JULY 31, 2008
INSHORE - The inshore fishing has been good this week in the cooler hours of the day -- 6am to 10am and from about 5pm until dark. Try using top water baits for the trout and the catch and release snook around the docks along South Indian River Drive and at Bear Point. To the north try Harbor Branch or around Queen's Cove. After about 8am fish live baits like a pinfish or a shrimp under a popping cork in 2 to 5 feet of water which seems to be the best spot. The redfish bite has also been good when using soft plastic baits or a small live pinfish. There have been good reports of redfish from Round Island down to Queen's Cove. There has also been some reds along the shore line at Bear Point down to Big Mud Creek. There has been a lot of snapper along the channel edges, around the local bridges and in the Ft. Pierce Inlet. Try fishing with a small live bait or a small live shrimp. Also, there has been a fairly good black drum bite in those same areas.
OFFSHORE - Anyone want a kingfish? They haven't been hard to find. Try fishing a live bait like a pilchard , blue runner or a mullet in 20 to 50 feet of water along the beaches. I am still some reports of cobia in 50 feet of water and sailfish in 100 to 125 feet of water. Several wahoo were reported this week and they were caught in 350 feet of water on a red/black skirted ballyhoo. The bottom fishing has picked up for anglers fishing in 90 feet of water and using live baits or chunks of squid. The late afternoon bite has been the best after the rain storms pass. And, along the beaches look for schools of big jacks, spanish mackerel and even a tarpon or two. Just look for the birds and the schools of bait. On the first day of mini season the boats that went to the north of the Ft. Pierce Inlet came back empty. The ones that went south all got their limits. No monsters were brought back to the docks.
BRAGGING BOARD - Savannah Ward limited out on kingfish last Saturday. She also caught her dad's limit too. Her biggest fish was 24 pounds. Keith Thurman & Ron Lyman were out with me on Friday and Ron had an 11 pound trout. This was a personal best for him. They also caught variety of snapper, black drum and sheepshead. Jesse Pfeiffer was bottom fishing in the Ft. Pierce Inlet on the incoming tide and limited out on mangrove snapper. He was using small white baits and never had a fish under 20 inches.
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
