Inshore there has been a few reports of some trout up around Harbor Branch with a few redfish mixed in.There has been a few snook and tarpon down the beach if you can find the bait you will find the fish.
To the angler who loves to fish the beaches, shores, jetties, bridges and piers of Florida.
Monday, June 30, 2014
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
Inshore there has been a few reports of some trout up around Harbor Branch with a few redfish mixed in.There has been a few snook and tarpon down the beach if you can find the bait you will find the fish.
From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce
Well, July is here and it's been the typical hot weather on the Treasure Coast. I don't complain about the heat, because I hate the cold weather. We usually have an ocean breeze to keep the temperatures from getting too hot on the water. Drink lots of fluids and make sure to splather on that sunscreen this time of year! July might be hot, but it's fun on the water.
Fish the deeper cuts and flats of the river this month with the hot weather. Use top water lures in the early mornings and switch to DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits as the sun rises. We are using a 1/16th or 1/8th ounce jig head on the soft plastics. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Queen's Cove have all been active with bait. The snapper have been moving into the river and you will find some nice mangroves around the area. Fish the docks, channel edges or bridges for a chance for some snapper for dinner. Look for the glass minnows to be moving into the river this month and bringing a host of predators to feed on them. July is always a super month to fish the area. Watch for the redfish to begin schooling up this month on the flats. Move across the flats slowly and keep your eyes on the water to find some nice schools this month. DOA shrimp is always a good choice for redfish. Snook fishing around the bridges and jetties will be dependent of the tides and should find a good bite on the last of the incoming and first of the outgoing tides.
Have a fun month and enjoy the fishing on the Treasure Coast! Beat the heat and get out early before the afternoon storms brew up. Early mornings are good times to enjoy the top water fishing and watch the gorgeous sunrises on the coast.
Fish the deeper cuts and flats of the river this month with the hot weather. Use top water lures in the early mornings and switch to DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits as the sun rises. We are using a 1/16th or 1/8th ounce jig head on the soft plastics. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Queen's Cove have all been active with bait. The snapper have been moving into the river and you will find some nice mangroves around the area. Fish the docks, channel edges or bridges for a chance for some snapper for dinner. Look for the glass minnows to be moving into the river this month and bringing a host of predators to feed on them. July is always a super month to fish the area. Watch for the redfish to begin schooling up this month on the flats. Move across the flats slowly and keep your eyes on the water to find some nice schools this month. DOA shrimp is always a good choice for redfish. Snook fishing around the bridges and jetties will be dependent of the tides and should find a good bite on the last of the incoming and first of the outgoing tides.
Have a fun month and enjoy the fishing on the Treasure Coast! Beat the heat and get out early before the afternoon storms brew up. Early mornings are good times to enjoy the top water fishing and watch the gorgeous sunrises on the coast.
From Todd / Eric @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach
"Taming Your Tackle, Part 1"
Having an organized tackle system, be it big or small, is a absolute must. Knowing where to find what you are looking for, in a split second, can be the difference between a few extra bites or missed opportunities.
Having an organized tackle system, be it big or small, is a absolute must. Knowing where to find what you are looking for, in a split second, can be the difference between a few extra bites or missed opportunities.
Catch 365
"Fish To Your Strengths"
"Fish To Your Strengths"
When it comes to inshore and bass fishing, knowing when to fish to your strengths is a key element to catching more fish. Everybody fishes a little different; so finding what you do well; and sticking with it is a good idea.
Case in point...Ryan caught this nice bass this afternoon fishing much faster than would normally be "usual" on a hot summer afternoon. After looking at the weather and wind we were able to determine our best bet was to fish to our strength; and that is fishing fast.
Sebastian Inlet Report
06-30-14 MONDAY: MANGROVE SNAPPER, LOOKDOWNS, BLUE RUNNERS AND JACKS
We have an overcast morning at the inlet. Winds are blowing out of the Northwest at 7 mph, gusting to 11. There is a moderate chop on the water and the NOAA forecast is calling for numerous showers and thunderstorms with 2 - 4' seas.
