South Indian River Fishing Report 11/6
November 11, 2009
INSHORE:
Tough fishing conditions along the Treasure Coast had anglers scratching their heads and wondering when and where they might go fishing lately. Lots of wind each day made it a challenge to get out on the water. Offshore was pretty much out of the question and inshore wasn’t much better. After canceling several days, we finally made the attempt on Sunday. It made for a very limited area to fish.
Will Whitehead and his friend, Ty Fisher, were back out with me on Sunday. They caught fish, but it was tough fishing in both the wind and waves that we endured. The water was pretty chopped up and will take several calm days to clean up the water conditions. The trout bite should continue to hold it’s own, but don’t forget that it’s catch and release. I didn’t hear much about snook fishing this week. The conditions were right for activity around the jetties at night, but few dared the adventure. The weekend is much more promising for fishing. Still some winds, but nothing like the past week out there.
Pompano fishing should improve with the cooling off , sand fleas, Doc’s Goofy Jigs and DOA jerk baits will work well when fishing for pomps. Add that toof the water temperatures. They have been in the river and along the surf. Live shrimp your next trip out fishing. Some sand perch have been caught around the bridges and it should take off now as well. Live or dead shrimp are great off the catwalks. We should see some flounder around the jetties and bridges soon. As things get back to normal, the fishing should be good out there.
Tip of the Week:
Make sure you pack your rain gear as winter continues to work its way into the Treasure Coast. It might not rain, but those windy days can get you wet just as well on the water. Wear your rain gear when traveling around on the water to keep that cold spray from getting you soaked. We have many windy days throughout the wintertime and into spring. Planning on how to battle the winds and deal with the waves and sea spray can make an otherwise uncomfortable day into a much more enjoyable trip on the water. Have a safe and fun time out there!
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 11/6
November 6, 2009
INSHORE:
I usually talk about windy weather in March, but here we are in November and we have windy conditions throughout the Treasure Coast and it appears to be here for several days. The fishing has been very good out there, but few anglers have been able to brave the choppy waters to give it a try. I managed a day out earlier in the week, but had to cancel the last couple of days with small craft advisories out.
The pompano bite has been good and I found some early in the week that were feeding under the ladyfish and jacks. They have been nice size in the 15 - 18 inch range. Live shrimp, sand fleas, DOA shrimp or Doc’s Goofy Jigs can get you some action on a very tasty fish this time of year. There are also pomps along the beach when it is fishable. Snook fishing around the inlet has continued to be productive on the tide changes and at night. Live mullet, Bait Busters and feather jigs are all good choices for snook. If you are fishing around the spillways, try the Bait Busters or TerrorEyz for good results. Redfish reports were mostly north of Fort Pierce around the Moorings. It’s a tough place to fish this week though. Trout season is closed, but the bite had been very good. Release the fish carefully and handle them as little as possible.
Bridges have held snapper, black drum and sheephead with a few reports of some sand perch moving into the inlet. The river is overrun with jacks and ladyfish and lots of fun for the kids and young at heart. I found lots of tarpon at first light around the turning basin earlier in the week. Live mullet will be your best bet at coaxing one into striking. Bluefish have been hanging around the mouth of the inlet along with big jacks, tarpon and snook. It’s a great time of year to fish……just a little challenging this week.
Please take a moment and keep one of my good fishing buddies, who is also a cousin, in your thoughts. Tom Hull has accompanied me on many scouting trips to try out new lures, try new fishing areas and just help me enjoy a day on the water. He was diagnosed with cancer this summer and has been going through treatments since then. I haven’t been able to get him out fishing since August and look forward to having a chance to take him out one day soon. He truly loves to fish and I miss him being on the water. Thanks for thinking of him!
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 10/29
October 29, 2009
INSHORE:
Warm fall weather has been the norm lately along the Treasure Coast. Light winds have allowed anglers to enjoy the great fishing action around the Indian River. Lots of baitfish all over the river this time of year makes it a fantastic time to fish. There is some great action all over the area, so plan on a fishing adventure soon!
