Thursday, September 23, 2021

Sebastian Inlet Report

 Our intrepid fishing guide, “Snookman” Wayne Landry, reports that fishing has dropped off at the North Jetty due to the outgoing tide carrying storm runoff from the mainland via the Sebastian River and the Indian River Lagoon.

“Some Snook are being caught from the tip of the North Jetty with live pigfish, especially from the boaters who can get out to the clean water,” Wayne says. “There are still plenty of finger mullet on the beachside and in the surf. That is where the focus has been for the late evening and very early morning.”

Fishing from the South Jetty has picked up quite a bit, Wayne says, noting the finger mullet around the jetty and clean and calm water.

“I saw quite a few ‘slot size’ redfish being caught from the jetty and along the shoreline area and even in the surf on that side as well,” Wayne says. “The guys told me also that the mangrove snapper bite is pretty good to on the south side. The snook bite has slowed some, as most of the catches are coming at night with bucktails and live pigfish being the bait of choice.”

The main attraction for the surf anglers on both sides is the presence of all the finger mullet around, Wayne says. It’s a veritable finger mullet love fest.

“Snook and redfish have been smacking up finger mullet pretty good, especially when it is roughed up a bit surf wise,” Wayne says. “They like that. The best time has been real early or later in the evening just before dark using live mullet.”

Today’s angler of the week is Steve Studenc of Orlando, who landed his first flounder (21", 4.5 pounds) using a dead mullet. "We caught live bait but this mullet didn't live long on my hook," he quips. 



Friday, September 17, 2021

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

 The weekend is here and because of a pretty busy work schedule that started this past Tuesday , I haven’t had a chance to fish until this morning. Reports from the past few days were encouraging as some schools of pompano, Spanish mackerel, and more pods of mullet were starting to show . There were some keeper pompano along with some 9 to 10 inch throwbacks caught yesterday at Glasscock, Blue Heron, and Porpoise beach accesses along with some Spanish mackerel . I set up at Blue Heron today hoping to catch a few but the fish never showed . The only bite I had resulted in a shark off . A friend of mine fishing just north of me did put 2 keeper pompano in the cooler but these two that Brad caught were the only ones I heard of . I spoke with some friends that fished at Surfside, Coconut, Brooks, Tiger Shores, and Stuart and the only fish they caught were a couple of ladyfish. We are definitely going to have these slow days during September but as more bait moves down the beach the fishing will get more consistent. My favorite quote at this time of year is , “if you don’t go you won’t know”. I’ll be fishing the next few days and will hopefully have some positive results to post .

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

 Inshore

Though there is still a good snook bite at the St. Lucie Inlet, more and more fish are moving up into the river. Anglers working the docks and sea walls are doing well using live croakers and pilchards.

Live croakers are currently available at the Snook Nook.

There has been a good tarpon bite around the inlet and the north fork of the St. Lucie River. There is also still good tarpon action at the Jensen Causeway in the early mornings.

Anglers fishing the causeway should take care NOT to leave their trash or dead bait behind as it could lead to the causeway being closed to fishing again. Pack it in and pack it out.

Along the beaches in St. Lucie and Martin County there has been a good whiting and croaker bite during the higher tides.

There has also been a nice bite starting for pompano and permit for anglers working the second and third troughs. The best bait has been Electric Chicken Fishbites.

Anglers targeting pompano up around Hobe Sound haven't been reporting catching pompano so much, but have been getting some nice bonefish.

At Blowing Rocks Preserve, anglers have been reporting schools of mullet beginning move through the area.

At the Jupiter Inlet, there is still a good snook bite. Though there have been some keepers, there have been quite a few overslot fish caught. They are basically hitting whatever bait happens to be cruising through that day. Finger mullet, pilchards and croakers have all been in the area. The key is to 'match the hatch,' and duplicate whatever happens to be around that day. Go for the same size as well as mimicking the species.

Around the Boynton Inlet there have been schools of small sardines as well as small schools of mullet.

In the Intracoastal Waterway in Boynton area, tarpon have been holding near the rock piles during the day and hanging around the bridges at night. Small, live baits, including greenies and threadfin herring have been working well.

At the Lantana Bridge, anglers are catching small mangrove snapper on cut shrimp. 

There have been schools of small greenies, threadfin herring and some sardines hanging around the bridge at night and at dawn.


