Rain,
wind and cool mornings, that was last week, enough of that. The cool
mornings we can deal with but it is time that the weather settles
down. Amazing what a few days of cooler water will bring, anglers
report Pompano skipping and the Flounder have put on weight.
Pompano like cooler water they
are a sure sign of seasonal change. From the surf last week we were
talking about all the sand fleas on the edge and that is where the
Pompano were feeding, at your feet. As the surf settles and weeds
leave now is the time to find Pompano up close if the fleas are on
the edge why would the fish be any where else. We have had several
from the bridge, not limits but good numbers of three pound fish on
small jigs. Boaters report plenty skipping in their wash from
several locations, skipping not biting but that was yesterday.
Now about those Flounder, these fish
have been in the five pound class, catches reported from
all locations, surf, flats, bridges and inlets. If there is a
slight drop off, soft sand, any where there is an edge a bait move
slowly across the bottom is dinner to a flounder.
Trout, Snook, Jacks, Blue fish to name
a few have been on the Mullet schools, watch for the bait spray,
from north to south, east side of west just watch for the bait
spray. The only Tarpon this week were reported on the west bank of
the St. Lucie river. The mouths of the canals are the locations, big
fish, 100lb fish, do not take a knife to the gun fight.
Off-shore the zone has been 200', run a
little south of the St. Lucie inlet.The Dolphin have all been in the
twenty pound class, good Sail Fish bite and still Black Fin Tuna.
The wind has finally slowed, fuel prices are going down and the fish
are biting I and not sure if it can get better.
Surf has finally laid down and the
action on the edge is moving up. As the water cools the Snook will
move off and the Blues, Jacks and Pompano will move in. Big Whiting
and Croaker will show in the later morning and the Snook will
follow, they like the warmer water.
Till next week do not
forget the camera..........................................Henry
FISHING 10/12/08
Tuna,
Tuna the bite is on, small feathers tied in a chain rig, Squid, Bally-hoo,
the bait list is long. Trolled baits or casting baits these fish are
hungry.
The bite starts at your first weed patch
some where between 90' and 500' north, south or east it is tuna time.
Dolphin and more Dolphin, the cool thing about this is they are all
together. Real nice Dolphin in the 15 to 30lb class. Pesky Sails also so
bring some extra bait, you will use it. Ninety to five hundred is quite
a spread but that is as the reports came in,did I forget to mention the
forty six pound Wahoo in sixty feet, a trolled bally on a down line.
Pompano on the beach, long cast, short
cast it just depended on the day. One angler I told to long cast caught
them when he was bringing in his line to check his bait, he then started
using that 14 rod like a cane pole, well he found them and he caught
them. One hour they were up close and the next out far, but they were
catching not just fishing. Lots of fleas on the beach, I guess that
should be our first clue. Plenty of Blues and Jacks for the early
anglers, not much on the Snook and Tarpon. This week it seemed as the
day move on so did the wind, cloudy water just chased the anglers away,
not the fish.
It was from Nettles island south for the
Trout, east side of the river for most of the week. Just enough wind to
chop up the west side and keep it in it's turbid state. Most fish were
slot size I will say it again, if you are going to take one home slot
fish are the best for table fare. Live shrimp, small jerk baits kept
their attention and the Jacks and Blue fish love them also. No Flounder
reported this week but the Reds made a very strong show on the Sail Fish
flats. Red fish of slot size so dinner was covered. The bridges continue
with the Black Drum action, short Snook in the day hours, big Snook
after sun down and it was that way at all bridges. For me the surprise
was the Snook at the Roosevelt Bridge even with an assault by the Army
Corp did not stop them.
Till next week a little more courtesy at the
Jensen Causeway would make fishing a lot better for everyone.
HAY GANG COULD I GETSOMETHING ABOUT A
DINNER FOR THE "RIVER KEEPER PROGRAM IN THE PAPER??????????
FISHING....10/04/08
First
week of October, I am not done with September, how did this happen? Finally
the tides are back to normal, now we see the boat ramps again, walk on the
cat walks and my dock is not under water.
Flounder made a strong showing this week,
from many locations, fish that weighted three pounds and better. Bridge
anglers, waders, boaters, we even had one from Shepard Park in the south
fork. These fish were taken on both live and artificial baits. A good food
source just means lots of fish, Mullet, every body eats Mullet. The Mullet
run was no where near what it should have been, I believe that the fresh
water releases to the north of us pushed these fish out in to the ocean,
lets hope these fish return next year. Back to the Flounder, most of these
fish have been caught when the anglers stopped retrieving their baits, let
them fall to the bottom, them when they picked up their baits these fish
were on. So where ever you are fishing, slow down let your bait sink to the
bottom, do not leave it there long enough for the Cat Fish to find it but
just maybe a Flounder might. Red fish in the Herman's Bay area, good catches
reported on live shrimp and soft rubber baits, low light has been the key.
These fish are in the shallowest water, you will see the activity, cast
ahead of the school and let them find the bait, do not cast to the middle of
the school. Lots of big Trout on the catch list from many location in the
Indian River, last week we talked about witch ones to keep, top water lures
top the bait list. Black Drum at the bridges and big Croaker, yes Flounder
have made bridge anglers happy this week, all eating live shrimp. Few Mac's
and Blue Fish at the east ends of the causeways, bridge anglers have had an
excellent week. Plenty of Snook, none in the slot but plenty of them, pests.
Surf has been hot or cold, anglers
report lots of fish at one location and others can't find a fish? Locations
change every day, I suggest you look form the dune walk before you start,
weeds, bait, turbid water, fish activity will all help you select a spot
that is good for you. For the anglers that did not find fish let me tell you
what you missed. Blue fish on spoons, one every third cast, good bite of
Jacks, twenty pound class fish and the Pompano for the long casters. Times
changed and locations did also but the fish were there including those pesky
Snook and Tarpon.
Off-shore 200' to 300' has been the
zone, north or south of the inlet. Lots of stuff floating, lots of stuff
that holds fish. Dolphin in the twenty pound class, these are fish you can
take home so please let the peanuts go let them grow up and then you can
take them home. Small Cobia, plenty of keepers, but before you stick one is
that fish 33" to the fork of the tail? Not sure where they all came from or
why they are here but they sure are excellent on the grill. Good Tuna bite,
they will eat a trolled bait or a pitched bait, if it is moving they will
hit it. Have two pitch rods ready, one for the cobia and one for the tuna
because you are going to find them hanging in the flotsam in that 200 to
300' zone.
Have a great week, a fish is to important
to be caught only one time, release for
tomorrow................................HENRY