Trout fishing continues to be the best bite all along the river. Jim Kosko, son, Brennan, and his friend, Grey was out with me earlier in the week. The guys battled with some snook around the docks, losing several big fish. We headed north of Fort Pierce and fished the grass flats for trout. Lots of trout continue to feed around the bait schools in two to five feet of water. The trout were waiting on the guys and along with some snook, ladyfish and jacks, they had a busy morning of fishing the Indian River flats. Brennan and Grey had a great time catching fish. DOA Deadly Combos or live shrimp will keep you busy reeling during the fall months. Harbor Branch, Bear Point and Queen’s Cove continue to yield good amounts of good size trout.
Snook fishing around the inlet has been good on the high end of the tides and at night. James Herta sent me an email and photo of his first slot snook (29″). He caught it on a Mirr-O-Lure along the Stuart Causeway. Lots of tarpon continue to feed the inlet at night. The bluefish are along the jetties and invading the river for their share of the spoils. Spanish mackerel are spreading around the river and the turning basin will soon provide some great action for anglers. Pompano are along the surf and lots of fish are being caught south of Fort Pierce on the deeper flats. Redfish are being caught around the docks in the river. Bridge anglers are eagerly awaiting that first sign of the sand perch bite. There is action all over the river, so get out fishing soon!
Tip of the Week:
Just a reminder that trout season is closed November and December each year. Everyone is always attuned to snook season, but many forget about the closing of trout season. Catch and release is very important to trout. A de-hooker can reduce handling the fish for a quick release. The season will re-open on January 1st. Vermilion snapper will also go out of season on November 1st in the Atlantic and re-open on April 1st. It is important to keep track of seasons and sizes of fish. Ignorance of the law is never an excuse to possess an illegal fish.
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 10/23
October 23, 2009
INSHORE:
As our first winter front blew into the area, reminders of things to come was sure in my mind. A cold front followed by windy days made it challenging for sure. We did manage to get out a few days later this week and skirted most of the wind to fish around the river. The weekend looks much more favorable, so plan to get out now that this front has finally calmed down.
The trout bite continues to be the best around the river. John, Tom and Jeff were out with me on Thursday and we found a great trout bite later in the morning. Lots of trout, a couple reds and a variety of other fish kept them busy once the bite took off. Larry, from West Palm, and Richard, from Oklahoma, were out with me today and after a couple of spots, the trout bite again turned on for us. Live shrimp, DOA Deadly Combos, and CAL jerk baits kept our reels busy on the trout flats. There are some big gators out there, too. Richard had three on that ended up getting the best of him. We did boat a number of good trout in the 18 - 22 inch class. Bear Point, Queen’s Cove and Round Island are all good areas to get in on the trout action.
The inlet has been busy with mutton snapper. While most are undersize, many bigger fish have been taken. Not a lot of snook report with the windy conditions, but they are out there feeding, too. Pompano and Spanish mackerel have invaded the river. Captain Chris Nelson sent me a report of skipping just south of Fort Pierce. The deeper flats from the south bridge down to the power plant will be holding pompano. Spanish mackerel have been in the inlet and turning basin and also just south of Fort Pierce in the deeper flats. We hooked up on a nice Spanish on the Deadly Combo this week. It’s a great time of year to fish!
Tip of the Week:
We are getting into that breezy time of year when most days will bring some kind of windy weather. Using the wind to your advantage can also help in your fishing. Drifting the flats can give you the opportunity to fish a larger area to find the fish bite. Both days this week, we would start near the lee side of the land and let the wind drift us across the flats. Each time we found that trout would be feeding in certain parts of the flats. With each drift, we would move a little north or south of the last one. Once the bite stops, move back again. You can fish big areas and once you find a good bite, it’s easy to anchor in the productive areas. I seldom anchor up to fish. I have went to an area that had a good bite one day and nothing the next. By using a drift method, you will many times find that the fish are there, but just in another part of the flat that day. It works!
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 10/16
October 16, 2009
INSHORE:
We have enjoyed lots of great fishing around the Treasure Coast this week. Maybe not a lot of big fish, but plenty of action to keep rods bending in all directions. Hoards of baitfish around the river has the fish gorging themselves on the easy meals. We have caught a variety of species and have lots of fun out there!
