Snook Nook Fishing Reports

FISHING 6/27/10

Ninety degrees all day with temps dropping to eighty five at night, I love this place. High temps may be good with me but not so sure about the fish. Summer months you will have to plan your trips to a more comfortable time, like dawn, as a matter of fact you need to watch the sun come up.

Fishing inside or out fish the coolest water you can, that’s when the fish will be feeding.

Surf anglers reported that even the Whiting were a cast out, but good size Whiting worth the cast. Still some grass in areas but just not as thick. A piece of shrimp will find all the Whiting and a small Whiting will find the Snook, Tarpon and big Jacks that are there for the early angler. Even that surf edge has heated to the point the fish are holding just beyond the trough. Lots of Crabs in the area and yes they do make good bait, a dollar size crab on a 5/0 hook tied to a fifty pound leader is a “Snickers” bar to a Tarpon or Snook, so bring that extra rod. If you plan on staying please reapply that sun screen. Snook fishing on the beach has been excellent, barbless hooks that are the secret to a quick release.

Off shore it was pesky Sail fish and Bonita all week then the week end and wind and a 3to 5 added a little sport to the game. Bait was not an issue till the week end and that full moon, well what can I say. Sails and Bonita were the only game in town from fifty feet out eating any thing you put in the water, then the week end and it was Black Fin Tuna, the Sails disappeared the Bonita slowed but we had a few Dolphin make the catch list. Surface temps are high and I would swim my baits even run a few deep looking for that comfort zone, take dinner to the fish from 50’ out. Had two anglers in looking for Bonita at the Sand Pile and all they could catch were Cobia, no sympathy here. Had one other in looking for Sails, we told him no problem, all he caught was Dolphin and Black fins in 80/125’ slow trolling Bally hoo again no sympathy. The only thing we were able to call were the Tarpon and Permit at the Boils on crabs, well I two right for the week end. These fish have been there for a few days, you might want to check them out, so where is the sun screen.

River anglers I know if you are watching the sun come up you are catching, fishing north or south you are catching. Plenty of

Trout, Jacks, Snook and Tarpon to name a few, live baits or top water have been doing their job. Stay in the channel and watch for activity, lots of bait in the river, fish the outer edge of the activity, not a problem. After the sun is up now you will have to look for shaded water or deeper water. Fish any channel or work a dock from deep to shallow, soft rubber baits with a swim tail presented slowly. Fish the channel in the middle of our river that is where the fish go, just fish slow and if you feel any bump set the hook. When the water gets this warm the fish will pick up the bait not attack it, slow

Down. Now if any body sees a Red Fish give me a call.

This is a great area with lots of water and yet not many fish at night, one evening go for a ride, visit any bridge. Many of the docks in the area are lit, all the bridges have lighting and until you have watch a Tarpon roll with those big eyes. Big eyes, yes they eat at night and it is cool and the fish are about, try it you may find it a lot cooler and very productive.

Till next week, where is the sun screen??????? HENRY

FISHING 6/12/10

Bright sun and warm temps it is summer, anglers need to fish early or late for the best bite. Please be on location as the sun comes up. The coolest part of the day, the coolest water and that is when the fish are feeding. Off shore the king fish bite has been excellent if you are fishing early or late, low light, big Kings. These fish have been in the thirty pound class, sixty to eighty feet of water using sardines, cut, dead, whole and live are all getting attention. A few Cobia but most anglers are not targeting them, twenty to forty feet of depth and most are fishing from eighty feet out. Small boaters looking for the Permit have found both from the inlet to the power plant. Dolphin, small and plenty of them, run baits deep the reason they are all up is because something big is under them. Big Dolphin eat little Dolphin and they did find a few bigger fish lurking below the schoolies. These fish were found in the hundred to one hundred and fifty feet, the deeper one fished the bigger the fish but far less numbers. Plenty of Bonita and some good size Black Fin Tuna kept most busy and yes the pesky Sail fish were every where. When releasing these fish bring them in the boat then put them back, you will not see the Shark that wants your catch and he can not see your hand, careful.

