Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

The weather system that produced all of the well needed rain in our area this past week has finally moved away and its time to get back to hitting the beaches. Reports from last week were far and few between but my son Randy got out yesterday and had fun chasing schools of jacks from Santa Lucea to Tiger Shores and caught 2 to 5 pounders on a silver spoon. Top water plugs and gold or silver spoons will produce lots of strikes from these hard fighting fish. Offshore dolphin fishermen employ a run-and-gun approach to finding weedlines when they head offshore, and you can use this same type of approach looking for schools of jacks and tarpon during the summer season. Hit the beach access early and take a look before you bring all of your gear from your vehicle and up onto the sand. Diving birds will give you an immediate signal if the bait and predatory fish are there. The cool water is still with us along certain areas from St Lucie Inlet to Fort Pierce Inlet and spanish mackerel will be in the mix also. Catching jacks and mackerel on light tackle is a ball and these fish are spread out along our entire area. If you are going to target catch-and-release snook, throw some swim baits close to shore in the first trough at first light. Work your lures north and south as these great fish will be cruising along the near shore edge. Weeds and cool water were still evident at Tiger Shores and Normandy beaches yesterday so the conditions for whiting and croaker fishing are still a little difficult at certain locations. Find a beach where there are no weeds and you should be able to put some of these in your cooler. Good luck this weekend and catch em up.