How To Throw A Cast Net Step by Step - Captain Mike / ReelReports

From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

INSHORE-  Tough fishing for the most part inshore right now.  Snook fishing will be the best bet right now on the inshore side of things.  Remember snook season closes June 1st, so just catch and release fishing coming up here for a few months.  Look for the snook to be most active at night around bridges and docklights.  Mangrove snapper action has began to improve on the inshore side of things.  Small live pilchards and live shrimp will be the best bet for the mangrove snapper.
                                   


SURF/PIER-  The summer doldrums have not fully set in along the beach just yet.  A fair number of very late season pompano are still hanging around.  The Juno Beach Pier has been producing a fair number of smaller pompano, along with a few keepers, most mornings.  Doc's Goofy Jig remains the best lure choice for the pompano.  Along the beach the best surf action for pompano has been up towards Hobe Sound Beach.   Sandfleas and clams will be the bait of choice for the pomps up that way.  Snook fishing, while not on fire, has been heating up along the beach.  Early morning and again late in the afternoon will be best for the snook.  If your trying to sight fish for the snook, aim for a high tide in the afternoon for best results. The snook are also filling into Jupiter and Palm Beach Inlets in fair numbers ahead of the upcoming spawning season.  Live croakers,  when you can find them, will be best bait in the inlet for the snook.  Still a good number of sharks hanging around u to the north of Hobe Sound as well along the beach.  

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

The weekend is upon us and do not think the wind and wave forecast for our local beaches is a mistake. It appears we are going to get a wind shift to the southwest and we should see improving conditions. I took a ride this afternoon after work and looked at Tiger Shores, Normandy, and Blue Heron and the weed situation that has kept the surf fishing almost impossible is definitely improving. The southwest flow should push the remaining weed patches offshore and make for some great surfcasting opportunities. Whiting, croaker, jacks, ladyfish, snook -which will become a catch and release species on Saturday, and tarpon should be roaming the St. Lucie and Martin County beaches. There will probably be a few pompano taken also but a lot of those will be undersized and have to be released. This is the time of year to have an extra rod rigged and ready to go with a 3/0 or 4/0 circle hook to liveline a live croaker for the snook and tarpon. Remember the snook will have to be released on June 1 so get them to the beach and back into the water as quickly as possible. As the water continues to warm and bait schools move down the beaches ,a ladyfish head fished on the bottom on a CP Rig or a sliding sinker rig will bring some unbelievable strikes from the tarpon that are moving into our local waters. Orange Clam, Bloodworm, Pink Shrimp Fishbites , along with cut shrimp will be the baits to use to catch a bunch of whiting and croakers for those looking for some great fish dinners. The whiting and croaker will be moving into the near shore trough so don't overcast these fish . 10 to 20 yards will be the area to fish so check your tide charts as the hours around high tide will produce the best action. Break out the 7 foot rods, sunscreen, a cooler with ice, Fishbites , and lots of water to keep you hydrated and get out and have some fun. 

From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart

The Indian River Lagoon continues to fish well, with Snook and Redfish being taken on shorelines and flats where the water is clean, both on spin and fly. The ever reliable soft plastics, such as Gulp Shrimp, and flies such as sliders and Polar Fibre baitfish are doing the bulk of the catching. There are still fair numbers of Seatrout, but not as many big fish as in the Spring. In the surf, the major weed problems of the weekend are dissipating, and the calmer conditions ahead should lead to some pretty good fishing, as Snook have continued to head to the beaches with the warm temps we’ve had.

I Have a Degree in Catching Pinfish, 3 Proven Methods That Work

From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart

There have been more than enough big Jacks cruising the Beach, big poppers, divers, live Mullet and Pilchards will get you the bite. The Snook have started moving out to the Inlet and Beach, live Pilchards are your best bet but fly and small artificial lures will also produce. There have been a few Tarpon in the St Lucie but they seem to have moved around, You can find them scattered throughout the South Fork.

