Sunday, October 31, 2021

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Are

Just finished a great 2 day Surf Clinic with three great anglers . Robert Lerner and Bill and Linda Morrison were the folks that signed up for the past two days and we covered everything from learning how to cast a 13 foot Surf rod to fishing the first trough for whiting and croaker . Our catch list on Monday included blue runners, ladyfish, jacks, palometa, and pompano. Today we had a 50 fish catch of whiting, croaker, and one pompano .It was certainly a pleasure having 2 nice days with 3 nice people . Pink Shrimp , Yellow Crab, and EZ Flea Fishbites tipped with a small piece of fresh shrimp caught everything today . I always love seeing the look of someone when you show them where in the trough to pitch their Fishbite. If you have never targeted this great table fare it is hard to imagine the area these fish hold in in relation to the edge of the shore . Was definitely a great two days . I wanted to take a minute and thank the Sponsors of these Clinics also . The crew at Fishbites, Brett, Mike , Terry, Billy, and Marty have provided support and and backed me for a long time . Fishbites continues to be the leader in the artificial bait market because all this bait does is catch fish . I also want to thank Gary Zeidman and Penn Fishing for their continued support and providing me with the best fishing reels and equipment in the world . Last but certainly not least Freddy, Alec, and Woody from the Snook Nook for their support in getting me everything from sandspikes to fresh shrimp . They provide quality merchandise for all of your fishing needs from offshore to the surf . These clinics have taken off in popularity but I still have a few dates available in December . Please call me at 609 903 8243 or my wife Deb at 302 438 2387 to book a date

Friday, October 29, 2021

Sebastian Inlet Report

 Our spectacular fishing guide, “Snookman” Wayne Landry doesn’t have much to report at the North Jetty because we closed it to the public for a biennial inspection last week. Fear not, the jetty has reopened.

“This past weekend when the jetty did open the fishing was pretty slow,” Wayne reports. “I saw a few large bull redfish caught on live baits on the incoming tide and very few snook. The snook seem to have gone on vacation.”

Wyne says he saw some decent mangrove snapper caught on the north side and “two very nice cubera snappers being caught on chunk bait.” The mullet and mojarra that were all around the inlet last week have disappeared. Large jack crevalles were being caught by the boaters drifting the inlet. 

Fishing has improved at the South Jetty, Wayne says, with plenty of keeper-sized redfish being caught on small live baits. Bucktails and grubs are bringing in snook, although many are undersized. Small-to-keeper-sized mangrove snapper are being caught on the outgoing tide on live and cut baits on the tip of the jetty, Wayne says. 

Surf fishing has been kind of slow due to the three-to-four-foot swell and the bigger winds we had all week and clouding the water,” Wayne says. “With the water cooling down to 80 degrees, expect to maybe see some pompano and whiting. Folks were catching small ones a week and a half ago before the winds and surf picked up.” 

Fishing is still slow at the T-dock, with small snappers of various species still being caught on cut baits and jack crevalles also being caught on various live and cut baits, Wayne says, adding, “Snook fishing has been decent back here at night on bucktails and grubs as is the norm for this area.” 

 INSHORE-  Another pretty good week of snook fishing on the inshore side of things.  Still a surprising amount of mullet around, and the snook are taking advantage big time!  Look for the best action on the snook to be at night on moving tides around the bridges for the most part.  During the day key in on docks and seawalls with good current flow.  It's all about picking out the good ambush points and presenting baits in a natural fashion.  Lots of jacks and still a few tarpon as well around with the snook.  The topwater bite on all three has been good early in the morning and late afternoon...lots of fun to watch them blast a Yo-Zuri Hydro Pencil clean out of the water! 


