As we make our way through the winter months, the fishing continues to change. The snook fishing was slow through January due to cold water temps in the 50s. February has picked up a little bit for snook fishing, but the water is still mostly in the low 60s, so the snook should be hungry as bait shows up more when the water warms back up in March. With snook season now open, a few keepers have been caught jigging the bridges with First Light two-ounce jigs. Smaller snook have been very hit or miss along the mangrove shoreline back in the South Fork casting D.O.A. C.A.L. Jigs and Giles’ Jigs.
The pompano bite has been very steady just inside the inlet using sand fleas as bait on fish finder rigs. We caught pompano with incoming and outgoing tide in seven feet of water between the inlet channels. The fishermen jigging the bridges have been catching lots of pompano with pink and chartreuse half-ounce jigs with teasers during incoming tide. The inshore pompano bite can be best in March when schools start to show up on the flats and start skipping. Wade fishing for pompano can be lots of fun on the Sailfish Flats when the water gets back in the 70s.
There has recently been lots of redfish showing up near the inlet and back in the St. Lucie River and South Fork. Jim Harter caught a 25-incher recently back in Palm City Bay casting a D.O.A. Key Lime C.A.L. Jig. Some redfish have been caught along the inlet jetty’s casting shrimp on a three-eighth-ounce jig head and swinging it with the tide. Another great method is Saltwater Spinner Baits back in the St. Lucie River casting along the mangroves and near docks. We should hopefully see the redfish stay here as long as the water quality stays okay.
The mackerel bite should slow down in March, but it is still an option for fun with the family! All you need is a Gulfstream Flash Minnow Jig on a light tackle rod.
FORECAST BY: Capt. Giles Murphy
Stuart Angler Bait & Tackle
(772) 288 – 1219
www.stuartangler.com
giles@stuartangler.com
Fishing Charters – (772) 475–4857
