Clearwater Fish Going Nuts

April 28th, 2008

"My boat should have holes in it!"

Because the fish tried their hardest to chew the bottom out of it! Some of the best fishing of the year (thus far) was done on the last 4 Tarpon Springs and Clearwater Fishing charters. These charters boated 30+ redfish, 30+ trout, and a few snook on average. All I can say is wow. Once the water warmed up after the last cold front, the fish went nuts. It really was an awesome week.

It's springtime and the fish tend to move from one spot to another at the drop of a hat. This happened on Thursday. I worked my way slowly into a spot that had been very productive for 2 weeks straight and when we got there the fish were gone. Instead of just leaving and going to spot "B" I asked my clients if they could be patient and let me look for these fish before we give up on the area. I stayed on the trolling motor for almost a 1/4 mile and just when I was ready to give up, I saw them. They were sitting on the sandy edge of a mangrove shoreline. It was a mix of redfish and snook. We used the Power Pole to stake out and almost immediately started catching fish. The best part about this particular area is that we've been able to fish it for 4 days and even through the busy weekend, when everyone who owns a boat is out on the water, we were still enjoying the fish all by ourselves.

Bait has been plentiful and that has really helped turn otherwise average days in to extraordinary days. We use the excess bait to chum the waters and really get the bite going. We're catching these fish on a shallow flat with no deep water within 1/2 mile. No structure or anything noticeable to hold these fish here. I think it's just a stretch of shoreline that get's good tidal flow and happens to be loaded with bait.

The three most notable hook ups of the week were when Jim, Eric, Orin, and Henry all hooked up on redfish at the same time, when 12 year old Bridget landed a 32" snook all by herself, and when I took my family out after my Sunday charter my son hooked and landed his 2nd ever redfish by himself.

I expect the fishing to stay good all through the beginning of summer. Spring time really is an awesome time to fish here in the Tarpon Springs and Clearwater areas. Bait is everywhere and fish are hungry for it. The weather is usually very mild and the sun isn't scalding. It's the perfect time of year to catch fish.

Tampa Bay Fishing

Captain Clay Eavenson

813-300-2147

http://www.captainclay.com/

gofishing@captainclay.com

There Are Fish, Fish Everywhere

April 23, 2008 - Fish, Fish Everywhere

If you live along the central east coast of Florida, are an avid fisherman and have a pulse, you’ve got to love this time of year. There are fish, fish everywhere from Ft. Pierce to Grant/Sebastian to Cocoa Beach to Titusville. As a result, we have many recent tales to tell in this report with limited space, so let’s get on with the telling. There were two terrific reports from the Ft. Pierce area over the weekend. The first featured Vickie Raleigh and Wayne Rowell, a pair of Maverick Boat dealers from Brunswick, Georgia, guided by Capt. Roland. These two caught several gator trout, among other species, before hooking, and landing an awesome 34 inch snook. The fight alone on this fish will not soon be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it. The other Ft. Pierce tale from the weekend came from Capt. Peter, Kenny Vitek of Orlando and me as we entered and won the slam category of the Riverside Café Inshore Tournament. Fishing against an estimated 125 anglers, we caught four snook from 28 to 34 inches, a number of trout over 27 inches and a single 26 inch redfish to complete the slam, hooked just minutes before the end of the tournament. What an adrenalin rush! The fish have been congregating in the Grant/Sebastian/Melbourne Beach segment of the Indian River too. Capt. Roland guided two successful charters in the area last week. The first trip to relate featured a grandfather, father and son trio of Jerry Jones, and Eric and Garrett Reese. These anglers from Tennessee also caught an inshore slam of redfish, trout and sheephead. The following pictures are of Garrett, the youngest member of the crew. The other Grant/Sebastian Inlet charter concerned Deltona residents Mitch and David Gordon and again it was Capt. Roland guiding the charter. These eager and enthusiastic anglers faced a difficult barometric condition but still fought and landed several trout, ladyfish and jacks. The Banana River, Cocoa Beach charters have been fantastic over the last two days. Migrating finger mullet have begun their spring flood of the flats and the predatory fish are in a feeding frenzy. Yesterday I had the pleasure of guiding Jerry and Brenda Bulington of Gary, Indiana on their first backwater fishing adventure. On the half-day charter we caught eight redfish and one huge trout with a number of other fish fought and lost, including two monster redfish. Several of the ones which did not get away are pictured below. The second Banana River charter was on Monday and featured Gene Garner from the Cornhusker State vacationing in Orlando. Capt. Roland assisted me on this charter as we caught five redfish and eight huge spotted trout. It was just one of those magical days where the fish were aggressive and hungry all day. What an absolute blast! Finally, old friends from the Crimson Tide State, Howell and Jean Riggs, hooked up with young Peter Deeks, Jr and Capt. Robert Rohmann the previous weekend for two days of fishing. On the first day, the guides chose the Indian River near Titusville as their venue and caught approximately 15 redfish. On the second day, having only four hours before having to rush to Orlando International Airport, they opted to stay closer to home and fish the thousand island area of the Banana River near Cocoa Beach. Another six redfish were caught, along with several large trout. What an awesome week of fishing!

