There’s plenty of fish to be caught in December. Winds will lay down and water clarity in the river should improve along with water temperatures dropping. Winds will be predominantly out of the north with a good ground swell that might allow you to put your wetsuit on and go surfing as well as fishing! Keep an eye out for toothy critters.
Spanish macs will be the big ticket on the nearshore scene schooling up thick on the reef line down at Pecks Lake. A local favorite lure is the First Light Glass Minnow Jig in green with 60 pound mono leader. It won’t take you long to catch your limit (15 per angler) so don’t load the box and then realize you’re over the limit.
In the surf, the bluefish will be feeding on anything that moves. A Krocodile Spoon with a single hook or cut mullet on the bottom will catch many bluefish in a short period of time. Drift the Sailfish Point flats for pompano and keep looking for skippers. This will indicate pompano are nearby so “fan cast” and hope for the best. Everybody has their favorite lure but the old reliable is the Doc Goofy Jig in yellow with a pink skirt. The relief bridge on the causeways is also a hot spot on the right tide.
A couple good cold fronts should move the flounder into the inlets and river. A simple rig to use for flounder is a live finger mullet on a jig head bounced slowly along the channel edges and points of land. Snook season will close December 15 so you still have good chance of catching a couple if the water temperatures stay in the 70’s. Snook will get lockjaw in cold water but if you put a bait in front of one long enough she will take it. The Indian River trout and redfish bite has been good. Slow up on your retrieve and work the deeper side of the pot holes and cuts. A slight depression on the fl at will usually hold fish. The D.O.A. Shad Tail in root beer with gold glitter has been my boats go to bait.
Hope you have a fishy Christmas. Keep the waterways clean and wear your Bullfrog.
FORECAST BY: Capt. John Young
Bites On Guide Service
Snook, Trout, Redfi sh, Tarpon, Kingfish
Phone: (772) 708-3593
Email: snoooky12@yahoo.com