Tiny Lures for Stubborn fish on Dock Lights - Trout and Snook Fishing

From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

INSHORE- Last weekend to invite a slot size snook home for dinner...get on it!   SNook fishing has been a bit off this week, with no solid reports to speak of.  A few snook are being caught around the bridges and some are being picked away at in Jupiter and Palm Beach Inlets.  Live sardines, pilchards, croakers,  small grunts, and pinfish are all good bait choices for the snook in the inlets.  Other inshore reports (not uncommonly for this time of year) remain very slow.  Get out and fish early or late in the day for best luck inshore.  

SURF/PIER-  Snook are beginning to show up along the beach, but not in huge numbers yet.  Large amounts of seaweed along the beach has made fishing for them tough.  The Juno Beach Pier has been producing a fair number of snook, but they are biting inconsistently at best.  A few good pompano reports coming in from Hobe Sound Beach.  A lot of short pompano around, with a handful of keepers in the mix to make it worth trying.  Croaker and whiting are biting fresh shrimp in the first trough.  A few jacks and tarpon along the beach.  East winds could make fishing a bit tough this weekend.  

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

 INSHORE FISHING

Along the beaches in the Jensen area, snook and tarpon are being caught.

The whiting and croaker bite has remained consistent, but there has been lots of grass to contend with.

In the Indian River, they are catching sea trout and redfish up near Fort Pierce.

In the St. Lucie River, it’s all about snook. Anglers working the bridges and docks are doing well with live pilchards. At night, jigs are working as well as floating live crabs through the shadow lines.

At the Boynton Inlet, there are snook on the inside of the sandbar during the incoming tide and tarpon cruising over the sandbar when the water is clear.

The Intracoastal Waterway in Boynton has been teeming with life lately. On the flats by Beer Can Island, they are catching bonefish on jigs tipped with shrimp during the first few hours of the outgoing tide. Along the docks, there have been lots of small tarpon, snook, moonfish and a few jack crevalle. Fly fisherman using epoxy shrimp flies or epoxy minnow flies are having a blast.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

The bass fishing has been a bit up and down the past few days. Live shiners are working well. For artificial, spinner baits, swim jigs, poppin frogs and Zoom Speed Worms, in either copper or white colors, have been working well early in the morning.

With the windy conditions the east side of the lake will be the best bet, but boaters should be careful with the low lake level.

ADVICE ON BUYING SURF FISHING RIGS

Sebastian Inlet Report

                                                         

BITE HAS PICKED UP AND ANGLERS HAVE A Few Days LEFT TO BRING IN SNOOK

From our friend Sarah at Sebastian Inlet Bait & Tackle it is top to bottom, crystal clear out there…perfect conditions so get out there if you can!

The bite has really picked up.  You’ll find Snook off the North Jetty biting on live shrimp.  There’s some Permit out there too.  Cobia have been spotted schooling under the Rays and they’ll hit finger mullet, live shrimp or lure.  The Snapper are starting to show up too and live shrimp is your best bet there.  Anglers are still bringing in Redfish on big buck tails, mullet and shrimp.

Featured as our angler of the week, one of the jetty regulars Stephanie Lindgren showing off the first Permit she caught EVER – off the North Jetty.  Check out her personal fishing and hunting guide service The Saltiest Sweet Spot.

We want to thank our men and women of the military for their serve as we look forward to Memorial Day!  Sarah is looking forward to helping all of our weekend anglers and veterans reel ‘em in..  Go see her for tips on where to find the best action!

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

I had a great trip today with Anthony Gonzalez from Jensen Beach. Its always great to take someone fishing that enjoys fishing the surf as much as I do. Our catch rate was held down due to the increasing and never ending supply of weeds that keep blanketing our beaches. Its 8 pm and if the weeds had not chased us from Blue Heron Beach, we might still be there. We managed to put 4 nice pompano and some large whiting in the cooler for the fish fry that Anthony is planning this weekend. I looked up and down Hutchinson Island this morning for a beach access that was fishable. Blue Heron was somewhat fishable early in the afternoon but the increasing easterly wind kept pushing the weeds toward shore. EZ Flea, Pink Shrimp, and Orange Clam Fishbites all produced today. There was also a good supply of live sandfleas at Blue Heron and they provided lots of bites also. The wind is forecast to increase tomorrow and back off by the weekend. Hopefully our conditions will improve for this holiday weekend. 

