Ft. Pierce Offshore Fishing Report and Forecast: December 2015

Russ and Shane with 25-pound and 60-pound amberjacks caught with butterfly jigs on an offshore Fort Pierce wreck in 100-feet of water. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Danny Markowski.
Russ and Shane with 25-pound and 60-pound amberjacks caught with butterfly jigs on an offshore Fort Pierce wreck in 100-feet of water. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Danny Markowski.

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]ecember is sailfish time! Sailfish are one of the most sought after gamefish due to their acrobatic fights and their beauty when they are “all lit up”. Through this month, the sailfish from the north will be migrating south into our area. These fish will combine with the resident sailfish in Treasure Coast waters to make it the best time of year to target sailfish. As the cool and cold fronts pass through the area, it is a must to keep an eye on the offshore conditions. These fronts seem to turn on the bite, so just before a front and just after, if the conditions allow, get out on the water and get hooked up.

Sailfish will be in depths of 80 feet on out. There are many ways to fish for sailfish. These fish can be caught slow trolling live baits, such as sardines, threadfin herring or a larger blue runner. You may also try to find them by trolling skirted and naked ballyhoo. The newest and most recommended way to catch sailfish is by dragging a couple of dredges behind your boat and in the prop-wash. Dredges vary in price and in looks. If you don’t have a dredge, you should go to your local tackle shop and see the different selections they have available and check out the prices, then decide on which one fits your budget the best. You can also place some squid teasers off outriggers as an added invitation to bring a sailfish up to the surface.

Keep a watch in the water behind what you are pulling and when a sailfish surfaces, drop a circle hook rigged ballyhoo back to the sailfish and reel or pull in the teaser and/or dredge back to the boat so he will eat the rigged ballyhoo. This method is used by most sailfish tournament anglers.

To catch sailfish, I recommend using 25-to-30-pound gear. This is light enough to get a good fight from the sailfish and strong enough to get the fish boatside without wearing it out too much. After getting a sailfish boatside and a quick photo session, be sure to revive the fish for a safe release to fight another day. Be safe on the water and catch them up!