Not Much to Brag About

Beggar’s can’t be Chooser’s when cold water arrives. JT caught this oversized pinfish as we targeted sheepshead.

Not much to brag about over the past week or so. Jacks and ladyfish have been the norm in much of the Indian River.

Recent cold fronts with air temps in the lower forty degree range have dropped our water temperatures enough to stall the bite, especially in the shallows.

A recent multi-boat charter found us with no real bite even after launching at 0900. As a group, we spread out in hopes of someone finding some action. The action did indeed become reality, eventually. By eleven O’clock the ladyfish, jacks and trout started chewing in deeper backwater bays in depths of three to four feet.

It appeared that the slowly rising water temp triggered the bite. Once the temp hit sixty-one degrees (up from fifty-nine) the action began and remained good until our charter time expired.

Zman Minnowz (three inch) on Headlockz jig-heads were all we needed to bend the rods! I’m certain the fish would have happily eaten similarly rigged EZ Shrimpz, but I found myself in need of restocking!

Other crews in shallow draft flats skiffs (I was in my 23 foot Bay Bolt) found and caught a few redfish in the skinny water as well as a couple of dandy trout. The sight-fishing crews did quite well!

As of this writing (it’s thirty-six degrees outside) I’m expecting another slowdown in fishing activities. If I’m forced to fish anytime soon I’ll be targeting areas near the Fort Pierce Inlet and concentrating on the second half of the incoming tides that bring relatively warm seawater into the lagoon!