once again hearing great catches of pompano on the beach by the sebastian inlet useing sandfleas if you can get them or the gulp version .i am sure you catching whiteing there too.

Time to change things up! Last week was some really amazing fishing! I spent most of my time nearshore and offshore targeting triple-tail and cobia, but unfortunately that will all be coming to an end this week due to some really intense rain and hard cold fronts.

With this being said, this week my attention will be focused all on inshore fishing. With even cooler weather setting in, the black drum bite has been really fantastic. One thing I love about this time of the year is we generally get cleaner water and these fish are very fun to sight-fish. Most fish right now are around every bridge and dock structure you can find from cocoa beach, Merritt island, all the way down to Sebastian. Look for these fish to be hanging tight to the structure or areas that may have a slight drop off. My favorite baits are half a blue crab, or a dead stinky shrimp, drum love the funk — the smellier the better!

With the cleaner water the sight fishing has been fairly easy and the artificial enthusiast can have good opportunities using natural colored scented artificial baits such as the gulp shrimp in natural color, or pearl, paired with an 1/8 oz mission Fishn jig-head. Fly fishing isn’t a bad option either and is one really fun way to catch black drum. Small shrimp imitation flies in tan or purple dragged slowly across the bottom cannot be refused! Most fish are between 10 and 20 pounds right now with a few bigger here and there. As always try to practice catch and release for future generations.

As the coldest weather of the year approaches, you can bet it’ll bring GREAT fishing for the beaches along the Space Coast!

Pompano season has been awesome this year, and we should continue to catch these fish well into late April. So don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to go out and try and catch these wave runners from the surf before they head further south or into the intercostal for late summer months.

Right now in central Brevard County, the best times to fish have been right at first light, late evening or the hour before, of and after high tide. These time periods have been consistently producing quality fish. My go-to bait this season has been a tie between FishBites in Sandflea and clam scent as well as blanched fleas! As for the large Permit, I prefer to use Speckled crabs for bait of choice! (Calico Crab, is another name) looks similar to a blue crab but are red in color with white spots – usually bait stealers). Use just the legs or the knuckle of the crab for bait — that’s all you need to use! I usually catch a trophy Pompano or stud Permit by using this technique. Sometimes I’ll throw a couple sand fleas in front of a ghost crab hole and patiently wait for one to crawl out and feed! Then I throw a rag over the crab and quickly grab it before going back into his hole or getting pinched! It can be a fun game of cat and mouse, but if the bite is slow, the rewards may sometimes blow your mind!

If your bait and tackle store is out of sand fleas or you just can’t get any on the beach, or maybe you used up all your blanched ones already, here’s another great tip. Instead of shrimp or clam, try using fiddler crabs! Fiddler crabs are GREAT bait to use in the surf to catch anything from Permit, Pompano, redfish, drum, and BIG sheepshead! So remember, if the bait shop is out of fleas ask for fiddler crabs or just go catch some yourself! It’s a lot of fun and even the kids can do it!

I look forward to seeing you out on the beach! Remember if you’re interested in booking a one on one charter with me targeting Pompano and want to learn more about surf fishing, you can reach me at (321) 271-1061. Remember, KITS 12 & UNDER fish for FREE, so bring the whole family out and let’s catch some fish!

Jeff receives a great surprise as we fish the skinny waters of the Mosquito Lagoon in search of slot sized redfish and spotted seatrout!

It’s been a cold water and breezy week for us and this combination of weather factors tends to keep me off the water. I ventured out only two times; a scouting trip with my friend Capt. John Tarr on Tuesday and again on Wednesday for a Mosquito Lagoon charter.
John and I launched from Marina Park about 8 A.M. and the expected three to four mile an hour wind was already double the forecasted wind speed. We decided to hide from its northerly direction and I headed to a sheltered bay.

Setting up with the now gusting wind to our backs and poling into the sun (not my favorite strategy) we methodically covered the area. With an hour’s worth of bottom and stained water behind us we started the motor and headed to what we hoped would be a fishier spot. It wasn’t, nor was the next and the next place we tried. Neither of us was foolish enough to want to continue so we made a very early day of this trip.

One might think Tuesday’s trip was wasted. It was not as I now eliminated an area I was considering for Wednesday’s charter. An area my client has fished in the past with another guide who is now retired. An area which has treated me and myriad of anglers well in the past and expect will do so again in the future!

Again, due to the colder than I like water temperatures we launched at 8 A.M. on Wednesday morning. My first intended spot had four boats on it and I made a quick decision to head elsewhere. My run farther south proved to be a good choice.

It was great choice as fifteen minutes into our actual fishing time Jeff lets out a slight but audible grunt as the rod arcs over and the drag starts playing my favorite tune! It was clear he was tied into a refish well over the slot, but with the stained water and precious little sun to see into the water I couldn’t tell HOW over the slot this was.

