Scouting Around-Ft Pierce with Capt. Joe Ward

Look for the water temps to start cooling down as the fronts start to move in from the north. As this happens look for the Ft. Pierce Inlet to come alive with spanish mackerel, bluefish and plenty of jacks. Along with those fish there will be plenty of sharks. The bait of choice will be anything shinny like a small Clark spoon or a Gulfstream Flash jig. Most of these fish will be easy to find as they will be on top feeding on the small bait fish. Also along the Inet look for a good push of pompano working their way to the river. Try a Doc's Goofy jig tipped with a piece of shrimp. Or you can use a clam strip or a sandlfea in fish it on the bottom using a pompano rig. Look for croakers, black drum and sheepshead to start showing up in numbers and they will be taking shrimp fished on the bottom around the docks or any structure. Try using a 1/4oz. trol-rite hook fished on a 20 pound fluorocarbon leader. Now up on the flats things will slow down some. Most of the trout will move to the deeper pockets and to the channel. Try using a live shrimp either free lined with a small #2 circle hook or a small 1/16oz. jig head. As the day heats up the fish will move up onto the shallow water then you will need to use a plastic bait live a D.O.A. Shrimp or a C.A.L. Bait fished very slow. The snook season will come to a close on the 15th but, for the first 15 days of December look for good action around the local bridges. Most of the fish caught will be on live baits like a mullet, pilchard or a greenie. But, a Flair Hawk in 1&1/2 oz. or 2oz. will also be a good option. The bite at the South Jetty for snook, redfish, snapper and bluefish has been about the best thing going.