JUNE 25, 2009
INSHORE - The inshore fishing this week has been a little on the slow side with all the hot temps and the shortage of live shrimp. But, the early risers have managed to find a good trout bite when using top water baits in 2 to 4 feet of water and fishing around the spoil islands to the north of the North Bridge. There has also been a good late afternoon trout bite when using live pigfish. The catch and release snook action in the Ft. Pierce Inlet has also been good in the late afternoon on the falling tide and when using live baits fished on the bottom. A handful of snapper and sheepshead have been reported coming from along the channel edges. They were caught on live shrimp before the shortage.
OFFSHORE - About all I can say for the offshore is summer time patterns, hot weather and a slow bite. I have had reports of a few dolphin being scattered from 80 to 600 feet of water and they were taking ballyhoo. Look for some big kingfish along the beaches right now and they are taking live baits like blue runners or mullet. The sailfish bite continues to be good to the south of the Ft. Pierce Inlet in 100 feet of water. A ballyhoo and your favorite colored skirt will work just fine. The bottom bite has also remained steady for snapper and sea bass. Over the deeper wrecks and reefs there is plenty of amberjack action. Along the beaches looks for schools of big tarpon. Try your luck with a live bait like a greenie, pilchard or a mullet.
BRAGGING BOARD - Ricky Eisen -- age 10 had the fishing trip of a lifetime last Friday. He started off the morning by catching and releasing an estimated 130 pound tarpon. He caught him on a slow trolled live bait. It took him about 1 hour to get the fish to the boat. Later in the afternoon I got a call from his dad -- Jesse Pfeiffer stating that Ricky had just caught a kingfish that they believed to be around 50 pounds. They brought the fish in and we weighed it -- 49.1 pounds. He will have a lot of fish stories to tell about that trip.
If you would like to report a catch you can e-mail me at cward11605@aol.com or call me at 772-201-5770. You can also reach me on the web at www.captjoeward.com
Capt. Joe Ward
Capt. Joe's River Charters