Jeff was ten minutes into his battle before the monster was near enough to the boat to see its forty-five plus inch length and it’s very full girth. I struggled to keep the bow pointed towards the fish as it tended to fight its way into the wind. The fight continued for just over twenty minutes before I was able to descend the poling platform and leader and land Jeff’s trophy.

A couple of quick photos and I placed the beast back into the water, half expecting to need to revive the monster. No reviving was necessary; it was all I could do to keep its tail-wrist in my hand. The fish swam off strong with no obvious signs of being caught.
The most interesting set of factors which made this catch special for us both was we were targeting slot redfish and trout. We were using my lightest gear with a soft-tipped rod, 2500 series reel and eight pound braid. The lure was a simple pearl white Z-Man Curly Tailz rigged on their Finesse Bullet jig-hook. Catches like these are not uncommon when the rod/reel/line and DRAG are well matched. In the hands of a good angler or even a novice willing to take directions from their guide trophy fish are possible on tiny gear!

I went to Melbourne Beach for some surf fishing today, and I was the only one there. It didn’t take long to figure out why. It was way too rough. I couldn’t keep a tight line and ended up leaving after just four or five casts. Looking forward to the next time out!
Good luck everyone.

Surf anglers are catching lots of Spanish Mackerel on casting jags and gotcha. Pompano are being caught on sand fleas, but orange and pink Wacky Jigs are also producing. Everyone’s been talking about the big black drum in the lagoon but they’re also cruising the beaches right now, too. These big uglies will eat pretty much anything — shrimp, clam, Fishbites, sand fleas, you name it. Get down to the beach and play!

Had a good week of Pompano, Trout, jacks Bluefish and a few flounder. Plenty of action in the inlet with the species mentioned on soft plastics and goofy jigs. We fished the spoil islands and got into some school trout but with the 62 degree water temps the fish were finicky.

I never went off the beach because it was too rough early in the week and had to get a boat ready to sell on the nice days. But the guys that did get out got into some rays and cobia off of satellite beach and Port Canaveral. The kingfish are also still around for the guys that want to go chase them. The sailfish bite should pick up with this front but they could be anywhere from Port Canaveral to Fort pierce. Trolling ballyhoo is the best bait for the sailfish.

Black drum action continues to be outstanding in the Indian River this week. We’ve had a group of larger fish move in from what we had previously been catching. These new fish are in the 30 to 50 pound class. We are having to tackle up to pull them away from the structures they are holding on using our cobia rods instead of our typical flats fishing rods. Most of these fish are hitting the Saltwater Assassin redfish colored Sea Shad tails rigged on a ¼ to ½ ounce jig head. Live shrimp and cut crab are also working on these big fish. Bull reds over 40 inches long are mixed in with the drum on some days. Along the beach, cobia, tripletail and giant drum are the main targets. When the seas allow we are outside chasing those species as well. If you are looking for a really great rod bending experience, you need to get out with us in the next few weeks before these fish are gone.

Lots of sharks off the beach, and plenty of Big Jacks, too. Big poppers got the job done from Jack to shark

Wife and I went to Melbourne Beach this morning for a couple hours. She caught a Pompano and I caught a blue on salted clam with pink fish bites. Surf was pretty rough with a strong north wind. We’re still new at this and learning as we go. I tried to post a picture but couldn’t figure it out

Every year is unique! I’ve been at this since ’58 and I’ve never witnessed an January surf shutdown like this… From Boynton Inlet through Ft. Pierce Inlet, the beach bite is likened to a winter doldrum. I never enjoy not writing an invigorating report, but so it goes.

We’re experiencing a shark infestation of epic proportions. Bulls, spinners and black tips line the surf and hold migratory species hostage in our local estuaries. Several weeks of potentially good fishing has been stymied. Historically, sharks don’t migrate till March and then the spring pompano run goes off the wall.

A month ago a school comprised of pomps and Spanish mackeral showed in Hobe Sound. My commercial boats followed the school North to Jensen Beach the very next day! The following day, Ft. Pierce then jumped to Ft. Pierce Inlet and then to the beaches of Vero. That was a monumental bite — by today’s standards — for 2 days, and proceeded to Sebastian, Melbourne, and finally, Cocoa Beach.

The serious fisherman towed their boats and jumped inlets the entire time. In every instance the gulls and the macks were on the beach. Pomps teaming up with pomps has become a security friendship of sorts. So what happened? My personal opinion is this bevy of beasts drove them north against their migratory will…

Tackle sales dictate what the fish are smacking. The river is lined with bluefish, lady fish, pomps and tons of bonefish. Jigs and quill sales are admirable. My sand flea sales are exceptional in the Boynton Beach area. Sheepshead galore! Convict fish at Lantana Bridge and all the bridges in Palm Beach. So follow your dreams and adjust accordingly!