For the surf anglers it was Whiting, Croakers, Jacks and Snook, the Tarpon are still just out of casting distance. Whiting and Croakers do not mind the sun, they like the warm water so they are around all day. No special time for these but the Snook and Jacks like them also, the Jacks are big and the Snook are out of season, Release them as quick as possible. Be sure to bring that bucket of ice to keep your catch as fresh as possible. Now if you want to wade into the surf and cast a live mullet out you will stand up a Tarpon or two, bring the right equipment, no knife to a gun fight.

River anglers timing is every thing, wading or boating early is the key. Watch the shallows you will see the action zones, top water early. Zara Spooks, Top Dog, Skitter walk to name a few, as long as it rattles and splashes it will get attention. Bigger Trout and good size Reds are the target and there is plenty of good catch’s reported. After the sun is up and the water has warmed look to the shaded or dark waters, the fish want out of the sun. Docks, bridges, treed shore lines and deep water is where they will be. Now is the time to get the soft rubber baits out of the box and put them to work, slow presentation. Be sure to check out the channel markers, drift up, motor off, the Triple tale love the sun shine and channel markers, a live shrimp will get them. Tarpon at the power lines, at the Stuart causeway, the channel at the Dolphin Grill are all favorite hang out for these fish and small baits are getting their attention. That little Pompano jigging spoon is the one.

Till next week, lots of water on the boat, sun screen, long sleeves and polarized sun glasses, mandatory………………..HENRY

FISHING 6/5/10

Summer, warm and warmer, big bright sun and yes it will rain at some area this afternoon while the sun is still shining. If you are going to spend time on the water start early, you want to catch the coolest water of the day and that is just as the sun is rising.

Off shore was hit or miss, we had a lot of species on the list just not that many anglers. Bottom anglers had to play with cold water up welling depending on the area, trollers spent most of their time looking and live bait anglers are still waiting. The cold water on the bottom was a clue to pay attention to those leads, when you cranked them up just how cold were they? If they were cold you needed to move, in or out north of south but find some warm water. Had some nice catches of Muttons and Grouper the Mangroves were thick but you needed to find the warm water and it was not south. Kings were in sixty feet from Jupiter to Ft. Pierce it was the first response, Kings in 60’ on sardines, mid column. Dolphin started the week in numbers as the week progressed they scattered. Nice weed lines, lots of bait, some small Dolphin but the bigger fish headed for cooler water. Sails were every where up close and far out, summer fishing. Did you try up close, when fishing slows most anglers will run deep, try shallow, 20” to 40” that’s where the Cobia , Permit, big Jacks, Tarpon and a few other serious rod benders were located. Permit or Cobia on the grill, sounds good to me.

Surf anglers the Tarpon are moving up the beach, look at the bait schools are they scattering, swimming in and out, that usually means some one is following them and it most likely will be the big Jacks or Tarpon. Serious rod benders, do not take a knife to the gun fight, if this is your target be prepared. Lots of Whiting so do not forget a bucket of ice and yes Snook like them as much as I do, know season on the Whiting but Snook is closed. A few Blues early, a few Pompano but not enough to target.

River anglers you need to be on location as the sun rises, Trout, Reds, Tarpon and Snook are all there. Tarpon were at the Stuart causeway, Dolphin grill channel and on the west side across from the power plant in good numbers and they were eating which is even better. Slot Trout and slot Reds for that early angler across the Flats but after sun up these fish will move to deeper water, shaded water and place they can get out of the sun. Triple Tail are the only fish you will catch sunning them selves on any channel marker, cast a shrimp at them. Low light is the time ot be in the water for most action, bridge anglers you have the shaded water.

Yes, I like it hot, it is Florida………………………………………………………………………..HENRY

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