To the angler who loves to fish the beaches, shores, jetties, bridges and piers of Florida.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
Inshore anglers experienced a mixed bag around boyscout island with snook, jacks, and bluefish. Trout were chewing again up near little mud creek on the flat out in from of big mud creek. Big sheepheads have been caught on the fpl pilings and older docks, bring a small shovel with you to scrap some of the barnacles off and then drop a live shrimp down.
Sebastian Inlet Report
We have a gorgeous morning at the inlet. Winds are blowing out of the West at 4 mph, gusting to 5 and the water has a light chop. There's plenty of sunshine predicted for today and no NOAA advisories, get out and wet a line!
We are seeing the same cast of characters making appearances at the inlet. Lots of Jacks and Blues, Spanish Mackerel have started showing up, good sized Sheepshead, a few Black Drum, Reds, Trout, Pompano are in the mix as well. Some mid-sized Flounder have been landed on the south side.
Our first photo today features Glen Rathburn of Orange, MA. Glen was on a fishing trip with two other friends from Massachusetts and they landed some nice fish during their visit.The men were bringing in Bluefish after Bluefish and having a great time. Glen landed this one, along with many others using live shrimp.
Photo two was also take on the north jetty. Chuck Melton of Kissimmee was using live shrimp to land this pretty Sheepshead.
Dave Hartwell is featured in our last photo today. Dave landed this Black Margate off the north jetty on, along with some big Sheepshead.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Springtime Cleaning Tips for a Fishing Rod
When my wife asks why my rod seems to be filthy, or she notices a rusty Owner hook and lets me have it between the eyes, I have the perfect excuse.
To clean your rod, you have to get to all of it. The place most likely to corrode is underneath the reel on the reel seat. This is especially true on rods used for saltwater fishing, but fresh water sitting there and drying out leaves the minerals on the surface. Minerals from freshwater do not corrode metal nearly as fast as salt water, but it corrodes.
Check the guides. Once you have cleaned them with alcohol on the cotton swabs, go back to the tip and working back use a dry one to run the inside rings of each guide. See if the swap gets caught. If it does, that is a nick in the guide that will eventually break your line or leader. They scratch the line and damage it in ways that are not reparable by cutting a few inches or feet or yards off the end. Make sure there were no edges or kinks in the rings themselves. If there are, have it repaired. It will result in you losing the perfect fish at the perfect time. And when the line lets go you will remember this article. And kick yourself.
If those tarpon are gonna start swimming that light line along the Skyway Bridge like they have since the bridge was built, and those snook are gonna start balling in the big passes we enjoy, or those largemouth bass are gonna be sitting in those freshwater beds like they did when Tobago Indians made hooks from deer bone and weights from heated coral, I should really clean my side of the road. I better do a maintenance checkup on my stuff.
Maintaining Tackle as a Way of Life
When my wife asks why my rod seems to be filthy, or she notices a rusty Owner hook and lets me have it between the eyes, I have the perfect excuse.
"I let that hook rust for a photo shoot," I tell her.
She knows I am full of bovine discard (crap), but I actually convince myself that when I finally write a story about how you are supposed to care for your gear, I could use those rusted $4 toys as props for my Nikon to show people what not to do. Do not laugh. If you are one of those completely tight and perfect anglers who keep a man around to clean your boat like Senators pay for elevator men with our tax dollars, that is cool with me.
I understand why captains have actually left the business because they felt their boats and rods and every lure needed sterile room perfection to be seen by their clients and there simply was not enough time in the day. I really do. I have friends that clean the inside curve of every hook on every lure they use with a q-tip when they take it from the box, and again once they tie it on a leader. They keep a dehydrator on their boat so those Mirrodines go back in that same tackle box cleaner than a government black-site handling smallpox. It is OK if your stuff is already perfect, and we will not take it personally if you ignore the rest of the article.
Our stuff? It always needs help. Here are a few things you should pay attention to if you want to keep your rods perfect, or as nearly perfect as your personality will allow you to spend time achieving. You do not need to be embarrassed if your stuff is in bad need of help because our stuff looks just as bad as yours.