Lake Okeechobee

The bass bite is still best in the early mornings from around first light until 8:30 a.m. Swimming worms and spinner baits (weedless) worked back into the reeds are the best bet right now. After the early morning bite begins to back off, switching to flippin' will keep the action going. Best spots have been just below Indian Prairie and back in the Tin House Cove area.

The crappie bite is still happening. One customer at Garrard's Bait & Tackle caught 10 Wednesday morning while jigging in the deeper water in the Kissimmee River. Once again cocaine jigs were the ticket.



report courtesy of Palm Beach Post

From Todd & Eddy @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

 INSHORE-  Good inshore fishing this week.  The finger mullet are showing up inshore, and the fish are close behind.  Snook fishing has been really good this week, and should only continue to improve.  Lots of snook in all the usual spots (Bridges, spillways, inlets, you name it...) so get out after them and fish to your strengths.  Jacks and tarpon are also around in good numbers with the finger mullet.  The finger mullet tend to be most active at night or during lowlight periods of the day.  When the sun is up and the boat traffic is heavy they tend to push down deeper.  Beat this problem by looking for canals and spots not on the beaten path (yes...it's getting harder and harder to find them I know!) 

SURF/PIER-  The mullet run has kicked off, and the fishing has really fired up this week.  Snook, tarpon, jacks, and a host of others are all taking advantage of the nearly endless food supply.  Look for the mullet to move and be most active first thing in the morning and then again late in the afternoon.  Fish live mullet on the edge of the school or weighted below for best luck.  The Juno Beach Pier was good again this week; with a scattering of both Spanish and King Mackerel around.  Starting to hear a few pompano reports a little up to the north...won't be long now on them!!!

Sebastian Inlet Report

 Our intrepid and charismatic fishing guide, “Snookman” Wayne Landry reports that that fishing has picked up considerably this past weekend at the North Jetty. Look for hoards of mullet coming down the beaches to this fishing paradise.

"Lots of snook are being caught on live bait, with live shrimp being the bait of choice for most of the catches and live pigfish being the other bait snook want,” Wayne says. “Most of the fish are averaging 33 to 40 inches that I have seen with quite a few ‘lot size’ fish being taken home by some lucky anglers.”

Mangrove snapper fishing is also picking up, and Wayne says they’ve had time to “grow up” a bit. He’s seeing them in the 11 to 14-inch range. They’re being taken on live bait, such as mojarra and pichards, but cut bait is also working. Mutton snapper are also showing up, but Wayne has only heard of a few at the 18-inch range that can be taken.

“Several redfish have been caught with most of them being too big to be kept (minimum size being 18 inches and no larger than 27 inches),” Wayne notes. “Spanish mackerel are around, but not in any numbers to speak of. Also, there are plenty of large barracudas still lurking around the jetty looking to devour your catch.”

 Water clarity and snook fishing has improved at the South Jetty, and are fish being caught on live baits, shrimp, mojarras and pigfish. Some slots are being caught as well. Wayne say redfish and snapper are present along the shoreline and jetty and some are being caught in the surf area just south of the jetty.

At the surf, the is water cooling down a bit and clearing up. Mullet are running down the beaches, which means snook, redfish and jacks could be on the hunt.  Wayne’s tip: “Find your favorite spot, grab your cast net and look for the birds diving in the water to locate the schools of mullet. The gamefish will be chasing them.” 


Ed Killer Weekly South Fla Report

       photo courtesy of BlacktipH.com

MULLET ON THE MOVE

The next few weeks should be very interesting anywhere near area beaches, inlets and inside the Indian River Lagoon. It's Fall Mullet Run time and the bait fish are beginning their annual migration.

Schools of the small fish are starting to gather and move north to south. The schools of 20-50 mullet are starting to grow larger and will soon number in the hundreds and greater. On the beach, expect to see predators such as large redfish and black drum near Sebastian to tarpon and sharks closer to Fort Pierce. Around the inlets, snook, pelicans and jack crevalles will pound the mullet. In the lagoon, trout, ospreys and wading birds will take their share.

The full moon this weekend may trigger the increase in the migration and certainly by the new moon in two weeks, the run will be fully engaged.

