May 4, 2007
INSHORE - The inshore fishing has been steady all week with trout being the most active fish. The reports have been coming from both north and south in the river. To the north the bite has been at Round Island and the flats at Harbor Branch. To the south the bite has been at Bear Point and at the Midway Road area. A variety of baits have been producing fish -- top water baits early in the morning, soft plastic baits, live shrimp fished under a popping cork and small pinfish. The trout have been from 1 pound to almost 8 pounds. The snook bite in the Turning Basin has been good for the anglers fishing the out going tide at night. Most of the anglers were using hand picked shrimp. We did have a couple of snook up on the flats Wednesday but they were under size. The docks along the Ft. Pierce Inlet have only been giving up a few snook at night but not many. The bridges are holding a good number of sheepshead, snapper and black drum. Most of these fish were caught on a live shrimp. I got a couple of reports of redfish coming from Bear Point and around Round Island. Top water baits or a gold spoon have been working well. The snapper are starting to move in along the channel edges but most of the fish are about 1/2 inch too small. There has been a good spanish mackerel bite near the Turning Basin and a silver spoon was the way to go.
OFFSHORE - The dolphin bite offshore is just getting better and better. We had reports over the weekend of dolphin from 110 to 600 feet. Most of the fish were 25 pounds are under and caught on a skirted ballyhoo in the green and yellow color. The kingfish have been in really close -- 25 to 70 feet. The reports are that there is plenty of live bait and the kings are taking them. Most of the fish reported were 35 pounds or under. The anglers that were fishing for kings also reported a few cobia in the 30 pound range and in that same area. We did have a few sailfish reported last weekend from anglers fishing for dolphin. Also, we had one blue marlin hook-up reported in 1200 feet of water. The bottom fishing for snapper and grouper has been good. I had snapper reports of fish over 10 pounds and grouper from 20 to 35 pounds. Most of the fish were caught while fishing along the Offshore Bar in 90 feet of water. Still plenty of spanish mackerel, jacks and bluefish along the beaches.
TEEN ANGLERS - The last inshore tournament of the school year was held last Sunday -- April 29th at Jaycee Park in Ft. Pierce. It was a one fish tournament with trout being the selected fish. Well, there was only 3 trout weighed in. David Brashear of Oslo Middle School in Vero Beach took top honors with his trout. David's trout weighed 1lb. 6oz. and it got him 1st place in the middle school division and also biggest fish of the tournament. In the high school division 1st place went to Jordan Martinez of Westwood High for his 1lb. 3oz. trout. 2nd place went to RJ Swinford for his 1lb 2oz. trout. RJ also goes to Westwood. The top five middle and high school Teen Anglers will have a fish off this Sunday -- May 6th for the honor of Saltwater Teen Angler of the Year. In the middle school division David Brashear, Kassidy Guettler, Jason Horn, Dillon Roberts-Louria and Tyler Serio will be fishing. In the high school division it will be Kalib Guettler, Jordan Martinez, Vincent Serio, RJ Swinford and Jacob York will be fishing. Good luck to all the Teen Anglers. For more info on Teen Anglers or for the 5 to 11 age group -- Junior Teen Anglers just go to the web at www.teenanglers.org.
BRAGGING BOARD - Teen Angler volunteer -- Bob Wittbold caught another gator trout this week on Wednesday and it weighed 7lb.15oz. Jessie Pfeiffer and Eddie Green reported a good snapper bite in 60 feet of water out of the Ft. Pierce Inlet on Wednesday. They caught 3 snapper that were over 10 pounds. They were using pilchards for bait. Rob Ward caught a 35 pound cobia while fishing in 50 feet of water out of the Ft. Pierce Inlet on Wednesday. He also had a couple of kings that went up to 30 pounds. Clint Pigg reported a blue marlin hook-up last Friday in 1200 feet of water. Cammie Ward caught two trout on Tuesday that were 2 & 1/2 & 3 pounds while fishing at Bear Point. She was using live shrimp and a popping cork.
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
