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 tough winter so far with all the rain, winds and cold. 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. 2017 proved to be the year of big trout in the Fort Pierce area. I anticipate that 2018 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 2017 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. 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.

Sheepshead 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. Winter has been challenging 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 1/24

Inshore:

January is almost over and it has been one challenging month. With cold fronts and windy days, it has been a difficult month. Fishing has remained good when you can cope with the conditions. February will bring similar conditions, but hopefully a little better for us. Water temperatures have ranged from the high 50's to the mid 60's. Yesterday, it had reached 68 degrees and that was nice for a change. Plan your outdoor adventures around the weather.

I had Captain Pat Wells and his sons, Dalton and Ethan, down from Cocoa Beach to fish one morning. The boys did most of the fishing. We had a good bite with the ladyfish and sheepshead with a nice drum added to the catch. A fun trip was had by all. Tim and Carol were out on a windy morning, but we had good places to fish and stay out of the worst of it. Sheepshead, snapper and croakers were the best bite of the day. Tim added a nice trout to top off the morning. It was one of the few days I got to wear shorts this month...

Any structure will likely hold sheepshead, snapper and drum. Live or dead shrimp always will get you plenty of bites. Our trout have been coming in three to five feet of water. You can find lots of fish in the shallows this time of year trying to warm up. Pompano have been in deeper water on the flats, channels and cuts in the river. I haven't see lots of quantity yet, but we are getting some nice sized fish. Redfish will be hanging around docks and mangroves this time of year. Try a DOA shrimp for both redfish and trout. Fishing will continue to be good in February with many species to target.

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 1/23

Inshore:

January continues be a challenge with cold fronts and windy days. Water temperatures have been anywhere from the fifties to near seventy with the swings in the weather. Plan your trips carefully this time of year. Cooler water will send the fish to deeper areas to keep warm. Sunny days will find the fish in shallow water enjoying the sunshine. Be willing to change your tactics to catch more fish!

Pompano fishing has improved with the colder water. We are catching some nice pomps in the river now. Sheepshead and snapper fishing continues to be good around the area. Any structure will be holding fish now There was a good croaker bite over the weekend for us. Will and Jean found a good croaker and whiting bite until the sharks moved in and kept biting the fish off on them. They also caught lots of snapper and sheepshead to add to the catch. Dave, Sam and Henry were out with me over the weekend. Each of the boys caught a nice pompano to top off the day. Croakers, snapper and sheepshead rounded out the morning. Captain Joe Ward was out with me this week. It was a relaxing morning of catching a variety of fish, but the bite was slower for croakers with the dip in water temperature. We did get a nice pompano to end a good day on the water.

This time of year a few degrees in water temperatures can make all the difference. Watch for areas where the water might be slightly warmer and try your luck there. Fish will tend to migrate to those areas to keep warm. Usually deeper cuts are great areas to fish. Make sure you are dressed for the weather. Layering your clothes will help you cope with the huge temperature swings this time of year and stay comfortable.


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 1/17

Inshore:

2018 has started off with winter moving in and cooling things down quite a bit. Wind, rain and cold have made the first part of January a real challenge to get out and enjoy the fishing. Water temperatures have dipped into the fifties and it will take a few sunny days to warm things up a bit. You can expect lots of wind this month along with the normal weekly cold front moving through the Treasure Coast. Watch the weather and plan your adventures carefully.

Sheepshead is always the best bite in this kind of weather. They don't mind the colder water and there are lots of them in the river to keep anglers busy. Bridges, docks and channel edges are favorite areas to fish for sheepshead, drum, and snapper. The nighttime snook bite has been good around the bridges and jetties. Look for the Spanish mackerel and pompano bite to improve around the area. Trout, snook and redfish will be on the grass flats when the sun is high to warm up. Black drum and croakers should be moving into the river now that things are cooled down. January is always a good month to enjoy the fishing!

Winter weather is a good time to work on reels, tackle and boats. We get a lot of windy days and this is the perfect time to get your equipment in good working order for the coming spring fishing. Don't forget to check out the safety equipment on the boat. It's an important part of fishing and boating. Dress in layers this time of year. Temperature swings can be go from the fifties into the eighties in a few hours and layering can keep you comfortable out there. Have fun and stay safe!

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

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, 2018 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 2017 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 2018 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 2018!
Thanks and Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

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