INSHORE
All anglers are waiting for September 1st and the opening of snook season. Places you will want to try are the Fort Pierce Inlet on the tide changes, around both the North and South Bridges and in the Turning Basin. The bait of choice will be a live one like a hand-picked shrimp, a pinfish or a small mullet. You willwant to fish it on the bottom using a 4/0 hook and enough weight to hold the bottom of the place you are fishing. The trout should still be good around the spoil islands. For best results, try free lining a live pilchard or a shrimp under a popping cork in 3 to 5 feet of water. Redfish will still be around the Jack Island and Queen’s Cove area. They will be taking so plastic baits or a chunk of ladyfish.The snapper bite will be best around the full moon and a small live shrimp will be hard to beat. Fish along the channel edges and use a #2 hook and a 1/2 to 1 ounce weight, depending on the current.
OFFSHORE
The dolphin will be scattered from 80 to 300 feet of water and they should be taking both skirted and naked ballyhoo. The kingfish should be in 20 to 40 feet of water and taking a slow trolled live bait like a pilchard, blue runner or a mullet. The sailfish will still be here and in 60 to 120 feet of water. We had a lot of jumpers reported in August but not many hook ups. The bait schools will be along the beaches and in the Ft. Pierce Inlet. Look for bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jacks and still some bonita to be following the schools. Down at the Boils you can get snook and redfish both taking a live bait. The snapper bite will be good around the full moon when fishing over the reefs and wrecks with a live or cut baits.
FORECAST BY: Capt. Joe Ward
Captain Joe’s River Charters
Phone: (772) 201-5770 or (772) 461-1335
Email: CWard11605@aol.com
www.captjoeward.com