SURF/PIER-  A little slower this week on the beach/pier but still some pretty good fishing!  The Juno Beach Pier has had a solid bite on the mangrove snapper.  Live shrimp and chunks of sardines have been working great on the snapper.  Best bite will be first thing in the morning, and then again real late in the afternoon.  Bluefish action has continued to improve along the beach.  Still some good pods of mullet around with lots of tarpon, sharks, and jacks in them.  Spanish Mackerel action has slowed a bit his week, but remains pretty good.  Already a few Peck's Lake reports coming in...won't be long now till it is really firing off up that way.  Pompano fishing was a bit slower this week, but still a good number around!  The pomps are biting bait and Doc's Goofy Jigs equally well.  Should only improve as the weeks go on!

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

 

Inshore

In the St. Lucie River there are still large schools of mullet and small pilchards moving through.

The snook bite has been holding steady at the docks and seawalls along the river. At night the snook bite has been good for anglers working the shadow lines around the area bridges. Throwing live baits has been working along with any artificials that match the size and shape of what's currently moving through. Lures by No Live Bait Needed are proving very effective right now and are available at the Snook Nook.

There are still tarpon being found both at the St. Lucie Inlet and in the North Fork area.

A few redfish have been caught by anglers working area docks using shrimp on a jighead or live mullet.

Along the beaches in St. Lucie and Martin Counties, the pompano bite is still good. Found in the second and third troughs, it's still a game for the long rods with either sand flea-flavored Fishbites or shrimp or crab Fishbites in electric chicken colors.

In addition to pompano, schools of bluefish and Spanish mackerel are beginning to make their way through. They are being caught mostly using spoons in the mornings and evenings.

At the Juno Pier, there have been reports of Spanish mackerel and pompano being caught. Though a lot of the pompano have been short, there are keepers in the mix.

For anglers walking the beaches in the Jupiter area, there have been some big schols of bait moving through. When they happen, the snook and tarpon have been hammering them. Big plugs, soft plastics and even white jigs have been effective.

Surf anglers are reporting catching pompano north of the Lake Worth pier using sand fleas and shrimp.

Also along the area beaches, snook and tarpon have been hitting Yo-Zuri Hydro Pencil plugs in the pre dawn hours from Lantana Beach southward toward the Boynton Inlet.

At the Boynton Inlet, the snook action has been pretty good off of both jetties. Live mullet, pinfish, croaker, or pilchards fished on the bottom have been working. At night, fishing red tail flare hawk jigs during the outgoing tide has been producing big, over-slot fish.

Using cut mullet or shrimp around the pilings has been producing some nice mangrove snapper.

In the Intracoastal Waterway, there have been large schools of pilchards all throughout the area.

Snook, tarpon and snapper action has been very good between the Lake Worth Inlet south to the Boynton Inlet.

Fish are holding around the bridges, along deep channel edges, around canal mouths and oyster bars. Fishing live mullet, pilchards or shrimp has been best, but a large variety of artificial plugs, lures and jigs have also been working.

Lake Okeechobee

The bass bite has been so-so the past week. The best action is still in the early morning using swim jigs, spinner baits or skinny dippers. Though working the outside grassline has been good, working just inside is starting to be productive as the fish have moved back into the grass just a bit.

After the morning bite starts to shut down, flippin' creature-style baits or throwing a Senko will keep the action going.

There have been plenty of bluegill and cichlids caught the past week using crickets and worms.

The spec bite has been holding steady with the best action being found around King's Bar, Henry Creek and Third Point. The bite is happening on jigs worked in the grass.

Report courtesy of The Palm Beach Post

Friday, October 22, 2021

This Is Why You Shouldn't Use Pre-Rigged Lures

This Is When You Should Use A SHRIMP LURE Over A PADDLETAIL LURE!

Super Easy Way to Tie T-Knot | Tangle Free | Pancing Anti Mocel | Fishin...

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County



Inshore

Working the docks, seawalls and mangrove lines in the St. Lucie River has been producing plenty of slot and overslot snook. Look for the schools of finger mullet and pilchards (which are becoming very plentiful) that are moving through. Live mullet or pilchards, or lures that match the size and shape of whatever is moving through are working. Though working the edges of the bait schools can be effective, if you're having trouble getting your bait noticed try a popping cork with three feet of leader. It requires that bait of yours to drag the leader and cork around and stand out.

