black drum surf

We’ve seen some wild days for surf fishing anglers along the Space Coast in the previous weeks. Not knowing exactly what to expect each day had many guessing if it was worth it or not to go. Strong winds and current made it difficult for most to establish a game plan to combat the conditions. Those that persisted were rewarded with a red hot bluefish bite, large pompano, black drum and whiting; and to round it off shark fishing charters had success with blacktips as the spring migration was underway.

While the mention of the strong currents and winds inhibited the ability to run a lot of gear, heavy leads and the right trough proved surf fishing achievable. Also the water clarity assisted in caching our target species on each fishing charter. Black drums are still mulling around from Cape Canaveral to Melbourne Beach. These fish preferred fresh shrimp and clams as the baits of choice for the week. Catches concentrated on the inside trough at the beginning to mid-outgoing tide.

surf jack

Pompano in the XL size began to push into area waters at an increased rate as the water temperature correlated. Surf fishing with pompano rigs on the outside bar and second trough did the trick. Fresh sand fleas, Fishbites, and tipped peeled shrimp worked wonders. While there weren’t big numbers, the fish that did come ashore were slab pompano, thick and wild.

bluefish

Bluefish remain a reliable target in the surf.

As alluded to prior, the most reliable of species in large numbers were the bluefish. In addition these weren’t the cookie cutter bluefish. Fish ranging up to 20 inches were consistently landed each day of fishing charters. Fresh chunked bait, shrimp, and live sand fleas accounted for the majority of catches. Bluefish provide a fun and acrobatic fight for any angler. They also prove to be good table fare when the meat is treated properly.

Shark fishing charters haven’t hesitated with the blacktip migration underway. These sharks are also accounting for a percentage of your fish catches with an easy meal restricted on the line. Oftentimes look to the horizon and you can see them jumping and spinning past the breakers.
Please not only have the required shark fishing permit and licenses, but practice releasing these integral species from a knowledgeable source
prior to trying on your own. I’ve seen multiple people just these last two weeks wearing the sharks out on light gear extending the battle exponentially and then not having the proper releasing equipment on hand, and then waiting and meandering around for photos and fumbling with how to get the hook out and on and on. These sharks can’t be out of the water for long. It’s your responsibility to do due diligence and know how to properly release sharks. It should look like a Nascar pit stop. Heavy tackle, quick fight. Don’t drag them up the beach. Get the hook out or cut nearest to the hook if you aren’t able to remove the hook. It’s more important when shark fishing to get them in the water, then any hook or photo or landing on light tackle for personal accolades.

surf fishing

It’s a great time of year to enjoy the diversity of catches along the coast. So go celebrate with friends and family and hook into a memory!