Posted by Rocky Van Hoose on April 23, 2008 at 06:07:57 PM

Native Sons Fishing Guides
Captain Rocky Van Hoose
321-986-9588
rvanhoose@cfl.rr.com
Captain Brad Jones
321-626-5072
jonesmelb7@bellsouth.net

Early Mosquito Lagoon Tarpon Are Small

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

Last week, I fished only one day, due to poor weather. Thursday, my wife joined me on the Mosquito Lagoon. Despite high winds much of the day, we spotted a decent number of redfish once the clouds passed through. Nine redfish and one drum was our final tally. Morning Glory and Watermelon Seed DOA CALs were the colors of the day.


This week, I was joined on Tuesday by Joe and his two sons. We saw a lot of redfish but most of the fish never saw the lures. After striking out with the reds, we tried trout fishing for a while but only landed four. The last hour was spent casting to some more redfish but the guys were blanked again.
Wednesday, honeymooners Rusty and Becky joined me for a day of some poor weather but great fishing. We began the morning trying to catch some early season tarpon. We saw a few but did not get a bite. The rest of the morning, we endured some extremely high winds but managed to land nine drum and two redfish. Becky shows off her first drum while Rusty is busy fighting one of his own.




Thursday, Wayne, a central Florida resident, treated British angler Shawn to his first trip to Mosquito Lagoon. Shawn landed the first two redfish of the day and then hooked up with a nice trout on a 4 inch DOA CAL in Arkansas Glow.


The guys hooked up with three more trout even larger but each one managed to throw the hook before we landed them. We saw hundreds of redfish throughout the day but they refused to eat unless the presentation was perfect. Wayne finally fooled this redfish that was following a large stingray.


Friday, I went searching for tarpon and snook. I found plenty of both. The tarpon were a bit smaller than I had hoped for but most of the snook I saw were much larger than I expected. The tarpon, which are notoriously finicky, were feeding well. Using a 3 inch DOA holographic shrimp, I jumped five and landed three. I had bites from more than a dozen others that did not get hooked. On the other hand, many of the snook showed little interest in eating. I caught two, missed a few other bites, and had one in the 15-20 pound range weave my line through a maze of tree branches before breaking off. All of the bites came on the holographic shrimp.

Capt. Chris Myers
Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com
321-229-2848

Sarasota Fly Anglers Fish Skinny Water

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Fishing Report for 4/13 through 4/27/2008

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action during the past couple of weeks with reds, snook, trout, bluefish and Spanish mackerel. The best action was in Sarasota Bay with trout and reds.

Fly angler Rob Cecil, from CA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on a blustery day on Monday, April 14. It was very windy, so we fished protected water south of the Ringling Causeway and in Roberts Bay. Rob caught and released a few trout and ladyfish on Clouser flies on his first saltwater fly fishing trip.

We were plagued with wind most of that week. Tuesday’s trip was cancelled due to winds above 20-mph. Sarasota Herald-Tribune outdoors editor, Steve Gibson, and I traveled to Stuart on Tuesday afternoon to fish a day with DOA lure maker Mark Nichols. We were hopeful for good conditions, even though the forecast was bleak. Unfortunately the forecast was correct as the wind blew 25 to 30-mph. Our plan was to target trophy trout, but that wasn’t in the cards that day. We retreated to canals in the Indian River near Sewell’s Point where we caught and released several snook, jacks and a flounder on DOA shrimp and CAL jigs with shad tails.

