Snook Nook Fishing Reports

FISHING 3/27/10

Finally the temps are warming, did not slow the wind or the direction but there is always next week. So let’s start at the beach, Blue Fish, Whiting and Pompano top the list. For the Blues it is a morning bite, excellent numbers, excellent size and easy to catch. These fish are in the trough well into the late morning and the best part is they will eat any thing that moves. Spoons of all shapes and size, top water chuggers (creek chub in chrome), big chrome Spooks and cut baits are all catching. These fish are up close, long cast not necessary. Keep in mind they like the cooler water so as the sun rises and the edge heats up they will follow the cooler water, this allows the Whiting and Pompano to come in. Late morning is the time, big Whiting and nice numbers of Pompano up close, not way out, short cast they are in the trough. For the Whiting it has been shrimp pieces, clam strips and fish bites it is an alternative to natural bait. Pompano are eating clams and sand fleas and yes they have finally shown up on the surf edge, bring your rake. Do not forget the ice.

Trout fish continues to be excellent, Herman’s Bay north to Bear Point, east or west side of the Indian River. Soft rubber, top water and live shrimp are all catching. Three feet of water and as the sun rises move into shallower water, that school of mullet, take a good look because they are Red fish all slot size but nice fish to take home. Trout are in the top of the slot and the cool thing is these fish are chewing most of the day, as long as the current is moving they are chewing. Pompano, strong bite at the Jensen and Stuart causeways on south across the Sail Fish flats to the east side of the channel. With no pattern to the bite time, incoming or out going you will just need to put in your time and if they are not one bridge it probably means the bite is at the other. Those Jigging spoons with a teaser hook have pompano waiting in line. But the Blues and Mac’s love them also, bring a few extra if you can find them. A few Flounder made the catch list this week but from unusual places, the trout anglers fishing shrimp found them, when they start to catch from the regular places that will mean they have arrived, until them incidental. No mater where one fishes in the river there is plenty of Jacks, Lady’s, Blues, Mac’s and all of the above to keep a rod bent.

Off shore this week it has been deep, 330’ is the first depth I heard of that was holding any fish. Wind direction has not helped, the Gulf Stream with its warm water has been push in and out buy the hour. Again this week look for the temp lines and stay on them. Warmer land temps this week may bring the every thing in so pay attention to your water temps. A few Kings and a few Dolphins even had two Cobia on the catch list but no pattern to any of it, plenty of live bait but Mother Nature has been less than polite, seas still hostile.

March comes I like a lion and goes out like a lamb,,,,,,,well I am Ready for the Lamb…………………………Henry

FISHING 3/21/10

Finally we have the temperatures getting back to normal, but this wind just will not stop. These constant changing directions, gusting to who knows what, is the problem. East or west side of the river, hiding in one cove or another sure makes it hard to find a location to drown a shrimp. Hard on the anglers but the fish, I am not sure they care. For sure it makes hard to write this column, about the time I suggest a location or a method the wind changes and you can throw all I have written to the wind.

Surf anglers had an excellent week of Blue Fish action if you were there when the wind was west or not blowing thirty. Blue fish were there from early till mid morning, then following the cooler water out the Blues left allowing the Whiting and Pompano to come in and it was perfect. Sun warmed the sand allowing the sand fleas to show, every thing was up close. Then the wind changed directions and you were now sand blasted but the sand was warm, well buy the time you gathered all your gear and went to the car, the wind changed its pattern and you know the rest of the story. So all I can say is the Blue Fish were there all morning, nice fish taking spoons, top water and cut baits, Pompano from the House of Refuge south on sand fleas and clams and the Whiting were big , so don’t forget the bucket of ice to keep your catch in. So if you go to the beach and the wind is not in your favor go have breakfast and I am sure buy the time you get back things will change.

If you read last weeks column and went to look for Red Fish on the west bank and found your self in a thirty mile per hour drift, go to the other side and I few minutes it will all change. Good reports of Reds and plenty of Trout from Bear Point south to the St Lucie Inlet, bite started about 9: am just after the sun warmed the river and went till late afternoon. Not big fish all slot, but good numbers of each. Soft rubber baits topped the list but a live shrimp sure gets a lot of attention. Pompano just depended on the day. The bridge at the Stuart causeway gave limit catches several days, again about the time I got there the wind changed and clouded the water. Pompano from the Stuart causeway to Hobe sound area, across the Sail Fish flats, across the bottom of Sewall Point up into the Hells Gate area, if the wind was not changing directions. Plenty of Blues, Mac’s, Drum and Jacks to keep all busy.

Off shore the east wind pushed in the warmer water and then the west wind, all in the same day, pushed it back out. One hour you were catching Cobia, nice Dolphin and a few Kings in the eighty foot zone the next you had to go to three hundred foot zone to find the water temps that were at eighty feet just hours before. Temp lines, color lines and rips that hold fish were on the move at the mercy of the wind. Find that warm water and stay with it, may be close or you may be on the run. Plenty of Bonita to bend a rod, but if you want to fish in the boat find the temp brakes and stay on them.

