December 12, 2008
INSHORE:
With all the cold and flu that goes around this time of year.....I finally got hit and it decked me out all week. No fishing....just bed and rest to try and shake this bug. And I am not one who enjoys just laying around! The fishing has been pretty good out there and anglers are catching a variety of fish. With the latest cold front upon us, the winds will be blowing most days this week.
Around the river, anglers are catching quite a few grouper while trolling along the channel edges north of Fort Pierce. Pompano fishing down around the power plant has remained consistent most days. The trout and redfish have continued to come in shallow as the sun warms up the water. We were finding them in one to three feet of water. Bridge anglers are still enjoying lots of sand perch, black drum and sheephead out on the catwalks. Ladyfish and jacks are everywhere! Mackerel, jacks and bluefish are around the inlet. I had some reports of snook catches, but most have been shorts of late with a few slots being taken. Remember......snook season CLOSES on December 15th and trout season won't re-open until January 1st.
Tip of the Week: Windy Weather Fishing
We can expect some windy days so plan your trips around the direction of the wind and enjoy your adventure. Setting up your drifts by using the wind directions can give you more fishing time and less time worrying about keeping the boat positioned. Drifting a flat in a zigzag pattern can allow you to cover a larger area while letting mother nature assist you. Fish ahead of your drift or to either side of the boat. If using live bait, I like to use popping corks and fish them ahead and re-cast as you drift up on them. You can use a drift anchor to slow down or use a small mushroom anchor like I do. I drop the anchor and fish an area. After some casts, I lift the anchor and drift ahead a little and drop it again. When you start catching fish, just keep the anchor out and fish that area longer. Once you are finished with a drift, move back across the flat at an angle to give your next drift in waters that you have yet to fish. It's an easy way to fish in windy conditions. Let the wind be your friend!
As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!
Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com
email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852
Clint Walker and myself with a couple recent trout catches on the Indian River flats...
