Fort Pierce Offshore Fishing Report: Nov. 2013

Roje Gonzales and Mike Faurot holding a couple of blackfins headed for the dinner table. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Chris Nelson.
Roje Gonzales and Mike Faurot holding a couple of blackfins headed for the dinner table. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Chris Nelson.

Well, the fall mullet migration south should be in full swing right now, but will be ending soon. Now is the time to be cast netting and freezing these baits for future use as bottom baits or for chumming. But, this is a great time to be using these finger mullet offshore as live bait for grouper and snapper. I call them dolphin candy, because they’re the perfect size to cast to any dolphin that are migrating south as well. They’re hearty baits with tough lips and can sustain numerous casts. Use a spinning rod with a #5 circle hook to cast these baits to any dolphin you see free swimming in your chum slick or following a hooked dolphin at your boat. This is also a great time of year for blackfin tuna. While trolling for dolphin, troll a small feather in black and purple or red and black about 300 feet behind your boat. You don’t need to use wire leaders. Forty or fifty pound mono or fluorocarbon line will suffice. There is no size limit to these tasty tunas and no bag limit either. But, only keep as many that will bring you a couple of nice appetizers or dinners and take along some wasabi as you might want to snack on them on the boat. I highly suggest you invest in a dredge to troll close to your transom. A dredge will bring the dolphin and blackfin tuna really close to your boat. Ask your local tackle shop to show you what a dredge looks like.

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