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+--- Thread: Stuart Inshore Report: 01-03-04 (/showthread.php?tid=90535)
Stuart Inshore Report: 01-03-04 - catch22 - 01-03-2004
Inshore fishing has really picked up the past few weeks, especially in the St. Lucie Inlet area. Jacks, blue runners, (big) ladyfish and pompano top the list in the Crossroads, with sheephead and mangrove snapper near the jetties. Up until December 27th the action was hot!!! Between December 29th and into the new year, the Inlet was a mad house with hundreds of boats anchoring up (some actually in the channel) just waiting for the pompano. The past few trips in the inlet have slowed down to a trickle. I give it a half hour and move on to plan “B”. On New Year’s Eve day, the seas were flat calm so we ran south to Peck’s Lake and played with the Spanish mackerel. Gulfstream’s flashing minnow jigs worked well, but the best action was on a jigging spoon new to the market. Capt. Joe’s Signature Series silver ½ oz. spoons are easy to fish and hold up well with these toothy mackerel. Sharp jigging on the bottom is all it takes. Tying line to line knots eliminates mackerel biting at the swivel. 40-50 lb mono leader works best. These ½ oz. spoons come in three colors (green, silver for mackerel and rootbeer for pompano) and are available at bait shops in the Stuart area or order them off Capt. Joe Massaro’s website at outlawcharters.com.
To catch pompano inside, Gulfstram’s redfish jigs, DOA CAL lures and Capt. Joe’s rootbeer jigging spoon have been producing the best result. Late incoming to early outgoing has been the best. Area bridges have been awesome with over 200 black from last week. All fish were 3-5 lbs. and were inhaling shrimp on trollrites. Other species, down deep, included mangrove snapper, goliath grouper, snook, sheephead and some hefty croakers to 3 pounds.
The trout bite is good and trout season is open so it is legal to keep your catch. Remember, catch what you need for dinner and release the rest so everyone gets a shot at the trout bite. With the water temperatures in the 60’s, most fish are sitting in the drop-offs. We use DOA rootbeer and glo shrimp along with some CAL jigs and lures while dragging shrimp under a bobber behind the boat.
Don’t forget the new pompano regulations and get out there and find those fish. Great action, great table fare. Fresh fish always taste better than frozen and you always need a reason (?) to go fishing again. Happy 2004 everyone and take a kid fishing!!
Capt. Bob Bushholz
http://www.catch22fish.com
(772) 225-6436