While trout have continued to bite well on the flats, the big news has been that the pompano have shown up in the river. Anglers have been waiting for the tasty fish to come back to the area for winter. Start looking in three to six feet of water along the edges of the flats and you can have some great dinner fare. Live shrimp, sand fleas or pompano jigs are the best options. Doc’s Goofy Jigs are very popular this time of year and pink has been a favorite color.
There are some big fish around some of the docks to the south of Fort Pierce. Harper and Dave had one on for a short time before getting spooled by one of the big boys. We found snook around the docks while Mitch and Brianna were out with me. A DOA TerrorEyz will find the fish around the docks. Pat and Dalton Wells were down and I have never seen so much activity around the river as that day. As far as you could see in any direction, bait was being crashed by just about every species on the river. It was an amazing day for all of us. 13 year old, Dalton, caught fish till his arms were worn out. We ended the week by taking Grandma Eva and our two grandkids, Chloe and Brody out for an afternoon on the water. Four year old, Chloe, ended her day with two fish that kept her busy reeling.
Trout on the flats in two to five feet of water on both live shrimp and Deadly Combos are consistent from Round Island to the Power Plant. Redfish reports have been mostly to the north near Round Island and south towards Midway Road. Snook and tarpon around the jetties have provided good fishing at night on live bait or diving plugs. Snapper and black drum are still being caught around the bridges and channel edges. Ladyfish and jacks are just about anywhere you drop a line. It’s been an exciting week for us on the river.
Tip of the Week:
As the pompano continue to migrate to our area, it’s a great time of year to surf fish. Seems like anglers will be sitting around being bored on the beach until a school of pomps come cruising through and everyone hooks up at once. Get some sand fleas or shrimp and head down to the beach. These fish put up a good battle and are excellent tasting when broiled or grilled. They are simple to clean. I generally just cut off the head and remove the organs. This give you all the meat with no waste. When grilling I simply cut some slits in the skin and baste it with lemon, garlic and butter as it slowly grills. Get out there fishing soon and try some pompano!
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 10/7
October 7, 2009
INSHORE:
It has been a lot of fun on the water this week. Action has been good, especially for the trout bite. Each time out there has produced lots of trout on the flats. We have fished both north and south of Fort Pierce with the same results. Deeper water on the edges of the flats has held lots of fish. Find the bait schools and you will find the fish hanging around there. It’s been a good week!
Todd and Lauren were down again, They caught a lot of fish and lost a couple big ones, too. A good variety of fish were to be had from lookdowns to gag grouper. I was out with Pat and Dalton for a weekend of fishing. We caught trout and redfish among our catch. Most fish came along the edges of the flats in two to five feet of water. Live shrimp or DOA shrimp will get you plenty of action out there. CAL jerk baits have also been very productive on the flats. Docks are holding big jacks, redfish and snook. Top water early, followed by DOA TerrorEyz are great lures for dock action.
Snook fishing around the inlet has been good, with lots of tarpon action at night on the jetties. Some good reports of bigger snapper around the jetties as well lately. Bridges are holding black drum and snapper. The turning basin is still boiling with ladyfish, blue runners and jacks. It’s a free-for-all on the high tide. Fishing has been great and will continue as the baitfish fill the river. Plan on getting out soon!
Tip of the Week:
Lots of hungry anglers are gearing up for pompano season. Some recent reports of pompano along the beaches this week will have many surf anglers out in search for the tasty fish. There are many lures, rigs and baits to use, but sand fleas have always been the favorite on the beach. As the water begins to cool off in fall, the pompano begin their journey along the surf. The river will be active with schools of pomps patrolling along the flat edges. Have a rod rigged and ready for them as you fish the river. You just never know when you might run upon a school. Pompano season isn’t far off!
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 10/1
October 1, 2009
INSHORE:
Mild weather has made fishing along the Treasure Coast a joy! Gone were the 90+ days for a while and cool breezes made for wonderful fishing weather. We have enjoyed some really good fishing on the river and client have caught a lot of fish this week.
