South Indian River Fishing Report 12/28

Inshore:

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that 2016 is a fantastic year for all. It's hard to believe that another year has passed by so quickly. 2015 was a wonderful year for us. Making many new fishing friends and seeing lots of familiar faces throughout the year. Thanks for making it a memorable year for me! Guess what??? Here it is January and it's still in the 80's everyday. Talk about a mild winter so far...I can't remember a hotter year than 2015. But is has been a fun year fishing anyway!

Fishing this past week has continued to be good for us. Lots of species being caught with sheepshead and snapper the most prevalent bite on any given day. We are still catching redfish around the mangroves and docks with a few snook in the mix. Black drum are moving into the river and that bite should only improve. Croakers are scattered around the area with some nice sized ones being caught. Jacks, ladyfish and blue runners are moving into the inlet with the incoming tides. Some Spanish mackerel are being caught as well around the inlet. Pompano are scattered and we have not found any quantities to speak of so far. It's going to be a great January ahead!

Don was back with his family for a morning on the river. Lexi and Sammy had an exciting adventure catching lots of fish and watching dolphins play. Then helped catch enough for dinner. Laura and Gideon had a beautiful day to enjoy the water. Gideon caught a lot of fish and took one home for his grandpa, Arthur. Doug, Cade and Ken had an awesome day. The guys caught many species with three redfish along with sheepshead, snapper and croakers to make for a good day of fishing. Henry, Rhonda and Cole were back for vacation and another fishing adventure. Everyone caught lots of fish and enough for Cole to take home for dinner. Sheepshead, redfish, snook and a host of other species made for an exciting day. It was another fun week on the water!

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! 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 12/17

Inshore:

It's hard to believe that this year is almost over. It went so fast, but gave us lots of memories. I saw lots of old friends and made many new ones this year. Here it is almost Christmas and it's still in the 80's! A very mild winter so far for the Treasure Coast. Hopefully, Mother Nature isn't saving it up to drop the cold bomb on us in January. It has been a windy and wet month so far, but still much nicer than cold weather. Water temperatures have remained in the lower to mid seventies and the fish like that. Fishing has been good around the area so far this winter. Enjoy the weather and get out fishing soon!

The mild winter has delayed some species from moving into the area in good numbers so far. Pompano are here, but not in great quantities yet. Black drum, bluefish and mackerel migrate to our area in winter and will be here soon as the water temps cool down a little more. Sheepshead have arrived already and that means plenty of action around bridges, channel edges and docks for anglers. The trout bite has been good both north and south of Fort Pierce on the grass flats. Top water lures are working very good along with DOA shrimp. Redfish continue to haunt the mangroves and docks around the river. The snook bite has been good around the jetties, when you can fish them. Don't forget that snook season is now closed, so it's catch and release. Jacks and ladyfish continue to feed just about everywhere this time of year.

The Treasure Coast Casters had their monthly tournament this past week. I had Ty and Colt on the boat. The guys caught lots of fish and came back with a few to check in. Ty caught two croakers and Colt a nice snapper. They both took second place in their divisions with prizes and trophies for both the boys. Paul, Faye and Paul were out with me this past week and found a good variety of fish to catch. Sheepshead, snapper and grouper were all hungry along with lots of other species. Gib was back this year with his group and they found trout, sheepshead and a host of other fish to keep the guys busy before the rains moved in on us and forced us off the water. Don, Sherman and Art were back this month to enjoy another adventure on the river. The guys caught everything from sheepshead, trout and other species. Art topped off the day with a nice black drum to win a free lunch from the other fellows. It has been a good week on the water!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 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 12/16

Inshore:

Another week passes with lots of wind and rain to challenge anglers along the Treasure Coast. We were able to get out most days and enjoy the fishing, while dodging rain clouds. It has been a mild winter so far and water temperatures have remained in the low seventies most of the time. It has been hard to find clean water with the weather conditions making the water dirty. High tides have provided the best water clarity for us. Expect similar forecasts for the rest of 2015.

