South Indian River Fishing Forecast - December

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!


December Fishing Forecast:

Here it is December already and the Holidays are almost upon us. Where has this year gone? I must say it has been a great year for fishing all along the Treasure Coast. Both inshore and offshore has provided anglers with many great fishing adventures. Hopefully, this winter will be milder and the fishing great for everyone.

December brings on the winter months and changes fishing tactics on the river. The water temperatures continue to fall and your fishing must adjust to the weather. We will get many days of breezy winds that will hinder getting to some favorite spots out there. That's one of the reasons I love fishing in this area....you can always find somewhere to fish! Not only does the cooler weather affect the fish, it also requires us to dig out the ol' winter fishing clothes. It can get pretty chilly some mornings!

Trout and snook will be targets throughout the winter. Although trout season will remain closed through December and snook season closes December 15th, lots of anglers will still play catch and release with them. Fishing around bridges, docks and inlets can bring great action with snook hanging around the deeper waters of the river. Using live bait,DOA Baitbusters & TerrorEyzand bomber lures can help you catch one worth a photo opportunity. Trout will tend to hang around the deeper cuts of the river. Move off to three to six feet of water for trout. Live shrimp on popping corks or DOA Deadly Combos will work the best for them. I love to work DOA CAL jerk baits this time of year on the flats. You can also find snook and redfish hanging around those areas, too.

Pompano have already arrived in the area and not only provide great fishing action, but fantastic table fare. Spanish mackerel will continue to hang out in their favorite haunts of the river. Fish the inlet, turning basin and channels for them.Jack Crevalle will be traveling around in packs chasing bait all over the river. Flounder should arrive soon and hang around the inlets, docks and sandy flats of the river. Ladyfish is a great way to spend a few hours with the kids on the water. The bridges will be holding sheephead, black drum, croakers and sand perch for those anglers. Live or dead shrimp is always the best bet from the catwalks.

Redfish will hold up around local docks during the winter months and a live shrimp or DOA Shrimp can entice them into striking. Don't forget about the deeper cuts along the mangroves for redfish and snook in December. Using stealth is essential when fishing the shallow waters for redfish. Amild winterwill have them feeding in the shallowsthis month.

Winter fishing is already here. Change your tactics with the weather and follow the water temperatures more closely to make your fishing more productive. The fishing on our Treasure Coast continues to improve each year. If we all do our share to protect our rivers, we can insure the future generations will enjoy the same experiences we have been blessed with.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner
http://www.fishtalescharter.com/
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

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
http://www.fishtalescharter.com/
email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

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
http://www.fishtalescharter.com/
email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Tom Hull on one of his recent fishing trips on the Indian River.