Jeff and Jane Hearn joined me early in the week and they caught trout after trout, including one redfish and each a snook to their catch. John Dadak and Johanna Grauer was out with me later this week and we got into the trout again and larger trout as well. Johanna boated a big 22″ gator trout, while John landed a 22 1/2″ and 24″ to add to the days catch. John lost a couple trout that would have topped his 24″. They also caught a smorgasbord of fish including several snapper species and snook. It was a fun week on the water!
Try the DOA Deadly Combo, live shrimp or CAL jerk baits for good results on trout on the flats. Queen’s Cove, Harbor Branch and the east shore south of Fort Pierce have all been productive this week. Snook fishing around the inlet has been good at night with live bait, TerrorEyz, top water or diving plugs. Lots of bait around the river has kept the predators busy feeding. We found acres of glass minnows in the turning basin and the ladyfish, bluerunners, mackerel and jacks were constantly crushing them. Some decent size tarpon are also around the inlet chasing bait.
Snapper and black drum continue to hang around the bridges and channel edges. A couple reports of the first pompano along the beaches this week will be welcome news to surf anglers. We encountered a number of sharks recently. When you reel in a half of a ladyfish and the head of a nice trout…….they are out there. It’s been a fun and productive week on the water.
Tip of the Week:
Safe boating is a responsibility of each boater on the water. If you haven’t done it, it is a great idea to take one soon. The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers safe boating courses throughout the year. Learn the basics of waterway signs, navigation, Federal and State regulations, adverse conditions, how to handle emergencies, and lots more. Anyone under the age of 22 must have a safe boating course in order to operate a vessel. Some insurance companies offer discounts for safe boating courses. Check with your local Coast Guard Auxiliary for the next course. Safe boating is everyone’s responsibility!
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 9/27
September 27, 2009
INSHORE:
East winds kept most boaters off the ocean this week. It didn’t affect the river as much, but we have found the water on the dirty side both north and south of Fort Pierce. The fall equinox has bought higher tides to the area and made it possible to fish some usually shallow areas. It has made it harder to find the redfish for us lately. The fishing on the river has been very good for us.
Trout has been the mainstay on the river. Lots of trout are on the flats and fishing around the bait schools can give you lots of action. Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and live shrimp can all get you hooked up. Colors didn’t seem to make as much difference as fishing the baits slowly along the bottom. We found a good number of snook feeding in the same areas. Harbor Branch, Queen’s Cove and the east side of the river south of Fort Pierce have all been good areas. Rick and Glen were down over the weekend and we found the trout to be cooperative most of the day. Redfish were difficult to find in the deeper water.
The turning basin has been boiling some days with mackerel, ladyfish, jacks and blue runners. Small shiny lures can give you all the action you can handle with these fun fish. Snapper around the flats, channel edges and bridges have been providing good table fare to lots of hungry anglers. Snook around the inlet has been good at night with top water, diving plugs and live bait. The jetties have been pretty rough to fish with the easterly winds, but hardcore anglers have continued to do well. Beaches had been producing lots of whiting when fishable. Seaweed has been the plague in the surf for a while now.
Tip of the Week:
Have fun on the water! That’s what it’s all about anyway. Whether fishing, boating or sitting on the beach……just plan on a fun day. Catching fish is just another added bonus. There is nothing more relaxing than being on the water. Take a few minutes and enjoy the sights and sounds that abound around the Treasure Coast. It’s already a troubled world out there so enjoy your time on the water. It’s a wonderful way to relieve the tensions of your world. Have some fun soon!
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 9/17
September 17, 2009
INSHORE:
Beautiful fall like days have made fishing along the Treasure Coast much more enjoyable lately. Of course, the temperatures haven’t quite dropped yet, but it has been gorgeous out there. The bait fish are everywhere around the inlet, river and beaches. It is a fantastic time of year to be fishing!
Keith Mullins and Cai joined me early in the week. We spent the morning trout fishing and had a nice time enjoying the day and watching Cai catch trout and feed the rest of them. It was a fun day. I did some scouting this week, too. Spent most of the morning just looking around and watching the bait schools. Got broke off by a big snook under the mangroves and boated a nice 28″ redfish to end a relaxing day on the river.
