INSHORE - The inshore fishing has gotten better and better as the week has gone on. But, if this cold front does move in -- who knows what will take place. The trout bite has been red hot for anglers fishing to the south in the river at places like Bear Point, Little Mud Creek and the flats just north of the Jensen Beach Causeway. To the north in the river the bite has been at Harbor Branch, Round Island and The Moorings Flats. A shrimp fished under a popping cork has been working the best after daylight. A top water bait or a soft plastic bait has also been working well. The channel edges are holding a few snapper and sheepshead. Also, they have been around the bridges and just about any structure you can find. The black drum, sandperch and a few short snook have been around the bridges during the day. There has been a fairly good redfish bite to the north around the Round Island and Queen's Cove area. Try using a gold spoon or a chunk of ladyfish which you should have no trouble catching. There have been a few more croakers showing up in the Turning Basin with the only catch being that you have to sit on the school until they are ready to feed. The bite has been lasting less than one hour. The croakers have been fairly good in size with most of the fish going from 2 to 4 pounds. The snook bite has been a all or nothing thing this past week. I got reports of a good snook bite in the Ft. Pierce Inlet during the day and at the local bridges at night. Also, the Turning Basin has been producing a few keeper size snook at night. The out going tide has been the most productive. There are still a good number of spanish mackerel and bluefish in the Ft. Pierce Inlet and going into the Turning Basin.
OFFSHORE - The offshore bite has also gotten better as the weather has gotten better. Last Friday there was a few dolphin reported and most were in the 20 pound range. On Tuesday and Wednesday the bite continued to be good for the gaffer size dolphin. I got reports that the bait was hard to find on both days but today I had reports that there was plenty of bait. The dolphin bite has been in 110 to 150 feet of water and the dolphin were taking rigged squid or a naked ballyhoo. The kingfish have been in as close as 25 feet and out as far as 70 feet. Most of the fish were under 30 pounds and caught on a rigged ribbonfish. There were 2 cobia brought into the docks this past weekend. Both were under 29 pounds and both were caught on a Cobia Slayer. The bottom fishing for snapper and grouper has also picked up. The best bite has been at Bethel Shoals and along the Offshore Bar in 90 feet of water. Also, a good number of black seabass are in that same area. There are plenty of jacks, spanish mackerel, bluefish and cuda's to keep you busy when fishing just off the beaches.
JUNIOR TEEN ANGLERS - This Saturday -- April 7th is the regular scheduled from shore fishing tournament for the Junior Teen Anglers. This is for the 5 to 11 age group. We award trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the 5 to 8 age group and also in the 9 to 11 group. If you would like more info and Junior Teen Anglers or for the older kids -- Teen Anglers just go to the web at www.teenanglers.org.
BRAGGING BOARD - Jessie Pfeiffer called on Saturday to say that he had caught a snook that was his personal best. The snook was 34" and he caught him in the Ft. Pierce Inlet on a pinfish. Jason Oliver caught a 25 pound dolphin last Friday while fishing straight out of the Ft. Pierce Inlet in 140 feet of water. On Tuesday Jessie Pfeiffer and Ricky Eisen -- age 10 caught 5 dolphin to 12 pounds and several kingfish. They caught 3 of the dolphin on squid and the other two on top water lures. They also had a good catch of black seabass while fishing at the Amazon. On Wednesday afternoon Cammie Ward caught a 41 pound kingfish on a rigged ribbonfish. She was fishing in 30 feet of water out of the Ft. Pierce Inlet. On Sunday Greg and Ethan Kirk and Robert Graff had a good catch of trout to 4 pounds, a 3 pound croaker, a lot of jacks and ladyfish and a big sheepshead.
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