Mosquito Lagoon

Capt. Billy Rotne of New Smyrna Beach steered an angler to an unusual catch Tuesday. His angler was using a 6-weight fly rod and tossing a black and purple Caloosa Flats' crab while sight casting fish in 2-3 feet of water. He had a pickup from what looked to be a redfish. But when he reeled it in, the fish had the profile of a black drum yet without the vertical bars. It also looked a lot like a redfish, yet without the copper color or telltale spot near the tail. Rotne, who has a great background in marine biology, said he has heard of hybrid fish in captivity, but never before had caught one in the wild. Other catches include tarpon, snook and trout. Tarpon will take live bait.

Surf

Early morning is the best time find the mullet on the beach. Spoons, topwater plugs in mullet patterns and swim baits are the best lures to use if trying to hook up with one of the tarpon feeding in the mullet schools, or snook and jacks in the trough. For long rod fishermen, use Fishbites or clam strips to catch whiting, croaker and the season's early run of pompano moving south now.

Sebastian Inlet

On Wednesday night, the Inspiration4 SpaceX flight launched high into the sky above the Space Coast. At the inlet, there were hundreds of observers in attendance, although they were primarily focused on the outgoing tide and whatever was going to bite. No fewer than 15 boats were drifting the inlet with live baits catching redfish and snook. At least eight more boats were anchored on the end of the north jetty fishing for snook probably with live croakers. And of course, the jetty deck was standing room only with scores of anglers fishing off all sides for snook and redfish.

Indian River Lagoon

The mullet schools will certainly energize the action throughout the lagoon system. Expect to catch black drum and redfish in the Titusville area by finding them rooting the bottom behind schools while seeking crabs and worms. Snook will be found at ambush points like the corners of seawalls, behind dock pilings and along channel edges. Tarpon will be caught near deeper channels and in residential canals behind waterfront neighborhoods.

Freshwater

Headwaters Lake is fishing better than any other lake in the region right now. Even with the high heat, anglers are catching bass to 7 pounds fishing with wild shiners. Catfish can be caught in the Little Econ using chicken livers.

Report courtsey of Ed Killer is florida today's outdoors writer. Friend Ed on Facebook at Ed Killer, follow him on Twitter @tcpalmekiller or email him ated.killer@tcpalm.com.


Friday, September 10, 2021

From Todd & Eddy @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

 INSHORE:  Snook fishing remains very good inshore right now.  No real mullet schools to speak of yet, but the snook are lining up in all the usual spots like it is coming fairly soon!  The bridge bite continues to go off at night, especially on outgoing tide.  Flair Hawk jigs have been producing well, as have swimbaits (like NLBN or 6" SpoolTek Fatty).  During the day best bet for the snook has been fishing live mullet along seawalls and under boat docks.  First thing in the morning or just before the sun goes down a walk the dog topwater style lure (Yo-Zuri Hydro Pencil or Top Knock) will also get some attention.  A few jacks mixed in with the snook, along with a tarpon or two.  Mangrove snapper bite remains pretty good inshore as well. 


SURF/PIER:  The Juno Beach Pier has been pretty good this week.  Snook fishing has been hot early in the morning and late in the afternoon.  Free-lining pilchards, cigar minnows, and dork jacks has been producing a few slots pretty much every day.  Later in the day try fishing dead baits under the pier for good luck with the snook (It's important to remember snook, especially the big ones, are lazy and always looking for an easy meal to scoop off the bottom!) Spanish Mackerel have been in and out at the pier on a regular basis.  A small freeline live bait is good for them; as is a Clark Spoon on a bobber rig.  A handful of Kingfish have been taken off the end of the Pier this week on large swimming plugs (Size 14 Rapala X-Rap or Yo-Zuri Longcast minnow are great options).  No great mullet run reports in our immediate area; but it does sound like a few good schools are starting to show up to the north of us.  Reports from Ft Pierce and Jensen Beach make it sound like it is starting to happen.  A little north swell this weekend could definitely get them pushed in this direction! 

Sebastian Inlet Report

 

Snook bite slow at the North Jetty, but plenty of snapper, mackerel and jacks 

Our illustrious fishing guide “Snookman” Wayne Landry reports that the daytime snook bite wasn’t happening on the North Jetty last week (even though snook season opened last Wednesday). The fishing was better for boaters working the tip of the North Jetty, with fish of all sizes being caught on live baits, croakers, mojarra, pigfish and pinfish. Meanwhile, the land-bound crew switched to a late evening incoming and nighttime bite with fish being caught on flair jugs, swim tail grubs and live pigfish.

