Palm Beach Report

Black drum and sheepshead seem to have taken over the beaches of the Treasure Coast. They’re also showing up in the inlets and in the Indian River. Pompano are also showing up on the beaches, but to catch them, you’ll likely have to throw out to the second sandbar.

The trout and redfish bite has been good in the Indian River, and the good news is, you don’t have to be on the water too early. In fact, the best action seems to be a couple hours after the sun rises and the water warms up a bit. The bite on the west side of the river has improved as the winds have shifted and subsided.

There are still plenty of snook at the bridges, especially at night, and some monsters have been hooked at the Roosevelt Bridge.

Pompano are biting at the Hobe Sound Public Beach.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish are being caught in the surf along Jupiter.

In the Intracoastal Waterway, ladyfish, jacks, bluefish, and lane and mangrove snapper are biting throughout the day near bridges. There are still some snook around as well.

Some bluefish, jacks and Spanish mackerel were reported on the beaches and in the Intracoastal in central and southern Palm Beach County, but certainly not big numbers.

FRESHWATER

The winds have calmed around Lake Okeechobee, which has made it easier to fish the outside edges and back in the grass. This is good news because these are the areas that are holding the best bass.

You can catch fish just about anywhere you go on the lake, best the best and most consistent action is definitely on the outside. Big numbers of bass were being caught this week, and several weighing more than 7 pounds were reported.

There’s a bite all day long, and live shiners seem to be working a little better than artificial lures; although you can’t go wrong either way.

All reports indicate that this is going to be an excellent season on the Big O.