Snook fishermen are doing well at night on the jetties, docks and bridges of the inlet. Live bait can get you hooked up on snook or tarpon at night. Bomber plugs or feather jigs have also worked good at night. There have been some Spanish mackerel in the turning basin along with some bluefish chasing bait there. Trout fishing has been best in three to five feet of water. DOA Deadly Combos and live shrimp can keep you busy around Harbor Branch, Queen’s Cove and Middle Cove. The tides have been too high lately to spot redfish schools, but you can still find them around their usual haunts. Snapper, black drum and sheephead have been around the bridges and channel edges. Plan on getting out soon!
Tip of the Week:
Making sure your drag is set properly can make the difference in landing a fish or losing one. Adjust your drag to suit the conditions you are fishing. On the flats, a lighter drag load will give you less chance of pulling the hook on a fish. The fish have no where to hide out there. Around mangroves and docks, you might have to tighten the drag some to have a chance at getting the fish out from under structure before it breaks you off. Match your gear to your fishing. Lighter equipment on the flats is all you need and you can step up your equipment around docks, bridges and other structure. Setting your drag properly can give you better results on the water.
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
South Indian River Fishing Report 9/11
September 11, 2009
INSHORE:
The annual fall mullet run has officially began around the Treasure Coast. Eager anglers have been hitting the inlets, beaches and river in anticipation of catching one of the big fish that will be feeding on the finger mullet. Tarpon, snook, jacks and many other species will be cruising along the beaches or cornering bait around the inlet and seawalls. It’s a fantastic time of year!
Our week consisted of drifting the trout flats and skirting the many rain storms. Lots of rain this week has come early in the day, but you can fish north or south of the systems as they get blown in from the east. The result has been a great trout bite for the clients this week. Jim, Jim Jr. and John had lots of fun with the trout and snapper. Sandy, Lindy and Debbie just as much fun drifting the flats and catching trout after trout. Most were in the 15 - 22 inch range and they did lose a few bigger fish. If you just want to get out and have some fun catching a lot of fish…..head out to some of the trout flats. Live shrimp, pigfish and the Deadly Combo provided them with an action packed day on the water. The usual trout flats up and down the river have provided us with hours of fun!
The nighttime snook bite has been incredible in talking to some of the snook anglers this week. With all the mullet coming into the river, the snook are crashing bait all through the inlet. The hardest part of fishing for them has been finding spots that aren’t overcrowded with people. Top water, diving plugs and feather jigs along with live bait have kept anglers busy on the moving tides. Redfish schools are still active on the flats, but with the higher tides this week it has been harder to spot them in the shallows.
Lots of snapper are still being caught on the bridges and channel edges of the river. Live or dead shrimp are working very well. Beaches will be very active, but right now the seaweed has been hindering the anglers. Look for the action on the flats to take off as the schools of finger mullet fill the river and bring in the predators. It’s a fantastic time of year!
Tip of the Week:
We have done a lot of trout fishing the past couple weeks. An easy way to find the trout is to drift the flats. Anchoring will restrict the area you are fishing and the trout may be feeding just beyond your cast. I always start upwind of the area that I intend to fish. It’s been a slow drift lately and that gives you a much greater area to fish. If you start catching trout, then anchor up and fish it more thoroughly. Sandy, Lindy and Debbie all found this out as we were drifting and all of a sudden all three ladies were on fish at the same time. Drifting in a zig-zag pattern can cover an entire flat and give you the greatest opportunity of catching fish. Drift with the wind or tide, angle back to start another drift above or below your last drift. It works!
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
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Fishing Blog- Web Updates - Nov. 4, 2009
- Salmo Sting Review - Salmo Lures
- Salmo Chubby Darter Review - Salmo Lures
- Salmo Bullhead Review - Salmo Lures
- Salmo Hornet Review - Salmo Lures
- Shrimp Tease Review - Creme Lures
- Killer Diller Shrimp Review - Creme Lures
- Jerk N? Shrimp Review - Creme Lures
- Devil?s Tongue Review- Saltwater - Creme Lures
- Creme Shrimp Soft Plastic Lure Review - Creme Lures