The Hyperlastic Dartspin - World’s Toughest Bait?! - NEW FOR 2019

Epic Multi Species Spillway Fishing + A Surprising New PB

From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

INSHORE:  Snook fishing remains the best bet inshore, and with just a few weeks left in the season now is the time to get after them.  Fishing the bridges at night with a Flair Hawk Jig or bigger Swimbait is a solid choice, especially if your looking to catch a slot size snook.  Those looking to find numbers of snook should target docklights with small jigs and live shrimp.  Good reports of some big jacks cruising ICW and Loxahatchee River seawalls early in the morning.  A loud topwater lure or big live mullet is the way to go for the jacks.  Scattered reports of tarpon in Palm Beach Inlet right now.  A few more reports coming in on the Mangrove snapper in inshore spots as well.  

SURF/PIER:  The Juno Beach Pier (Despite the "T" being closed) has been producing a pretty fair amount of fish this week.  Some solid Spanish Mackerel along with a few scattered Kingfish coming over the rails.  The "Bobber Rig" has been producing a fair amount of bites, as has the crappie jig on calmer days.  The Snook bite slowed a bit at the pier, but a few are still being caught on dead sardines and live baits.  It's not uncommon for the snook to bite very on and off like this early in the season at the pier.  Jupiter Inlet is also beginning to hold a fair number of snook as well.  Live croakers are the best bet for the snook in and around Jupiter Inlet.  Pompano reports didn't completely dry up, but they were much slower this week.  Best reports on the pompano continue to come from north of Jupiter Inlet, with Hobe Sound being a good starting spot.  Some decent schools of tarpon being spotted moving north along the beaches over the past week or so, especially early in the morning.  

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

If anyone had any question about the numbers of species that are available during this late spring surf run, today's catch list will certainly make you a believer. The biggest question that I had was if I was going to have enough terminal tackle and bait to finish the day. What a great problem to have!! The catch list included blue runner, bluefish, ladyfish, jacks, pompano, croaker, whiting, and yes Jeff Smith - bonefish. The pompano fishing was incredible even though I only managed 8 keepers. I was lucky enough to catch and release another 40 plus pompano in the 10-inch range. That percentage is the norm at this time of year, but boy is that a lot of fun. I concentrated on the pompano once I found them and only fished one rod for the whiting, approximately 40 yards from the beach. If you want to concentrate on the whiting, now is the time. EZ Flea, Pink Shrimp, and Orange Clam Fishbites, along with frozen sandfleas and cut shrimp were the baits that produced. On a day like today, tipping your frozen sandflea and cut shrimp baits with a Fishbite will increase your catch rate by a big number. Make sure you have a good supply of bait at this time of year because you do not want to run out. I released all of the bluefish, blue runner, jacks, and bone fish but I know the total fish count had to be around the 100 mark. That's a lot of casting, reeling, and running from pole to pole. What a great way to get some exercise. Spinner sharks became a problem after the tide changed this afternoon and getting a pompano to the beach became a problem. When this happens I reduce the number of poles that I fish because you do not want to give the sharks one fish after another. The reduced number of fish being hooked will usually make the sharks move down the beach and away from their free lunch. I started at Normandy Beach this morning and caught some bluefish, whiting, blue runner, jacks, and one pompano. The action started to slack off as the tide dropped so I headed north . I was asked by a couple of the folks that I fish with to keep today's location under my hat but anyone that knows me knows that's not what I do. I really do enjoy seeing everyone catch fish so hopefully if you are able to hit the beach tomorrow, todays bite was at Middle Cove. No one knows if that body of pompano will still be there tomorrow but at least its a starting point. The beauty of today was there was only one other fisherman there and by the time I left I was the only one. This late spring early summer bite is on so get out and take advantage of some great surf action. 

From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart

Snook fishing in the inlets has been good on live Croakers, and Redfish are being caught at night on bait and jigs. In the surf, Snook continue to show up in close, and are being caught on spoons, jigs, and plugs. There are still a surprising number of Bluefish around, along with solid numbers of Spanish Mackerel, both being caught on spoons. Inshore, baby tarpon are getting active in solid numbers, and there are still plenty of quality Snook on the flats and around docks, mostly caught on live bait and DOA CAL jigs. Redfish have been predictably found in some of the areas with the cleanest water, mostly north of Vero.