There is still good action at the St. Lucie Inlet, the Jensen and Stuart Causeways and the Northfork area for tarpon. 

There are more and more sheepshead and Spanish mackerel being caught in the St. Lucie River and those numbers should increase with each cool front.

On the beaches in Martin and St. Lucie Counties, the pompano bite is getting better and better. More fish and more keepers are being caught. It's still a game for the long rods as the fish are mostly being found in the second and third troughs. Shrimp- and Crab-flavored Fishbites in electric chicken color are working best.

At Bathtub Beach there has been good tarpon action using large swimbaits especially Hogy Pro Tail and Z-Man Mag Swimz.

Lake Okeechobee

The water in the lake is up around 16 feet right now which is making the fishing a little tough.

The bass bite has been good at first light working the outside edge of the grasslines using white spinner baits and swim jigs. After about an hour, when that bite begins to back off, switch over the pitchin' either a Senko or creature-style bait around the isolated reeds and cattails. The east side of the lake, particularly Henry Creek and the J&S Canal, have been good. 

Though the crappie bite has picked up a bit more, they are still being caught only jigs, not minnows. Anglers working the blown in water hyancinths around King's Bar and Little Grassy are having good luck.

report courtesy of Palm Beach Post

From Todd & Eddy @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach


INSHORE-  Snook fishing was good again inshore this week!  Good action on them in the Loxahatchee River, ICW, and around the bridges.  Best action on them has been at night, but early morning and late afternoon will also no doubt produce some bites.  The snook are still keyed in on mullet, so keep that in mind when picking out lures.  Outgoing tide seems to be the best for the snook, especially if the water is on the cleaner side.  In areas further away from the inlet and farther back up the ICW incoming tide could be the ticket, so don't be afraid to try both! A few jacks and tarpon around inshore, but not in big numbers.  Mangrove snapper fishing has slowed a bit, which means it's about time for the sheepshead and black drum to start showing up inshore.  


SURF/PIER-  Fishing was good again this week at the pier and along the beach.  Lots of pompano (for the most part undersized) around this week.  The jig bite (Doc's Goofy Jig in bright colors!) has been pretty hot early and late at the pier.  Jigging for pompano is super fun, when they are keyed in on it they absolutely crush the jig!  It is a lot of un on light tackle.  Bait fishing (Sandfleas, clams, FishBites, FishGum) has also been very good for the pomps.  Spanish Mackerel action was a bit slower, but still decent.  Bluefish numbers continue to increase on a almost daily basis.  Snook fishing has slowed at the pier, but still a fair number around.  Pods of mullet still coming down the beach, and the tarpon and sharks won't be far behind! Speaking of sharks...lots around if your looking for some light tackle drag pulling fun!!!

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

 

I am happy to be able to post a pretty good pompano report today. I rescheduled a surf clinic today due to the wind and wave forecast that I looked at last evening before I went to bed with some predicted waves to be in that 5 foot range this morning. I looked this morning at 430 am and saw they knocked the height down to 4 foot or less during the day so I headed up to the south end of Hutchinson Island and threw them out. There was a good amount of weeds along the shore break but most of it was from the grass being dragged back into the water with the incoming tide . I never got my second rod out before the first rod bent over and I had a doubleheader with a nice keeper pompano on one hook and a ten and a half incher on the other. This is the way the first hour and a half went and I ended up only fishing two rods. I finally called it quits around 1130 because the weeds took over on the outgoing stage of the tide but I caught at least 40 pompano and put 5 nice ones in the cooler. The best part about the throwbacks was that there were at least 10 or 15 that were just short of 11 inches and its great to see some bigger fish moving down the beach. I also caught a few bluefish, jacks, and ladyfish as some bait schools moved through . Some bigger jacks and tarpon also made an appearance as they headed south. Yellow Crab Fishbites was the bait today . I ended up using that bait on both set ups and boy did it produce. When you have the conditions that I had today with some wind, a 4 foot chop, and some current I cannot over emphasize and recommend using The Sinker Guys Sputnik sinkers. I did a post awhile ago about this product and being able to keep my baits stationary, even with weeds pulling on the line , was one of the major ingredients of getting that many bites. Chip Brundage makes this weight and I have never used a sinker that performs the way this one does. The sinkers are available in our area at The Snook Nook. Its great to see this early season action this year after the less than spectacular pompano bite we had last year. Just hoping its an indicator of a great pompano season ahead. I am heading up to New Smyrna Beach this weekend to fish in Roy Mattsons Surf Fishing Challenge Tournament . There will be wining categories for redfish, whiting, bluefish, and pompano. If anyone feels like taking a ride and entering the tournament just click on Roy Mattsons Surf Fishing Challenge and read how you can enter. This tournament always attracts lots of Anglers and once again Fishbites is one of the major sponsors.