But spring is here. Spring means feeds, and feeds mean bites. Bites lead to pulls, pulls lead to tasty fish on your dinner table, and the circle remains unbroken.
Techniques for Spring Cleaning a Rod
You gotta' also take care of your reels but that is for another story and a video or three. But let's talk about caring for your fishing rods. You can go through this list every single time you use a rod. It is not a bad idea. But we only do it once in a while. First, we always rinse everything with a gentle spray of fresh water. And when we say gentle we mean gentle! Dripping works. Do not spray hard or you will force garbage into the reel's interior. Do not force water into the reel with a hard spray.
Items You'll need:
- Cotton swabs. We call them Q-tips too.
- Alcohol
- Bees wax (best) or a candle
- A hose set to gently spray fresh water. Do not force water into reels or reel seats or anywhere the pressure might leave residue or sand grains.
- Soap such as Dawn dish detergent.
- A bucket filled with clean water to dip the reel in when you remove it from the rod.
Clean the Rod Without the Reel on It
Remove the lures, squeeze off the dried and mummified baitfish or rope-like earthworms from the hooks, clip them off,, and retrieve all the line to your reel. If there is a connector lip – and most spinning reels have them –secure the loose line. If you have no lip, use a rubber band. Dip it thoroughly in clean fresh water three times, and put it aside to dry for now.
Wash the Reel Seat
A soft brush is best for cleaning the real seat. Use soapy water and brush it out. The feet of the reel sits below a cup on the connection. Make sure you wash it underneath the lip. Like everything you touch during the cleanup, wash it three times with fresh water.
Clean the Ferrules
If the rod is two (or more) parts, it has a male connection and a female connection. Rinse them well with soapy water and make sure you rinse them well. Clean the female with a Q-tip soaked in a little alcohol. There is a good chance you will see dirt on the cotton.
This is where the bee's wax comes in -- rub some on your fingers and rub all the surfaces of the male ferrule, and insert it slowly into the female connection. Pull the two apart and apply a little more wax on the male connector. The connection where the rod is glued to the actual ferrule might have an almost invisible ledge; make sure it is clean and has a little wax in it. You can click your fingernail on the edge and feel it. It is where the ferrule will begin to rust if you do not keep the rod clean. Higher end fly rods with bamboo rods and metal ferrules are particularly prone to a buildup at the ferrule.
Clean the Guides
Use a Q-tip and alcohol to clean each guide – both inside the ring and at the connection where the tread connects it to the rod blank. There is an edge inside the guides that can – and does – hold material. Clean them out. Run the insides of each guide with the alcohol and blow on it gently to dry it. Be careful not to leave any cotton threads at the connection points. If it catches a piece of that cotton, it will catch dirt.
Check the Guides for Nicks or Scratches
Springtime means feed times and here in Florida, as in most of our beautiful nation, the fish are turning on. Try this simple approach to cleaning your rods, and do it without the reels on them to make sure you clean the whole thing and do it correctly.
Sebastian Inlet Report
We have a beautiful morning at the inlet. Winds have calmed down significantly since the weekend. This morning winds are blowing out of the West-Northwest at 1 mph, gusting to 3 and the water has a light chop. Winds are predicted to pick up this afternoon, but we have abundant sunshine in the forecast. Looks like a great day to get out and enjoy the great outdoors!
Tommy Turowski at the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop reported a good weekend at the inlet. Saturday was very good with lots of Blues, Jacks and Spanish Mackerels taking spoons. They were coming over the rails non-stop. A smattering of other species rounded out the catches. Good sized Sheepshead, Black Drum, Spotted Trout and Pompano were also in the mix. Sunday, the same fish were in play but there weren't as many landed.
