To the angler who loves to fish the beaches, shores, jetties, bridges and piers of Florida.
Friday, May 29, 2020
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area
It was great to see this tropical wave moving away from us so we can get back to fishing along our local beaches. I have had some requests about seminars in the future and as of right now Bass Pro does not have any immediate plans to offer them even in a limited scenario. I am considering doing the early summer surf fishing program that is usually in early June right here on Facebook or possibly on YouTube. I will let everyone know as soon as the logistics of that program is worked out. As far as fishing is concerned starting tomorrow, Wednesday, it looks like Mother Nature is going to give us a break so we can head back to the beach. I am fishing tomorrow and will post a report tomorrow night . The catch list as we head into June should be whiting, croaker, ladyfish, blue runners, jacks ,catch and release tarpon and snook, and some late season pompano. The whiting and croaker will provide your fish for some fantastic fish frys and everything else will be just plain fun to catch and release. Bloodworm Fishbites tipped with a small piece of shrimp will be the go to bait in the upcoming weeks.
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
Fishing over the weekend was obviously challenging due to the weather, but there have been some bright spots. There are still plenty of fish in the Indian River, and while sight fishing may get a bit tougher due to runoff, the activity around culverts and the relief canals has already concentrated some fish, mostly Snook and baby Tarpon. DOA CALs, Hogy Paddle Tails, and plugs have all accounted for good catches when they’re flowing. Seatrout continue to be active, and with the overcast conditions have been taking topwater plugs later in the day than usual. Surf fishing has been rough and weedy, but the weed started to dissipate this morning and the water is starting to clear, so fishing should improve shortly. Look for Snook and Spanish Mackerel to return to the beaches as soon as the water clears a bit more. Spoons, plugs, and soft plastic paddle tails should provide plenty of activity.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Friday, May 22, 2020
Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area
The day was not a short one today for Randy and myself but I am happy to say we had a decent catch list. Bluefish, blue runners, croakers, spanish mackerel, pompano, and even a hook up with a spinner shark that ate the live croaker Randy had just put out to try and get a snook bite. We started this morning at Stuart Beach with the hope there were some schools of pompano making their way north.The only bite we got on the long rods was from a single blue runner. The water was really clear at that spot and that condition can make it tough to entice some pompano. The good news is my hope that the whiting and croaker near shore bite that starts right around this time of year was pretty darn good. The whiting never got the memo but the croaker obviously did. I know this report is going to bring a smile to friend and local surf sharpie, Chris Oliveria. Bloodworm Fishbites and small pieces of fresh shrimp was the ticket and the croaker bit for a couple of hours. There is a Hutchinson Island Fish Fry in my immediate future.The key to putting the whiting and croaker in the cooler is to pitch your bait, not cast it. All of these fish were within 10 yards of the edge of the surf and target your fishing time around the high tide mark. I was a little bit surprised they bit this well because the buildup of the swell from Arthur has already started. Randy was catching the spanish mackerel on a tree rig and on two consecutive casts he managed a triple header and then a loaded up 4 fish shot with 3 mackerel and one blue runner.Once the tide dropped I headed up to Blue Heron and managed to catch bluefish and 4 keeper pompano before the weeds that the swell was bringing off of the beach made conditions tough. Ez Flea Fihbites caught all 4 of the pompano today. The conditions will hopefully subside on Saturday so everyone can get out on this holiday weekend and bend some rods. Good luck and have a safe and healthy holiday. If anyone has any questions about rigs, bait,or tackle to help you improve your next trip.
From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach
SURF/PIER- Reports have been a bit slower than expected from the Juno Beach Pier and local beaches this week as anglers hit the boards and sand after a two month break. Calm clear conditions (Monday-Wed Morning) and now a building swell for a few days will further complicate getting the reports dialed in. The snook are starting to show up on the beach, and at the pier. The water temp is still a bit cool, so the snook are not fired up on the lures just yet. On the pier live baits (which have been a bit tough to come by) and dead sardines have been the ticket for the snook. Lots of glass minnows on the beach over the past few days, with a decent number of Spanish Mackerel following along with them. Tarpon have been along the beach in goods numbers as well. The tarpon for the most part have been out of range from shore bound anglers. The Jupiter Inlet has had a few snook around, along with a good number of moonfish. Not much to report on the pompano locally this week, but reports of fish up in Martin County and farther north continue to come in. FishBites and sand fleas remain the bait of choice for the pompano.
Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County
Inshore fishing:
On the beaches from Martin County (which recently reopened to everyone and not just residents) up to Fort Pierce there has been good action for whiting, croaker and pompano. Working the first trough, the whiting and croaker are being caught using bloodworm-flavored Fishbites on a two-hook rig. The pompano are being taken on pompano rigs using sand flea- and crab-flavored Fishbites.
Snook and tarpon are still cruising through the troughs as well in those areas. Best bet for the snook is still to use a small croaker.
Also, off of the beaches in the Jensen Beach area have been some bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Throwing a shiny spoon has been working.
In the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers anglers fishing from the bridges are catching snook, some black drum, sheepshead and a few flounder on the flats off the Jensen Causeway. Most are being caught using shrimp on a jighead during the outgoing tide. Snook are also being taken during the incoming tide using live pilchards as well as a night using Flair Hawk jigs.
Anglers working the inside of the Lake Worth Inlet are having a blast catching tarpon, snook and jack crevalle. All three are being caught using live pilchards on light tackle.
Lake Okeechobee:
The bass bite has been best from first light to about 45 minutes after. With the shad spawn still going on, anglers working the outside grass line along the Kissimmee grass are having good luck. Using white swim jigs and white spinner baits many are catching around 20 buck bass per session. After that bite backs off pitching blue and black senkos into the Kissimmee grass, with some round reeds mixed in, has kept the action going.
There is still a good bluegill bite and they are mostly being caught using crickets.
The lake is still extremely shallow so anglers and boaters should be cautious and aware of their surroundings and depth.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area
St Lucie and Martin County beaches are open to everyone. Fantastic. As far as local fishing Randy and I fished at Blue Heron this past Sunday and the weeds were a huge issue. The morning bite was non existent and as the morning wore on the weeds made it unfishable. We returned in the late afternoon hoping the tide change improved the conditions and initially that was the case. We caught 3 nice pompano and then the weeds returned and chased us off of the beach. I fished at Normandy beach on Monday and was happy to see the weeds were not an issue and the water had some great color to it.
The big schools of mackerel that were up and down our beaches last week were back and so were the pompano. I was lucky enough to put 10 in the cooler and was surprised at the nice size of these fish. During the latter part of the run in the late spring and early summer the pompano tend to get smaller and you will catch 3 and keep 1. None of my fish needed to be measured so I am hoping this means there is still some decent ones to be caught. With all of the beaches being open now the reports and intel will be available to post some accurate reports. Yellow Crab and EZ Flea Fishbites were the hot baits on Monday. I am going to try a couple of Martin County beaches tomorrow and and will try for some whiting and croaker in the first trough along with throwing out the long rods for pompano. Fresh shrimp tipped with Blood worm Fishbites will be in the water tomorrow for the whiting and croaker. Tiger Shores, Bryn Mawr, and Santa Lucea were producing some nice whiting and croaker last year at the end of May and hopefully those fish are back at those spots. Weather wise it looks like we are going to see a building swell towards the end of the week and it starts to lay down for the holiday weekend. Remember at this time of year the pompano are on the move north so do not be afraid to try a few different beaches during your fishing day.
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
Inshore the snook bite has been good with live bait around the bridges and in the inlet with a few big guys around. The trout bite has been steady with a few big fish around to the north around Vero shore and the Moorings flats top water has produced the best around first light. The snapper fishing has been good around the bridges and on the channel edges with live white baits and shrimp.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Monday, May 18, 2020
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Friday, May 15, 2020
From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach
SURF/PIER: Up to the north the pompano are still biting, but action is definitely beginning to slow on them. Sandfleas, clams, and FishBItes remain the bait of choice for the pomps. Croaker are biting small pieces of shrimp in the first trough. Snook are starting to get out on the beach a bit more, along with the start of the tarpon moving north. NOt much of a forecast for the beach this weekend, but hopefully we will see some more access open up next week along with a little nicer weather!