We received an update from Tommy Turowski of the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop who reported Friday evening brought in a few nice Permit. Catch and release Snook were hitting all weekend as were Jacks. As far as table fare went, Mangrove Snapper were the most prominent species. Some smaller fish, such as Blue Runners and Lookdowns presented themselves as well. Whiting were being landed from the beach, in spite of the seaweed.
We have an overcast morning at the inlet. Winds are blowing out of the Northwest at 7 mph, gusting to 11. There is a moderate chop on the water and the NOAA forecast is calling for numerous showers and thunderstorms with 2 - 4' seas.
We received an update from Tommy Turowski of the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop who reported Friday evening brought in a few nice Permit. Catch and release Snook were hitting all weekend as were Jacks. As far as table fare went, Mangrove Snapper were the most prominent species. Some smaller fish, such as Blue Runners and Lookdowns presented themselves as well. Whiting were being landed from the beach, in spite of the seaweed.
Palm Beach Report
Photo courtesy of Beachwalker Guide Service
INSHORE
Tarpon are showing up along the beaches of the Treasure Coast.While a few were snagged this week, most of the fish are still sitting in about 10-15 feet, just out of reach for anglers fishing from shore.
There’s also an excellent snook bite on the beach, and they are being caught throughout the day — except during low tide. Whiting and croaker are around as well.
Tarpon and snook are biting along the beaches in Jupiter, and there have been some permit in the area during late-evening hours.
Snook are also biting around the bridges of the Intracoastal Waterway in and around Jupiter at night. Small mangrove and lane snapper are being reported about bridges and docks as well. The action is best at night, but you can have some success during the day.
There are plenty of snook and tarpon in and around the Lake Worth/Palm Beach Inlet, and they are also being hooked in the Intracoastal in central and southern Palm Beach County.
FRESHWATER
photo courtesy of Fishing With Christina Weber Guide Service
The early-morning bite continues to be strong on Lake Okeechobee. Anglers who have their lines in the water before sunrise are catching good numbers of fish. However, the action is done by mid- to late morning.
Several fish in the 4-to 5-pound range were reported this week, and live shiners and artificial lures seem to be working equally well.
The pattern remains the same — the best approach is still fishing the outside edges and back in the grass, if the wind will allow you.That has not been a problem this week.
report Palm Beach Post
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Sebastian Inlet Report
06-27-14 TGIF!
Our south jetty view is the only photo that is updating, we are investigating. Hopefully we can have it updating before the weekend comes.
It is a lovely morning at the inlet. It's a little hot and a little buggy, but still nice if you have sun protection and insect repellent. Winds are blowing out of the North-Northeast at 7 mph and the water is clean and calm. Our NOAA forecast is calling for 1 - 2' seas this weekend, along with isolated showers and thunderstorms. This morning was very slow on the north jetty, a few regulars were catching a couple of Mangrove Snapper, but nobody had caught their limit in the 1 1/2 hours that I was out there. No see 'ums were the only thing biting well. A couple of South Carolinians, who are novice anglers to the inlet, were steadily feeding shrimp to the elusive Snapper. They were determined not to give up and I hope they landed some!
Our photo today is of Kurush Akbari of Palm Bay. with a nice Speckled Trout he landed in the Indian River Lagoon.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Summer Black Drum
Black drum are not spectacular fighters like their prized cousins the redfish, but they are powerful and usually put a sustained pull on the line once hooked. They strike relatively softly for their size preferring to take the bait in their jaws, which contain their shell-crunching teeth, and grind their food which is usually barnacles, oysters, and clams. The hit of a black drum is often light, like someone plucking on a guitar string (that's what your line will feel like as it vibrates).
Black drum are tied to hard structure. Unlike red drum they do not typically cruise the sandy beach. Black drum like inshore hard structure with strong current. Jetties, bridges, piers, and anything with barnacle-encrusted pilings are black drum territory. They also roam over oyster beds.
Big black drum often favor deep water areas under bridges and in river channels. The Intracoastal Waterway is loaded with black drum habitats (especially docks and bridges) and they gravitate to ocean pier pilings.
