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?

Inshore Midsummer Action

It’s a typical summertime pattern.  Warm water that gets warmer as the sun gets higher.  Snook are feeding to bulk up for the spawn which is just around the corner.   Jacks are using seawalls to trap baitfish.  And overall, the best fishing is early which works to the angler’s advantage as the midday sun and light winds can be very uncomfortable most days.

Big Snook are gathering to spawn and if your timing is right catching a 15 to 20 pound sideliner’s is do-able any day.  You want to try to feed them something big because they want to eat big meals.  And make sure your tackle is strong.  When they’re hungry they will swallow the hook readily, and if the exposed leader isn’t heavy they will saw through the line in no time.  And treat them gently.  Handle them as little as possible.  Keep them in the water if at all possible and don’t let them get too exhausted.  We need those big fish to spawn successfully.  They’re not in season till next month anyway.

Topwater plugs are excellent summer morning baits.  Throw at seawalls and feeding schools of fish.  They’re great on the grass flats to call up trout.  Again, the earlier the better.

Summer Arrives

Well, summer pattern is now in effect. Weather has taken on the normal summer feel with warm and humid mornings, hot middays and afternoon thunderstorms. It's been taking its time but the water is warming up and bait is increasing in numbers. Instead of seas rocking and rolling at 4 to 5 feet, they are calming to 1 to 2. And with all of these changes the available fish to catch are increasing....especially if your looking for fun. The False Albacore (aka Little Tunny or Bonito) are formitable fighters and a challenge on spinning tackle and the flyrod. They are looking for food and eat just about anything from Greenies to Glass Minnows. To get them to take a fly it's best to chum to attract them to the boat and then offer the fly. They can be found at most any depth but there's more action in the top 15 feet of the water column. When they're feeding on Glass Minnows and making a ruckus on the surface, it's easy to get them to take small plastic baits if you can get in on the feeding frenzy. This process lasts all summer long so the window of opportunity is wide open. And if you're out in deeper water there's always a chance that a Sailfish or Dolphin (Mahi) will pick up your bait before the Tunny can get there. It's fishing, so action is not guaranteed, but it's a good bet throughout the summer.

May Fishing

Don't remember a month of May that was this bad for fishing. Winds have been relentless with even the early morning calm available only once a week or so. East shorlines are constantly pounded by fishing activity and it's best to leave the flyrod at home.

Of course, we can't get outside on the beaches so the search for the last schools of big Jacks has not gone well. We've been largely relegated to the inlet when the winds dies down enough and there are Jacks about but these are the feeding adolesents in the 5 to 8 lb. range. On the occastion when we can squeeze out a few hours to go outside it seems the bait has been in short supply and fishing is very spotty.

Ocean water temperature can't seem to get out of the 70's which is paramount for baitfish and and their suitors. Indian River and St. Lucie River water temps have been consistantly in the upper 70's and lower 80's and water quality is generally good. This is good news for grass beds and there is visible evidence of much needed growth.

Inside fishing is tough and wind restricted but northerners usually depart satisfied after catching a few Snook, Jacks, Spanish Mackerel, Grouper, Trout or Snapper. During the past week we've fished for Tarpon every morning at daybreak and had plenty of rollers but only one catch. The Manatee are always a good side show and sometimes insist on being distractingly friendly.