Our first photo today features Angel Arencivia of Miami. Angel was fishing the north jetty with his grandson, they were having great luck catching Blues using lures. Angel is holding two of many they landed
Our second photo features inlet regular "Big Dave" Hartwell with a nice Sheepshead he landed. Dave landed several good sized Sheepshead using sand fleas that morning along with a Black Margate. Dave reported the Trout bite has been very good on the south jetty; he's been using articials, including DOA shrimp, power baits and swim baits.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Sebastian Inlet Report
03-26-15 THURSDAY: BLUES, BLUES AND MORE BLUES, SHEEPSHEAD, TROUT AND LOOKDOWNS
We have a beautiful morning at the inlet. Winds are blowing out of the Southeast at 7 mph, gusting to 9 and there is a moderate chop on the water. We have a chance of showers later today but right now, it's great! There are no NOAA advisories at this time.
We have the Blues. Blues, Blues and more Blues! Yesterday morning there were lots of Bluefish coming over the rails, a few anglers caught fish after fish after fish and most of them were good size. One large Spotted Trout was landed from the north catwalk along with Lookdowns and more BLUES. Several good sized Sheepshead came over the rails, anglers were using sand fleas, clams and shrimp. One Margate was landed as well, but Blues ruled the morning hours on the north jetty.
Our first photo today is courtesy of Dennis Wickens. Dennis sent in the photo of Brendon Vaughn of New Hampshire. Brendon only had one night to fish the inlet during his visit. The start of the evening brought Jacks and Ladyfish but when the tide turned to outgoing, everyone started landing big, bull Reds from the south jetty. Brendon landed the only slot Red of the night, it was exactly 27". He was using live mullet to land this perfect, multi-spotted, slot Red.
Photo two features Logan Langston. Logan fished the early morning shift on the north jetty when he landed this huge C/R Redfish around 2:00 a.m. Logan reported that everyone on the jetty was surprised with the size of this monster, it almost looked prehistoric! The Red was released unharmed right after the photo.
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
Palm Beach/St Lucie Report
INSHORE
Bluefish are everywhere along the beaches of the Treasure Coast. There are also plenty of whiting and croaker in the mix.
Snook are showing up in the surf as well — live bait is working best.
There are big trout and small snook in the Indian River near the powerplant. If you’re after larger or slot-size snook, the best action is still around the bridges.
Snook are starting to show up at the beaches in Jupiter, and there are a lot of big jacks (up to 25 pounds) around.
There are definitely pompano in the area as well, but they are on the move. They don’t stay in one spot for long, so for the best results, find milky/cloudy water.
Snook are chewing around the bridges in the Intracoastal Waterway. While the best fishing is still at night, there has been decent action during the day.
Bluefish have returned to the surf in Palm Beach and Boynton Beach, and are also being caught in the Intracoastal. Snook are also being reported, and the numbers have increased (pretty significantly) around the bridges. Fishing around dock lights has also been effective.
Jacks are holding around the Boynton Beach Inlet.
FRESHWATER
The best bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee has been in the morning this week, although good numbers of fish were caught throughout the day. On the southern end of the lake, East Wall has been a hot spot.
Anglers fishing the outside edges and back in the grass are having the most success. Also, live shiners continue to be the preferred bait. You can definitely catch bass with artificial lures, but the shiners are producing bigger fish and larger numbers.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Sebastian Inlet Report
We have another morning of overcast skies with a good chance of rain. Winds are blowing out of the Northwest at 5 mph, gusting to 8 and the water is calm. There are no NOAA advisories this morning.
The bite has been sporadic but for the patient angler some nice fish have come over the rails. We've seen some nice Sheepshead hit any type of crustacean or jig tipped with the same. Sand fleas and small crabs are sure to do the trick, but shrimp and clams work too. If you are targeting Sheepshead, fish around pilings, docks or any kind of structure. If there are barnacles on the pilings, try scraping them off and creating a little chum in the water, it's sure to attract them. We've seen Jacks and Bues, and a few Mackerel, Trout, Reds, Pompano and Bonnetheads.
Our first photo features Steven Walker of Cocoa. Steven fished the north jetty early morning shift and landed this huge 47" Red using mullet at 3:00 a.m. What a monster! Steven released the Red right after the photo.
