Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

There’s still a decent pompano bite along the beaches in Martin and St. Lucie Counties.

In the St. Lucie River best bets are working the docks, bridge pilings and channel edges for black drum, redfish and sheepshead. With the west winds lately the west side of the river along Indian River Drive has been a good option.

Along the beaches, up to Hobe Sound, there have been good numbers of pompano, bluefish and Spanish mackerel.

In the Loxahatchee River, bluefish, ladyfish, jack crevalle, a few pompano and even a few flounder are being caught along the docks, bridge pilings and channel edges.

Surf fisherman working the beaches between Boynton Inlet and the Lake Worth Pier said the action has been slow the past week. They’ve been catching some small whiting on cut shrimp and a few jack crevalle hitting surface plugs and poppers in the early morning.

Anglers fishing the north jetty at the Boynton Inlet reported catching mangrove, dog and schoolmaster snapper using live shrimp and small live sand perch for bait. Also, sheepshead up to eight pounds have been taken using live crabs during incoming tide along the inside of the north jetty.

Fishing live shrimp on eighth-ounce jig heads and casting root beer grub tails on quarter-ounce Cotee jigs has been producing spotted sea trout, mangrove snapper, snook and a few redfish for anglers working the docks around Ocean Ridge, Hypoluxo Island and Manalapan.

There were some small blacktip sharks caught by anglers fishing large chunks of mullet around the Lantana Bridge. Also sheepshead and large pinfish have been hitting shrimp and clam strips.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE:

Despite the cooler weather the bass fishing has been good using live shiners. If going with an artificial, however, Senkos and small creature baits have been effective. Top spots have been the J&S Canal/Henry Creek area and King’s Bar.

Though still not red hot, the spec bite has started to pick up. Anglers using minnows and working the Indian Prairie Canal and the Kissimmee River in depths of 8 to 14 feet are having the best luck.

OTHER FRESHWATER FISHING:

Working the canal system along the Turnpike, 441 and the Arthur Marshall Conservation Area, anglers are catching largemouth and peacock bass and some pickerel.

In Lake Osbourne they are also catching largemouth and peacock bass as well as sunshine bass, black crappie and clown knifefish. Fishing live bait including shad, shiners and minnows around lilly pads, thick weed edges and bridges is a best bet.