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Best 5 Fishing Knots For Braid To Leader Line Mono/Fluoro

Fishing BIG Mullet at the Jetty

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

                  photo courtesy of Vinny @ Pier-Masters

Inshore

The snook bite remains solid in the St. Lucie River. Though the docks along the river are still the top spots, the seawalls are also producing good action. Live mullet and croaker are working best.

At the St. Lucie Inlet, the Jensen and Stuart Causeways and at the Northfork, there has been good action for tarpon. Live mullet are working best and if you're looking for a monster, they've mostly been lurking in the inlet.

Sheepshead and tripletail are being caught with more frequency the past few days. They are being found around structure and the channel markers. Shrimp on a jighead is working best.

Along the beaches in St. Lucie and Martin County the pompano bite continues to improve. Though there are still quite a few shorts, the ratio of keepers to shorts has gotten better since last week. Sandflea and Electric Chicken Fishbites are best right now.

Like areas to the north, there are pompano beginning to move into the Jupiter area.

There are also big schools of mullet moving down the beaches in Jupiter and Juno with plenty of snook, tarpon, big jack crevalle and even a few sharks giving chase and hammering them.

Schools of mullet are also making their way through the inlet and up into the Loxahatchee. Anglers working the docks and seawall, as well as a few of the sandbars are having good luck. Use live mullet for bait and work the ambush points.

Anglers working the inside south wall at the Boynton Inlet are reporting catching moonfish using eighth ounce yellow or chartreuse jigs. Look for the glass minnows flicking the surface, the moonfish have been right beneath them.

In the Intracoastal Waterway around Lantana and down to Boynton, snook were seen hammering schools of mullet early Wednesday morning. They are ambushing the schools along the seawalls and in the channel behind the inlet.

There have also been schools of big jack crevalle getting in on the buffet. Rod bending fighters up to 25 pounds are hitting live mullet and plugs including Yo-Zuri Hydro Pencils, Zara Spooks and large poppers fished along South Flagler Drive and at C-51 canal spillway.

There have been a few reports of redfish hitting cut mullet around the flats on the southeast side of the Lake Worth Bridge and on shrimp around the Snook Islands.

Lake Okeechobee

Though on Wednesday morning Capt. Larry Wright said the action was little slow, the bass bite two and three days previous had been excellent. He said he had his clients in 40 fish on Sunday and 39 on Monday fishing in Cody's Cove. Though the bite has been better in the early morning, there have been a few afternoons in which the bite was good. Live shiners worked on the outside edge of the grassline has been working best. If you're going with an artificial, flippin' Double Wide Beavers in green pumpkin has been working.

More freshwater

Anglers working the canals in West Boynton Beach and along 441 are reporting good action on snakehead and peacock bass. Pretty much any topwater plug or lure in frog patterns with an orange belly has been working.

