Great Conditions in the Surf

We caught multiple black drum in he 14 – 18 lb. range this week.

Guided surf fishing charters had clients reeling in steady numbers of pompano, whiting, bluefish and Spanish mackerel to start the week. The bite remained consistent throughout the majority of Brevard County beaches. Surf fishing Cocoa Beach brought catches of black drum, whiting and pompano, while Sebastian Inlet north to Indialantic saw higher numbers of pompano and mackerel caught. Water clarity proved key once again with the ideal surf fishing conditions being calm seas and preferable wind patterns. Many beaches held optimal conditions for the duration of the week with these factors in mind.

While pompano fishing held steady for a large part of the week, it fell off substantially towards the latter half. It was quite bewildering seeing the bite seemingly stall out with such a distinct drop off. Fishing the entirety of the coast along with an extensive network of skilled surf fishing anglers relaying the same conditions, the bite all but shut off besides a few fish landed here and there. Pompano are still being caught with catches in the southern regions seeing higher numbers currently due to water temps, but there’s still more schools to the north of Brevard County making a push south. I’m optimistic the bite will fire back up this week, so continue to put forth due diligence in getting out there and being prepared for an opportunity that’s near.

Fishing the beach for black drum this time of year is another one of my favorite fisheries. If you’ve ever dreamed of hooking into a drag peeling heavyweight of a fish species, these larger black drums will deliver a battle worthy of pursuing. Multiple catches were landed during our beach fishing charters and private lessons pushing the 14-18 lb range, while others reported seeing a variety of black drum sizes caught along the coast. Pompano rigs should be the go-to rig with Fish Bites, clam and sand flea for bait. Shrimp works well also but seems more fish have come on the above-mentioned baits recently. Work the inside to mid-range casting distances as it seems one may “overcast” these fish while targeting pompano. We’ve seen the larger percentage caught inside of the sandbar in various troughs and sloughs.

A beautiful permit caught over the weekend by Dustin on a surf fishing charter on the Space Coast.

Action seeking surf fishing anglers may also choose to take part in the spin casting fishery that’s currently taking place. Space Coast beaches are inundated with Spanish mackerel and bluefish in the first and second trough. Light tackle spinning rods in the 2000-4000 series reels with 7-8 ft. rods. Surf fishing equipment rigged with light braid and fluorocarbon or wire trace leaders will be the ticket for this active fishery. Silver spoons, Gotcha Plugs, or fresh cut bait will keep these toothy predators in pursuit. Work these lures at a 45-degree angle from the shore to maintain presentation in the strike zone longer. Lastly, you never know what’s next to take a bite while surf fishing. Permit are absolutely a trophy species that roam our coastal beaches.