Snook season closed on December 15th, so it will be catch and release now. We have found a variety of fish to keep anglers busy around the river. Sheepshead and black drum are the familiar winter species to target for us around mangroves, docks and bridges. There are some nice sized fish moving in now and they are high on the list of great table fare for many people. Pompano have been moving into our area and will be found along beaches and around the river depending of water conditions. Redfish will be hanging under docks and along the mangroves this time of year. As soon as the water clears up, you can expect Spanish mackerel to move in with the tides. Jacks and ladyfish are everywhere as usual this time of year. It's an awesome time of year to enjoy the fishing in spite of what mother nature sends our way.

Matt was out with me recently and topped off his day with a couple slot redfish along with a host of other species. Bruce and Lynne had a good day with Lynne catching a nice black drum to end the morning. Paul was out with Faye and Paul to enjoy a good variety of fish to catch in spite of another windy day. Charlie, Art and Randy enjoyed a similar afternoon with trout in the mix. The rains moved in on us that afternoon to shorten a fun adventure for all the guys.

Hard to believe this year is almost over. Enjoy the rest of 2015 and all the great fishing that the Treasure Coast has to offer!

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 12/9

Inshore:

While the weather hasn't been as cold so far this winter, the winds and rain have made it difficult to enjoy the fishing for most anglers lately. It has been a challenge to get out and find areas that you can fish successfully. Water temps have been in the low to mid 70's this week and the fish are out there to catch if you can manage the winds and rain. December is brings some good fishing action and its share of weather patterns to deal with.

A number of fish species are filtering into the area with the winter weather. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, sheepshead and black drum are all great winter fish to get out and catch. Water temperature dictates a lot this time of year and some of them move around as the water temps fluctuate. Look for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks and ladyfish to fill the inlets and turning basin with the incoming tides. Small shiny lures work best of these fish. Sheepshead, snapper and black drum will hang around bridges, docks and channel edges in winter and can be caught on small jigs, like a DOA paddle tail and live or dead shrimp. Pompano can be found along the surf, inlets and deeper grass flats of the river. Small DOA paddle tails or Doc's Goofy Jigs are great choices for pompano along with sand fleas on the beach. I enjoy wintertime fishing with the variety of fish that inhabit the area this time of year.

We have found jacks just about everywhere we have been fishing this week. Snook and redfish have been hanging around mangroves and docks. I like the DOA Terror Eyz in the root beer color when snook fishing around the mangroves. We haven't gotten a chance to do much trout fishing lately with all the winds. With the current water temperatures, you should still find some trout on the grass flats. Remember to slow down your presentation when fishing artificial baits. Fish are getting more lethargic and dependent on the sun to warm them up. Fish will be slower reacting to lures now.

Colder weather is coming soon. Dress appropriately and don't forget sun screen. Watch the weather forecasts to determine when and where you want to fish. I love this area because it provides someplace to fish in most any weather condition. Have fun and enjoy the fishing in December!

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

December Fishing Forecast

December Fishing Forecast:

Here it is December already and the Holidays are almost upon us. Where has this year gone? I must say 2015 has been another great year for fishing all along the Treasure Coast. Both inshore and offshore have 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. Water temps can dictate where you fish and how you fish. Finding water a few degrees warmer than normal can mean the difference in catching and fishing. 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. I’m not too proud to get out the long johns on a cold winter day. It can get pretty chilly some mornings!

Trout, redfish and snook will be targets throughout the winter. Snook season closes December 15th, but many 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 & TerrorEyz, jigs and 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 or CAL Air Heads this time of year on the flats. You can also find snook and redfish hanging around those areas as well.

Pompano have already arrived in the area and not only provide great fishing action, but fantastic table fare. Spanish mackerel and bluefish 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. There is a good variety of fish to target on any given day in any kind of weather conditions.

Redfish can be found 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. We had very good success at finding the reds in shallow on sunny days on the grass flats. A mild winter will have them feeding in the shallows this month. It was a fantastic redfish bite all last winter and I am looking for it to be just as good this year.

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!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Captain Charlie Conner

www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852