February 21, 2008
INSHORE - The inshore bite has finally picked up despite al the wind with lots of trout being reported on Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Soft plastic baits or a lie shrimp were working on the trout that were from 14 to 28 inches. The best places have been Bear Point, Harbor Branch and the Mooring's flats. Look for a few redfish around the Queen's Cove area or along the docks of St. Lucie Village. The best bait choice has been a chunk of ladyfish. The snook have also gotten a little more active around the Ft. Pierce Inlet and the local bridges at night. Most of the slot sized fish reported were taken on a live pigfish. There are still plenty of sheepshead sandperch, spanish mackerel and a few black drum around the bridge and they have been feeding on live shrimp.
OFFSHORE - The first part of the week I had good reports of dolphin, tuna and sailfish in 80 to 125 feet of water. Ballyhoo seemed to be the best bait. If it is kingfish you are looking for all you will need will be some live baits like blue runners or a mullet and slow troll them in 70 feet of water. Everyone is still asking about the cobia but I haven't heard of any yet but it should be any day now. The bottom fishing has been good with plenty of snapper, sea bass, triggerfish and a few keeper grouper. A also had reports of good AJ action over the wrecks. Along the beaches look for spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano and jacks to keep you busy.
TEEN ANGLERS - Last Sunday was the monthly inshore fishing tournament for the local chapter of Teen Anglers. . The only fish that was brought to the scale was a 3lb. 2oz. sheepshead. This fish earned Shane Surrency a 1st place trophy in the middle school division and also a biggest fish of the tournament trophy. Shane also received a goody bag and a new rod & reel combo. Once again a special THANK YOU to Pursuit Boats for sponsoring the February Teen Angler Tournament. If you would like more info on TEEN Anglers just go to the web at www.teenanglers.org.
BRAGGING BOARD - On Sunday Jesse Pfeiffer was snook fishing in the Ft. Pierce Inlet. He was bouncing a pigfish off the bottom and hoping for a keeper snook. What he got instead was a 81.2 pound black drum! This is the biggest black drum he has caught.
If you would like to report a catch you can e-mail me at cward11605@aol.com or you can call me at 772-201-5770. You can also reach me on the web at www.captjoeward.com.
Capt. Joe Ward
Capt. Joe's River Charters
