Scouting Around Palm Beach/Martin County Area

INSHORE

Though there is still water being released and the water is not as clear as normal, the fishing in the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers has been great. Fishing the west side of the river, just north of the powerlines, anglers using D.O.A. shrimp lures are catching redfish, trout and snook.

The Stuart and Jensen Beach Causeways have been excellent for snook the past week. Anglers using MirrOlure Top Dog lures with heavy rattles are enjoying success. There have also been some monster tarpon caught at night in the same areas. 

At the Jupiter Inlet, anglers are catching bluefish and Spanish mackerel using Krocodile or Gator Spoons.

In the Loxahatchee River, there has been a good tarpon bite with fish from 8 to 20 pounds. The key to finding them has been locating the schools of mullet. 

Along the beaches from South Palm Beach to Pompano Beach, anglers are reporting catching bluefish, jack crevalle, snook, small tarpon, pompano and Spanish mackerel. Live sand fleas or goofy jigs are working well for pompano up to 4 pounds. Cut mullet or ladyfish chunks on the bottom or casting spoons, plugs or lures in the early morning have been working well for the other species. Anglers at the Boynton Inlet are catching slot-sized redfish, jack crevalle, ladyfish and a few flounder. For flounder, use live shrimp with a half-ounce red jig head around the south wall of the inlet during slack tide. On the flats and docks around Ocean Ridge and Manalapan, there has been plenty of action.

Bluefish, spotted sea trout, redfish, ladyfish, barracuda, black-tip sharks, snook, tarpon, sheepshead and snapper have all been biting. A combination of live shrimp, herring or mullet as well as fishing Bucktail Jigs, top-water plugs or slow-trolling small spoons are producing good results.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

Though the water level is high, the bass bite is still good. No longer confined to early in the morning, they are biting throughout the day. Both live shiners and artificial baits are working, but shiners have been the better call recently. Anglers fishing in areas of moving water, however, are getting good results using Rat-L-Trap and crankbait lures. Also, if fishing over submerged grassbeds, jerkbait lures are working well. The bluegill and the speckled perch bite is still working with the best baits being crickets and worms for bluegill and minnows for specs.

report courtesy of Palm Beach Post