SURF, PIERS: The beach action is back, according to Tom Farnham at Your Rod & Reel in Daytona Beach Shores. “It’s been excellent off the shore catching black drum,” he said. “And they’re knocking them out toward the (Ponce) inlet.” The primary surf catch is whiting, with the occasional pompano being pulled ashore. The baits of choice are shrimp and cut mullet. “Those seem to be working pretty good,” Farnham said. Some anglers fishing off the Flagler Beach Pier had quite a catch Monday when they reeled up a 7-foot shark, which was released. The standard catch in Flagler has been whiting, bluefish and sheepshead. The Sunglow Pier in Daytona Beach Shores reports a heavy whiting catch mixed in with some redfish, black drum and sheepshead. Mike Callahan at The Fishin’ Hole in downtown Daytona Beach said the Daytona Pier “has been kind of slow.” Callahan said sluggish catch has included sheepshead, whiting and a black drum, here and there.
OFFSHORE: There wasn’t much news until a private charter hit the docks at Fishin’ Cove Bait & Tackle in New Smyrna Beach on Tuesday afternoon. Jeff Burkhead reported the boat’s holding bay as “filled with fish.” The bottom-fish catch included triggerfish, vermilion snapper and two cobia in the 35- to 40-pound range. The boat caught some bonito and hit the limit on kingfish while trolling.
PONCE INLET, HALIFAX RIVER: The inlet has been extremely active, especially the black drum bite, according to Burkhead. “The sheepshead bite has been good, but it hasn’t turned on like crazy,” he said, adding the largest of these striped fish at the 5-pound mark. Giant redfish, well over slot, have turned the inlet into their playground. Callahan said the river action has slowed. Anglers are pulling up small reds, sheepshead, plus some black drum and trout. Around the inlet and south, fishermen are still catching mangrove snapper.
TOMOKA BASIN, RIVER: Callahan said last week’s hot black drum catch has cooled off. Anglers are catching some drum and sheepshead.
MOSQ. LAGOON, INDIAN RIVER: Al Huffman at Lagoon Bait & Tackle in Edgewater said the cool air has attracted nice-sized sheepshead back into these waters around rock formations and docks. “Slippery Creek and Mud Creek are holding a lot of reds and trout,” he said.
MATANZAS INLET, RIVER: Devil’s Elbow Fish Camp reports a redfish bite in the creeks, along with an occasional trout, and black drum thick around the inlet area.
ST. JOHNS RIVER: Capt. Grant Rawlins said the speckled perch bite is “doing really good.” He said anglers are catching limits in Lake Woodruff using a jig. “But all methods are working,” he added. Most of the specks are in the 2-pound range. The bass bite is still on, but they have gotten a bit smaller. The largest bass reported in the last week was 7.5 pounds. “But they’re catching eight to 10 an outing,” Rawlins said.