Smaller black drum can be taken on standard two-hook bottom rigs on standard medium-light tackle. Big black drum specialists often rely on the strength of short but powerful extra-heavy rods and 20 to 25 lb test.
For smaller drum use a 2 or 3 ounce bank or other rounded sinker (pyramid sinkers hang up frequently around structure) and #1 or 1/0 J-hooks. Big drum are sought with fishfinder rigs, big barrel weights, and hooks 5/0 or larger. Currents in the deep channels where big drum lurk are strong so heavy weights and leader (but not wire) is required.
Some anglers prefer traditional ‘drum rigs’ over fishfinders. They tie their running line to one loop of a three-loop swivel, with leader line (heavy mono or fluorocarbon) attached to one other loop and running to the hook. A snap for the sinker is attached to the third loop.
Small black drum are taken most often on fresh cut shrimp. Many are caught incidentally by bottom anglers fishingfor other species this way. Live or whole dead shrimp will work as well and you can use previously frozen bait shrimp (though fresh is better).
Black drum will hit almost any natural bait on occasion, including squid, cut bait, and minnows, but they prefer shellfish and that is the way to target them. Fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and clam meat are good baits, as are pieces of cut blue crab.
Black drum are not normally taken on lures but may hit a weighty bucktail jig if it is tipped with shrimp and fished very slowly. White and yellow are the best colors for this. They may occasionally strike synthetic shrimp-imitation baits like the Gulp! lures and they hit the Fishbites synthetic baits well.
Black drum get huge and the biggest copper-tinged giants go into the triple digits. Big black drum are not good to eat and are often infested with many parasites. At that size black drum are actually a dull gray and they should be released.
Black drum under about eight pounds are white with big bold stripes (which fade as the fish get older). Striped black drum are delicious to eat and good in many recipes. You should still release very small drum, however.
From Todd / Eric @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach
SURF/PIER- Tarpon are moving along the beach north of Jupiter Inlet. Catch and release snook action is solid along the beach right now. Still catching some whiting and croaker in the first trough. The Juno Pier is producing some stud snook right now. Scattered schools of resident spanish mackerel have been around the pier as well. Not much doing bait wise on the pier right now.
Sebastian Inlet Report
06-26-14 THURSDAY: MANGROVE SNAPPER, LOOKDOWNS, C/R SNOOK, REDS, JACKS AND WHITING
Winds are blowing out of the Northwest at 7 mph with gusts to 11 this morning. The water is calm but has turned a little murky. The NOAA forecast is calling for 1 - 2' seas with isolated showers and thunderstorms. We are into our summer weather pattern of nice mornings and rainy afternoons.
Tommy Turowski at the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop reported that more Mangrove Snapper are starting to appear. They are taking shrimp and greenies. We received an update from Laura Weinberger of Palm Bay who fished one night last week with her dad, Bill. They didn't catch much, a couple of Snapper but they did see a lot of C/R Snook coming over the rails and some good sized Permit.
Our first photo today features Bill Hillman of Kissimmee who fished the north jetty and saw two C/R Snook landed then Bill landed the 31" C/R Red using shrimp on the incoming tide. Bill also had a name for us for our unidentified angler from earlier this week ; his name is Tim and is an inlet regular and a top water plug specialist!
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Free Free Free All You Have To Do Is Catch And Smile
| 28 MAY 2014
Registration is free, and you can win prizes just by participating. In an effort to bring more anglers into the data collection fold, the Snook & Gamefish Foundation is hosting a series of free 'virtual’ tournaments. Anglers across the country – and globe – are able to participate and potentially earn prizes just for participating.
YOU can participate in the next FREE events, which are scheduled for July 4-6. There will be both a fresh water tournament and an inshore tournament.
Registration is free, and you can win prizes just by participating. In an effort to bring more anglers into the data collection fold, the Snook & Gamefish Foundation is hosting a series of free 'virtual’ tournaments. Anglers across the country – and globe – are able to participate and potentially earn prizes just for participating.
Designed to manage current tournaments as well as host new events that can focus on specific research needs, iAngler-Tournament has already successfully managed a tournament from the legendary Redbone series in the Florida Keys, and SGF hosted their own events throughout the month of June.
