Snook Nook Fishing Reports

FISHING 8/28/10

Yes, I know it looked like rain or it did rain and the fish do not care, they are all ready wet. If you were lucky enough to pick the power

plant area to fish I know you did well, if not let me tell you what you missed. Several anglers were in to tell me about a “SLAM” and that is three different game fish species in one outing. Tarpon, Snook, Trout and a Red fish, catching several of each all in one outing and I was at work. All anglers were fishing just before sun up and all said some thing about the birds, lot of birds. Lots of bird’s means lots of bait, lots of different bird’s means lots of different bait and if all the bait is there why would the fish be any where else. Birds are a sure sign of food, small white birds with that fork tail skimming across the water, glass minnows. Pelicans diving, lifting their heads up and gulping means a bigger bait fish, if they hold their head in the water it means small baits. If you see them sitting in the water that means they are full, leave it to the birds to blow the whistle. Good reports of Red Fish from the Jensen bridge north, Schooling Reds from county line north through later morning. Good mix of Trout, Snook, Lady Fish and monster Jacks to test the warranty on your equipment. Tarpon were eating, in all cases it was the smaller baits, big schools of Glass Minnows, and watch for those little white birds with the forked tails. Yes it looked like rain; overcast no bright sun the fish were there into late morning and it did not rain in Jensen.

Surf anglers found good size whiting but the weeds were at many locations. Go check that edge before you unload, if it is weeds move north or south to your next access. Whiting and Snook have made a strong appearance but the Spanish Mac’s have also been there biting every thing off, lots of mullet in the surf. Spanish Mac’s from the cold water we had stuck around for the mullet or maybe they just came early, try a spoon and a short steal leader that will take care of the bite off problem. Now Snook is not open and we are not sure when it will open, so take the barbs off the hooks.

Off shore not a lot of boats were out this week, over cast mornings may have had a lot to do with that, rain? A good report from those that ventured out, Dolphin both big and small, more Sails, Kings and Cobia that would not open their mouths, just not a lot of the above. Kings started in sixty feet; fish in the twenty pound class were taken on trolled baits. Dolphin were scattered, no pattern, just there, lots of peanuts with that twenty five pound fish under the small. Sails were eating any thing you put in the water, like bait on a pitch rod and that was at all depths. Cobia just came to the boats to let the anglers know how unprepared they were, would not eat a thing but fun to watch all that confusion. Snapper bite was good and the cool part was they were in twenty feet of water, look south toward the Loran Tower and fish on the west side Muttons, Lanes, Mangroves and Yellow Tails.

Till next week the fish do not care if it looks like rain they are all ready wet, check out the Power Plant area……………..Henry

FISHING 8/21/10

Well the water is cold but then it is not? Depending on your location, time and who know what else look for the blue water that will get you fishing on a positive note. Most anglers have been running south out of the St Lucie Inlet down to the Loran Tower and catching but some ran north and were catching, one thing they all said, “Bright blue water” that is the key. Blue water is the warm water and that is where the bait has been, pesky Sails, big Kings and Mutton Snapper on flat lines, did I mention Bonita. With the pockets of cold water the fish have moved into that blue water and holding, why not that is where the bait is. Sixty feet seams to be the zone, fishing inside the reef or over the Sand Pile on up to the King Fish numbers, shallow was the location. Live baits or trolled you had to find the blue water.

Fishing the inlets, catch the out going tide, with all the warm water the schools of fish are on the rampage. Big schools of Jacks, Mac’s and a few Blues will eat any thing that moves. Put a top water plug on and just watch the fight begin, lots of Jacks, lots of fun.

How about Trout and Red Fish, I know you don’t have boat, so have you thought about fishing the causeways? From the Jensen and Stuart causeways just walk around the areas and see the beautiful grass beds. Forget the catwalks walk the sea walls and cast top water or pitch a live shrimp, plenty of fish and you do not have to tow or launch to get there. Yes there is plenty of Drum and Snapper but there is also species that like that shallow water also. Good Trout and Red’s from to many location to list you just have to fish before sun up to really get them, these are slot fish not a monster in the group but plenty of them. Watch for the bait schools, with Reds on the outer edge and Trout in the middle any cast will be a good one.

Shrimp, top water, soft rubber or even a Pin Fish will get their attention, bite time is short. Once that sun comes up they are headed for shaded water or deeper water and you have to slow that retrieve down. Snook are every where and they know the season is closed, if you are going to target them take the barbs off the hooks, makes for a quick and easy release.

Surf, it has been plenty of whiting and lots of Sand Fleas so bring your rake. If there is that many sand fleas on the beach and that Is the bait of choice, the Pompano are on the edge. Anglers will dig fleas and cast to the horizon, no, where bait is and that is at your toes. Bring the bucket take home some fleas for the freezer, January is coming.

Sure wish I knew when Snook season was going to open????????????????............where is the camera………………Henry

Finally the cold water is moving out. Anglers running out of the St Lucie Inlet and going south founds the warm water, north is still pocketed.

South it was twenty feet for bait in the Hobe Sound area, then it was down to the Loran Tower Reef area, all the Kings you could want in sixty feet, a few Dolphin and those pesky Sails are back. North of our inlet to about the King Fish numbers, some Dolphin, Sails and more Bonita, not sure what happened to the Black Fins and bottom fish not a report was made. Going north of the King Fish numbers water was still cold in more areas then not.

