Learn From The Best

September , October, and November are shaping up to be busy Seminar months . Here is a list of dates and locations . September 27. - Bass Pro Shop , 2250 Gatlin Blvd , Port St Lucie 34953. 630 pm . Theme - Surf Fishing the Fall Mullet Run . This will be a mini seminar with a Questin and Answer period at the conclusion . The next three I will be teaming up with the Fishbites crew of Billy, Brett, and Liam as they will be onsite doing their “ Buy 2 bags -get a 3rd Bag free “ promotion . These are full seminars and the theme will be Surf Fishing for Pompano . I will cover tackle , baits , techniques, and some additional species that will be on your catch list in the fall and early winter . If you pre register your name will be put in a hat for a drawing for a package of all 9 of the Captain Paul Pompano Rigs that we sell and some additional free bags of Fishbites . Here are the dates and locations : October 5 - Bass Pro Shop 1880 Checkered Flag Blvd , Daytona Beach, Florida 32114 2 pm . October 12 - Bass Pro Shop 750 Bass Pro Dr NE , Palm Bay , Florida 32905 2 pm . November 12 - Bass Pro Shop 2250 SW Gatlin Blvd , Port St Lucie Florida 34953 2 pm . Handouts and a question and answer period will all be part of this venue . Fishbites will set up their area for the Buy 2 - get a 3rd bag free promotion from 12 noon to 4 pm . To register for these events and drawing please text me your name and phone number to 609 903 8243 or email the same info to dsperco@yahoo.com . Please include which seminar you will be attending .You must be present to claim your prize and the drawing will be at the conclusion of the seminar . The dates and locations are all aligned with Fishbites Shoreline Showdown Tournament Series in Melbourne and Jensen Beach . The Melbourne tournament is October 19 and the Jensen Beach event is November19th . A total purse of $ 15000 dollars per event will be given out to the winners . Make sure you pre register for the seminar and register for these great tournaments that are being put on by Fishbites . Just click on the Shoreline Showdown tournament website to enter . There’s a lot of information in this post so if you have any questions feel free to call me at 609 903 8243 . Thank you, Capt Paul

Sebastian Inlet Report with The Snookman

 

Our fishing guide, "Snookman" Wayne Landry, describes how an influx of stormwater runoff from the recent rainstorms slightly diminished the fishing action:

"The intense snook action from a week ago has cooled down quite a bit from what it was. I spent the last three days there and didn't see a whole lot being caught with the snook. They were there, but just didn't want to play. I'm believing that all the rain runoff water coming from the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) in the Indian River Lagoon was the main culprit: an excess of tannic acid-stained freshwater from the ICW.  Snook prefer clean, salty ocean water, unless they are from the ICW, and they can tolerate the difference. On the other hand, the fishing at the inlet remained rather good on the high tide periods — lots of baitfish still around too. So here we go with the action spots.

North jetty: Most of the action has been on the early and late evening incoming tides. After the water clarity improves, a strong NE swell continues to mess things up. There are a decent amount of mullet on this side, along with the greenies, so bait is plentiful. The hot action has been the Spanish mackerel for the last three days! Many have been caught on free-lined greenies and the smaller of the finger mullet. Some were caught on the small white crappie jigs, but the hot bait were the greenies. Most everyone was catching them on the beach side of the jetty, with many anglers reaching their limits of 15 per person! Most of the fish were in the 14 to 15-inch size, but I saw several fish pushing the 3 to 4-pound range. As I stated earlier, the snook bite on live shrimp has slowed, with most of the fish caught on live mullet at the surf area at the beginning of the jetty. There were very few out at the rock pile where they were before. I saw several catch-and-release redfish caught though; enough to keep anglers interested. Big jack crevalle also were out there in the mix on the live mullet. The cubera snapper bite has also dropped off, I didn't see, or hear of any all weekend. The mangrove snapper bite has abated as well, with only a handful caught that were big enough to go home. I also did see a couple of small black drum caught on the incoming tide — live shrimp. The outgoing tide has been a mess  due to the aforementioned tannic freshwater. The boaters off the tip in the cleaner water weren’t even catching fish. 

South jetty: Over here it is the same deal: Incoming tide, if you can find cleaner water, there may be snook and redfish around. Live mullet, pigs and croakers. The mangrove snapper are still around, but you have to hunt for them with the dirty water. Outgoing at the tip, the nasty tannic acid-stained fresh water has brought the action to standstill. Just a few catfish and puffers. 

