May 17, 2007
INSHORE - The inshore fishing has been good all week it was just a matter of getting out of the wind. On the better days the trout bite has been strong from Bear Point to Middle Cove when using soft plastic baits early in the morning and the bite has pretty much been over by 8:00am. After the day heats up there has only been a few scattered trout reported and they were caught on a live shrimp and a popping cork. The snook bite has been on one day and off the next. There were a few snook reported coming from around both the North and South Bridges. Also, a few were taken in the Ft. Pierce Inlet on the last of the out going tide. Live mullet has been the bait of choice for the snook. The redfish have been hanging out in about 1 foot of water in the Queen's Cove area and along the docks of Indian River Drive -- both to the north and south. A live shrimp has been producing the most fish. The snapper bite ha improved with more of the keeper size snapper moving in along the channel edges. A couple of fish in the 2 pound range were reported. The snapper, sheepshead and black drum have been around the bridges and just about any structure you can find. A live shrimp has been the way to go. The spanish mackerel and bluefish are still in the Turning Basin and the Ft. Pierce Inlet. A small silver spoon has been your best bet.
OFFSHORE - On the days that the boats did get out the dolphin bite has been good. They have been finding dolphin in 65 to 300 feet of water. On Monday we had two boats go out and they caught 5 fish per boat. The dolphin were from 17 to 28 pounds. The anglers did say that it was very, very rough and hard to keep your balance. All of the dolphin that were reported were caught on ballyhoo. There has been several reports of sailfish in 100 feet of water to the south of the power plant. Most were caught on ballyhoo. The snapper and grouper bite has been good when the seas would allow you to fish. Most of the fish were caught at the Northeast Grounds. The kingfish bite has been steady in 50 to 70 foot of water nd a live blue runner has been your best bet. The beaches along the Treasure Coast are still holding a lot of bluefish, spanish mackerel and big jacks.
If you would like to report a catch, call me at 772-201-5770 or e-mail me at cward11605@aol.com. You can also reach me on the web at www.captjoeward.com.
Capt. Joe Ward
Capt. Joe's River Charters