The spec bite has picked up a bit more the past week with the best spots being on the east side in the J&S Canal. Cocaine jigs worked in the Kissimmee Grass, the thicker the better, has been the key.

report courtesy of Palm Beach Post


New Regulations In The Works

Cobia, redfish workshops: Florida anglers to help set new regulations to manage catches 

        photo courtesy of Ryan Morie

Anglers who fish for cobia and redfish in Florida waters may soon see changes in fishing regulations. Workshops conducted by federal and state fishery management officials, respectively, will take place across the state and online over the next two weeks.

Cobia

Anglers in Florida know, with all due respect to the Brad Pitt movie "Fight Club," the first rule of cobia season is to never talk about cobia season. However, according to recent fishery statistics, cobia catches may need to be reduced by as much as 33%.

And taking a cobia away from them is something anglers are going to want to fight about. 

Statistics calculated by the Southeast Data Assessment and Review 28 (SEDAR) completed in July 202 indicated cobia in the offshore federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast of Florida are deemed to be undergoing overfishing. In order to conserve stocks of the migratory pelagic fish, popular among recreational anglers and sought by commercial fishers for the seafood market, managers are in the process of potentially changing regulations for harvest.

Changes to come for recreational anglers and commercial fishers in Gulf and Atlantic waters off Florida may include an increase in minimum size for harvest from a 33-inch fork length to as large as a 42-inch fork length, a reduction in bag limit from two per person to one per person, or instituting a vessel limit. There could also be seasonal closures.

These possible changes for the document called Coastal Migratory Pelagics Amendment 32 will be outlined in a series of workshops throughout Florida next week, each beginning at 6 p.m.:

  • Oct. 18 — Harvey Governmental Center, 1200 Truman Ave., Key West
  • Oct. 19 — The River Center at Burt Reynolds Park, 805 U.S. 1, Jupiter
  • Oct. 20 — Hilton Cocoa Beach, 1550 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach
  • Oct. 21 — Mudville Grill, 3105 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville

There will also be a webinar offered at 6 p.m. Oct. 19. Public comment can be filed in written form before 5 p.m. Oct. 21. To review the amendment documents, register for the webinar, to send comments by email or to obtain the physical address to send mail, go to SAFMC.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings.

The final decision on cobia regulations and implementation will be made by officials with NOAA Fisheries Southeast in 2022. 

Redfish

Recently, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission completed a stock assessment on one of the state's most popular inshore fishing targets — redfish. This week and next, the agency charged with the management of the fishery will be hosting in-person workshops and a virtual one to discuss anglers' concerns about the fishery and whether regulations need to be adjusted.

Workshops will begin at 6 p.m. local time unless noted

Oct. 13

  • Steinhatchee — Community Center, 1013 Riverside Drive
  • Naples — Collier County Facilities Management, Training Room, 3335 Tamiami Trail E.
  • New Smyrna Beach — Brannon Center, 105 S. Riverside Dr.
  • Redfish

    Recently, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission completed a stock assessment on one of the state's most popular inshore fishing targets — redfish. This week and next, the agency charged with the management of the fishery will be hosting in-person workshops and a virtual one to discuss anglers' concerns about the fishery and whether regulations need to be adjusted.

    Workshops will begin at 6 p.m. local time unless noted

    Oct. 13

    • Steinhatchee — Community Center, 1013 Riverside Drive
    • Naples — Collier County Facilities Management, Training Room, 3335
    •  Tamiami Trail E.
    • New Smyrna Beach — Brannon Center, 105 S. Riverside Dr.
    • Panama City — Gulf Coast State College, Language & Literature Building, 5230 W. U.S. Highway 98.
    • Viera — Brevard County Commission Chambers, Building C (first floor), 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way.
    • St. Petersburg — Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Karen A. Steidinger Auditorium, 100 Eighth Ave. SE.

    • Oct. 19
      • Pensacola — City Hall, Hagler Mason Room, 222 W. Main Street.
      • Webinar — MyFWC.com/fishing/saltwater/rulemaking/workshops.
      • People interested in participating may also contact the Division of Marine Fisheries Management at 850-487-0554 for more information.  Webinar will begin at 6 p.m. ET. 