“There are still plenty of finger mullet and pilchards around the jetty attracting the normal cast of characters: mangrove snappers, Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle,” Wayne tells us. “Some redfish are possible as well. The water temp is coming down a bit from 85 to 79, which in time will turn on the bite even better — if the finger mullet keep coming.”

 The water clarity has improved at the South Jetty and snook are being caught on live croakers, pigfish and mojarras on the outgoing tide at the tip and alongside the rocks west of the bridge. Small mangrove snappers — some being keepers — are also being caught on small live baits as well. 

 Surf fishing has been less than ideal because the waves we had a few days ago muddied the surf. You’ll likely hook catfish in the silted waters, but Wayne says that if you find a clean spot, whiting and croakers are out there. Should you find finger mullet running in the surf — which they are now — cast net and fish them because snook, redfish, tarpon and Spanish mackerel may be chasing them.

This is the time of year when our fall mullet run starts, and when that happens and picks up a lot, all kinds of good fishing happens,” Wayne says.

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

 Inshore:

In St. Lucie County the snook bite is still excellent. The St. Lucie Inlet is still the main hot spot, but more and more fish are being caught along docks and bridges in the St. Lucie River. Live croakers are still by far the top bait to use and they are available at Snook Nook.

At the Crossroad and the inlet, the tarpon bite has been solid. The Stuart and Jensen Causeways during the outgoing tide are also producing good action. Crabs have been working well.

If you're looking for a fight, there are plenty of jack crevalle along the seawalls that are more than willing to bend a rod.

North of the Jensen Causeway, on the west side of the river, there have been some decent schools of mullet the past week.

Along the St. Lucie and Martin County beaches, anglers are catching croaker and whiting in the first trough using shrimp or Bloodworm-flavored Fishbites.

There are also some snook still cruising the beaches.

Working the small schools of glass minnows, a couple fly fisherman have caught tarpon along the beaches.

At the Jupiter Inlet, the story has been snook. They are being caught almost completely on live baits including croakers and pilchards.

Though the Boynton Inlet has been packed with anglers the last few days there hasn't been a whole lot to woohoo about.

Small mangrove snapper, spots, grunts and blue runners have been hitting hitting cut sardines.

Lake Okeechobee

The bass bite is still a little slow, but not bad. 

Capt. Larry Wright had his clients into 18 on Sunday with a respectable six-and-a-half pounder in the mix and 21 on Monday with a few in the five-pound range. They were all hitting on live shiners fished on the edge of the grass in the early morning.

Though the live bait is working, anglers are reporting that Rat-L-Traps and Square Bill Crankbaits in red are also getting hits. 

After the morning bite starts backing off, fippin' a small creature bait can keep the action going.

The Worm Cove area has been good the past few days.

On the east side of the lake, in Henry Creek there have been a few specs caught using cocaine jigs worked in the Kissimmee grass. 

report courtesy of Palm Beach Post

Friday, September 3, 2021

EASIEST FG knot in the World

From Todd @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach


 INSHORE-  Snook season is back open and it's prime time to invite one home for dinner (or release em to fight another day like I often do!). Snook fishing remains good inshore, with the best action coming primarily at night.  Area bridges have been very good at night, especially on the outgoing tide.  Flair Hawk style jigs and No Live Bait Needed Swimbaits have been great choices for targeting slot size snook.  As a few trickles of finger mullet start to show the snook will begin to really key in on them.  Mangrove snapper action remains fair inshore as well.  Live shrimp and small live pilchards will be the best bait choice for the snapper.


SURF/PIER-  Snook fishing will unsurprisingly gain the most attention along the beach and at the pier this weekend.  Overall, snook fishing has been very strong.  Jupiter Inlet has still been holding a fair number of fish.  The Juno Beach Pier has also had a good number of slot size fish around.  Best bite for both the Pier and Jupiter Inlet has been first thing in the morning and then again late in the afternoon.   The surf has been producing a fair number of snook as well.  Small white jigs, small soft plastic paddle tails, and smaller swimming plugs remain great bait choices along the beach.   The Juno Beach Pier has also been producing quite a few bonita.  A longer distance casting lure (Diamond jig or GT Ice Cream) has been the ticket for the bonita.  The mangrove snapper bite remains very good at the pier as well.  Best bet for the snapper is to target them very first thing in the morning.

Catching GIANT Snook and Tarpon from LAND with LURES!!!

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

 

Inshore

Snook season is open.

Remember you must have a snook permit, it's one per person per day and they must be at least 28 inches, but not over 32 inches.