Photo two is courtesy of winter resident Rich Blum. Rich fished the south beach on Sunday morning and had a feeling it was going to be a great day, but no such luck. Rich landed two small Pompano, one Whiting and nine Bonnetheads, the largest was around 40". He's decided he's off to the fish market or he's going to find a good recipe for Bonnetheads!
Monday, March 23, 2015
Mark your calendars, cancel the doctors appointment, get a babysitter, whatever you have to do to make it to Kayak Fishing with the Pro's next Saturday. This is just a peek of the FREE GEAR to be given away at the event. All you have to do is show up and you could win one of these great gifts. As a bonus, the first person to correctly tag ALL of the sponsors in this photo in their response will receive a extra gift. It's on.......
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Sebastian Inlet Report
03-23-15 MONDAY: SHEEPSHEAD, JACKS, BLUES, LADYFISH, A FEW SPANISH MACKEREL, SNOOK AND REDS
We have overcast skies at the inlet this morning and good chance of rain today. The cloud cover is keeping the heat down, the weekend was very hot. Winds are blowing out of the Southwest at 5 mph with gusts to 10. The little bit of wind is keeping the no see 'ums away.
Tommy Turwoski at the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop reported a good variety of species came over the rails this weekend, but nothing in large numbers. The most prevalent species were Sheepshead, we certainly can't complain about that! Tommy said there were small numbers of Jacks, Blues, a few Spanish Mackerel and Pompano, Snook, Reds and Trout.
Our first photo today features inlet regular Richard Pearce of Vero Beach. Richard landed this enormous Black Drum off the north jetty using live shrimp. Richard said he had a great time landing this big fish and with the help of Lee of Melbourne on the net, he was able to bring it up for a photo. He estimated the Drum weighed 40 lbs.
Our second photo features Nigel Figuerres of Sebring. Nigel was fishing the south jetty using an Xrap 10 Rapala lure. Nigel needed the weight to offset the wind, but not so large the fish wouldn't take it. He had a few hits fishing the evening shift around 6:30, but he only landed the big Ladyfish in the photo. He estimated it to be around 20". Nigel had heard the Jacks were biting well earlier in the day.
Friday, March 20, 2015
From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce
Warm, sunny weather has arrived around the Treasure Coast and it has been a welcome change! It has been wonderful to enjoy sunny Florida like we know it. It seems the fish have taken a liking to the conditions as well. No more talk about cool water and all that wintertime jargon. Spring is here and it's time to enjoy the exciting fishing action around the area!
It's that time of year for the big sea trout on the grass flats. They are hungry and ready to eat. Try a DOA Bait Buster on the flats, your favorite top water lure or live bait. This it the time of year to find those thirty inch trout lurking on the flats. We have caught all our big trout in the middle of the day on the flats. The snook bite has been picking up for us as the water temperatures warmed up. Early morning can find them ready to feed. Live bait or the DOA Bait Buster are great choices this time of year. We are still getting redfish around the mangroves along with lots of small snapper and juvenile snook. You can find mackerel coming in with the tide and they have been nice sized ones lately. Snapper and sheepshead are still hanging on the docks and bridges. Big jacks are all over the river chasing bait schools. It's a wonderful time of year to enjoy the fishing!
It's easy to get sunburned this time of year so make sure you use plenty of sunscreen. Keep yourself hydrated while on the water and have a fantastic spring fishing season!
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
THE REDFISHING CONTINUES TO BE GOOD IN NORTHERN FT PIERCE AND SOUTH VERO, AS WELL AS SNOOK. SOFT PLASTICS, ESPECIALLY JERK BAITS AND PADDLE TAILS HAVE BEEN THE TICKET TO SUCCESS FOR THESE CRITTERS. TROUT FISHING IS GETTING HOT SOUTH IN THE RIVER, MOSTLY AROUND THE DOCKS ON THE EAST SIDE. THE DOCKS HAVE ALSO BEEN PRODUCTIVE WITH SNOOK ALSO WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE ACTION TAKING PLACE SOUTH OF THE POWERLINES. SUERTE
Sebastian Inlet Report
03-20-15 WELCOME SPRING! FISHING IS PICKING UP!
