Stuart Fishing Report
First I would like to wish everyone out there a Happy New Year. I guess I'll start along the beach where last week we were able to run south to Peck's Lake for the Spanish Mackerel bite. With seas 2 foot or less, we managed 2 trips outside with the first trip of 26 mackerel to 3 pounds along with some really nice lane snappers and a few pompano to 3 pounds. The mackerel were hitting green colored Capt. Joes jigging spoons with the lanes and pompano eating shrimp on trollrites on the bottom. This trip we found the fish close to shore (less than 200 feet)in about 14 feet less than a mile south of the St. Lucie Inlet. On our second trip we found larger mackerel up to 4 pounds but the bite was outside the reef in 23 feet. Again Joe's jigging spoons for the mackerel along with several nice sheephead to 3 pounds along the bottom. Fishing with shrimp on the bottom will get the mackerel's attention when the bite slows down but also gives you a shot at snappers, sheephead, pompano, bluerunners and even some small sharks.
Inside the pompano bite has been in the Sailfish Flats and within 100 feet of the Stuart Causeway Bridge. Best time for pomps have been last 2 hours of incoming to second hour of outgoing tides. Joe's pompano jigs in yellow/white and pink have been best lately. With this cold front upon us I expect the pompano bite to increase and the bluefish to start moving into the inlet. Nomally when the water reaches 65 or below, the bluefish bite in certain areas can be incredable. Also the Stuart Causeway Bridge are holding some nice black drum to 6 pounds when the ribbonfish are not around. With the wind dying down tomorrow I just might have to check out a few of my flounder spots to see if they are chewing.
Capt. Bob Bushholz
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(772) 530-1496