bahamas. Treat as incidental. Not why you booked the flat.

Official source

Want this week’s weather on top of the doctrine? Read the Saturday Letter.