Mike Cavanaugh from Ocala with a nice redfish caught at Ponce Inlet Jetty
It’s a little chilly out there and the wind conditions are not helping any. Those who are hardcore surf fisherman and ladies are finding black drum, sheepshead and plenty of bluefish cruising the beach. Strong currents and persistent winds are making it tough for even the most hardcore anglers. A pyramid sinker with a sliding rig should be used, the size of weight depending on the current. A hungry school of blues may quickly destroy your mono rig so you may have to switch to a braided wire leader.
There have been reports of a couple large sharks caught off the Sunglow Pier in the last weeks, a 6 foot bull shark landed by a visitor from Michigan. There are whiting in good numbers showing up in the surf north of Granada. Ponce Inlet continues to produce those oversized line burning redfish. Well over slot size, these fish put up an awesome battle. Black drum are also in the inlet, many in the 5 to 6lb range are reported to be feeding on crab and shrimp.
The intracoastal around the bridges are holding mangrove snapper and drum. Fish these with a split shot to keep your bait moving with the current. There have been some nice trout taken off of the docks north of the Port Orange bridge after dark. Free lining a live shrimp around this structure can produce redfish and snook as well. The Tomoka Basin area has had some schooling reds and also snook showing up. This can be a challenging area if you don’t know your way around. The shallows come up quick and the oyster bars are not so forgiving. I recommend a seasoned guide to show you around. Beautiful scenery and good quality fish.
Capt. Ron Hatcher