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

INSHORE FISHING

There some snook that have made their way to the beaches in the Jensen area. The hot spots though remain the St. Lucie Inlet and the docks and bridges along the St. Luice and Indian Rivers. They are being caught on live pilchards and greenies and on D.O.A. Baitbusters and Yozuri Crystal Minnows.

If you’re looking for a fight, there are still schools of big jack crevalle moving along the beaches.

The whiting and croaker bite is still good on the area beaches.

The snook bite is in full swing in the Jupiter area. The inlet and the Loxahatchee River have been the go to spots. In the river work the seawalls, docks, bridges and mangroves either in the early morning or late afternoon into the evening. For bait use Rapala lures the same size as the mullet in the area, or Red Tail Hawk lures both worked along the bottom.

Though it’s possible a few pompano are still being caught along the beaches in Jupiter and at the Juno Pier, it’s been mostly whiting and croaker.

Anglers working the north jetty of the Boynton Inlet at night are catching snook, permit and tarpon. Live mullet or pinfish fished on the bottom have been producing over slot snook up to 40 inches. Tarpon have been hitting live sardines floated out during outgoing tide. Permit have been eating crabs and whole squid fished on the bottom.

Schools of small sardines and greenies are congregating around the inlet along the tide lines and a few tarpon are cruising over the sandbar during high tide.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

The bluegill bite is fantastic right now. Anglers are having a blast working the Kissimmee River, Indian Prairie Canal and the Rim Canal for these tasty panfish. Crickets and worms are working for live bait, and if using artificial, beetle spins are the key.

The early-morning bass bite has been excellent along the grasslines in the King’s Bar and Tin House Cove areas. Skinny Dippers and Chatterbaits are producing good results and live shiners are also working well.

FRESHWATER

Working the area canals and using topwater plugs such as chug bugs, Heddon Baby Torpedoes, Smithwick Devil’s Horses and buzz baits during the afternoon to dusk in rainy conditions has been producing largemouth bass, peacock bass and snakeheads. Best colors have been all black or frog patterns.

                    

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

The reports I received after getting back in the area reinforced my thoughts about the pompano thinning out and some summer species making it into our area. I fished on Monday at Stuart Beach and only caught two keeper pompano and a few nice whiting. I looked at Middle Cove and Blue Heron after leaving Stuart but the water was somewhat dirty at both spots. I got a call this morning from a fellow commercial pompano fisherman and he put 7 keepers in his cooler before the bite shut off around 830. Stuart Beach was the spot he fished and I was able to throw a couple of lines out late this afternoon at that location but only managed to catch and release two small pompano and one small whiting. I am planning on fishing tomorrow and I am going to start targeting the whiting, croaker, snook, and jacks that will be the mainstay of our summer surf action. I will definitely be setting up a couple of long rods for any pompano schools that are heading north but the 7 foot spinning rods with the Penn 3500 spinfishers will be in the assortment. Orange Clam , Pink Shrimp, and EZ Flea Fishbites , along with some fresh shrimp will be in my bait supply for catching the whiting and croaker. This is fun fishing and schools of these tasty fish will be increasing as the waters warm day by day. Remember to bring a heavier set up and fish a live croaker in the trough as the snook population will be increasing. Its a great time of year to fish our local beaches for a variety of fish and I will be posting some tips, tackle , and techniques to put a nice catch together in the next few posts. 

Keep It Simple SNOOKING...

Benefits of Custom Rods...Part 1

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

                                                                  

INSHORE FISHING:

Along the beaches in the Jensen area, there are still a few pompano around, but the action has been better on croaker and whiting.

There have also been some schools of big jack crevalle ready to give any angler a good workout.

As summer gets closer some snook have made there way out of the inlet and are cruising the beaches.

In the St. Lucie and Indian River the name of the game is snook. Using live pilchards, greenies or mullet and working the bridges and docks has been producing excellent results. One husband and wife caught back-to-back 41″ snook last Thursday.

With the same baits and set up there has also been trout and some redfish taken as bycatch.