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County
Inshore fishing:
Along the beaches in the Jensen area, the whiting and croaker bite is still good. Fishbites, pieces of shrimp and clam strips, fished in the first trough, are working well
There are also good numbers of snook in the first trough and they are being taken on live croakers or swim baits. Tarpon are still cruising the beaches chasing schools of live pilchards.
In the St. Luce and Indian Rivers anglers are getting trout and snook from the bridges and flounder and redfish up towards the Fort Pierce
There have been snook at the inlet, the Juno Pier and along the beaches the past week. With those fishing areas currently closed, it’s been anglers working them from boats who have been scoring.
With the beaches scheduled to open on Monday, there should be good action for snook by surf anglers. Walking the beach and using a top water plug could produce good results.
Snook remaining in the Loxahatchee River and Intracoastal Waterway are currently making their way out to the ocean to spawn. Trolling a 3/4 ounce, chrome Rat-L-Trap or floating, red and white Yo-zuri lipped plug should work well when targeting them in that area. Control the depth of the lure by the amount of line.
Anglers working the lighted docks in the Intracoastal Waterway from Manalapan down to the Boynton Inlet at night and the channels south of the inlet during the day are reporting nice snook catches. At night ChaseBait Flick Prawn lures are proving deadly fished in the dock lights, while small, live sand perch are producing more slot-size fish. Live Target Pinfish and D.O.A. TerrorEyz lures have been working well on the slow retrieve during the day.
Lake Okeechobee:
There has been a good shellcracker bite this week in the Tin House Cove area using worms and beetle spins. Also in the Tin House cove area, along with Indian Prairie and the Kissimmee River, there has been a good blue gill bite. Though not quite as good as last weekend when it was off the chain with the full moon, the bite is definitely solid. Best bets has been using crickets,
There a few specs still being caught in the Kissimmee River. Anglers working depths around 20 feet are having good luck.
The bass bite has been best in the early morning and late afternoon on swim jigs and spinner baits. The late morning through the afternoon bite has been good flippin’ creature-style baits or using live shiners.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area
I hope everyone had a chance to get out this past Saturday as the weather on Sunday did not provide a good opportunity to fish the surf. The pompano bite was pretty slow on Saturday and the only fish I heard of being caught were on the beaches right next to Fort Pierce Inlet. I started at John Brooks and had the big goose egg before a move to Blue Heron. 
The pompano did not show but the whiting bit for about an hour right after high tide and Randy and I put some nice ones in the cooler. Bloodworm Fishbites and a small piece of fresh shrimp were the baits that produced. My wife Deb made whiting sliders last night on the George Foreman grill and those tasty fillets on Hawaiian rolls is as good as it gets. on All of the whiting and a couple of nice croaker were caught right at our feet not 5 yards from the edge of the sand. The big mackerel schools from last week were still present but at least 150 yards off of the beach. It looks like its going to be a tough week as far as conditions with big surf and lots of easterly wind. If the wind lets up at all Walton Rocks beach might be worth a look as the reef there can actually knock down some of the wave action. I am probably going to give it a look either Wednesday or Thursday and will post a report in the evening.
The pompano did not show but the whiting bit for about an hour right after high tide and Randy and I put some nice ones in the cooler. Bloodworm Fishbites and a small piece of fresh shrimp were the baits that produced. My wife Deb made whiting sliders last night on the George Foreman grill and those tasty fillets on Hawaiian rolls is as good as it gets. on All of the whiting and a couple of nice croaker were caught right at our feet not 5 yards from the edge of the sand. The big mackerel schools from last week were still present but at least 150 yards off of the beach. It looks like its going to be a tough week as far as conditions with big surf and lots of easterly wind. If the wind lets up at all Walton Rocks beach might be worth a look as the reef there can actually knock down some of the wave action. I am probably going to give it a look either Wednesday or Thursday and will post a report in the evening.
Monday, May 11, 2020
From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce
Inshore:
It has been a strange year so far and most of us are wondering how this COVID-19 will affect us in May. I hope everyone has fared will so far and hope the coming months sees things get settled down.
I like to target redfish in May. Some good choices for lures will be gold spoons and the DOA 2 ¾" shrimp. Redfish will be active on the grass flats, mangroves and docks around the river.
