Hello fellow anglers July in sunny Florida. There should be plenty of species to target out there. Offshore red grouper , mangrove or gray snapper, yellow tail snapper. These are in the high range for good to eat. There are lots of anglers that like to drift for red grouper it will produce enough for some meals. We back in the day would drift for reds, we would start by running out from the Sanibel Light House about 210 degrease. We would run the boat till we hit 45 feet and start catching squirrel fish. The ones that were caught on the mouth and were not bleeding we would throw them into the live well keeping them alive. As for the greedy ones that swallowed the hook well they went in the ice cooler for later use. We would get what we thought was enough bait for the day. Then we would travel on the same heading till we reached the 65 foot depth then we would get the boat set up for drifting. We most always would go when the weather sail 2 feet or less for seas. This is when we would cut the squirrel fish in chunks and hook it through the skin. We would let the wind blow us as we caught fish we would be ready when 2 of us would get bit at the same time we would throw a marking jug and reel up and go back and anchor up over that spot till the bite slowed. Then pull the anchor and start drifting again. There are several different ways to rig for drifting a chicken rig will work. When you have done this you find some good spots that may hold mangrove / gray snapper and lanes. These species are great table fare and lots of fun to catch. Mostly you will find them on small hard ledges and or artificial reefs. If you have chum and are quiet you can chum the mangroves up to the surface. Just don't slam any lids of drop things on the deck or all that work will be in vain. I you don't you can resort to a light rod an just a hook with a long leader. Using small baits mixed it the chum slick and pay the line out so it sinks with the chum. And be ready when the line starts to fly off the spool flip the bail and hang on. Then you have to avoid the barracudas and the sharks, and that will end up with just a portion of the fish. The man in the gray suit/or the tax collector. Also if you find some wrecks around the 100 foot depth there is a good chance there are yellow tail snapper there. You may also chum them up an resort to light tackle to enjoy the battle. These can reach four to five pounds and are excellent eating. Okay lets talk about some inshore stuff. Snook reds and trout. This would be a great chance to catch an inshore slam. One snook , one red, and one trout. I had a customer bring his 5year old son on a inshore trip and he caught an inshore slam. Yes a 5 yr. old he really impressed me he fished the whole four hour trip. And he got rewarded for his efforts. Any how the snook will be in full out spawn mode looking for food and or looking to spawn. Some will go out to the close to shore reefs, and others will be on the deep edges where there is current pushing bait by. So if you are new to the area I can come along on your boat and shorten the learning curve. Showing you where you can take your boat and how to use the equipment you have to harvest some dinner. Or you may come along with Capt. Bart Marx on his boat. So call 941-979-6517 or e-mail me at captbart@alphaomegacharters.com to book your trip. And always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{