February Fishing Forecast

February Fishing Forecast

While winter is still around the Treasure Coast and weekly cold fronts will continue to bring cool nights and lots of windy days to the area, fishing will still be good out on the water. It has been a mild winter so far with the usual winds, rain and cooler nights. Water temperatures can dictate where and how you might fish on any given day this month. January was a much warmer month this year. When the water is cold, fish the deeper cuts and drop offs of the river. Sunny days will bring fish up in shallower waters to feed and the bite can really get hot out on the flats.

The trout bite picks up very nicely in February. Last year proved to be another great year for big trout in the Fort Pierce area. I anticipate that 2017 will be another big fish year around the area. CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos are exciting ways to trout fish with artificial lures, while live shrimp on popping corks are the ol’ standard way to trout fish out on the river. Redfish can be found in shallow flats around mangroves and islands. We had a fantastic winter bite in 2016 around the docks and mangroves for redfish. On warm sunny days, the reds will sit around the mangroves and soak up the sun. Finding some along the mangroves will bring some good rod bending action to anglers this month. The new 2 3/4" DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits can find some hungry reds hugging the mangrove lines when fished very slowly. Docks are a great way to find plenty of fish waiting for something tasty to drift under them.

Sheephead will be plentiful around the river and the larger fish will be coming into the river to breed. They showed up early this year and January has been a great month for them. Live or dead shrimp around bridges, docks and structure can provide lots of action in addition to some great tasting fish. Sand perch and croakers should also be hanging around the inlet and bridges during February. Pompano around the surf and on the deeper flats of the river can be taken on CAL grub tails, Doc’s Goofy Jigs and shrimp or clams. Bluefish, mackerel and jacks will continue to haunt the baitfish around the jetties and turning basin. Small, shiny lures will keep you busy. There should be some flounder around the back sides of the jetties and on sand flats around the inlet area.

February is a transition month on the river. It opens snook season again in this area. Winter can be challenging when the cold arrives this year on the Treasure Coast. We have enjoyed more normal winter weather and the fish bite has been good for us. Winds will still be blowing and the water will begin to gradually rise in temperature. Fishing your lures slowly will certainly give you more action on the river. Fish tend to be sluggish in the colder water. Working your lures or bait slower along the bottom will give the fish more time to react to it and will result in more bites for anglers. Have fun this month and get out fishing!

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

Thanks and Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

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

South Indian River Fishing Report 1/19

South Indian River Fishing Report 1/19

Inshore:

It's been a mild winter so far and there is only a short time till spring arrives. We should get some cold nights ahead, but these mild conditions will prevail most days. Winds continue to blow daily with a couple calmer days each week. Water temperatures are in the mid to upper sixties and that helps the fishing.

The bite has been good for most species, but the winter fish have been very good for us lately. Mel, Matt, George, Roland and Rachel teamed up for a day fishing this past week. Rachel joined us mid-day while Mel cleaned fish for the guys. The caught a couple dozen croakers along with sheepshead, trout, whiting and more jacks than you could count to make for a wonderful day that everyone enjoyed. The Treasure Coast Casters had their January tournament last Sunday and I had Colt and Nicholas on the boat. The boys caught lots and lots of fish, but only Colt caught a keeper sheepshead to weigh in. They got into jacks and decided that they would rather catch them than try for the tournament fish. The guys had their own jack contest. The tournament results were: Colt Krischke - 2nd place Middle School - 15 points, Andrew Evans - 1st place High School - 30 points & Kaitlyn Ward 1st place Middle School - 65 points. Kaitlyn had the biggest fish of the tournament - 1lb. 11oz. sheepshead. If you have a kid or grandkid who loves to fish, contact Cammie Ward at 772-201-5773 to get them involved. Their web site is www.treasurecoastcasters.org or you can find them on Facebook.

The bite has been good for trout, sheepshead, drum and lots of other fish right now. Winter fishing is always fun and exciting for all ages, especially the young ones. It's a good time of year to get out and enjoy both the mild weather and great fishing!

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

Thanks and Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

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

South Indian River Fishing Report 1/15

Inshore:

It's been a typical winter so far. Mostly mild temperatures with a day or two of cold fronts each week. Same goes for the winds. Look for windy days most of the week with one or two days when it calms down a little. Water temperatures have dropped this week with the last cold front, but some sunshine will bring it back up to the high sixties. The water has been murky the past several days after the cold front chopped things up a bit. It will clear up fast though.

Fishing continues to be good if you are looking for some of the wintertime catch of drum, sheepshead and assorted other fish. We have been catching some big sheepshead lately and you can find them around just about any structure this time of year. Drum will be hanging in the same places. Look for croakers around deeper cuts of the area. Snook fishing around the bridges and jetties has held up nicely for night anglers. We have been getting some nice trout in the deeper cuts on the river this week. Ron, Mike and Ray found a couple nice over 18". Al and Ryan found lots of sheepshead on their fishing adventure. Jacks are insane right now. It's hard to catch the other fish when they are tearing up the place, but they are fun.