The snook bite is still red hot at the St. Lucie Inlet with plenty of slot and overslot fish being caught.

The docks along the St. Lucie River have been holding snook as well with the early mornings and late afternoons being the best time to target them.

The Stuart and the Jensen causeways are still good for snook during the outgoing tide.

Snook are also still cruising the beaches and are being caught by anglers at the Ft. Pierce Inlet.

Though mullet and pilchards will work, live croakers are by far working the best and are available at the Snook Nook.

Mullet are being found along the west side of the river up near the powerplant.

At both causeways there is still a good tarpon bite during the outgoing tides. Use live crabs or mullet.

Around the powerplant up to Ft. Pierce, there have been reports of flounder and a few redfish being caught. Live shrimp and pilchards are the best bet.

Working the beaches from Lake Worth down to Ocean Ridge, surf anglers are catching permit, palometta, jack crevalle and snook.

For the permit, live crab on a five-ounce surf rig are bringing fish up to 25 pounds.

Cut mullet, shrimp or sand fleas on a standard pompano rig are working for palometta.

The snook and jacks have been hitting two-ounce Gator spoons at sunrise along the shore reefs just south of Lantana and again just south of the Boynton Inlet.

In the Intracoastal Waterway around the Boynton area, there has been good action for both snook and tarpon.

Big tarpon, up to 90 pounds, have been holding around the rubble piles throughout the ICW. Use live herring, greenies or sardines free lined back to the rolling fish.

Snook action around all the area bridges has been on fire this past week. Using live pinfish, small grunts and herring fished on the bottom has been very effective. Also using two-ounce bucktail jigs, flair hawk jigs, D.O.A. TerrorEyez and Rat-L-Trap lures bounced or retrieved slowly near the bottom will also work well.

There are still bonefish being caught on the flats near the Boynton Inlet. Small jigs tipped with shrimp during the first two hours of the falling tide has been best.

Lake Okeechobee

With the heat of summer, the bass fishing is still a bit tough.

That said there's still a decent bite during that first hour in the morning on swim jigs. After that switching to flippin' frog-style baits or pitchin' a black and blue junebug can keep things going a little longer. King's Bar, Tin House Cove and Third Point have been the better spots.

Though the shellcracker bite has backed way off since the last full moon, if you're looking for panfish-style action, the cichlid bite has been excellent in the canals along the lake. They are good eating and there's no size limit or numbers limit. Red worms, wigglers and crickets.

                photo courtesy of Hai Truong @ Urban Freshwater Guide Service

They're moving water from the rim canal into the lake and, though a lot of folks don't know about it, there tarpon in those areas and they get active. They can be seen rolling in the J&S Canal by the hundreds some days and are up to 60 pounds.

If you're looking to target tarpon on the lake, fishing guide Cody Davis is extremely knowledgeable about the subject.

report courtesy of Palm Beach Post

Sebastian Inlet Report

 

Snook season is here... and things are getting lively again, especially with snapper and Spanish mackerel

Last week, our stalwart fishing guide, “Snookman” Wayne Landry told us how cloudy water was keeping the baitfish away. This week, he reports that fishing has picked back up again with clearer water and plenty of baitfish, greenies and pilchards cruising around the North Jetty.

“Mangrove snapper are back, but most of them are small with a few keepers being caught,” Wayne says. “The Spanish mackeral showed up again with quite a few being caught last week. Several were really nice sized, around 18 to 20 inches, 2 to 3 pounds.”

Anglers are also catching 5 to 8-pound Cubera snappers on the jetty with live and dead majorras. Some are also using majorras to catch redfish ranging between 28 and 30 inches. There are plenty of jacks and blue runners present as well. The daytime catch-and-release snook bite has slowed quite a bit with the bite coming at night now on bucktail jigs with fish averaging 34 to 40 inches. Snook season opens Sept 1st with the size limits being min 28 inches and max being 32 inches, with the tail pinched, with only one fish per person per day bag limit.

South Jetty: Wayne says the bite here has been pretty slow as the water is still cloudy and weeded up from the southeast winds and the swell. 

Surf fishing is improving with baitfish showing back up. Tarpon, jacks, snook, Spanish mackeral and sharks can all be present when you find the bait. Wayne has seen quite a few large schools of mullet running down the beaches and around the jetty, adding that, “hopefully means the fall mullet run maybe going to start.”