        Comments can be emailed to MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments and click on “Workshops” to submit comments. A recorded presentation will also be posted on this page in the future

        FWC hosted a Redfish Summit in August. To review the materials presented there go to MyFWC.com/Redfish2021.

      • report from Ed Killer @ TCPalm's outdoors writer.

Friday, October 8, 2021

Sebastian Inlet Report

Storm-churned water means slow fishing (but still better than a day at work

 Our charismatic and talented fishing guide, “Snookman” Wayne Landry, reports that fishing around the North Jetty has been “pretty slow” this past week due to the water quality and clarity again.

 “The north-northeast winds and the swell from the storm way offshore has the water dirtied up and cooled down by about 4 degrees, enough to shut the fishing down until it cleans back up,” Wayne says. “The finger mullet are still around, but not in the numbers as a couple weeks ago when it was cleaner. Also, the larger mullet have left too, for now. There are some hit-and-miss mangrove snappers around, Spanish mackerel and only a very few snook and redfish being caught. Mostly being caught are catfish, jack crevalle and ladyfish.” 

Conditions at the South Jetty are similar: cloudy water and weedy.

If you’re fishing the surf and you can find clear water, some snook and redfish are a possibility if you’re using baitfish, Wayne says, otherwise you’ll find mostly catfish and possibly stingrays.

Not much is happening at T-dock area (south side at campground) except for some jack crevalle being caught on finger mullet; however, Wayne says the bite seems to be better at night for snook throughout the inlet with bucktails, grubs and live bait. 

From Todd & Eddy @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

 INSHORE-  Snook fishing remains the best bet inshore right now.  Action has been good on them in all the usual spots.  The bridges, spillways, inlets, ICW, and river have all had good snook fishing under the right conditions.  As usual the snook fishing will be best at night or during lowlight periods of the day.  Moving water (generally outgoing tide) is also essential in getting the snook to bite.  Still a good number of mullet around and that is what the snook are keyed in on right now.  Tarpon and jacks will also be ion those same spots with the snook.  As the water begins to cool down just a bit look for the flats in Hobe Sound to start to come alive with more species and fish activity. 

SURF/PIER-   Action remains good overall along the beach; but not quite as good as it was last week.  The Juno Beach Pier snook bite has remained pretty strong.  Still a good number of sabiki baits around, along with good pods of mullet.  Snook and Tarpon bite has been best on live baits, but a swimming plug (X-Rap or Yo-Zuri Longcast) has also been getting a few bites early and late.  The mullet are still around, although the pods are not as consistent. Tarpon and sharks are the main big predators in with the mullet now.  The jacks and early season bluefish are also around in good numbers when you find the mullet.  Early season pompano fishing has been good.  Fish Gum and Sandfleas have both been great choices for the pompano.  Spanish Mackerel action has been good as well.  Nice looking conditions again this week...should be a good weekend to give it a try! 

Inlet Snook Fishing - Non Stop Action Using Live Pilchards

Barracuda ATTACKS LIVE Mullet! - Fishing

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Ed Killer South Fla Report

FWC allows killing of goliath grouper for first time in over 30 years

For the first time since 1990, recreational anglers fishing in some parts of Florida will be allowed to take home a goliath grouper for dinner.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted without dissent Wednesday to approve proposed new rules for a "highly regulated limited harvest" of the gentle giants. When final approval comes at its March 2022 meeting, harvest could begin as early as 2023.

The fish live in estuaries as juveniles, then move to reefs, rocky jetties and bridges in deep waters as adults, which can weigh 300-400 pounds. They have been protected in state and federal waters since 1990, when they were deemed to be overfished

FWC's new goliath grouper regulations

The FWC staff recommended these proposed new rules:

  • The harvest of up to 200 goliath grouper per year, with harvest opportunities awarded via random-draw lottery with a maximum of one permit and tag per person per year
  • A lottery application fee of $10 and, if awarded, a permit fee of $500
  • A slot limit of 20-36 inches total length
  • Hook-and-line as the only allowable gear
  • An annual open harvest season of March 1 through May 31
  • Harvest allowed in all state waters except those of Palm Beach County south through the Atlantic coast of Monroe County
  • A requirement for participants to submit harvest and biological information.