Bill and Sandy King, from Osprey, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. They had steady action with trout and bluefish on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and Clouser flies. The best action was near Buttonwood Harbor. I was the instructor at an Orvis-Endorsed fly casting school out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Saturday, April 9. Several students participated and now have a solid foundation to build their fly casting skills on. I was back on the water on Sunday morning with fly anglers Peter and Nini Seaman, from CA. We caught and released ladyfish, trout and Spanish mackerel at Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor before heading into skinny water north of Long Bar where they had numerous shots at reds and snook in skinny water. The highlight of the trip was when Nini landed a nice snook on a Clouser fly along a mangrove shoreline. Her first snook on a fly!

Fly angler Dave Andrews, from El Jobean, FL, fished Gasparilla Sound in Charlotte Harbor with me on Tuesday. He caught and released a dozen trout to 18”, a nice Spanish mackerel and a red on Clouser flies near Devilfish Key. Lew Armitage, from Piney Point, FL and his son, Gary, from Texas fished snook on a night trip with me on Wednesday evening. They caught and released ladyfish and trout before dusk on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and one snook after dark on a Grassett’s Grass (Snook) Minnow fly in Blackburn Bay.

I had the pleasure of having Mark Nichols of DOA Fishing Lures and his wife, Jenny, fishing with me on Friday and Saturday. We participated in the Sarasota CCA “Photo All-Release” Challenge on Saturday. Friday was a great day with over a dozen reds, numerous trout and several snook caught and released in Sarasota Bay. Trout were caught on deep grass flats at Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor on DOA shrimp and CAL jigs and more than a dozen reds and snook were caught in skinny water on CAL jigs north of Long Bar. With a plan in place we fished the same areas on Saturday. Fishing was slower on Saturday, but we entered a few reds, snook and trout. I had a slam, but it wasn’t strong enough to win anything. This event, which is in its 13th year, is a fun filled, low stress fishing tournament that also raises money for CCA’s conservation efforts.

Next week’s tides are favorable for fishing flats or the coastal gulf, particularly towards the end of the week. Look for tarpon fishing to take off as we approach a new moon on May 5th. Also, with water temperatures approaching the upper 70’s, tarpon should begin schooling along our beaches any day now.
Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com



Nini Seaman, from CA, caught and released this snook, her 1st on a fly, while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.


Bill and Sandy King, from Osprey, FL, with a nice Sarasota Bay bluefish caught and released with a fly while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.


Gary Armitage, from TX, caught and released this 24" snook, his 1st on a fly, while fishing Blackburn Bay at night with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Panhandle Fishing Report 4-24-08

Report for 04/24/2008

Salt Water

PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
Snapper season opened in state waters on the 15th with a bang! There seems to be no shortage of Red Snapper in our waters. Boats are catching their limits in short order. Best baits include chunked cigar minnows, squid, live shrimp and small pinfish. The boundary line for State Waters is out to 9 miles. Be sure to go outside of 9 miles for your Grouper and AJ’s before catching your Snapper limit! FWC will be watching. The Federal Snapper season opens June 1st. At that time all boats fishing for reef fish will be required to use a Venting Tool, De-hooker and Non-Stainless Steel Circle Hooks.
The Grouper bite is still going strong! Excellent reports coming out of the 5-10 mile mark. Several Black and Red Grouper and Scamp are being caught within state waters over hard bottom areas. Live bait and butterflied Spanish Mackerel are the best bet.
Amberjack remain plentiful over several of the Bridge Spans with larger fish being caught farther offshore. Live bait, Williamson Jigs, and Butterfly Jigs will bring savage strikes!
Spanish Mackerel are being caught in large numbers. Try the jetties, inside St. Andrews Bay and along the sand bars off the beach.
The Cobia bite is hot and cold. Some days are much better than others. An 84# fish was weighed at the store on Wednesday! Live Eels and Jigs are all you need.

ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM


84LB Cobia Caught by Mark Hamilton on the Fly-N-Fish


Our very own Half Hitch employee Marian Mazczsak with a 27LB Bull Redfish!

Sheepshead are still around the jetties, although not as plentiful as earlier this month. They will take live shrimp and fiddler crabs readily. Use a Carolina rig with a #4 hook, 15-20# fluorocarbon leader and light lead for best results. Trout are feeding on the flats now. Target the deeper grass flats with live shrimp under a popping cork for best results. Redfish are still working the pass in good numbers. Live Shrimp and Pin Fish are the baits of choice. Large schools have been roaming Grand Lagoon around the State Park and Bay Point. These schooling fish can be very spooky, so a quite approach with long casts will work the best. Throw a live Shrimp on a light lead head or weightless for best results. Pompano are being caught along the beaches in greater numbers. Most fish will be on the inside edge of the first sand bar. Throw a jig tipped with shrimp, sand fleas, or gulp. They are also being caught using frozen sand fleas and shrimp, rigged on a 2 hook leader and pyramid sinker.

DESTIN
What a great week of fishing! The weather is finally turned for the good, nice temps, mild wind and calmer seas. Highlights of the week include a 91lb Cobia on the Finest Kind and a 68lb Cobia on the Mother Load by a 12 year old girl. She threw at it, hooked and landed the fish.

A friend of mine, Capt Phil Rooks said that his charter boat the Fish Finder did not have a trip on Tuesday, so he and I went out looking for Cobia with another friend and his girl friend. We fished west of Destin near Navarre for about 4 hours before we spotted our first Cobia. It turned out to be a great day we saw 4 fish and caught all 4. The fish weighed about 25, 35, 40 and 45lbs. (See Pictures Below)



The Snapper has been very good with plenty of Snapper, a few Grouper and good numbers of Jacks.
Along the beaches the Pompano bite has been awesome, a few Whiting and a couple of Reds.
On the pier the action has been slow to medium. Only a few Pompano, a couple good Spanish runs and a couple Cobia.

Half Hitch Tackle
850-234-2621
2206 Thomas Dr
Panama City, Fl 32408
www.halfhitch.com/

Fishing Report prepared by Half Hitch Tackle Staff.

The Captains Corner Fishing Report is provided by local charter captains and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Half Hitch Tackle.

This report is dedicated to the memory of Al Hubbard.
Al Hubbard was a field editor for Florida Sportsman magazine, an outdoor writer for the News Herald and a board member of the Florida Outdoor Writer's Association.
Mr. Hubbard was also the owner of Al's Outdoors Outfitting Services.

Titusville Redfish And Flounder

Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, April 24, 2008
Compliments of Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka Florida

First, let me apologize for the tardiness of this report. This past weekend I was off of the water attending the Coastal Angler Magazine Fishing and Boating Expo in Melbourne, Florida. Although the weather was nice, we still had great turnout, great speakers, and a great show. Yes, nice weather on the same weekend of a fishing show typically draws attendees away, but in this case, our attendance was good. We also conducted another Hook Kids on Fishing event on Saturday, which was a ton of fun and a tremendous success.

My adventures last week started out with the pleasure of sharing a three-day charter with father and son team Rico Panilo and Rico Jr. from New Jersey. Our plan was to mix it up a bit by targeting a different style of fishing each day.

On our first day we launched out of Kennedy Point in Titusville for some sight fishing for redfish and sea trout, and the catching was tough. We had some shots at tailing redfish early out, but after a hard day of fishing we ended up with a good number of ladyfish and small sea trout. The schools of ladyfish have moved into the north IRL and they are working schools of glass minnows under terns and seagulls.

On our next day we opted to fish near-shore out of Port Canaveral in search of tripletail and cobia, and again we had a tough day managing only one tripletail, a spadefish, one flounder, and a sheepshead.

Rico's Nice Lake Harney Bass

On day three we ventured into the freshwater arena targeting schooling bass on the St Johns River near Lake Harney and again the fish weren't jumping into the boat, but Rico Jr. did manage some decent size largemouth bass and a 5 pound southern flounder of all things caught on a live menhaden. Oh by the way, we ended up taking the flounder to lunch at the Jolly Gator Fish Camp, where the nice folks whipped up some tasty blackened flounder sandwiches, yum.

