nearshore fishing

Paulo and his family with a triple header from this week!

Spring is usually one of the best times of the year for giant seatrout, but what’s really had my attention lately is the nearshore fishing around the inlets, from Ponce to Sebastian, even down to Fort Pierce and everywhere in between, the fishing is all pretty similar. Most fish are on edges of the rock jetties and drop-offs in search of large live baits, including jumbo shrimp, pilchards, pigs and pin fish. Match your bait with the appropriate hook from 3/0 circles for shrimp and threadfins to 6/0 j style hooks for your larger thicker baits like mullet and pin fish.

These particular areas are very tide dependent. The faster the tide is moving, the better the bite. It’s as simple as that! The artificial enthusiast can find a good bite on bucktail jigs, lipped diving plugs, and swimbaits such as spooltechs. Cover as much ground as possible, and don’t be afraid to cast away from the rocks. Most fish like to hang on the steep drop offs, so these areas provide lots of great night action, as well. Unfortunately, Corona virus has put a damper on some of these areas, but once they are back open, the fishing should heat back up!

I encourage everyone to keep their social distancing, but getting out and doing a little fishing away from everyone never hurts! Good luck and tight lines!