We have another lovely morning at the Sebastian Inlet. Winds are blowing out of the South-Southwest at 4 mph, gusting to 6 and there is a moderate chop on the water. The no see 'ums have been relentless the last couple of days due to little or no wind. Be sure to take insect repellent if you head to the inlet today or over the weekend. We are experiencing extreme tides due to the spring equinox.
The bite has picked up at the inlet. The water is warming up and more species are finding their way to our inlet anglers. Tommy Turowski at the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop reported that a couple of real nice Pompano were landed in the surf yesterday, it's getting to be that time of year. The Sebastian Inlet State Park will be holding a surf fishing seminar on April 11th from 1:00 to 3:00, take advantage of the Ranger's firsthand knowledge and pick up some pointers.
Winter resident and inlet regular Rich Blum of Vero Beach sent in an update on yesterday's activities off the north jetty. He reported muddy water running on the outgoing tide which brought a lot of Catfish with it. Rich reported that a lot of Sheepshead were caught off the north jetty and north catwalk along with a few large Spanish Mackerel. Rich landed one Flounder off the end of the north jetty, which is an unusual spot. Rich said the highlight and most painful part of the day was watching the anglers on nearby boats landing Snook after Snook. Rich said it was a beautiful day to be on the jetty and he took home enough Flounder for a sandwich!
We also received an update from inlet regular Mike Ricciardi who reported the afternoon Snook bite was incredible. Two Snook were C/R at 24 and 27.5", five were lost and two that were in the slot at 30" and 31.5" were caught. Mike is holding the 30" in photo two.
Our first photo today is courtesy of Steven Walker of Cocoa which features father and son Owen and Caleb of Jacksonville. Steven and his friend Logan fished the inlet Tuesday night when they ran into and spoke with Caleb and his dad. They had been out fishing in a boat, but had only landed one Jack. Steven and Logan invited them to join them at the end of the north jetty if they wanted. Later, just as Caleb and Owen were coming to meet them, Steven's line got slammed with his second Red of the night. Steven let Caleb take the pole and he had a great time fighting this monster and he brought it all the way to the jetty by himself!
Our third photo features Prentiss Collette of Orlando. Prentiss fishes the north jetty once a week and reported last Thursday there were tons of Blues in the water. Approximately 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. there were large schools of huge Jacks about 30 - 40 yards out and it was great sight fishing those big guys using a spoon. Prentiss landed two of the bad boys at 27" and 28". Fun times!
Palm Beach Report
The beaches of the Treasure Coast are loaded with whiting and croaker, and the pompano bite heats up at the top of the incoming tide and during the first of the outgoing tide.
Snook are making a better presence in the Indian River. While they can always be found around bridges and docks, especially at night, they are now being caught in the flats as well. As the water continues to warm up, so should the snook bite.
Big trout are being caught on the east side of the river.
Pompano are biting on the beaches of Jupiter when the water is choppy.
The snook action has been excellent in the Intracoastal Waterway and Loxahatchee River, and there are ladyfish in the Intracoastal as well.
The only consistent action on the beaches or in the Intracoastal for central and southern Palm Beach County this week has been jacks. You can always try your luck targeting snook around the bridges of the Intracoastal at night
FRESHWATER
It has been another solid week for bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee, especially for those using live shiners. Artificial lures are still productive, but shiners are working far better at this time.
Good numbers of bass are being caught, and it’s not uncommon to reel in a fish weighing more than 5 pounds.
The best bite is still along the outside edges and back in the grass and, fortunately, is lasting throughout the day. However, as it starts to warm up, the window will close, and you’ll want to be out on the water early in the morning.courtesy of The Palm Beach Post
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Sebastian Inlet Report
03-17-15 TUESDAY: JACKS, BLUES, SHEEPSHEAD, BLACK DRUM, TROUT, SNOOK A FEW REDS AND POMPANO
Top o' the mornin' to ye anglers, happy St. Patrick's Day! It's another fantastic morning at the inlet with winds blowing out of the Southwest at 6 mph, gusting to 7 and there is a light chop on the water. We have another great day ahead of us with abundant sunshine and there are no NOAA advisories this morning. What a great day to get out and do a little fishing!