Anglers at the Boynton Inlet jetties have reported slow fishing during the day. At night, however, permit are hitting on crabs and snook, tarpon and mangrove snapper are being caught on live shrimp, live pinfish and various jigs including flare hawks and chicken feathers.

On the Lantana Bridge, snook, moonfish, small tarpon and sand perch are being caught on live shrimp and lures like Rapala X-raps and LIVETARGET.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE:

The bass bite around Third and Fourth Point has been excellent lately. Not huge fish, but great numbers. Anglers working the early mornings are catching up to 25 bass. Soft plastic baits like Gambler Big EZ are working well. Around mid-day, flippin’ and pitchin’ creature baits like Zoom Brush Hogs in blacks and blues are producing good results.

Specs are biting in the Kissimmee River. Anglers are fishing depths from 10 to 12 feet and trolling minnows and small jigs.

The bluegill fishing is still good in Indian Prairie Canal. Crickets and red worms in three to four feet of water are working.

MORE FRESHWATER FISHING:

With the recent rains and water flowing into many local canals, there has been good action on largemouth and peacock bass, snakehead and channel catfish. Live shad or shiners are working, as well as Baby Torpedos in black or frog colors.

Looking to catch a few oscars or cichlids? Now is the time! The bite for these fish has been incredible lately on the edge of the Everglades at Holiday Park and in the Holey Land Management Area and in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge at 20-mile bend.

From Capt. Joe Ward @ Capt. Joe's Bait & Tackle Ft Pierce

The inshore bite has been good if you go early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The trout are taking top water baits early then around 8am switch to a live shrimp fished under a popping cork. The snapper are along the channel edges and taking a live shrimp. Still sheepshead and black drum around any structure you can fish. The snook have been the most active in the Ft. Pierce Inlet on the tide changes. A live bait fished on the bottom has been the way to go.

From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

 Snook fishing seems to be heating up pretty good inshore, and should only improve now as we move towards 
spawning season for them.  Bridge fishing at night, especially on an outgoing tide, is the way to go for the snook.  Flair Hawk Jigs, big swimbaits, and shrimp Jigs have all been good choices for the snook right now.  Some jacks pushing around inshore right now along with a handful of tarpon.  Starting to hear of a few more mangrove snapper taking up their summertime homes inshore.                             SURF/PIER-  Nice little push of late season pompano this week along the beach and at the Juno Beach Pier.  Snook fishing continues to improve along the beach and at  the pier as well.  Dead sardines are still working well at the pier, and the snook are also starting to bite the live baits as well.  Fat Spanish Mackerel have been being caught at the Juno Beach Pier as well.  Croaker and whiting are biting fresh shrimp in the first trough.  Some big jacks cruising along the beach right now if your looking for something bigger to pull on.

Sebastian Inlet Report

                             

SEEING MOSTLY SPANISH MACKEREL, JACKS AND BLUES..

Reports have been a bit slow, but we are hearing that you can still bring in Spanish Mackerel, Jacks and Bluefish on the North Jetty.  Some Redfish and Snook on the tide change.  Same, same from last week.  Use the Got-cha lures and spoons for Spanish Mackerel, Jacks and Blues.  Your best bet for Redfish and Snook is minnows and shrimp.  We want to send a special shout out to our friends Tommy and Sarah at Sebastian Inlet Bait & Tackle, and you know why!

Check out these beautiful Reds caught by friends and Sebastian Inlet regulars Luciano, Michael and David – our featured anglers of the week!  They saw several slot Snooks come over the rails, lots of over-sized Reds and when the morning came, they’d reeled in many Jacks and Bluefish too.  These guys also wanted to give a special shout out to another inlet regular Mr. Bob, aka the Snook Whisperer!  Not only did he share his secrets, but he helped all three guys get on the Snook.  Luciano, we thank you for your service!  Really glad you can get some good R&R at Sebastian Inlet!

From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart

Fishing on the beaches has heated up, with Snook showing up in good numbers in several places, being caught on a variety of lures, such as spoons, Mirrodines, jigs, and soft plastics, and flies, all indicative of Pilchards, the preferred bait. There are also plenty of Spanish Mackerel, Ladyfish, Jack Crevalle, and a few Pompano to go around. Nearshore, there’s schools of big Jack Crevalle, and occasionally a few Tarpon. 

