Fishing Report

From the land to the deep sea, Stuart's inshore and offshore waters offer an abundance and variety of different catches. We're proud to team with the Coastal Angler to bring you the latest fishing reports to help put you on the fish and keep your lines tight.

Fall is officially here and the southern migration of fish is in full swing. With water temps creeping into the low 90s again this summer, anything with half a brain and a working tail was pushing north looking for cooler water. Now our coast is back to a tolerable and almost even desirable temperature for our target species and everything from sails, dolphin, wahoo, blackfin and more are making their way back down to the Treasure Coast.

Dirty water and lack of current has been a factor the last month, so we are finding ourselves fishing out a little deeper than normal. While most of my fishing takes place over the 6- and 8-mile reefs and usually from 75-to-225 feet of water, this month and last we are spending more time in the 500-to-1000 foot range. Even though we’re fishing a different depth, we’re still looking for the same things. Obvious weed lines, current edges, color changes, pieces of float and bottom contour, anything different. A good pair of polarized glasses is always important, that’s why we all wear Costa Del Mar 580 lenses. Sails deep on the dredge, fish tailing down sea, birds in the sun. Being able to see these things, capitalizing, and not missing opportunities makes all the difference in the day.

Keep an eye out for large schools of mullet out there, also as the mullet run, is still taking place. Everything is attracted to a school of bait the size of a basketball court. Whether you’re live baiting or trolling, right now I definitely recommend having a couple spinning rods ready to cast.

Pieces of float, following fish, and even casting at tuna blowing up are all things that you should be ready for this time of year. We use the Off The Chain circle hook rods made by Blackfin while trolling or live baiting but they also make spinning rods too. I like the Carbon E series for both inshore and offshore applications. They cast well, are super sensitive and have a lot of backbone for lifting heavy fish. We catch everything from kings, sails and dolphin on them to snook, jacks and tarpon, they are great all-around rods.

One of the most important aspects of your trolling or live bait spread are your teasers. Fishing without them is like duck hunting without decoys. Sure, you might get a few, but without a doubt, a good teaser will increase your opportunities by tenfold. We pull our dredges from Cannon down riggers, they have many options which help set out, clear, and optimize opportunities. They are also Bluetooth compatible so I can control them from anywhere on the boat from a phone or my HumminBird Apex units which are some of the best depth finders and fish sonars I’ve ever used.

While this is one of my favorite times of year to fish, it can be a little on the choppy side. A good pair of bibs and boots made by Grundens goes a long way this time of year and whether you’re catching or not, they will definitely make your day a whole lot better being dry and comfortable.

November rolls in with cooler weather which equals pompano, Spanish mackerel and trout. Snook fishing with still be hot with the last part of the mullet run. Look for snook around the bridges and docks. Can't beat wade fishing for snook along boat docks with a live shrimp and popping cork. Look for the docks north of the power lines and the flats of Herman's Bay.

Pompano guys, look for when the temperature drops and stays that way for a period of time. My favorite place is either Bob Graham or Hobe Sound Public beach . Sand fleas are number one bait. The power strips work great too, just get past the second troth to get bites.

For trout and redfish, look on the flats near Little Mud and Big Mud Creek near the power plant. On the west side from Walton Road north, I still like a shrimp under a popping cork, near docks. Another good area is flats with grass. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Tight lines.

November is a great month on the Treasure Coast. Cooler water and air temps will trigger winter migratory fish such as pompano to move inshore and invade local sandy flats near Treasure Coast inlets. Jigging and drifting sand flats in two-to-six feet of water is a great way to target pompano, sheepshead, bonefish, ladyfish, jacks, and bluefish. When you find a school of fish, anchoring can be a wise choice. Fish chicken rigs or pompano rigs with sandflies for steady action. Also, shrimp fishing with fish finder rigs around the structure will also produce plenty of bites from sheepshead, blackdrum, snapper, flounder, redfish, and snook.

A few resident tarpon will still be lingering around post mullet run. If you can find some larger mullet, fish near a deep channel edge for a shot at late season large tarpon action.

Live bait fishing for snook with pilchards can produce good action on warm sunny days, but expect to soak a baitfish for longer periods of time to get the strikes.

Nearshore fishing has been great for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks, bonito, sharpnose sharks, and the occasional cobia. November is usually the start of the annual Spanish mackerel migration to Pecks Lake. Fishing near Peck Lake south of the St. Lucie Inlet is where we can expect good action on the Spanish mackerel starting this time of year. Shiny lures with a fast retrieve will get plenty of bites.

We can also expect some nearshore cobia action along the beach and near local reefs and wrecks. Large cobia jigs work great and or live baitfish on a small weight. Finding schools of migrating rays or schools of sharks will usually produce good cobia action.

Tight lines!

November’s weather machine will be on a setting of “frequent blow cycle”.  This cycle will include fresh breezes of 15 to 20 knots that will accompany the first bona fide cold fronts that will begin to sweep across our peninsula and become the key component in shaping the offshore fishing playing field.  “The wind is what makes the waves,” and strong velocity winds from the northwest, north and northeast will post up as frontal sessions that can “blow” for many days in a row, making for rough and choppy ocean conditions during this month. Consequently, there will be many days that will just not be fishable or will be prohibitive for small boat owners. Anglers must especially pay attention to offshore weather forecasts to identify favorable weather windows that will allow for safe offshore fishing excursions during November’s varied weather menu.

Despite the potential for choppy conditions this month, there will be favorable stretches of user-friendly days that will allow deep sea anglers to head east of the St. Lucie Inlet and fish the expansive and diverse reef ecosystem in our offshore backyard. Bottom fishing strategies will rule these days, as many species of snapper will have solidly populated the reefs from 50 to 150 feet of water. Lane snapper will be the most abundant, especially in near coastal depths of 50 to 60 feet of water. Lane snapper can be found around most types of “bottom” and will be best caught by deploying cut baits tight to the reef structure.

Keeper to medium size mutton snapper will be found on the same reef sites and fall to similarly presented baits (use longer leaders, with baits presented just away from the reef structure to catch the larger muttons). Grouper will also be a favorite target species for anglers this month, as the “open season” on these bottom brawlers continues through November. November’s winds will be a double-edged sword for the near coastal ocean, as they tend to create unfishable days due to heavy seas, but these choppy and churning waves will also have the potential to help oxygenate the water column, making for a more active fish population.

Watch the weather in November and plan offshore fishing trips carefully as open weather windows will present anglers with bountiful, salty rewards.