October 5, 2006
INSHORE - The inshore fishing has been up and down this week as the wind has just kept blowing and has made the water cloudy again. Some anglers are finding a few keeper size snook around the bridges in Ft. Pierce as well as a few in the Ft. Pierce Inlet. Live baits like pinfish, croakers and mullet have been working the best. Look along the grass flats for some schoolie size trout and try using a soft jerk bait, live shrimp or a small mullet. I did have reports of a few redfish up between the Queen's Cove and Round Island area. Try throwing spoons or a piece of cut ladyfish. Still quite a few nice size snapper coming from the channel edges. The snapper have been feeding on live shrimp. I am also getting good reports of flounder around the Inlet for anglers using live shrimp or a finger mullet.
OFFSHORE - The offshore fishing wasn't bad over the weekend -- before the wind started to blow on Monday. And, has blown all the week making the seas 5 to 8 foot. But, over the weekend there were reports of some nice size dolphin in the 15 to 30 pound range. The bite started around 130 feet of water. Mike Gray and his wife had dolphin to 20 pounds on Saturday and Sunday. They were using ballyhoo in 120 to 150 feet of water. I also got reports of some small tuna and a few wahoo out around 200 feet of water. Look for the kingfish in 70 to 90 feet of water and they have been taking live baits. The bottom fishing for snapper, grouper and seabass remains steady over the wrecks and reefs. Also, as the mullet move along the beaches look for jacks, tarpon and snook to be right behind them.
JUNIOR TEEN ANGLERS - This Saturday, October 7th will be the 1st from shore fishing tournament for the Jr. Teen Anglers. The Jr. Teen's will fish from 9am to 11am and the top three in the 5 to 8 year olds will receive trophies. Also, the top three in the 9 to 11 year olds will receive trophies. If you would like more info on Jr. Teen Anglers or Teen Anglers just go to the web at www.teenanglers.org.
BRAGGING BOARD - Cammie Ward (yes, the wife) caught a 7 pound flounder while fishing near the North Bridge in Ft. Pierce. We also had a 7 snapper to 2 pounds. Scott Norris and Roger Walker made the 1st trip offshore in Scott's newly refurbished boat the Salt Life on Saturday. They found a rip in 135 feet of water out of the Ft. Pierce Inlet and had their baits in the water by 8:30am. By 10:45am they had 15 dolphin from 5 to 20 pounds and also 10 football sized blackfin tuna. Not too bad for the 1st trip out.
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