T-Dock Area: Back here, same thing: river runoff has killed the fishing. It looks as dark as the Swannee River. Even on the incoming high tide it doesn't have a chance to clean up enough, so there hasn't been very many folks back here fishing, there's baitfish around, just no fish willing to play. 

Surf Area, both sides: The north side surf on the rising and falling high tide periods — early morning late evening —  has been fairly good. Look for mullet schools coming down the beach and fish them. There have been a lot of snook being caught, along with redfish and big tarpon. If you find mullet, cast net or fish them, or you can use 3 to 5-inch swim baits to attract a bite. Most of the snook have been too big to keep, but there have been slots mixed in with them. I also heard about blacktip and spinner sharks. It is that time of year for them to arrive with the influx of all the mullet coming down the beach. For those fishing shrimp, there have been pompano, black drum and whiting at the jetty. They should be a possibility along the beach as well. The south side surf has been a total washout with the big swell and all the fresh water coming out and flowing down the beach southward. There are mullet running southward along the beach, so big tarpon and quite possibly the sharks will be present, but not much else. 

That's all I have for this week's installment of the inlet happenings. Like I mentioned, the fishing is good, but has dropped off a bit from what it was. It will pick up when the water cleans up. Have a great week, everyone.”

—      Snookman.

From Todd @ Juno Bait Crew-Juno Beach

 INSHORE- Mullet reports increased inshore this week.  Not full on mullet run yet, but it does seem to be getting going.  The mullet tend to move (or at least show themselves on the surface) best during lowlight periods, at night, and/or when boat traffic is light.  When the mullet are up on top (especially if they are showering , and fish are exploding through them) it's the time to fish a topwater lure or flatline a live mullet on the edges of the school.  When they aren't as active getting a bait below the school tends to be a good way to go.  Primarily it will be snook in the mullet pods; with tarpon, jacks, sharks, and even the occasional redfish mixed in.  During the day seawalls, boat docks, and other similar ambush points (especially with current on them) tend to produce best.  Bridges will get the fish stacked up at night.  

SURF/PIER-  The beach came back to life this week as mullet began to show back up.  The pods are still on the smaller side, but they have been holding a good number of snook and tarpon.  The sharks have also been in the mullet pods (though for the most part the sharks tend to hold in the pods a little more offshore).  The mullet tend to be the easiest to find early morning and late afternoon.  Mid-day they tend to stretch out in a long line and the fish don't hold in them quite the same.  A live mullet fished on the edges, or under  the school tends to be the best way to go.  A large swimbait (8" NLBN or similar) can also one an effective choice.  The Juno Beach Pier has been good this week as well.  Still some pilchards hanging around.  Snook have been biting well at the pier, as well as the Spanish Mackerel.  Mangrove snappers were biting early in the week, though they seem to have slowed down a bit as the week went on.  

Fall Seminar Time with Capt. Paul Sperco

 

Just like the flyer says I will be at Bass Pro on the 27th to present a mini seminar and have a question and answer session about our fall mullet run that should be right around the corner . I was at Santa Lucea beach access on Sunday and watched 30 to 100 pound tarpon destroying pods of mullet up and down the beach . I got on the phone to a friend to let him know what was happening and he actually stopped short at Stuart Beach and found the same situation with the bait and the tarpon . I will talk about tackle, baits , locations , and times to target the long list of species that will attacking the mullet, pilchards, and hopefully the glass minnows that will be migrating our way . This won’t be one of my normal 2 hour seminars with handouts and no distinct end time but I will answer any and all questions you might have at the end of the forum . The pompano will certainly get some dedicated attention as that fishing should be getting better daily . I hope to see you there and if anyone has any questions please contact me at 609 903 8243 . I actually played catch and release with lots of short pompano the past couple of days so get ready for some good pompano action in the upcoming weeks . The Pink/Flesh Crab Fishbites have been getting most of the attention from the pompano and whiting so make sure you stock up on that color . I have been fishing that bait with my Pink Peppermint Pompano rig with the white and pink floats and it has been producing. The Snook Nook has both the Fishbites and the rigs so make sure you add them to your tackle . Good luck this week and catch em up

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