From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce

I think winter is finally over on the Treasure Coast. Our weekly cold fronts have become milder and you can sense that Spring is in the air. The weather has been very nice lately for us and it should continue the rest of March. Expect more windy days this time of year as warmer weather approaches and plan your fishing trips around it. One thing great about our area is that you can always find a place to fish. It's been a long winter and everyone is ready to enjoy the fishing and the spring weather.

We have caught a variety of fish the past week while fishing the flats and the inlet areas. Sheepshead has been a very reliable bite around the river on docks, bridges and channel edges. They are a winter staple that keeps rods bent and plenty of action for anglers. You can also find some nice black drum around the same areas of the river. Live or dead shrimp is the usual bait of choice among most anglers. The inlet and turning basin in Fort Pierce has been loaded with a variety of fish. Snapper, grouper, sheepshead, jacks, mackerel and ladyfish are just a few of the fish you can catch in these areas. It's been fun and the kids love the constant action. We continue to find redfish along the mangroves and under docks around the area. It's been a super winter for redfish, even though most are juveniles that will be the bigger fish this summer. DOA shrimp or live bait will give you an excellent chance at find some reds. Look for trout on the grass flats in three to five feet of water. Now that the water is warming back up, look for the bite to improve as well. Top water lures, DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits are all excellent ways to get into some nice trout. The snook bite around the bridges and jetties has been best at night. Live bait, DOA Terror Eyz or Bait Busters are good choices for snook fishing. The surf has been loaded with whiting this month. Look for bluefish, pompano and jacks to be in among the mix on the beach. It's a fun time of year to enjoy the fishing on the Treasure Coast. 

The Treasure Coast Casters is in full swing and looking for young anglers to get involved. Go to www.treasurecoastcasters.org for information on getting your child involved in conservation and fishing. Call Cammie Ward at 772-201-5773 for information on the next fishing tournament. Treasure Coast Casters is a Non-Profit organization providing a volunteer based no-fee program dedicated to the future generations of anglers and through education and stewardship dedicated to teaching the future generations of anglers about the importance of marine conservation while maintaining a sustainable and healthy estuary and marine environment. Our long term goal is to help future anglers recognize the importance of the marine environment and to create a positive future impact on our environment while protecting our marine resource today for tomorrow's anglers.