From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierc

This past week we have seen rain, rain and when it stops....more rain. What a wet week around the Treasure Coast. Out of four days scheduled on the water this week, we managed two hours on Sunday before the storms arrived. It has been one wet year around here! Expect more of these conditions for the coming week. The Saint Lucie River continues to be flooded with water from Lake Okeechobee and the run off from all the rain. Both Martin County and Saint Lucie County have asked the governor to declare a state of emergency for waters around that area. Seems like a few weeks ago we were in a severe drought....
Fishing has continued to be productive around the river. The most active area has been the Fort Pierce inlet. It has been loaded with jacks, mackerel, blue runners and other assorted predators. A good number of tarpon have been following the bait inside the inlet. Top water lures or small shiny jigs have kept rods bending on the incoming tide. Trout can be found around the mullet schools in two to five feet of water. 

The DOA 3 1/2" Big Fish lure or Bait Buster are good choices around the mullet schools. You can't beat using the trusty DOA shrimp on the flats as well. We have found redfish hanging around the mangroves lately. The snook bite has been good around the jetties and bridges. You can still find plenty of snapper around the channel edges, bridges and structure of the river.

The surf has been good while fishing the bait schools for snook, jacks, bluefish, etc. DOA Big Fish lures, CAL Air Heads or Bait Busters will all work around the bait schools. You can also find plenty of whiting this time of year. Bridges are holding snapper, sheepshead and some black drum. The mouth of the inlet has been alive with a variety of species on the incoming tides. It's been a wet week, so plan your trips carefully and watch the weather. Lots of thunderstorms this week have made it an adventure out there.

With all the challenging weather, what can you do on these rainy days? I like to change out hooks and refurbish lures, check the guides on my fishing rods. It's a good time to grease and oil reels and check the line. 
 Hey, it's never as much fun as fishing, but these things are necessary to check several times a year!