South Indian River Fishing Report 12/24

South Indian River Fishing Report 12/24

Inshore:

As 2016 comes to a close, I would like to thank everyone for reading my reports for the past 15 years. It's been fun and I certainly enjoy doing them. I have met many old friends again this past year and made many new ones as well. Here's hoping that 2017 will be a bountiful year for everyone and the fishing continues to reward anglers throughout the Treasure Coast. I am truly blessed with the people around me in so many capacities. Thank you all! Eva and I wish everyone a blessed Holiday Season this year.

The weather this week has been fantastic! Warmer temperatures and sunny skies make for a wonderful adventure on the water! Winds have been a challenge most days, but there is always somewhere you can fish. Enjoy this weather...it could change soon! It's been a fun week on the water.

Fishing has been very good out there and it should continue this way with the mild water temps. Docks, mangroves, grass flats and channel edges have all been productive for us. I love this time of year! A large variety of species are out there to keep your rods bending. Trout on the grass flats. Redfish under the docks and mangroves. Sheepshead and black drum around structure. Mackerel feeding on the beaches and inlets. Jacks and ladyfish....everywhere! It's a great time of year!

We had another fun week on the water with the fish biting well for us. Rick and Rob were out again with me and they caught lots and lots of sheepshead, drum and other species. Wayne and Cody found some big sheepshead to take home. Wayne landed one of a number of redfish around the docks. We were broken off numerous times by nice size reds. Tom and Ryan found plenty of sheepshead and jacks and added a couple nice mackerel to top off the morning. It's a wonderful time of year to enjoy the fishing.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

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

South Indian River Fishing Report 12/14

Inshore:

Cooler weather is on the way to anglers on the Treasure Coast. Weekly cold fronts will be arriving now and that means the water temperatures will continue to drop. Lots of migratory fish are arriving for the winter and anglers will be out to catch them. Work your lures slowly as the fish become lethargic and won't move quickly to bite. They still have to eat, but using the slow approach will increase your chances at getting a hook up. Enjoy the cooler weather and get out fishing!

The Treasure Coast Casters had their December fishing tournament recently. I had Colt and Michael on the boat that morning. Winds were strong, but the boys love fishing and we went on our way to enjoy the day. Colt had the hot hand that morning. He ended up with two keeper sheepshead and a nice croaker along with lots of other fish to keep him busy. Michael also caught a lot of fish, but finally got a keeper sheepshead near the end of the tournament. Colt came in second place Middle School with his catch. We all had a great day on the water.

The best bite has been sheepshead and croakers lately. There are nice flounder in the river now. Kaitlyn took biggest fish and third place Middle School in the tournament with her big flounder that was nearly 6 pounds. Congratulations goes out to Andrew Evans, who won first place in the High School division and Nicholas Rosario, who took first place in the Middle School division. I always enjoy volunteering for the Treasure Coast Casters. If you have children or grandchildren in school who like to fish....Call Cammie Ward at 772-201-5773 for more information on getting your kids involved or volunteering. It's a great organization with super benefits for the kids. Good fishing this month!

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

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 2016 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. Let’s make 2017 the year that we see improvements to the water quality in our area. 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