No matter the area all anglers reported action in the blue water, lots of green color then the blue and fish. From Jupiter south it is all warm and moving this way so any day we will get back to normal, it has been a long two weeks.

>From Jensen Beach south casting from the surf using a DOA Bait Buster, Bomber, Crystal Minnow it has been Snook and more Snook, using a piece of shrimp, Whiting and more Whiting. From mid morning through early afternoon the fish are eating, maybe that bright sun is keeping them warm. Fish are tight on the waters edge, cast north and south, the fish are at your toes.

Big schools of Blue fish, in the Cross Roads, wide St Lucie and Indian River, no I do not know what they are doing here other than they did not read the chapter in my book on migration. Reds are back in force, they look like schooling Mullet, east or west side of the Indian River from the power plant south, slot fish and plenty of them. Nice to see these fish, had reports all week of anglers catching small Pompano, Snook, Trout and Reds in their cast nets, thought they were pins and threw the net. These fish have spawned here, let’s hope they stay. Trout on soft rubber baits, find the grass edges and you were in the Trout, it would seem they were every where from Ft Pierce to the St Lucie inlet and the bite time was when you got there, as long as the water was moving they were chewing.

Summer mode, fish early because it will rain in the afternoon, guaranteed. Aside from the rain it has been a beautiful week, seas have been one to two feet, very little wind, bright moon, have you thought about night fishing??????????? HENRY

FISHING 8/7/10

Cold water, off shore usually after a strong west wind we will have a cold water upwelling but no wind and we still have cold water? Every one that I talked to said something about the cold. All that great Mutton and Yellow Tail Snapper came to an end, if the water was that cold on the surface who knows what the bottom temps were. What to do in the cold look in the deeper water, 220’ plus that is where the surface temps warmed. As anglers left the inlets they talked of the cooler temps and then getting warmer as they went deeper. Black Fin Tuna from 200’ out on small feathers, small cedar plugs, and small tensile jigs the key was small. The good part was that these fish put on some weight but then so did the Bonita. Like it came it will leave, cold today and normal tomorrow, not sure how Mother Nature does that.

Inlets on the out going tides had Spanish Mac’s eating what ever you put in the water, one or two fine but not my target. Snook and Tarpon will be back as soon as the water warms. Snook season is closed, have our fingers crossed for and opening day of September 16.

Surf edge cold maybe that is the reason the bite was so good in the middle of the day. Whiting and Croaker, one cast one fish, I guess I am not the only fan of the heat. Casting to these fish and you were beyond them, they were a pitch away. Good size fish, do not forget the ice.

River temps were normal, early anglers found fish in the flats on top water lures, late riser had to look for their fish. Shaded water, deeper waters were the targeted areas. Lots of Glass Minnow schools, fish the edges for the Reds and the Trout were in the midst of it all. Pay attention for the rolling Tarpon, they love Glass Minnows. Pompano at the bridges and some really nice fish, small jigs were preferred.

Well I know for sure Mother Nature has not read the chapter in my book on summer water temps and the Pompano the chapter on migration, so it is back to the books for me, ………………………………………………….HENRY

FISHING 8/1/10

Lake Atlantic, that’s as conditions have been, one to two feet with a light wind, a great week for boating. Lobster mini season was last week and the seas were perfect. Heard and saw some nice catches, the largest we saw eight pounds taken on the first day but sure heard about a lot of bugs. Interesting was the next day every one was headed out for the Muttons, those lobster pieces make great chum for bottom fish and the Muttons have been high on the catch list.

Off shore the polite seas had anglers playing around Push Button Hill and east of the there, deep water is where the gaffer Dolphin were taken. Interesting was not a sound of these fish on the radio, but did wee a few and talked to a few anglers who were privy to the info, saw to fish over twenty pounds. Most at the Hill were playing with the Black Fins trolling small cedar plugs and feathers, fish in the ten to fifteen pound class. Action zone was the 140’, on the catch list were Sails, small Dolphin, Kings, Bonita and more Bonita. So many Bonita you needed extra bait, Bonita will eat any thing or every thing. Trolled or live the fish were hungry, live baits were there one day and a hard finds the next, did you look in front of the House of Refuge that should always be your first stop. Now about the Muttons, from the inlets on out, Mutton Snapper everywhere, if there is a rock on the bottom they are on it, a dead Sardine works great. Did I mention the African Pompano and Permit on the Sand Pile, small jigs will get their attention.

Surf anglers started the week with 36” Cobia, plenty of Whiting, Croaker and those pesky Snook mixed with some big Jacks. Yes they will all eat shrimp but if it is Snook that Crystal Minnow and the deep running Bait Buster by DOA will find them. That being the targets please take the barbs off the hooks for a quick release. Big Whiting and Bigger Croaker make a real nice dinner; do not forget the ice and the Jacks are there to test you and your equipment. It was an all day bite, so sleep in then come on down.

River anglers are limited to low light, which is the best bite time. If you can see the fish they can see you. Long cast those top water lures and as the sun gets higher long cast those soft rubber baits. Lots of slot Trout and Reds mixed with pesky Snook and mean Jacks. Watch the grass edges, and pot holes in the sand both make great ambush points. When the sun is high just go for the shaded and deep water, the fish want out of the sun. Tarpon at the power plant, at the channels, at the Stuart causeway and the Cross Roads but it seems they have won not one angler has that them on the target list.

Till next week, lots of water, sun screen and where is the camera………………………………………………HENRY

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