Snook fishing in the inlets has been quite good, but mostly on live croakers and other bait. In the Indian River, there are a number of big Snook inhabiting docks and on the flats, and most are being taken on live Croakers and also the Live Target Croaker swimbaits. Redfish are still plentiful as well, mostly on the shorelines. There are quite a few small to medium sized Seatrout around, but the larger fish have thinned out a bit. 

Here Comes Summer

It looks like we are starting to transition from late spring to early summer along our beaches as schools of bait and the species that chase them have made an appearance. I fished from Hobe Sound to Stuart beach on Sunday looking for some late season pompano. Randy and I caught a dozen pompano at the Bridge Road access early Sunday morning but ten of those fish were undersized and were released. I am sure anyone who wants to catch a few more pompano for the freezer will find some in the upcoming weeks but the percentage of keepers will probably be dropping as early summer approaches. The activity at Stuart Beach was slow after we left Hobe Sound with only a few whiting and a couple of short pompano . The good news is I fished at Middle Cove on Monday morning and the bait schools stretched north and south with jacks, tarpon, ladyfish, mackerel, and snook all in hot pursuit. A couple of the commercial bait boats were loading up their cast nets as they chased the bait supply up and down that whole area. Birds could be seen everywhere chasing the schools as the splashes and white water from the bait being hammered extended from 20 to 200 yards off of the beach. I am sure the snook were in attendance as some of the boils along the shoreline were pretty impressive. I caught some ladyfish and mackerel on my pompano rigs and the tarpon were rolling up and down the entire beach. I shortened up on my casts on a couple of my poles and was able to catch whiting and croakers at the 50 yard mark from the beach. Reports I received from over the weekend told the same story of a few pompano along with some whiting. I haven't given up on chasing the pompano but I will certainly be adding some more whiting and croaker setups along with some gear to throw artificials and fish some live croakers to the snook, tarpon, and big jacks . Its time to start adding the Orange Clam and Pink Shrimp Fishbites to your bait supply along with some fresh or frozen shrimp as the big schools of whiting and croaker start showing in that first trough. I love changing baits, tackle, locations, and targeting different species as the seasons change and it is a great reminder to all of us that live and fish in our area of South Florida that we are pretty darn lucky to be living here and have this resource available.

Cleaning Pompano To Cook On The Grill, How To Fillet and Clean Whole

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

Find the water- find the fish!! That's the theme for this quick post about today's surf report. I started in the dark early this morning at Bridge Road in Hobe Sound hoping some of those pompano that have been holding on the south end of Jupiter Island had moved north. As the sun came up, the water was somewhat off-colored and the only bites I managed were from two undersized pompano. I headed north and stopped at Stuart, Normandy, and Middle Cove. The color was getting better and I ended up fishing by Ft. Pierce inlet and that turned out to be the right move. After 23 pompano and 7 big whiting I packed it in. The Pink Shrimp Fishbites were on fire today. I caught fish on EZ Flea and Orange Clam but seventy-five percent of my fish were taken on Pink Shrimp, either by itself or using it on my frozen sandflea rigs. Another tip is to make sure you stagger your casts at different distances from the beach. I caught as many fish 50 to 60 yards from the surfline as I did at 80 to 90 yards. The bite turned on after the tide bottomed out around 10 am. The biggest excitement of the day was a 50-pound blacktip shark tried to eat my pompano and almost beached himself as I was dragging it out of the surf. 

Catch365...Simple (and Obvious) Snook Tip

2019 HUGE Snook Championship

Jetty Slip Cork, How To Set Up

From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

INSHORE: Snook fishing has been good and should remain the best bet inshore for the near future.  Look for the bridges to produce well at night, especially those close to an inlet.  Flair hawk jigs and bigger swimbaits remain a very good lure choice.  Outgoing tide seems to be producing the best action on the snook.  Look for the snook to be laid up under boat docks and around seawalls during the day.  Mangrove snapper are beginning to show up in their summertime inshore spots, but not in huge numbers yet.  A few jacks and tarpon cruising around inshore, but not in big numbers.

