FISHING 4/20/09

 

                    The river is flat, not a puff of wind, the surf and it must be Monday. Lets hope that was it for the winter season and summer is here.

          After too many days of five foot seas Sunday slowed to three foot with some five’s mixed in and yes a few strong anglers had to go.  Dolphin in the twenty pound class were waiting. Anglers that did go went to 200’ that is where the wave pattern opened up. Bally hoo was the bait and a slow troll was the method.  The Bonita are jumping up close, maybe a thousand feet from the beach and I am more than sure there is a mix of Kings along with them.  Bonita, that is a sure sign of summer, now let’s hope the seas stay flat so we can all complain about the Bonita taking all baits.  If you come on a school of these hungry fish put your baits deep there just may be a few Tuna hanging under this school.

           Finally you can go the surf and cast a spoon or top water, this is the last of the Blue fish run and these are the bigger Blues. We do have a good resident population of Blues but this the last few days of the migrating schools, come on down they are still there in numbers.  Have not heard of any Pompano, conditions and weeds kept most anglers away but this is anew week and things are looking real good for that long cast.  I know, we just need a rise in the water temps and the Snook will be there. Plenty of Whiting for the afternoon angler, just pitch your bait a cast will put you to far out these fish are at your toes.

            The worst the weather, the better the Snook fishing and that held true, pick a bridge and you were in the fish, not slot size (over) but fun to catch. Hold your breath, get your picture, when you need to breathe so does that fish, release them as quickly as possible. Still plenty of Pompano from the bridges using yellow Jigging Spoons and some five pound Mac’s to keep you busy. The river is flat, turbity has cleared and the Trout bite is on find a grass edge and fish it, sand holes on the flat put a shrimp or your favored plastic bait in the middle and slowly move it they will find you. Reds have been north from Walton road north to Midway, these fish have spread out, but if I were looking this area would be my go to location.

               Lets hope that was it for the wind………………….HENRY

           has become polite,

 

 

FISHING  4/11/09

 

              Getting in to our normal summer pattern, flat through most of the day then the wind picks up in the later afternoon, all most summer.  It was hard week for the off shore anglers they were in fish or not and most who were, fished deep. We did see some nice Dolphin from the 200’ zone reports of Sails taking baits and small Kings in the 40’ to 60’ zone.  Most Dolphins caught in the 100’ area were small fish but then there is always a story. A young man came in the Snook Nook asked about catching Kings, I place a 3 ½ chrome spoon on the counter, told him to have in the water when he got to 30’ all he caught was 28pound Dolphin, better luck next time. Blue water fishing has just been scattered even the bottom anglers reports were scattered. Plenty of AJ’s from most locations, but it was two or three here and the same at the next drop, bottom fish from 30’ to 100’ and live bait was the answer for the action.

               Blue fish and Whiting for the surf casters, the best part was it made no difference what time you were there. Start casting a spoon and if you get no takers put a Whiting rig on because they are there. A little piece of shrimp and pitch into the surf will find plenty until the Blue fish show up then every thing gets bit off and you know it is time to put the spoon back to work.  Plenty of rod pullers but I am not sure if no one was targeting Pompano or they were not there?????  Plenty of Pomps on the Hobe Sound beach, no problem finding sand fleas.

              River anglers trying to get away from the Blue fish, you need to get away from the inlets, fish north or south, but get as far as you can from the inlets. Good Trout bite throughout the area but as soon as the Blues hear any splashing, here they come and your only option is move because they will not. Reds for the early angler in the skinny water, fish the docks from Midway road south to the Jensen causeway or the tree lined shore on the east side, small jerk baits and top water will catch their attention. Still some Pompano in the flats but the bridges have been the location using a small jigging spoon. Snook have not changed their pattern, dark hours and bridge pilings are the location, live baits and Flair Hawks the best bet. Plenty of Blues and Mac’s at the causeways along with all the usual suspects, fishing been pretty well through out the area but you have to get your bait wet.

               Till next week slow your presentation, give the fish a chance to find your baits………………………………………………….HENRY

 

 

FISHING APRIL 5, 09

            It was all about the wind last week, from the east, west, north and that was just in one day. Off shore was a real mix up, looked good at the inlet until one was out there and then it got a little bumpy and then on the way in the wind, yes, changed direction.  Anglers spent their day looking, picking one here and one there, no pattern and as I would have planed up close. Lots of small Kings a few peanut dolphin and a Sail or two, Cobia on the beach. Now if you ignored everything that you have read and just went till the swells had spread out, 250’ and trolled from there you put some nice Dolphin and bigger Kings in the boat and it made no difference it you were north or south as long as it was deep. Live bait was a tough find and if you did the snake Kings were there to make easy work of your rigs. Trolled Bally-hoo was the favored bait of the week; anglers took dinner to the fish rather than wait for the fish to find them.

          Surf Anglers had Pompano, Whiting, Croakers and Blues all week. The Blue fish were there in the Morning hour eating cut bait, chewing on spoons and fighting with chrome top water till about ten thirty then move out to the cooler water. Mid morning the Whiting and Croaker moved in chewing on shrimp, squid and small jigs, the best part was they were all good size. Now the Pompano were crazy all day eating sand fleas and clam strips, from sun up to sun down. The best part was these fish were so close every one had a chance to take a few home. Use a three hook rig and mix up the bait, school fish that always has a few friends with them, when one finds your bait and starts to struggle his friends will come to see what he is eating and set the hook on each other. Surf fishing has been excellent and as the water warm it will just get better.

           It was a river week, east side or west the fish were there in good numbers Trout, Reds, Blues , Macs the catch list was long on both live and artificial baits. Waders, Boaters, Bridge angles all had great stories and catches to talk about. Snook fishing was excellent most over the slot the rest were under, the trick is catch one in the slot. So it was Pompano from the Sail Fish flats to Round Island, small jigs, three feet of water and a slow steady retrieve put all the pompano you could want in the boat.  Most of the day Friday and all day Saturday it was the Jensen and Stuart causeways, under the bridge, on the bridge, casting to the channels it was Pompano. The best part was the bait, small jigging spoons with a pink teaser, cast them out, let them go to the bottom, pick them up and let them fall and bring in your Pompano.  Know your limits???? Pompano not less than 11”or more than 20” to the fork, 6 per day, may possess one over 20”……..

              Have great week, that spoon is the yellow and white …HENRY

     

 

 

 

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