Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast: July 4, 2013

Posted Saturday, June 13, 2015 12:00 am

Merab-Michal Favorite

BRADENTON – Local law enforcement officials will be out in full force over the holiday weekend, conducting safety checks and inspecting live wells for illegal fish. They have advised recreational boaters to make sure they have all necessary safety equipment and a designated helmsman if they plan to drink during the holiday weekend. The legal limit to operate a boat is 0.08. There will be several great locations on the water to watch fireworks on the Manatee River, but boaters are asked to please use caution and make sure they have the necessary lights to operate at night.

Fishing Updates

Bay scallop season starts July 1

It’s that time of year again to unfurl the dive flag, put a mask on and head to the coast to collect some bay scallops. The recreational season is open in Gulf of Mexico state waters (shore to 9 nautical miles) from the Pasco-Hernando county line to the west bank of the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County starting July 1. The season will remain open through Sept. 24, with the first day of the closure on Sept. 25.
The bag limit is two gallons of whole bay scallops or one pint of meat per person, per day, with a vessel limit of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops or a half-gallon of meat. Scallops may be collected by hand or with a landing or dip net.

Gag grouper recreational harvest opens in most Gulf waters

Gag grouper will open for recreational harvest in most Gulf of Mexico state waters and all Gulf federal waters July 1. The same day, the season will close in state waters off the coast of Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties.
The gag grouper recreational harvest season in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters, not including Franklin, Jefferson, Wakulla, Taylor and Monroe counties, will remain open through Dec. 3. State waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties were open from April 1 through June 30 and will not be open during the July 1-through-Dec. 3 season. Monroe County is also excluded from the July 1-through-Dec. 3 season because it is included in the Atlantic rules for gag grouper.

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Fishing Forecast

A broad surface ridge centered over the western Atlantic will slowly move west through Sunday. A Gulf low will strengthen and move north into the Panhandle Thursday...tightening the pressure gradient over the offshore waters.

Thursday

Southeast winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Thursday night will bring southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms in the evening.

2013/07/04Thu12:35 AM1.36H

2013/07/04Thu03:58 AM1.22L

2013/07/04Thu10:15 AM2.36H

2013/07/04Thu06:43 PM0.02L

Friday

Southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms.Friday night will bring southeast winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to around 15 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A chance of thunderstorms in the evening...then a slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight.

2013/07/05Fri01:30 AM1.4H

2013/07/05Fri04:44 AM1.27L

2013/07/05Fri10:56 AM2.41H

2013/07/05Fri07:23 PM-0.05L

Saturday

Southeast winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A chance of thunderstorms, Saturday night will bring southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A chance of thunderstorms in the evening.

2013/07/06Sat02:11 AM1.42H

2013/07/06Sat05:27 AM1.28L

2013/07/06Sat11:34 AM2.46H

2013/07/06Sat07:59 PM-0.08L

Sunday

East winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A chance of thunderstorms.Sunday NightEast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A slight chance of thunderstorms.

2013/07/07Sun02:41 AM1.42H

2013/07/07Sun06:07 AM1.26L

2013/07/07Sun12:10 PM2.49H

Solunar Forecast