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+--- Thread: Stuart Inshore Report: 04-26-03 (/showthread.php?tid=40714)
Stuart Inshore Report: 04-26-03 - catch22 - 04-26-2003
Fishing the past few weeks aboard Catch 22 has produced some great catches. Most of the trips recently have averaged 20 or more fish, but as always, there were a few slow trips in the mix. The St. Lucie Inlet area remains slow (three weeks now). The water looks cleaner, but I believe the algae bloom has forced the fish out. We tried fishing the Inlet about five times without marking any fish. With a little cleaner water in the area now, hopefully the fish will return.
The Hell’s Gate area and around marker #19 in the St. Lucie River produced mainly jacks, ladyfish, bluefish and a few Spanish mackerel roaming. Some really decent macs to 5 lbs. were among the pack. The ladyfish action, for the most part, has been steady (especially on windy days). Since April 10, there were some uncommon catches of bonefish and sennet. Seven bonefish under 2 lbs. along with 6 sennet at 20” were released. Each year we encounter both species, not usually as plentiful, but always great to see.
Trout have been small but there are lots of them from County Line Road north to Ft. Pierce on the west side. Deep channels near Anchors Aweigh and Sundance Marine are holding trout in the afternoon. DOA root beer and glo shrimp worked slow, along with the old faithful, shrimp on a trollrite, seem to get the most attention.
Tarpon are finally starting to make an appearance in the area. Last week Fred Schuck, from Michigan, caught his first tarpon aboard Catch 22, releasing a nice 25 pounder that inhaled a DOA root beer terrorize near the Jensen Causeway. We spotted several of the “silver kings” in the flats chasing mullet schools. The Lady Stuart dock also holding a few large tarpon from time to time. As we get closer to summer, look for lots more baitfish with tarpon hot on their tails.
Snook have slowed down with the “dead” St. Lucie Inlet, but I expect things to turn around real soon. There are still big snook holding deep in the North Fork with most fish over the slot. I don’t fish there simply because it takes me forever to get there and my charters like to spend there time fishing, not cruising. The tripletail total for the year is 32 to date, with 13 fish to l7 lbs. the past few weeks. Right now, I am 7 fish above this time last year, so “100” is looking good. Remember to let the big ones grow bigger and spawn, and let the little ones just grow bigger.
Finally, black drum around the Jensen Causeway are still around, mixed with snook, snapper and goliath grouper. The pile drivers are near the draw span now, so we haven’t fished the bridge as much as usual. “Earplugs required.”
Capt. Bob Bushholz
http://www.catch22fish.com
(772) 225-6436