Rico's 5-Pound Lake Harney Southern Flounder

Erik Holds Andy's 46-pound Redfish

On Monday I guided a group of three into the Banana River No-Motor Zone where we caught a good number of sea trout and ladyfish on top water plugs. The bite was fast and furious at first light with our best results coming from Storm Chug Bugs and Rapala Skitterwalks fished in 2 to 3 feet of water. As the day grew longer and the wind picked up, we decided to chunk out a few ladyfish, and managed a 36-inch and a 47-inch redfish. The larger redfish was 47-inches long with a girth of 28-inches, and using the standard fish weight calculator measured out to be 46.06 pounds

Left to Right, Erik, Jim, and Andy display Andy's First Redfish

As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free

Book a charter, and let's go fishing.
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, reply to captain@irl-fishing.com.

Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!

Trout Bite Heats Up With Temperatures

Trout Bite Heats Up As Temperature Heats Up

The wind continues to be an adversary on the water. Most days lately have included high winds that make fishing a little harder. The good news is the water level in the rivers has increased making more places available to everyone.

Recent trips have included a variety of fish but the most common catch has been Spotted Sea Trout. Rip Tide plastics have led the way in putting fish in the boat. My favorite, the three inch mullet in glow, electric chicken, and silver mullet have been the most productive.

Omaha resident Keith and his wife Rita joined me one day on the Banana River with high hopes for some redfish action. Unfortunately that didn’t happen but the trout bite did light up later in the day. The couple was joined by their daughter Audrey and her friend Mike for the days outing.

Water temperatures in the low 70’s in the morning were replaced by the high 70’s after about 11:00 and it seemed to trigger a much improved bite by the trout. Up to that point we had only a couple of trout but the last two hours of the trip resulted in numerous trout for all the anglers.

Although the majority of the trout came on the three inch Rip Tide Mullet and some came on the flats chub in golden glow, the larger trout came on the new Rip Tide Curtailer in the glow color. Rigged on a Rip Tide Pro Jig Head the Curtailer, with its ultra kick tail just seemed to get the attention of the larger trout and for some reason was not as susceptible to the puffers. After Keith caught a couple of trout in the 15 inch range everyone else wanted one too.

Keith and Mike had both indicated they enjoyed live bait fishing but with not much happening they both willingly switched to artificials. Then, for several hours they contently and successfully tossed plastics to bring a good number of fish to the boat. The days catch included numerous trout, lady fish, and the biggest fish of the day, a six pound Gaff Top Sail Cat that Mike caught on a Rip Tide Mullet.

Don’t forget the ladies. They were doing their share of the catching along the way as well. Both Rita and Audrey put their share of fish in the boat. When the time came to end the trip and head for the ramp Audrey said she had to make one more cast. The result, pictured below, was the largest trout of the day. A Banana River beauty going about 17 inches. The fish came on a Rip Tide 3 inch Silver Mullet. You never know what that last cast will bring. Nice job Audrey, I love those anglers who never really want to quit!

Just before time to call it a day, Rita reached into the cooler and brought out a banana. I had to explain to her that our fishing would have most likely been more productive if she had left the bananas at home. Always do everything you can to make your day more productive, and that includes leaving the bananas at home. Oh well, in this case it looked too good and I had one too!



Safety Note

The world we live in today requires we take certain safety precautions to protect our property. This week a boat trailer was stolen a ramp I frequently use. It was a vivid reminder of the need to protect our property. If you don’t have a lock for your trailer, get one - then use it regularly so you do not become a victim of a similar crime. This theft took place in broad daylight after a fellow guide had hit the water with his clients. He came back to the dock to find he had no trailer to tow the boat home. It could be you next, so take the necessary precautions.

Peacock Bass

If you want to do something different consider this trip in search of Peacock Bass. This is one of those trips of a lifetime deals. It’s not inexpensive but what a trip. It’s a 10 day trip that includes at least 6 days of fishing. A trip like this is a bargain at $3,550 plus airfare and tips. If you would like more information send me an email at presleyr@bellsouth.net. The trip is to the Amazon for some of the best Peacock Bass fishing in the world.

