August continues to bake the area with hot temperatures and lots of rain storms just about every day. Expect more of the same the rest of the month. Water temps have ranged in the mid to high 80's. Water quality is the main issue right now. As daily reported by TCPalm and many other news agencies along with a huge Facebook presence, the Saint Lucie River continues to suffer from all the Lake Okeechobee drainage. Things seem to worsen each day as more rain arrives daily. Water in that area is now unsafe for humans due to the toxic algae growing throughout the river area. The Indian River Lagoon is suffering from all the runoffs as well. The situation is critical and everyone is urged to get involved to get things changed and save our rivers. Check on Facebook for the Rivers Coalition, Speak Up For The St. Lucie and many other pages that are daily keeping citizens posted on the river conditions.
In Fort Pierce, Taylor Creek continues to dump runoff water into the Indian River. The fresh water is being pushed to the north with the tides. Water quality there has held up well to the south of Fort Pierce. Incoming tides has provided the best bite as it brings in cleaner seawater. There is a variety of fish to be caught this month. Snapper and sheepshead are around docks, bridges and channel edges. Live or dead shrimp is the bait of choice. Look for trout in two to five feet of water. Top water lures, DOA shrimp, CAL Airheads or live shrimp and pigfish are great choices for trout fishing. Redfish are in the shallow flats and around the mangroves. CAL paddle tails are one of my favorite lures around mangroves. Snook will be hanging around the mouth of the inlet, bridge, mangroves and docks. Top water, TerrorEyz and CAL Airheads will all work around these areas. Beaches have held a variety of fish including snook and tarpon chasing bait.
The turning basin in Fort Pierce has been loaded with ladyfish, blue runners, jacks and assorted other species that are all feeding on the glass minnow schools that come in with each tide. Small shiny lures work best. Look for clean water and lots of bait action on the flats to find the fish. Getting out early can give you some great opportunities to fish top water lures in shallow water before the sun drives them to deeper water. Fish the bait schools. You can find lots of mullet, glass minnows, etc. around the river. Fish the edges and you increase your chances of hooking up. Fish the mangroves this time of year. As the sun gets high, lots of fish will hang under the shadow lines of the mangrove trees. Skipping a lure under there is a great way of finding fish in the middle of the day. August can be challenging with the heat and thunderstorms, but you can still find fish to catch!
08-07-13 WEDNESDAY: LOTS OF MANGROVE SNAPPER AND JACKS
Typical August conditions this week. Hot and calm with clear incoming ocean water. There have been quite a few Mangrove Snapper caught on shrimp. They are varying sizes, many small ones but some are nice keepers. Also there are a large number of Jacks prowling the inlet. Tommy from the Bait Shop saw firsthand while snorkeling the inlet that a huge number of snapper have moved in. Hopefully they are all hungry.
Today's photo was sent in by Joe Staley from Atlanta. He visits the Inlet quite often, andcaught this C/R Snook using a bomber windcheater. He said that he caught several Jacks as well.
photo courtesy of Unfair Lures
08-06-13 TUESDAY: SNAPPER, JACKS, SNOOK AND BLUE RUNNERS
Again, clean water will dominate until after lunch. There is a modest fish bite with occasional big Redfish and Snook being landed. The Mangrove Snapper are still providing some action as well as Blue Runners. For those who catch their own live baits, their efforts are being rewarded. Otherwise, shrimp and cut squid will stir up something.
The inshore fishing has been on the slow side due to all the fresh water run off. I did have reports of scattered trout action on the high tide when the water is at it's cleanest. Try places like Bear Point, the Midway Road area and around Little Mud Creek and use a live shrimp fished under a popping cork. I did have several anglers report that there has been some nice tripletail to the south of the power lines. A live shrimp on a 1/4oz. jig head is the way to go. The snapper has been good to the north of the North Bridge for anglers using small white baits. Most of the fish have been between 1 &1/2 to 2 pounds. The catch and release snook action has been okay in the Ft. Pierce Inlet on the first of the out going tide. Live baits fished on the bottom has been the best bet.
08-05-13 MONDAY: MANGROVE SNAPPER, JACKS AND REDFISH
Good morning Anglers,
The tip end of the north jetty may be temporarily closed this morning due to maintenance of wave and weather gauges. Smooth water will persist around the inlet today with clean ocean water coming in until late morning. The dark dirty lagoon water will dominate after lunchtime on the outgoing tide. But, don't give up. Some giant Redfish have been caught on the outgoing tide in dark water. There appears to be a run of mangrove snapper taking shrimp. Most are in the 9 inch to 15 inch range, so many are being released. A frenzy of Jacks have entered the mix as well as a few Mutton Snapper between 16 inches and 20 inches. Those using live greenies or mojarra are finding some good action. Despite the dog days of August, fishing seems to have picked up over the weekend.
Our first photo today Mike Nicosia of Melbourne with a C/R Snook he caught from the south jetty using a suspension lure. The Snook was released right after the photo.
Our second photo today features a couple of unidentified anglers with a C/R Snook.
Photo three features Luis Rivera with a Bonnethead Shark he landed and released while fishing the flats.
The beach fishing is still steady with snook and tarpon if you can find the glass minnows. Inshore the trout fishing has been ok back to the north around the power plant to Bear point on soft baits and the bigger fish on top water at first light. The snook fishing has been ok in the inlet and the spillways remember its catch and release till Sept 1st .
