[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ook for the area to come alive starting with the Fort Pierce Inlet. As the bait makes its way inshore there will be plenty of action from jacks, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and even a few bonito and they will be taking anything shinny like spoons, Gotcha jigs, flash jigs and even drifting a live bait. Remember that with all of this action, the sharks will be looking for a meal too. On the bottom it is time for the black drum, croakers, sheepshead and sandperch to start showing up in good numbers. Try using a light tackle rod and reel with an 18-to-24-inch fluorocarbon leader and a #2 hook with a fresh dead or frozen shrimp. Around the local bridges, docks and most any structure the sheepshead should be concentrated in good numbers. Try a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and a ¼-ounce Trol-Rite hook and a small live shrimp. Take plenty of bait, as you are going to need it. Look for the snook to be in the deeper water around the Fort Pierce Inlet and at the bridges and they will be taking live baits like a mullet, pinfish or croakers. Fish on the bottom using a heavy rod and a 40- pound fluorocarbon leader, a 5/0 live bait hook and whatever weight it takes to hold the bottom. Now for the trout and redfish—look around the deeper cuts and holes along the channel edges and the flats. Using a live shrimp will be hard to beat and again use a 20- pound fluorocarbon leader and a ¼-ounce Trol-Rite jig and fish it very slow—the colder the water temps the slower you will want to fish the jig. As the day warms up and the fish start to move to the flats for the warmer water, you will want to change and try a soft plastic bait like a D.O.A. shrimp, TerroEyz or a live shrimp.