I hope to talk to you real soon with great fishing reports from Florida’s Space Coast.

That's what it's all about. Good fishin'.

Capt. Ron Presley
www.inshorefishingadventures.com
presleyr@bellsouth.net

The Big Fish Are Here!

21 Apr 2008 by Captain David Rogers
Book Now For May and June!
Now is the time to book for May and June. As the water warms the fish become more aggressive and the top water bite is a solid bet. There are many big redfish to be caught. May and June are also great months for big trout as they spawn. The trout become very aggressive. Come enjoy a great day on the water and catch some fish along the way. Take a look at past reports and then give me a call at 407-405-0819!


23 Apr 2008 by Captain David Rogers
Tuesday provided some fun fishing action as Greg and Steve landed some nice reds. The two guys doubled up a pair of solid redfish and several trout. It was fun day. Hopefully the winds will lay down and the fishing will continue to be good. Book now for May and June! It is an awesome time to fish!


The big fish are here and the next 3 months are a good time to catch them. We have several options this time of year. There are school of slot size fish and plenty of trout. Also some tapron will begin to show along with the jacks and the acrobatic ladyfish.
If you are interested in going plaes let me know as the days usually fill fast. Hope to hear from you.
Tight Lines and Good Fishing!

Captain David Rogers
AAA Hawgwild Saltwater Charters LLC
Host The 'Hawgwild Fishing Show'
ESPN WIXC 1060 /WAMT 1190 Saturdays 6-8am (407-273-1190) Live call-in
ESPN WHOO 1080 Sunday 6-8am/ replay - www.hawgwildradio.com
407-405-0819 Book Charters
www.aaahawgwildcharters.com

Boca Grande Tarpon Arrive Early

THIS MONTHS FISHING REPORT

TARPON, TARPON, TARPON! The first push of tarpon have arrived as expected a little earlier than last year and will be in full swing in the next two weeks.
There already are fish being caught in Boca Grande Pass. Backwater fishing for tarpon will progressively improve with the higher summer tides as the fish will
disperse into trenches and lakes in the harbor.

Snook are cruising the flats and mangroves and good shots at them are available with flies and plugs. Redfishing has been rated good to excellent with many fish
over 35" being caught using exude slugs and rt jigs. Trout are rated good on the outside grass flats. Night snook is on fire with flies being the primary artificial.
Learn how to feed them correctly and you will catch as many as you want. The big sharks have followed the tarpon in and fly fishing for them will start soon.

Time is now.... fish are here.....don't wait

Tight lines,

Capt. Al

Boca On The Fly
Captain Al White
(941) 697-0320 Cell (941) 830-1375
e-mail: BocaOnTheFly@yahoo.com

Grouper Bite At Fort Pierce Seawalls

Fishing Report
Fort Pierce - Port St Lucie - Vero Beach - Jensen Beach
April 17, 2008

INSHORE:
We enjoyed some great fishing weather this week. A few cool and windy days to keep you home, but overall spring has arrived here on the Treasure Coast. Look for nicer weather as May nears and fishing to continue to improve for trout and redfish on the flats. We had some great fun out there and look forward to much more in the coming weeks!

We fished for a variety of fish this week from grouper to trout. While we got busted by some nice grouper, finally Lawson Taylor muscled in a 27" gag grouper from around the seawalls in Fort Pierce. Both 14 year old Megan Lundy and 10 year old Rachel Taylor had big grouper bites only to lose the battle with them. We used live pinfish for our action this week.

Trout was the other species we went out in search of. Rachel and Patrick Taylor both landed some trout off the flats that were all in slot size. Patrick even boated a good size bluefish around the docks this week. Live pinfish or shrimp along with DOA CAL jerk baits are the best options for trout lately. The winds allowed us to drift the flats at a leisurely pace and fish them thoroughly. Queen's Cove and Harbor Branch has been good producing sites and when Bear Point is fishable....give it a try also.