Snook fishing will be good this month with night or early morning the best times to fish. The season will close May 31st. Inlets, bridges, seawalls and docks are all great places to target snook.
Look for trout to hit top water lures at first light. As the sun rises move to deeper water in the two to four-foot range I have had great success with CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos this year in place of live shrimp. Look for clean water and good grass to have your best results.
Look for trout to hit top water lures at first light. As the sun rises move to deeper water in the two to four-foot range I have had great success with CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos this year in place of live shrimp. Look for clean water and good grass to have your best results.
Fish bridges and docks for sheepshead, snapper and drum. 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. May is a great month to fish the Treasure Coast!
As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!
As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!
Friday, May 8, 2020
Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area
I fished yesterday at Blue Heron and had schools of mackerel in front of me all day from the first trough to 150 yards off of the beach. I was not targeting them yesterday but a couple of my friends that were casting spoons and bobber rigs with small Clark spoons caught them all day. If you havent tried casting a bobber rig they are easy to make and the sharpies that I know that target the mackerel only fish this set up. A medium weight popping cork, 30 inches of 30 lb fluorocarbon, and a small Clark spoon are all you need to put it together. The key is to cast to the schools and pop the cork enough to displace the water and make a disturbance ahead of the spoon and the mackerel love it. This is a fine tasting fish as long as you eat it fresh and do not freeze them.It also makes a great fish dip if you have a smoker but remember they must be a minimum of 12 inches to the fork of the tail and 15 fish per day. The pompano bite slowed a bit yesterday after some pretty decent fishing over the weekend as I only caught two but the good news is the" whiting were biting"as Ed Killer would say, in the first trough on Bloodworm Fishbites and small pieces of fresh shrimp. Conditions were a little tough today with this cool front that came through and kicked waves up to 7 feet in our area. It looks like Saturday will be the best day of the weekend with Northwest winds forecast and seas only 2 to 3 feet. Sunday looks a little wet and the surf back up to 5 feet. St Lucie County just lifted the beach restrictions so chairs , coolers and umbrellas are ok. Pompano, whiting, croaker, spanish mackerel, bluefish , jacks, tarpon, and snook should all be on catch lists as we keep moving into May. I have caught 3 snook in the last week on EZ Flea and Orange Clam Fishbites in the first trough. I hope everyone has a great Mothers Day weekend .Good luck and catch em up.
From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach
INSHORE- Snook fishing has been good this week, with some good numbers of fish pushing towards the inlets. The bridges are producing a pretty good bite at night, especially on an outgoing tide. With very clear water around this week, the later part of the outgoing tide will provide a little dirtier water and easier chance to trick the snook. The tarpon have also been around in good numbers.
Flair hawk jigs (especially the new Justice Jigs we have in-stock) and SpoolTek's remain a solid choice at the bridge. Mangrove snapper are showing up inshore in better numbers over the past week. Live shrimp and small live pilchards will be the best bait for the mangroves.
SURF/PIER- Still not much access on the beach locally, but up the coast surf fishing has been good. Solid pompano bite starting at Hutchison Island and north over the past week. Sand fleas, clams, and FishBites will be the best bait for the pomps. Some big jacks cruising the beach this week. Good number of tarpon moving north over the past week. Should be about time for the early season snook to start showing up along the beach as well.
SURF/PIER- Still not much access on the beach locally, but up the coast surf fishing has been good. Solid pompano bite starting at Hutchison Island and north over the past week. Sand fleas, clams, and FishBites will be the best bait for the pomps. Some big jacks cruising the beach this week. Good number of tarpon moving north over the past week. Should be about time for the early season snook to start showing up along the beach as well.
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County
Inshore fishing:
The jetties at the St. Lucie Inlet has had a good bite for redfish the past week using crabs and shrimp.
They are also being caught at the area bridges along with flounder. Like redfish, flounder are being taken using crabs and shrimp. Along the St. Lucie Inlet jetties, and out onto the nearby beaches, there has been good action on snook. They are being taken mostly on live pilchards. The season is open until June 1.
There are also tarpon along the beaches. Both the snook and tarpon are being caught in the first trough where they are chasing the large amounts of bait that are currently in the area.