As the air and water temperatures continue to rise, we are seeing more species becoming active. We're seeing quite a few Jacks and Blues, slot Snook, a few Reds and Pompano, Ladyfish, lots of Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Black Drum and a few Flounder. We haven't seen a lot of the big doormats this season; the Flounder have been small to mid size, but still tasty. Be sure to review the FWC rules and regulations at the top of this page to ensure you are in compliance. FWC Officers will issue citations for fish that are out of compliance. Also, make sure your saltwater fishing license is up to date. You can go to www.MYFWC.com and pay for a license online, print out your receipt and fish the same day. A lot of helpful information is also provided on the site.
Our photos today are courtesy of Jordan Kowalak of West Melbourne is of Gavin and Luke a nice variety of fish they landed on the weekend.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Sebastian Inlet Report
We have a beautiful morning at the Sebastian Inlet. Winds are blowing out of the North-Northeast at 11 mph, gusting to 14 and there is a light chop on the water. It looks like we have a real nice week ahead of us, get out and wet a line!
From the photos and updates we've received and after speaking with Tommy Turowski at the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop, it looks as if we have a good variety of species making their way in and out of the inlet. We received photos of big Jacks, Blues, Ladyfish and Flounder and Tommy reported that the Sheepshead bite went off over the weekend with some real nice fish landed. Tommy also reported an enormous Black Drum weighing about 50 lbs. came over the rails of the north jetty along with slot Snook, a few Reds and Spanish Mackerel.
Our first photo today features Vern Chuba of Youngstown, OH with a 24" Black Drum he landed off the north catwalk using shrimp. Vern's young son Joshua is taking mental notes for future fishing adventures with his Dad.
Sally Baughman of Jackson Hole, WY sent in our second photo of an unidentified angler measuring his Snook on the north jetty.
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
Inshore the trout fishing has started to pick up with some nice fish around middle cove to the power plant soft baits have produced well.The jetty in Ft. pierce and Sebastian have produced well for snook and reds at night on jigs on the out going tide.The pompano fishing has been ok around J.C. park on the incoming tide.
Friday, March 13, 2015
From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce
Spring is in the air! It might still be on the windy side, but the warm weather is welcome for most anglers around the Treasure Coast. I finally got to pack away those long pants and shoes that my body just don't enjoy. March will continue to be on the windy side, but we have been able to find plenty of areas to enjoy the fishing and the fish are biting, too. Water temps are back in the mid 70's and life is wonderful on the water!
Redfish have been hanging in the usual places around the river. Docks, grass flats and mangroves are all productive now. We have been using DOA CAL jerk baits on the grass flats for trout. Try the paddle tail around the mangroves for redfish. Top water lures are working in the early mornings now and you will get some nice action now that the water is back to the 70's again. Jacks, ladyfish, mackerel and a host of other fish are in the river and will give you lots of action. There are still nice drum and sheepshead around the docks and bridges. We are seeing some nice keeper snapper again. March is always a super month to enjoy the fishing on the Treasure Coast.
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
Spooltek lures have been the bait of choice for Snook at the jetty and spillways using a lighter leader helps produce more bites with the 80lb steel leader hidden in the body of the spooltek is the way to go with the water cleaning up! The Trout bite has still been strong around the middle cove using the MirrOlure 7M18 green or black back.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Palm Beach Report
courtesy of Palm Beach Post
The best beach fishing along the Treasure Coast this week has been croaker. There are some pompano around, but it has been inconsistent.
The snook fishing has also picked up in and around the St. Lucie Inlet.
Trout are biting throughout the Indian River. It seems there are more fish on the east side, but the bigger catches are coming from the west side. Redfish are also chewing on the west side.
Snook are not only showing up in better numbers, but they are now easier to locate. While you can still find them around bridges and docks, they’re also showing up in the flats.