                      
             
SURF/PIER:  Kind of a transition period along the beach right now.  The winter species (bluefish, mackerel, etc) have largely moved on minus a few stragglers, and the snook and other summer species aren’t here fully just yet.  Pompano are still around in fair numbers, especially to the north of Jupiter Inlet.  The Juno Beach Pier has been producing a few jacks and some Spanish Mackerel (Note…The “T” of the Juno Beach Pier remains closed at the moment for construction.).  Snook fishing has been improving at the pier, with dead sardines still remaining a solid bait choice at the pier.  Jupiter Inlet has also began to produce some snook. 

Best HOOK for SNOOK on the Juno Beach Fishing Pier...

From Capt. Charlie @Fishing Center-Fort Pierce

The winds of spring will be leaving us soon, and May brings warm temperatures and lots of great fishing action around the Treasure Coast. Water temps have risen, and the fish are hungry this month. April provided us with some great fishing action with lots of old friends and many new ones this year. I had the company of lots of kids this year and it is always fun to watch the smiles on their faces. May is one of my favorite months to fish with many opportunities to catch lots of different species.               One of my favorite fish to target this month is redfish. They will be more active this month and you can fish for them around docks, mangroves and grass flats. Some good choices for lures will be gold spoons and the DOA 2 ¾” shrimp. Redfish will be active on the grass flats through most of the day. They also like to hang under docks and mangroves as the heat of the day arrives.

Snook fishing will be good this month with night or early morning the best times to fish tor linesiders. The season will close May 31st so it will be the last chance for a slot fish before fall. The inlet, bridges, seawalls and docks are all great places to target snook. Live bait, DOA Bait Busters and feather jigs are among the most popular favorites with snook anglers. 

Trout will feed on top water at first light and live shrimp on popping corks during the day. As the sun rises, head off the shallow flats to deeper water in the two to four-foot range. We have had some nice gator trout of late and should see some still big trout throughout the month of May. I have had great success with CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos this year in place of live shrimp. If you are using live baits, try big shrimp or pilchards on the flats. Look for clean water and good grass to have your best results. 

Bridges will hold sheepshead and drum, while snapper will be moving into the river along with flounder. Jacks and ladyfish will be just about everywhere creating havoc all over the river. Beaches will produce whiting with catches of Spanish mackerel and bluefish along with some pompano. Tarpon will begin their trek into the river and you can start looking for them in the St Lucie River, Big and Little Mud areas and the channels of the river. May is a great month to fish the Treasure Coast! 
As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! 

Ultimate Pompano Surf Fishing Guide!

Fishing For Pompano With Goofy Silly Willy Banana Jigs and Teasers

Search em out with this one...

From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart

                               photo courtesy of Tom Guerra                          

Good morning everyone! Fishing in the Indian River has been very good, with quite a few Redfish being caught, despite them being a bit spooky. Clearer water conditions have made them easier to find, but tougher to fool. Smaller artificials, such as the Storm Mangrove Minnow and flies such as sliders have proven effective, and best fished with lighter leaders. Snook have also been around, and have been a bit easier to get to eat, falling for the same soft plastics and flies. Seatrout are also being taken, and are often found around schools of Pilchards in 2 or 3 feet of water. Surf fishing has suffered from the increased East winds, roughing up the shore. Once things calm back down, look for Snook to continue to push out onto the beaches with these warmer temps. Snook fishing in the inlets has been very good, but with the clearer water it’s been far better with live bait, Croakers, Pinfish, and Pigfish. 

Sebastian Inlet Report

                                 
    THE BITE HAS BEEN A BIT SLOW…

Sarah at Sebastian Inlet Bait & Tackle reports that the bite has been a bit slow in the last few days.  Spanish Mackerel and Jacks can be found on the outside of the North Jetty, a few decent Blues too.  Use your Got-cha lures and spoons to bring them in and over the rail.  She has seen a few Redfish and Snook on tide change, biting best on minnows and shrimp.  Wish we had better news for you anglers, but that’s the story.

Things never seem to be slow for this fisherman and regular!  Check out our angler of the week Allan Noelshowing off the magnificent Redfish he caught off the North Jetty. “Conditions were rough, but I managed to land a few fish including this nice Red.”  We love featuring regulars and we love featuring people who have a soft spot for Sebastian Inlet and the North Jetty.