Redfish have been pretty quiet this week. It's been hard to fish with the windy weather, but we have seen a number of them in the shallows and it should turn on at any time out there. Snook has been mostly a nighttime adventure. I talked to several returning anglers in the early morning that have caught some slot size along with some oversize and a good number of shorts. Live bait or jigs have worked best.

Catwalks and jetties have been pretty quiet with all the winds to keep anglers from venturing out. Lots of jacks around the river and some bigger ones in the inlets. Young Megan battled several 20 to 25 pound jacks, but they got the best of her in the end. It was fun to fight those bruisers though! The surf has produced whiting when the beachers could get out there. A lot of days was more like fishing in sandpaper. It has been a good week and this weekend should be great weather to venture out on the river and even the ocean.

Tip of the Week:
Lots of smaller pinfish and pigfish have been around the flats. It's time to get out the ol' fish traps and use some of these plentiful fish for some great trout action. Floating a pigfish on a popping cork will keep some of the daredevil bait snatchers from bothering you like they do on live shrimp. Lots of fish around the flats will take the opportunity for an easy meal. Have some fun soon, especially with the young anglers.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,

Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com
email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852


(Captain Charlie Conner has been fishing the Indian River Lagoon for over twenty-five years. Specializing in light tackle fishing in Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Jensen Beach, Stuart and Port St Lucie, Florida. His weekly South Indian River Lagoon Fishing Report gives you the latest inshore fishing information for the Treasure Coast area on the Indian River Lagoon.}

Great Spring Fishing In Bananna River

April 11 - A Little Tom Foolery, A Lot of Fishing
The monthly calendar has flipped and so has the fishing. We’ve gone from the madness of March winds to the wetness of April showers. Enough of the Tom Foolery, the logbook is bursting with reports and pictures, let’s get down to it.

After a few days off in the Florida Keys, Capt. Rocky returned the middle of last week to guide Scott and Jesse from Orlando for a much anticipated fishing charter. Originally receiving their half day trip as a Christmas gift from a very dear friend, these two waited until spring break to assault the Titusville flats in search of monster redfish. Six brutes were fought and caught with an equal number battled and lost. Check out the spots on these fish and smiles on these faces.



Kirk and Ron, another pair of eager anglers, chartered Capt. Roland last Saturday after an all-night alligator hunt. They had a decent day of fishing the Melbourne Beach area of the Indian River catching redfish, trout and snook. Even though it appears in the following picture that Kirk is about to keel over from exhaustion while posing with one of his reds, we are happy to report he hung tough through the entire trip and has some great tales (and tails) as a result. After all, it was a most unusual Orlando vacation for these two extreme outdoorsmen.


A pair of Yankees from Connecticut, Ron and Tim, are the next fishermen found in the logbook. Capt. Roland was their guide and the Banana River near Cocoa Beach was their adventure. And it turned out to be one of the better recent charters as the two caught 12 reds and 2 large trout. (Ron and one of his reds are pictured first while Tim and one of his trophies follow).




Another pair from the Yankee State, Ernie and Bill, were our next visiting anglers. These two had both Capt. Rocky and Capt. Roland as their guides on their Titusville fishing charter. It was one of those post-cold front, high pressure system kind of locked-jaw days that needed the collective fishing wisdom of two guides to produce fish. Covering nearly twenty miles of shallow water, we had a grand time with alligators, manatees, and dolphins while managing to find a few fish willing to cooperate. Pictured below is Bill with one of the three large trout caught on the day.


Our final report features the ‘Geerlings Gang’ from Michigan - family patriarch Mike, along with four sons, Doug, Dan, Brian, and Phil and son-in-law Mike. Even though the Geerlings Gang sounds like a group of gangsters, these were actually great guys and good anglers. Fishing the Banana River near Cocoa Beach again, this double boat/captain, half day charter caught six reds, four trout and an early-season snook. Pictured below are Doug, Dan, Brian and Phil respectively – incidentally, the first redfish photographed had 59 spots.





Posted by Rocky Van Hoose on April 11, 2008 at 01:27:15 PM

Native Sons Fishing Guides
Captain Rocky Van Hoose
321-986-9588
rvanhoose@cfl.rr.com
Captain Brad Jones
321-626-5072
jonesmelb7@bellsouth.net