Croaker and whiting are thick along the beaches of Jupiter, and there are some bluefish and pompano in the area. There has been a good pompano run when the winds are out of the southeast. Cut clams are working best for bait.
In the Intracoastal Waterway, ladyfish, snapper, croaker, lake croaker and pompano are all being reported from Marker 46-42.
There has been a great snook bite in the Loxahatchee River. The water has warmed up and, as a result, the snook action is red hot! Bridges and docks have been the best spots, as you’d expect.
There are still some snook being caught around bridges and docks at night in the Intracoastal in central and southern Palm Beach County. There are some jacks and black drum in the mix as well.
FRESHWATER
The shiner bite has been fantastic for those bass fishing in Lake Okeechobee this week. Those using artificial lures are having some difficulty, but there have been some nice fish caught, including some 6-pounders. A 10-pound bass was reported by an angler fishing with shiners.
If the weather allows, you definitely want to fish the outside edges, but that has been difficult to do lately.
The bass bite is lasting throughout the day, and crappie are also being caught.
courtesy of Palm Beach Post
The best beach fishing along the Treasure Coast this week has been croaker. There are some pompano around, but it has been inconsistent.
The snook fishing has also picked up in and around the St. Lucie Inlet.
Trout are biting throughout the Indian River. It seems there are more fish on the east side, but the bigger catches are coming from the west side. Redfish are also chewing on the west side.
Snook are not only showing up in better numbers, but they are now easier to locate. While you can still find them around bridges and docks, they’re also showing up in the flats.
Croaker and whiting are thick along the beaches of Jupiter, and there are some bluefish and pompano in the area. There has been a good pompano run when the winds are out of the southeast. Cut clams are working best for bait.
In the Intracoastal Waterway, ladyfish, snapper, croaker, lake croaker and pompano are all being reported from Marker 46-42.
There has been a great snook bite in the Loxahatchee River. The water has warmed up and, as a result, the snook action is red hot! Bridges and docks have been the best spots, as you’d expect.
There are still some snook being caught around bridges and docks at night in the Intracoastal in central and southern Palm Beach County. There are some jacks and black drum in the mix as well.
FRESHWATER
The shiner bite has been fantastic for those bass fishing in Lake Okeechobee this week. Those using artificial lures are having some difficulty, but there have been some nice fish caught, including some 6-pounders. A 10-pound bass was reported by an angler fishing with shiners.
If the weather allows, you definitely want to fish the outside edges, but that has been difficult to do lately.
The bass bite is lasting throughout the day, and crappie are also being caught.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Sebastian Inlet Report
03-11-15 WEDNESDAY: BLACK DRUM, SNOOK, BLUES, SPANSIH MACKEREL, SHEEPSHEAD, SPECKLED TROUT AND JACKS
We have a real pretty morning at the inlet. Winds are blowing out of the Southeast at 9 mph, gusting to 11 and there is a moderate chop on the water. The forecast is calling for a mix of sun and clouds with a chance of rain and winds picking up this afternoon. There are no NOAA advisories this morning.
With the air and water temperature rising, we are seeing more activity at the inlet. The water is still pretty chilly but it's beginning to climb. The good news is that spring is on its way and the cold water will be gone soon. We're seeing a good variety of species making their way in and out of the inlet. Black Drum, Sheepshead, Spanish Mackerel, Blues, Jacks, Speckled Trout and Snook have come over the rails in small numbers but Reds have been shy the past week.
Our two photos today are courtesy of Justin Mercado of Palm Coast. Justin's little brother Michael was home on spring break from Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island and wanted to do a little fishing and just enjoy being out of the cold weather. Justin suggested driving to the inlet as he has never left disappointed. The men used live shrimp to land their Black Drum. Photo one features Michael Mercado with a 24" Drum he took home and had for dinner.
Photo two features big brother Justin Mercado with the "big brother" Black Drum. Justin's Drum was about 36", he didn't keep it out of the water long enough to measure it before he returned the big boy to the sea.