70 Degree Trigger

Just as soil temperature sparks seed germination and air temperature invites blossoms, water temperature turns on fish feeding.  In Stuart, our primary fishing inshore companions, namely the Snook, Trout, and Tarpon all seem to wait for the days when the 70 degree mark has been reached  in their atmosphere (the water).  It’s not a feeding frenzy but more like breakfast time on an early Sunday morning when you start to nibble on what’s around without a strong motivation to fill up in a hurry.  Fortunately, this process continues to escalate through the Spring months and culminates into heavy feeding for spawn and post-spawn.  But most notable of the changes seems to be the crossing of that 70 degree threshold that invites the renewed activity for our friends that have been so hard to find over the winter months.  And as consequence, our Wintertime partners of Ladyfish, Pompano, Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel all head off to the cooler waters they prefer and to play with others.

Snook Beginning to Feed

Our Snook population was definitely effected by the unseasonably cold Winter water temps, but as the warm up of Spring takes hold we’re starting to find more and more feeding Snook.  Season remains closed until September but pictures are OK as we try to help our biggest inshore attraction fight the cold weather blues.  To do our part we have not been targeting Snook since January but it seems that now, the hungry fish are feeling back in the game and we are more than happy to play.  Of course, we’re a strong supporter of catch and release for Snook under any circumstances, so for our customers it’s business as usual.  Now we’re looking forward to getting back out at night with the fly rod at the docklights.  Water temperature is key to fishing activity.

When the Jacks are Running

As the wind and seas calm down in early Spring the near shore action begins to pickup with schools of adult Jack Cravelle.  It’s an exciting time of year, here in the Stuart area, as we’ve become somewhat bored with the smaller fish available in the inshore waters of Winter.  The 20 to 30 pound fish provide quite a challenge but worth the effort after a long cold winter.

You Know The Old Saying About Going Fishing; Not Catching….

Bluefish are a wintertime staple our nearshore waters and this year is no exception.  If  you can find where they’re hanging out, the fishing turns into non-stop catching.  Great fun with almost any bait that imitates a baitfish.  It’s a good idea to use something renewable because these fish with destroy any kind of soft plastics.  Topwater plugs and spoons are a good choice.  It’s great to watch them fight of the plugs as they skip across the surface.  And you don’t have to be an expert at walking the dog to get some action.    Admittedly, this can get a bit repetitive after an hour or so, and it kind of spoils other fishing afterwards that doesn’t produce action instantly and often.  But if you want to have fun bending a rod and giving everyone a chance to catch fish, then this is a great game to play.  Twice the fight, bigger fish and less work than Spanish Mackerel this fishing is a crowd pleaser for friends and customers from up north.  Watch out for the teeth as these fish draw blood very easily.  A good set of needle nose pliers or some other de-hooking device is a must.

Fall Fishing

The cooler, shorter days of autumn are known to slow down most everything up north, but down here in southeast Florida the waters get active.  Huge schools of various baitfish activate feeding frenzies and crank up the excitement.  Almost any size fish will consider glass minnows a tasty treat and when they show up in schools containing millions it’s impossible not to react. As parts of these schools move through the inlet and into the Indian and St. Lucy Rivers they’re predators also follow.  Jacks, Spanish Mackerel, Blue Runners and Bluefish head in to our inshore waters in numbers not seen any other time of year.  Snook, Tarpon, Redfish and Seatrout join them for an opportunity to feed on the candy.  Like the Finger Mullet of last month, these feeder fish will also be eaten to the point where small schools will be hard to find, but some will linger for months to come in the shallow out-of-the-way spots further up river. I am often asked what is the best time to fish around Stuart and my answer is always depends on the type of fishing you prefer, but overall, for the opportunity to catch fish for fun, the Fall (hurricanes permitting) gets the top spot on a list that includes nearly every month on the calendar.

Mullet Run Bonanza

When the Finger Mullet begin to show up everything changes.  The flats and the seawalls come alive with Snook and Jacks that have suddenly appeared in big numbers.  When you’ve been afforded the opportunity to be on the water for the leading edge of the September show, it makes for an exiting trip.  This year has been exceptional with the six-inchers pushing through inlet in huge schools as the water vibrates with their presence.  A cast net thrown on a shallow shoreline will generally produce the greatest bounty and provide hours of excitement.  If you don’t fish the seawalls then you’ve missed the real fun as these baits insist on staying near the surface as the predators lurk below prepared to take advantage of  both the wall and the air above as barriers to escape.  The Snook that have become so elusive since the opening of season at the first of the month now have a reason to feast.  And those Jacks that we’ve seen so seldom during the hot summer months are suddenly everywhere.  The activity is greatest at the outset and should continue for a few weeks.  This is also a great time to throw top water plugs, especially those that imitate the Finger Mullet.  Toss them into any area of activity and there’s a good change of a hookup.  Again, seawalls are ground zero.

Jetty Snook

Lived here all his live and fished extensively and this morning, Don caught his first Snook.  Wind and waves were a challenge but we persevered to take advantage of the inlet activity.  Hopefully, Don will be back for more.  The Mullet Run perhaps?