Some of the seven-member governor-appointed commissioners expressed concerns Wednesday about issues that 20 stakeholders raised in public comments, so they will consider these changes to the proposed regulations at their March meeting:

  • Adding Martin County waters to the no-harvest zone
  • Reducing the license fee
  • Increasing the minimum harvest size.
  • Critics oppose killing goliath grouper

    Conservationists, researchers and owners of dive shops and dive charter businesses disagreed with the decision. Recreational anglers had mixed opinions, with some welcoming the open season and others saying the limited harvest wasn't enough.

    "I was shocked to see FWC commissioners ignore science and approve the draft rule to start killing goliath grouper," marine researcher Sarah Frias-Torres wrote to TCPalm via Twitter.

  • Scientific evidence shows adult goliath grouper numbers are declining, said Frias-Torres, who has worked on projects examining goliath groupers during spawning off Palm Beach County. Reef surveys show it; the spawning aggregation sites this year had fewer breeders compared to 10 years ago, she said.

    "And then, there's the complete collapse of the Indian River Lagoon, so no more nursery habitat there. And the ongoing and recent red tides killing fish," she said. "FWC should not be proposing any kill fishery. But here we are."

  • An angler who favored the decision was Darcie Arahill of Lantana, known by 377,000 YouTube subscribers and on social media as Darcizzle, a full-time professional female angler who said she was "super excited for a goliath grouper open season."

    "It's amazing to see the FWC work to open up a fishery that has been closed for 30 years. It proves that we can improve and bring back threatened species," she wrote to TCPalm via Twitter. "Personally, what fisherman does not want to catch and eat a fish that has been off-limits for decades and that they've never caught before!

  • Catch-and-release tears up the fish

    Walt Stearns, a lifelong diver and underwater photographer from Palm Beach County, called goliath grouper "natural capital." He said he is concerned about his observations of smaller numbers of goliath groupers returning to offshore spawning sites, as well as recreational fishing practices on spawning aggregations.

    "They are tearing up the fish. I've seen fish with eyes that have been lost to barotrauma, some with half their jaw taken out, some have fishing rigs hanging out of their mouth. I feel a lot are dying from catch-and-release practices," Stearns told the commissioners Wednesday. "There are about five known spawning sites off Palm Beach and one off Martin County, and they are small areas. They should be left alone from bottom fishing activities during this (July through October) time period."

  • Stearns said he counted 150 fish this year, down from 270-280 in 2013 and 2014, the most in his experience.

    Divers travel here from all over Florida, the U.S. and even other countries to see goliath grouper and spend money elsewhere in the state while they're here.

    To protect the fish, Commissioner Gary Nicklaus of Palm Beach suggested those who oppose the limited harvest apply for permits, then don't use them.

    story courtesy Ed Killer is TCPalm's outdoors writer. 

Beach Fishing With Paul Sperco Palm Beach/Martin County Area

 Quick surf report from today . Started down towards Tiger Shores but weeds were an issue early this morning. I made a stop at Stuart Beach and watched the tarpon, jacks, and sharks put on a show tearing up the mullet schools 30 yards off of the beach . It was crazy . Ended up at Blue Heron to the north. Water was so so but at least the weeds weren’t too bad . Caught 2 10 inch pompano right away on Ez Flea and Pink Crab Fishbites . The bites stopped for awhile then caught and released a few jacks, catfish, and one small whiting. I got sharked off a couple of times and then had a huge bite while reeling in something small . Turned out to be a 100 pound tarpon that I actually got 2 jumps out of before it straightened the hook on my pompano rig . Lots of life along the beach right now with these mullet showing . Heading to Moffitt tomorrow and then up to St Simons Island on Friday to fish in a redfish surf tournament sponsored by Fishbites over the weekend . I’m fishing with my son Danny and grandson Christian . I’ll be back down on the beach in our area on Monday . I hope the weeds clear out for everyone over the weekend and you catch some fish .