It's important this time of year to dress in layers. With cold mornings and warm afternoons, you need to be able to cope with the temperatures and layering makes it easy to deal with. Don't forget sunscreen! It's easy to forget in winter, but you can get sun damage easily this time of year!

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

Have a wonderful 2017!
Thanks and Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

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

South Indian River Fishing Report 1/5

South Indian River Fishing Report 1/5

Inshore:

Winter has taken hold of the Treasure Coast. Not so much cold weather, but weekly cold fronts that affect water temperatures and bring lots of windy days to the area. Remember, winter fishing is all about slowing down your presentation and fishing deeper water in the mornings. Fishing continues to be good with lots of fish to catch this time of year.

Recently, Captain Joe Ward and I wanted to have a grandpa's day with the kids. As our grandkids were out for the holiday break, it was a good time to spend some quality fishing with them. Captain Joe's grandson, Thomas, and mine, Chloe and Brody, were all excited to get out and fish. As it was to happen, the weather wasn't very cooperative for us! As we launched the boat, the rains moved in and it was going to be one drizzly day. We decided to not take the boat and meet Captain Joe and Thomas over at the docks and fish when it wasn't raining. Chloe and Brody understood and were eager to fish anywhere.


Now, Thomas is an old pro at 8 years old. He gets lots of fishing time while helping grandpa Joe at Captain Joe's Bait Shop at Dockside Inn. Chloe and Brody get their time with me when we can find time in their busy schedule. Joe and I try to get together a few times a year to take the kids on a fishing adventure. Thomas was glad to see the kids and was more than willing to give them good fishing tips for the docks and showing them how to bait their own hooks. It was non stop action for the rest of the morning with jacks, sheepshead, puffers, snapper and even a triggerfish to make for a wonderful time. The kids brought snacks and drinks to share and we all had a great time....especially Joe and me! We are looking forward to doing it again soon and those grandkids grow up so fast.

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

Have a wonderful 2017!
Thanks and Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

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

January Fishing Forecast

January Fishing Forecast

Happy New Year! In past several years, January has traditionally been a cold month around the Treasure Coast. Hopefully, 2017 will show us another mild winter and you won’t have to worry about the water temperatures as much this year. Fishing in deeper water will provide you with better results on most days. Working your lures and baits much slower will also give you a better chance at success. Fish tend to become lethargic in cold water and are slow in moving to strike at lures. Finding water that is a couple degrees warmer than the surrounding area can also give you an edge on finding fish. Water temperatures have been mild so far. We had great results last year on fishing deep sand holes on the flats that were being warmed by the sun. We will certainly be doing that again this year.
January is typically a windy month and it will continue the tradition if recent weather gives you an insight to the coming month. You might enjoy one or two days a week that is calmer, but expect it to be windy most days. Using the right ramps can make your day a little easier in dealing with the weather. There are many ramps around the area that allow you to launch depending on wind direction. The river can be rough some days, but you can still fish most days if you plan your trips carefully. It is a great month to fish in spite of weather conditions that might not be to your liking.

Bridges will continue to produce sheepshead, black drum, croakers, sand perch and bluefish. Most of the anglers on the catwalks prefer live or frozen shrimp for these fish. The inlet and turning basin will be full of bluefish, jacks and mackerel this month. Live or dead bait on a jig head will give you plenty of action along with silver spoons or shiny lures. Around seawalls, channel edges or deeper structure you can find grouper for catch and release action in January. Snook action around the jetties and bridges will be active mostly at night for anglers using feather jigs, Terror Eyz and live bait. Snook closed on December 15th, so it will be catch and release for them.

Redfish can be found around docks and sitting on the flats on warm, sunny days. The new 2 ¾” DOA shrimp, Terror Eyz or CAL jerk baits work great for wintertime fishing. We had fantastic results around mangroves for redfish last year. CAL paddle tails in the 411 color were a hit with the reds. Docks will be loaded with sheepshead in January with nice sized fish. They have moved in early this year and have been hungry! Pompano fishing will depend on water temperatures for their location, but they will be in the area throughout the winter. Surf anglers will be targeting these fish on days when the beach is fishable. Flounder should be found around the jetties on the beach side and on sand flats around the inlet. If you can find warmer water on the flats, you will most likely find trout feeding in those areas. Last year, we were rewarded many days as the sun would warm up a patch of water and get the fish actively feeding. Trout fishing in 2016 rewarded us with many big fish in the 25” to 30” range. CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos were very successful on the trout, and 2017 should prove to be another good year. Ladyfish and jacks will be all over the river for fun action for the little ones.

January Tips: Dress for the weather. We might get one or two days each week that might be warmer, but most days will be on the cooler side. There can be a 30 degree swing in temperature on some days. Dressing in layers can keep you comfortable throughout the day in January. Once you become cold, it's hard to warm back up again. Keep yourself comfortable and enjoy some good fishing in January. Stay warm and safe and enjoy the winter!

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

Have a wonderful 2017!
Thanks and Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

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