INSHORE REPORT:
Spring is definitely here on the Treasure Coast and both air and water temperatures continue to warm up the area. We enjoyed a variety of fishing and lots of success around the Indian River this week. Next week should again provide us with some good action all around the area. We will still have those windy afternoons, but mornings will begin a little more calmer than we experienced in March. Get out early for your best fishing opportunities.
We fished north of Fort Pierce most of the week and will most likely be there for another week or so. The slimy seagrass to the south of the area has made it difficult to fish both artificials and live bait. It has been thick from Bear Point and south of there. I gave up trying to fish to the south for now until the seagrass has thinned out that direction. The water north of Fort Pierce has provided much cleaner water to fish and the fish have been biting up that direction.
Trout fishing has been our best bite lately. Fishing DOA Deadly Combos and live shrimp most of the week has given us some nice catches. The slot fish have been fat and sassy and a few over the slot as well. You can expect plenty of big trout around the river this month and action will continue to get better as the month wears on. Round Island, Queen's Cove and Harbor Branch have all been good flats for us lately. Fish in three to five feet of water and you should be able to find some good fishing. We have been drifting around the flats until we find our bite and then anchor up and fish those areas. Sometimes patience will pay off quite nicely!
I had a number of new clients and also some old friends back on the boat this week. Greg and Lori Mihilak, Josh and Kyle Lukat with friend, Luke, and Ken, Mark and Steven McIntosh were all back to enjoy the river and the fishing. Ray Patalano and Glen Parath were out with me for a fishing adventure around the river. We enjoyed everything from trout and redfish to jacks, snapper and mackerel. Redfish were in shallow on the flats and we caught our fish on DOA shrimp this week. There is a good variety of fish out there to keep you busy.
Forecast:
While windy conditions will continue the rest of the month. Early mornings will provide the best and maybe the calmest time of the day. It will give you an opportunity for top water action and fishing areas that will become wind blown later in the mornings. Choose the bottoms that the fish you are going to target will most likely be feeding on. Large grassy flats with scattered sandy holes are ideal for trout fishing. Flats with more sandy areas than grass are usually good redfish areas. Set up and drift the flats until you find lots of bait activity or catch fish. Then you can always anchor up and fish those areas. We set up drifts using the tides and winds to our advantage and give us the largest areas to fish. The rest of April promises to be great trout fishing days and some good redfish days as well. Get out fishing this month!
Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!
Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner
http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852
Josh Lukat with one of his trout and Donald Buckingham with a nice redfish.
