April Fishing Forecast

April Fishing Forecast

As March blows out of the area, you can still plan on some windy days ahead in April. The transition into the summer pattern is well under way and soon the winds will die down and you can enjoy those calm days of summer once again. Expect the fishing to be especially good this April as water temperatures warm up and spring takes over the area. March was a little cooler, but the water is warming back up to suit the fish. As the river fills with bait schools, you can bet the fish are hungry and will be feeding heavily. Have fun!

Redfish and trout will become more active around the flats. They will be shallow early and gradually move to the edges of the flats as the sun get higher in the sky. Look to areas like Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island for trout to be feeding on the flats. On a calm morning, break out the top water lures and switch to jerk baits, like a DOA CAL 4” Arkansas Glow or Watermelon. Shallow running Mirrolures will also entice the trout into biting. Don’t forget to use the Deadly Combo or CAL Airhead for more exciting trout action on the grass flats. There has been a lot of redfish activity throughout March and it should make April a fantastic month. Redfish can be found on sandy flats around the docks or try the Moorings and Bear Point for a chance at a nice size red. DOA shrimp or CAL grub tails in root beer or glow colors are great ways to find a redfish along with a trusty gold spoon.

The snook season has many anglers out seeking that slot fish this year. The bite has been good around the inlets and will improve on the flats as well. Snook season will close May 1st so you have this month to find that slot fish. Docks will hold sheephead, jacks, redfish and many other species. I like either a DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz around docks. Fish them slowly to keep them under the dock as long as possible. Drop a live shrimp or pinfish under a dock as well for a great chance at hooking up. There are many great areas to fish so plan on getting some fishing in this month.

Bridges will continue to hold sheephead, jacks, bluefish and some black drum. The big jacks will be invading the river this month. They are not great to eat, but provide a tough battle on light tackle. Ladyfish will be all over the river and keep the kids smiling. The inlet will continue to hold bluefish, jacks and mackerel. While April might be a little windy, it is still a great month to fish the Indian River.

April is the first month that fish can enjoy all the many baitfish schools and they will be feeding heavily on the schools around the flats. The water has already been warming up and you can see the changes in the bite already. Early morning can bring lots of good results this time of year. It was a cool winter this year and the fish are anxious to enjoy some warmer water…..and so are we!

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

South Indian River Fishing Report 3/19

Inshore:

Warm, sunny weather has arrived around the Treasure Coast and it has been a welcome change! It has been wonderful to enjoy sunny Florida like we know it. It seems the fish have taken a liking to the conditions as well. No more talk about cool water and all that wintertime jargon. Spring is here and it's time to enjoy the exciting fishing action around the area!

It's been a busy week for us and the fish have cooperated for our anglers. Will and Jean were down visiting from New York for a few charters. They caught a good variety of fish including trout, sheepshead, drum and a host of others. We had a great time on the river. Steve was back out with me this year and found the same hungry fish waiting. Trout, drum, sheepshead and mackerel were on the catch list among other fish. Scott had a good time with some big jacks, snook and trout to keep his rod bent that morning. John and Theresa Gilson were out with me on another gorgeous morning. Theresa had the hot hand with a couple big jacks and four trout in the 19" to 24" range. Fred also found some nice fish including a slot redfish to top off the morning. We had lots of smiles and fish on the boat this week!

It's that time of year for the big sea trout on the grass flats. They are hungry and ready to eat. Try a DOA Bait Buster on the flats, your favorite top water lure or live bait. This it the time of year to find those thirty inch trout lurking on the flats. We have caught all our big trout in the middle of the day on the flats. The snook bite has been picking up for us as the water temperatures warmed up. Early morning can find them ready to feed. Live bait or the DOA Bait Buster are great choices this time of year. We are still getting redfish around the mangroves along with lots of small snapper and juvenile snook. You can find mackerel coming in with the tide and they have been nice sized ones lately. Snapper and sheepshead are still hanging on the docks and bridges. Big jacks are all over the river chasing bait schools. It's a wonderful time of year to enjoy the fishing!

It's easy to get sunburned this time of year so make sure you use plenty of sunscreen. Keep yourself hydrated while on the water and have a fantastic spring fishing season!

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

South Indian River Fishing Report 3/12

Inshore:

Spring is in the air! It might still be on the windy side, but the warm weather is welcome for most anglers around the Treasure Coast. I finally got to pack away those long pants and shoes that my body just don't enjoy. March will continue to be on the windy side, but we have been able to find plenty of areas to enjoy the fishing and the fish are biting, too. Water temps are back in the mid 70's and life is wonderful on the water!

Doug and John were out with me on a nice morning in spite of the winds. The guys caught a variety of fish, including trout, sheepshead, croaker and snapper. Duncan was back down from VA for the winter and we found a nice morning to get on the water. The redfish and trout were cooperating for us as we landed four slot redfish to top off a beautiful morning. I had Bob, Mike and Craig back from last year along with another boat of the guys with Captain Adam White. The guys landed a good variety of species that included redfish, snook and trout. It was good to see the boys from PA again. Will and Jean were out with me on a gorgeous day that found trout, sheepshead, drum and snapper to keep them busy. Marshall, Kelly, Jeremy and Dwayne were down from Ohio and got a chance to get out fishing with me. After 16 different species, the guys had a fun day catching lots of fish. It has been a good week on the water.

Redfish have been hanging in the usual places around the river. Docks, grass flats and mangroves are all productive now. We have been using DOA CAL jerk baits on the grass flats for trout. Try the paddle tail around the mangroves for redfish. Top water lures are working in the early mornings now and you will get some nice action now that the water is back to the 70's again. Jacks, ladyfish, mackerel and a host of other fish are in the river and will give you lots of action. There are still nice drum and sheepshead around the docks and bridges. We are seeing some nice keeper snapper again. March is always a super month to enjoy the fishing on the Treasure Coast.

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

Fishing with Capt. Charlie this week.

South Indian River Fishing Report 3/4

Inshore:

Spring has finally arrived to greet the Treasure Coast! Warmer weather conditions around the area has signaled in springtime for anglers. Water temperatures have risen rapidly this past week and has reached the mid 70's for us. We will still deal with the windy days for a while longer, but it's nice to wear shorts again!

It has been lots of fun for us this past week. Some new clients among some annual visitors for me this week and we all have had some fun fishing action. Mike and Logan were out on a beautiful morning that found redfish, sheepshead and snapper biting around the river for them. Jerry and Linda also found their share of sheepshead and snapper with a nice pompano to top off the morning. Mike and Jean had a wonderful morning to enjoy the fishing. They caught 6 slot redfish among other species to end a super day on the water. Paul, Ben and Aiden caught a good variety of fish on another nice day provided by mother nature. David and his family were back down from Canada and we enjoyed a great day of fishing in spite of challenging windy conditions. Everyone had fun catching a variety of species. Chris and Ashley were out with me on a beautiful morning. They caught a nice variety of fish including a nice slot redfish by Ashley and a nice trout and snook by Chris. It was a nice week to enjoy the fishing on the Indian River.

Now that things are warming up, the fishing will be changing as well. Top water lures, DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits will all be getting a workout on the shallow flats. The trout bite picked up this week for us along with the redfish. Docks, channel edges, mangroves and grass flats will all be productive this month. Even though it will be windy, the fishing will be exciting the rest of March for us. Have fun and get out fishing soon!

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