JUNE 21, 2007
INSHORE - The trout fishing has been the best it's been all year with most of the fish coming from the edges of the flats in 4 to 6 feet of water and caught on a live pigfish. Although, a soft plastic bait or a jerk bait will work just as well early in the morning. The redfish continue to bite on the falling tide around the Queen's Cove area to the North and around Bear point to the South in the river. The new MirrOlure -- 17MR has been one hot bait to use. If you don't have one of those then try a live shrimp or cut up chunks of ladyfish. There has been plenty of keeper size snapper around the area bridges and in the Ft. Pierce Inlet and they have been feeding on small bait fish and a small live shrimp. And, we keep seeing a lot more tarpon rolling in the Intercoastal at first light.
OFFSHORE - The word has been that the dolphin are scattered from 80 to 300 plus feet of water. Most of the fish have been in the 5 to 12 pound range but there were several brought into the docks that were well over 25 pounds. Tuesday was a good day for dolphin but then the bite dropped off on Wednesday. The next best bite has been the kingfish. They are on the beaches now with fish to 50 pounds being reported. Most of the fish were caught on live baits in 15 to 30 feet of water and both to the North and South of the Ft. Pierce Inlet. Also, a lot of sailfish action has been reported with the best action in about 100 feet of water. The bottom fishing for snapper and grouper has been steady but not red hot. Try the Bethel Shoals area where a 45 pound cobia was caught on Sunday. And, it's that time of year for the big tarpon to be on the beaches and down at the Boils. Also, the permit have been very active at the Boils. Try a live bait for the tarpon and a crab for the permit.
BRAGGING BOARD - On Friday John Fox caught a 33.2 pound dolphin while fishing out of the Ft. Pierce Inlet in 140 to 160 feet of water. He was dragging a ballyhoo. Also on Friday J.T. Walukiewiczj made the catch of his life time. J.T. -- age 8 caught a 45.3 pound kingfish while fishing while fishing in 30 feet of water just off the North Beach. He was using a mullet for bait and didn't get any help from his dad while bringing in the fish. Steve Gerwig and the crew on the Knot Rite said that the dolphin bite was slow on Saturday but on Sunday it was a late afternoon bite. He reported that they landed 16 dolphin that were 24 to 30 inches. They were fishing out of the Ft. Pierce Inlet in 600 feet of water and using a green skirted ballyhoo. On Tuesday Capt. Al Bernetti reported that he caught 5 dolphin in 140 feet of water straight out of the Ft. Pierce Inlet. He found a 55 galloon drum floating and all the dolphin came from there. He was using a ballyhoo -- lure combo and it was an early afternoon bite.
If you would like to report a catch you can 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