Once registered for a tournament, logging a fish is simple. Just open the app and select "Log a Catch," then fill in the required data fields.The 4th of July fishing tournaments feature fishing categories for inshore and fresh water anglers. You will receive points for all fish logged in the system, but the big points came from a handful of featured species in both tournaments. “The idea here is to get anglers used to the system, and to get used to the idea that every fish they catch has value in the world of fishery science, regardless of the species,” said Holly Andreotta, SGF Board Member. “SGF will continue to reach out to anglers, to engage them and find ways to include them in the process of building a better fishing future. iAngler-Tournament is a great way for anglers to get involved, whether it is a SGF event or an already established tournament. The data is very important.”When using iAngler-Tournament, anglers are required to use their mobile smart device to record their catches and submit them to the tournament committee. This allows for ‘real-time’ updates of the leaderboard, which is appealing to most anglers. But the simplicity of use is what draws the most praise.
Overall winner Eric Shaheen said he and his girlfriend Tina Porada enjoyed the experience of fishing in the first tournament, Stars & Stripes. “We fish together all the time and can get competitive with each other in a fun way, but we’ve never really been tournament anglers. This was a first for us.” Like the other anglers in the tournament, Eric felt that the fishing was a bit slow due to all of the holiday boat traffic and fishing pressure. Still, he caught enough to win first place overall, and Tina took the award for most trout. They will both receive some SGF goodies as well as a DOA B.O.B. kit. “We fish strictly artificial, so the DOA lures will not collect any dust on our boat!” Eric also said he is looking forward to future events, as well as logging his regular trips in iAngler.
What: Two FREE online tournaments. Inshore Weekend Series: Round 2, and Freshwater Weekend Series: Round 2
Who: You! And your friends. Anyone who is able to fish and has a license (if required).
When: Friday July 4 through Sunday July 6, 2014. Lines in at midnight, Lines out at 11PM Sunday. Fish must be logged by midnight on the day of the catch.
Where: Any freswater or inshore spot you want to fish!
Why: Take a chance at winning some prizes, and do some good for fishery science. Get involved - go fishing and log your catch!
How: Sign up for iAngler Tournament (create a username and password). Then register for the tournament of your choice!
Did you know? The Angler Action Program has already logged over 33,000 fish. Anglers are making a difference, and you can too by simply logging your catches.Bill Clutter, one of the anglers who won the DOA lure kit from a random drawing among anglers, agreed with the other anglers. “It’s not about the prizes here, it’s about collecting data. This system accomplishes that in such an easy way, you might forget that you are helping scientists learn about our fish.”
Anglers from around the country checked in to see the live leader board for Stars & Stripes last weekend. You can bet the next events will be much bigger!SGF Chairman Capt. Jim Bandy thinks this new form of data collection will fit nicely within the AAP family. “Previously, just about all of the critical data from fishing tournaments either evaporated as soon as the party ended, or was only collected in gross measurements. Now, researchers will get real-time data points of what species are caught, where, and when. This is especially important for catch and release species, because the data on them is almost non-existent.” Bandy points out that because the tournament data is collected in a different format than traditional measures, it won’t be used to make direct comparisons with current fishery models. But he assures that the nature of the data will surely enhance the overall process of fishery assessment, including habitat mapping. “This is a whole new sandbox for scientists to play in. We aren’t competing with scientists, we are helping them. We aren’t fighting current stock assessment models, we are enhancing them. Since our data is protected, it is a win-win for everybody.”Any angler who is able to fish, meaning they have a license if required, can participate in the upcoming fishing tournament,
Carmen Perez-Padron logged a variety of species in the Stars & Stripes, including this nice Florida Keys redfish.and it’s absolutely free. By participating, you will be helping SGF develop the technology as well as contribute to data collection.“Angler involvement is going to be the most important factor in protecting our fisheries for generations to come. The AAP family of programs plugs anglers directly into the process. As more and more anglers participate, we’ll become increasingly powerful as a driving force for conservation.”
Sign up today, and take a few minutes to log a fish in the iAngler Practice Tournament. That way you will be completely ready to hit the water on June 7-8 and start logging data.
