December 14, 2006
Inshore:
Strong easterly winds have kept most of the river out of reach for the majority of anglers this week. Offshore was about shut down for most boaters. But on the brighter side....if you could find your way to the eastern shores of the river, you could find it still fishable and the water has remained quite clean in a lot of areas. Funny....the winds just never seem to matter to the fish! With more sunny days lately, the water temperatures have remained warm for this time of year.
There are several boat ramps that come to mind whenever the weather dictates the areas you can fish. With winds coming from the east, Round Island and Jaycee Park are just the ticket to get out and miss most of the choppy waters. If you are in a kayak or wading....there are also many areas along the river on A1A between Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach to put in. We have another front headed this way, so watch the forecast and plan you excursions with the wind direction in mind.
I headed south this week to fish some of the banks that were protected from most of the windy conditions. From Bear Point south to the Power Plant, the water is still nice and I found the fish hitting in one to four feet of water. A lot of short snook out there, but there have been a number of slots taken this past week. Some nice catch and release trout were also hanging in the same depths along with slot size redfish.
A good variety of fish are being caught on the bridges in the inlet. Croakers, sand perch, sheephead and black drum top the list for those anglers. Live or dead shrimp has worked best. Jetty anglers are still catching bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Snook fishing around the inlet and bridges has been steady with some slots being taken. Still some flounder being taken around the river on live shrimp. The pompano fishing should be picking up soon as they are continuing to work their way into the river.
Areas that I would recommend checking out this week depending on the weather. Round Island flats, Bear Point, the Power Plant and any docks that might be fishable. I have been having luck on twitch baits and soft baits this week. Fish them slower this time of year. I found a lot of my strikes were coming after the fish had followed it for a while to the boat. Later in the mornings, try gold spoons on the flats for a chance at a redfish.
Tip of the Week:
REMEMBER! Snook season closes at midnight tonight and won't reopen until February 1st. Trout season will remain closed the rest of December. Ignorance won't be an excuse if you get caught! Know your seasons and slot sizes on the fish you catch. A fine for illegal fish will cost you much more than the fish is worth......
As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!
Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Capt Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com
email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852