Well I guess you can tell I am not a big fan of changing wind conditions or the cold, well we have half , now when will the other half come my way????????????????????????????????????? Henry

FISHING 3/13/10

Cold, rain and wind what is with this March weather? We get one good day and the rest you know the story. About the only thing for sure is Blue Fish in the surf and every else. These cool windy days have kept the water temperatures cool, but the sun has been shining. So finish breakfast and then come down, let the sun warm the shallow water and then you will know where the fish are, unless Blue fish is the target.

Surf anglers have had plenty of action, top water, spoons or cut baits have put plenty of Blues on the beach. Neither time nor tide controlled the bite time, it was all day. This species love the cool temps, travel in large schools and will eat any thing that moves. They do prefer some flash and they have a mouth full of teeth, careful. Lots of bites, lots of fun and yes they are good on the table. I would like to tell you about all the other fish but their bite time and location were short and not enough to target. Another week the pompano win, now if the surf would lie down, let some of the turbity leave and come up just a few degrees we would have a Pompano bite to report.

Strange weather, with the wind changing directions, overcast then sun shine and rain it has been hard on anglers but the fish are all ready wet, they just don’t mind. Excellent Red Fish reports from north to south, schools from large to small both in size and numbers. The west bank of the Indian River from Bear Point to south of the Stuart Causeway, they may look like large mullet but they are not. Traveling in the clouded water, rooting in the bottom stirring up the mud, yes those were Reds you were watching. Get ahead of the school, cast your bait out and wait till they come to you is the way. Take the fish from the outer edges and watch to see witch way they scatter, all slot fish. The Trout are coming out in the late morning waiting for the sun to warm the sand bars, look to the edges for these, slow presentation will get the bite. A few Pompano at the bridges but the wind and rain has kept most anglers in. Now if the temps to pick up and winds slow some of the turbid water will lie down and the Pompano will be there. It was a strange week we had two anglers limit out from the bridge, yes in all that rain. Been looking ever since, a few here and a few there but not enough to establish a pattern. This could be the week.

How about the Cobia, early in the week these fish were every where, then the rain, wind and 3’ to 5’ seas moved in and again hard on the anglers the fish are already wet. From 40’ out the Cobia and the Rays were keeping all busy, these were not big but perfect for the grill and there were plenty of them. Casting that Gulf Stream Cobia Slayer put a lot of fish to the boats. Chartreuse is the favorite, white a close second, yellow or pink for cloudy water. It is the middle of March is it not time for the weather change???????

Till next week keep your foul weather gear handy………………………………..Henry

FISHING 3/6/10

Cold and wind and cold, I have tired of this weather after the second day and this is the thirty first day. Some cool is good just not this cold or for this long.

Most of our fish like the warmer water that is the reason we live in Florida, so sleep in and wait for mid morning to come, big sun warms the water, then the fish will be on the on the sand bars, against the concrete walls and in the shallows. When that sun beats on these surfaces they will warm quickly and the fish will be on them keeping warm. Reds, Blues and Jacks with a mix of Spanish Macs are keeping most river anglers busy. The Reds have been thick north of North Bridge south to Walton Road. Favored baits have shrimp, soft rubber paddle tails and small gold spoons. Chances are those schools of mullet you saw were Reds, schools of six or eight, long cast to the front of the school and let the fish come to the bait. As one takes the bait pay attention to the way the school travels so you can get to them again. Stay off in the deeper water and look for the schools, they will be on the edge of the grass in the shallow warm water. Trout will be on top of the sand bars but moving very slow, slow presentation to get them to bite and it will be a soft touch not a strike. Just when you get that pattern in move the Blue Fish eating any thing you throw and scattering the targets, have a second rod rigged and ready. The Pompano have made a strong show just not for very long and not in the same place but every where. The area south of the Stuart Causeway at differing hours daily, the channel fro the House of Refuge south, the

Sail Fish Flats and just as many other locations again differing hours daily. Pompano fishing has been good you just need to keep at it till you find them, no special hour, anglers just keep looking they will skip then it is up to you and pay attention to the pattern and where they run.

Surf anglers, there have been days this week when it was one cast one fish, yes Blue Fish and lots of them. I heard from more than one angler that said “I just got tired of catching”. Some days the bite was all day, other days conditions just were to difficult to fish, big surf and strong winds were in favor of the fish. Pompano had their days, the Hobe Sound beach and south it may have been cool but the fishing was hot, the next day it was Bath Tub and north. These fish are on the move, no special time, no special direction one has to put in the time, clams and jigging spoons were the favored baits.

Off shore with the 3’ to 5’ or 4’ to 6’, the ocean has been less than polite. Anglers report looking fro warm water and not finding it till they were in 250’ of water, then trolling that temp line found a few fish but not as many as they thought were going to be there. Some Dolphin, a few Kings, free jumping Sails and plenty of Bonita’s. Now for the interesting part of last week the weed line in 50’, anglers that slowed noticed Rays and more Rays. Cobia in the twenty pound class with some to fifty all in 50’ from north of the inlet to south it was 50’. Plenty of Cobia on casted Jigs keep that pitch rod rigged and ready.

Till next week the only thing to say is “keep warm”……………………………………………………HENRY

Neatly carry your fishing poles with your very own REEL RACK! Click Here for more info!