[dropcap]W[/dropcap]inds will be predominantly out of the north with a good ground swell, so put on your wetsuit and surf some good waves—just watch out for the toothy critters lurking below. If you like action, Spanish macs are the ticket. They will be in the inlets and rivers with the Peck Lake reef line being the main zone for action. Green glass minnow jigs or anything shiny will fill the box at 15 per angler. Fresh is best, so don’t take too many or you will be feeding the neighborhood. Bluefish are in the surf and rivers and can be taken on cut bait or Krocodile spoons. Pompano are a tasty game-fish and tough little fighters for its size. They will be cruising the trough between sand bars at the beach and riding the incoming tide into the river. A yellow or pink Goofy jig slowly bounced along the channel edges or near the bridges over the causeways is a good bet for catching. Cold fronts have dropped the water temps, which will push the trout into deeper water near the grass flats. It’s best to let the sun warm up the flats a few degrees, which can make a big difference between a slow bite and a good one. In the winter, the trout bite can be good midday so it is not necessary to get up too early. As the sun warms up the water, drift or wade in stealth mode casting to the deeper sandy pot holes working your bait from deep to shallow and find the depth range or “comfort zone” they will be staging in. Redfish don’t mind the cold water so fish for them with D.O.A. Jigs or a gold spoon with a rattle. The bridges in the St. Lucie have a good black drum and sheepshead bite going on at the moment. The tasty croaker and silver trout make their appearance at the Ten Cent Bridge in good numbers this month and can’t resist a live shrimp on a jig head bounced around the underwater rubble. If, you can’t get snook off your mind, I recommend trolling the North or South Forks of the St. Lucie River with a Broke Back Bomber and Chrome Rattle Trap. When the mangrove leaves start touching your boat you know you’re in the right spot. Keep the waterways clean and wear your sunscreen. Happy New Year!
~Capt. John Young