Saturday, October 2, 2021

From Todd & Eddy @ Juno Bait -Juno Beach

 INSHORE-  Snook fishing remains red hot this week.  The snook are keyed in on mullet, and they continue to feed like crazy.  Best bet for the snook is to fish lowlight periods of the day or at night.  Look for moving water (Primarily outgoing tide; but certain spots will work well on incoming) to further help improve your odds with the snook. Mixed in with the snook will no doubt be a handful of tarpon, big jacks, and even the occasional redfish or two.  


SURF/PIER-  Great action along the beach and at the Juno Beach Pier this week. Early arrival of all the fall species (Jacks, Spanish Mackerel, Pompano, Ladyfish, Bluefish, and others) kept rods bent pretty much all week at the pier.  Still a fair number of snook hanging around the pier as well; but that will begin to change as more and more bluefish begin to show up.  The mullet run is still in full swing; with tarpon and blacktop sharks being the main predators with them.  Should also be a good number of jacks, and still a few snook as well with them too.  Overall a great mixed bag of action...well worth giving it a shot if the weather allows. 

Scouting Around Palm Beach And Martin County

 Inshore

The docks, bridges and sea wall along the St. Lucie River have all been holding snook the past week. Live mullet, pilchards and especially croaker are working well.

Live croaker are available at the Snook Nook.

Hole in the Wall has also been a hot spot for snook when the schools of bait are moving through.

There are also good numbers of tarpon around. Anglers working the St. Lucie Inlet and the north fork of the St. Lucie River are having a blast catching these big-time fighters using live mullet. They are also being caught around the Jensen Beach Causeway in the evenings.

Spanish mackerel are being caught along the area bridges spanning the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers as that season keeps turning on.

Along the beaches in the Jupiter and Juno Beach areas, there has been good action for snook, tarpon and jack crevalle.

They are all following the schools of finger mullet that have been making their way down the coast and in some cases into the Intracoastal Waterway and Loxahatchee River.

For the snook, artificial lures resembling finger mullet have been working well. Just remember to "match the hatch" and use lures that are the approximate size of the mullet that are in the area. Right now, that is in the four- to five-inch range.

In a sign that the season could be turning on, there have been a few small schools of mullet around and traveling into the Boynton Inlet the past week.

The ones that are making it into the Intracoastal Waterway are getting hammered by jack crevalle, tarpon and snook as they move along the flats.

Anglers working the jetties at the Boynton Inlet have been catching good numbers of snook using small sardines, greenies and menhaden. Most are being caught on the slack tide, inside the north jetty.

Anglers working the docks around Manalapan at night are having a blast catching snook. The bite has been best around the lighted docks and they are hitting small Yo-Zuri crystal minnows as well as small, live finger mullet and greenies.

Another hot spot for slot-size snook has been the Little Ocean Avenue Bridge. They are congregating around the mangroves in ambush positions and are being caught freelining live baits. 

The other area bridges are also holding snook. The key has been casting downstream and retrieving upstream both live and artificial baits.

Lantana Bridge anglers are reporting catching mangrove snapper and a few ladyfish on cut mullet.

Lake Okeechobee

The bass bite has been a little slow the past week and is still in a typical summer pattern. The bite has been best first thing in the morning using spinner baits and swim jigs in either white or chartreuse colors. When that bite slows down after about an hour and a half, switching over to flippin' and pitchin' into the reed heads will keep the action going. Flippin' and pitchin' creature-style baits in black, blue or june bug colors has been working well. 

The crappie bite is still good with white and chartreuse jigs worked around floating vegetation being the key the past week. How good has the bite been? One angler reported catching his limit three out of 10 outings. King's Bar, Little Grassy and Buckhead Ridge have been good.

Be advised the lake level is coming up quickly and risen approximately six inches in the last 10 days.

report courtsey of The Palm Beach Post