The Lure Of The Treasure Coast

By Rex Hannon

I was always destined to be a fisherman. I recall watching childhood heroes fishing exotic places on Saturday morning fishing shows and dreaming I would be one of the fortunate anglers to make experiences like those a reality.

I watched Flip Pallot fly fishing the Everglades. I saw legendary Capt. Billy Black on the deck of the Duchess off Walker’s Cay. For a young man from up North, Florida was Mecca if your passion was sportfishing.

Imagine the excitement when my wife and I had the opportunity to make a life-changing move. It was only natural that we chose Florida. We wanted somewhere with mild winters and a small-town feeling that was close enough to major attractions.

We decided the Jensen Beach/Stuart area was perfect. Not to mention that Billy Black and the Duchess call Stuart home. I have since met this man. He is not only a great captain and fisherman, he is a very genuine and kind man.

The fishing is all that I imagined. Lake Okeechobee is a short drive to the west, the Florida Keys are just a few hours south, and the Indian River Lagoon is our new backyard.

The Treasure Coast has wonderful offshore fishing, where mahi and sailfish are much sought after. The annual glass minnow run sends anglers roaming beaches in search of tarpon and snook. Most days it does not disappoint.

If you turn on the television during “Shark Week,” you’ll undoubtably see mention of the shark migration through South Florida. It boggles the mind just how many sharks cruise the waters here. But, the granddaddy of them all is the “mullet run.” There are very few area anglers who don’t await this time of year like a youngster on the night before Christmas. The Indian River Lagoon comes alive, as everything eagerly devours this bountiful baitfish. This area has a wide variety of quality fishing, something for everyone, regardless of target species.

The Indian River Lagoon needs no introduction. This world-class fishery has a long and storied reputation and is on the bucket list of any person dreaming of snook, trout and redfish. When the topic of Mosquito Lagoon comes up, visions of monster redfish and goliath trout come to mind. The IRL produced one of the most impressive catches in recent history when in 1995 angler Craig Carson, of Orlando, caught the heaviest spotted seatrout ever recorded. The 17-pound, 7-ounce beast was pulled from a backwater cove in Fort Pierce.

It’s been a few years since we made the move to follow my dreams of fishing. The Treasure Coast has certainly lived up to its name. I cherish every outing in this beautiful and diverse environment. And, even after all the years, after all the places I have been fortunate to visit, I still have species left on my bucket list. I can think of no better place to pursue those fish than Florida.