SGF note: iAngler-Tournament was created thanks to a very generous contribution from the Fleming Foundation. Also, many thanks to DOA Lures and Reel Swag for their support after a very last minute request! There are some really good peeps out there who care about our fisheries, and SGF appreciates every one of 'em.
It can be hard to choose colors for bass fishing soft plastics. Walking down the bass fishing aisle at any sporting goods store can make your head spin in circles. With endless choices at your fingertips, it’s easy to get carried away. Before you know it, you’ve managed to amass a basket full of baits, and your “quick” shopping trip turns into a major and unexpected expense.
This used to happen to me all the time. I was always afraid of missing out on something. What if I only bought green-pumpkin-colored lizards when the bass really wanted green pumpkin with blue flake? Lord knows I wasn’t about to take the chance, so I’d buy three more packs. It was an endless cycle that left my boat cluttered, my wallet skinny and my mind in knots.
To help you avoid this common problem, we’ve put together a simple guide for choosing colors for bass fishing soft plastics based on the conditions. You can absolutely catch bass on other colors, but this will get you started and put you on the right track for making more informed purchasing and rigging decisions in various situations.
Clear water
It’s important to understand that “clear” is a very relative term in bass fishing. Depending upon geographic location, some anglers consider 30 feet of visibility clear while others believe eight feet of visibility is clear. Remember—it’s just bass fishing, so try not to overcomplicate it. If you think the water is clear, trust your judgment. You can always make adjustments as the day goes on.
When fishing for clear water bass, it’s important to use natural and often translucent colors. These bass are known to spook at the sight of something unnatural, so beginning with some variation of green is an excellent starting point.
- Sunny—Watermelon-colored soft plastics are very effective when fishing clear water, high sky conditions. Clear water allows for more light penetration, allowing these lighter, more translucent colors to blend in seamlessly with the wary bass’ environment. If you’re having trouble getting bites, try using a watermelon-colored soft plastic or other translucent colors like plum or pumpkin with some sort of shiny glitter in it. These little flakes reflect light very well, drawing more attention to your bait and giving the bass a little extra “something” to hone in on.
- Cloudy—When faced with lowlight or cloudy conditions in clear water, using darker hues of green and brown and more opaque colors can produce great results. The bass may have trouble locating those translucent colors due to the lack of light penetration, making green pumpkin-colored soft plastics a great choice. They offer a bit more contrast which allows the bass to find your bait easily. If you’re noticing brief periods of sun throughout the day, it’s never a bad idea to add some purple or blue flake to your presentation.
Dirty water
As we discussed with clear water, “dirty” water is also relative in bass fishing. If the water has somewhat of a brown hue to it, often evident after recent precipitation, darker soft plastic colors catch a lot of great bass. You know your favorite fishing holes better than anyone, so again, trust your judgment and remain open to experimentation.
In dirty water situations, it’s important to use soft plastic baits that will contrast well with the surrounding environment. Dark colors create a more noticeable silhouette that the bass detect easily, therefore increasing your chances of getting bites.
- Sunny—Dirty water has more sediment than clear water, resulting in lower light penetration. Contrary to popular belief, however, bass can still see fairly well in murky water, especially in sunny conditions. Utilizing dark purple and black-colored soft plastics is an excellent way to increase your bait’s visibility and draw bass from nearby cover. Incorporate some type of red or blue glitter in your baits to take advantage of the sunlight .
- Cloudy—Cloudy skies and dirty water can make it difficult to get bites on soft plastic baits, but it’s still very possible. The bass may not be able to see long distances, so you need to make your bait’s silhouette as noticeable as possible. This usually means using black and darker colored baits—or even a combination of the two. Because the bass’ sense of sight is hindered, adding a little scent or even inserting a few glass rattles to your bait can make a big difference.
As you become more comfortable with your soft plastic presentations, you’ll find yourself experimenting with different color combinations. It seems as if every fishery has that “special” regional color the bass can’t seem to resist, and you’ll only crack the code by constant trial and error. This guide, however, hopefully makes a great starting point, grows your confidence and spurs additional, more complex color modifications down the road.