Also in the first trough, whiting and croaker are being caught on the beaches using sand flea- and bloodworm-flavored Fish bites.
In the Intracoastal Waterway at the Lantana Bridge and along the docks, pilings, seawalls and rock piles in the surrounding area there has been a decent sheepshead bite. The are hitting clams and Chase baits Crusty Crab lures
Lake Okeechobee:
Fishing for bass during the current shad spawn has been excellent in the early mornings. In the first 45 minutes to an hour and a half after sunrise, anglers are having a blast using white swim jigs and white and chartreuse spinner baits along the edge of the Kissimmee Grass. The area from the King’s Bar to Indian Prairie has been good. After that bite slows down, switching to flippin’ and pitchin’ black and blue creature baits around isolated weed clumps has kept the action going
The bluegill bite has been good and should be excellent during the full moon. Hot spots have been the beds around Indian Prairie to Horse Island as well as Uncle Joe’s Cut to the West Wall. Crickets are working well and for artificial beetle spins are producing.
The oscar and cichlid bite has been really good lately in the canals around 20-mile bend. Farther south at the southern end of the Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge, anglers are reporting a good bass bite near Loxahatchee Road. Soft plastics including Big EZ and Skinny Dippers are working well along the cattail clumps.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
From Whites Tackle - Ft Pierce / Stuart
Inshore the snook bite has been good on the flats and the bridges with live bait with a few reds around to. The trout bite to the north was good around first light and as the sun is going down late in the after noon. The snapper bite has been good around the bridges to on white baits. Todays weather
From Capt. Joe Ward in Ft. Pierce
The inshore bite was steady yesterday for snapper, sheepshead, black drum, trout and a few snook. Most of the snook were caught in the early morning on the tide change. A few trout came from around the Bear Point area and the channel edges were giving up some nice snapper, sheepshead and black drum. The jetty was a good place to be with a lot of short snook. Only heard of two keepers.
Monday, May 4, 2020
Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area
Its Sunday night and after putting up with the crowds,traffic,and some beach etiquette issues, how about some pretty good pompano fishing. I fished the last couple of days up by Fort Pierce Inlet and the key to picking your spot and fishing on the beach was getting out early. The overall bite was not an outright blitz just a steady all day pick of some nice sized pompano. After putting in a full day Saturday, the end result was 20 keepers and a handful of throwbacks. EZ Flea Fishbites was the hot bait followed by Yellow Crab and clam strips. Patience was the word of the day as getting multiple bites on any given stretch just did not happen. Most of the beach accesses from the Power Plant to Fort Pierce Inlet have enough depth to them to produce bites even during a falling tide. As the tide drops put your casting shoes on because they will move to deeper water as the tide recedes.The water got steadily cleaner during the day and I got most of my bites in the afternoon on rigs that I removed the floats from. Clear water with a high sun with make these fish a little more wary and my Spring phrase for these conditions is " In the spring ,take off the bling".Today, Sunday, the fishing was not as good as yesterday and Randy and I put 13 in the cooler. The fish that moved through this morning were nice fish with Randy putting one on the beach that was two and a half pounds. The bite fell off after 10 am and we packed it in early this afternoon. EZ Flea and a new color and scent, Powerlime Crab were the best baits. The key was reaching them and if you like to fish with a spinning reel either of the Penn Longcast models, the Conflict or Spinfisher will put you in the game. The weather looks good for the next few days with seas 2 to 3 feet and diminishing to 1 to 2 feet by mid week. I am going to look at a couple of Martin County Beaches tomorrow and hopefully with those beaches opening it will take some pressure off of the St Lucie County beach accesses and make the number of anglers fishing on a particular beach more manageable. We are coming down the home stretch to the pompano season so if you want a few for the freezer now is the time. Good luck and catch em up.
Friday, May 1, 2020
From Todd &Trey @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach
SURF/PIER- Surf reports up to the north have been very good. Pompano fishing has been very good, with some nice size fish in the mix Sandfleas, clams, and FishBItes have all been working well for the pompano. Croakers and whiting have been biting good on small pieces of shrimp. Some nice schools of jacks cruising around to test your tackle. Snook are starting to show up a little bit on the beach. Some tarpon cruising the beach as well.
Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area
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