ishing Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast Aug 2, 2012

BRADENTON -- Amberjack season just opened yesterday, Aug 1, 2012. Too hot to fish? The countdown begins for this year's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, check out the complete lineup here! The full moon should bring in some great fishing tonight, so rig those rods and get out to the pier for the chance to catch a big one!

Greater Amberjack Recreational Season to Open in Gulf

• Greater amberjack will open for recreational harvest in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters Aug. 1. The season closes annually June 1.
• The minimum size limit for greater amberjack in Gulf of Mexico waters is 30 inches fork length, which is measured from the tip of the fish’s closed mouth to the center of the fork in the tail. In Atlantic state waters, the size limit is 28 inches fork length.
• Recreational anglers may take one fish per person, per day. Reef fish gear rules apply when fishing for greater amberjack. In Gulf waters, this means anglers must use circle hooks and have a dehooking device and a venting tool on their vessel.

Countdown to Sharkweek

Weekend Forecast  

A trough of low pressure over the northern waters will generate showers and thunderstorms over the area overnight as surface high pressure remains across the southern peninsula with a southwest to west wind flow expected. The high will lift north on Friday and into the upcoming weekend with winds backing around to the southeast and east with an enhanced onshore sea breeze component developing along the coast each afternoon.

Thursday

Southwest winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms. Thursday night will bring southwest winds around 5 knots becoming southeast after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Friday

South winds around 5 knots becoming west in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Scattered thunderstorms. Friday night will bring north winds around 5 knots in the evening then becoming east after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Saturday

East winds around 5 knots becoming west in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Saturday night that will bring east winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. A slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening.

Sunday

Southeast winds around 5 knots becoming west in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Tides

Solunar Forecast