12-20-2002, 02:18 PM
Outside the St. Lucie Inlet and southbound towards Peck’s Lake, Spanish mackerel are running 2-5 lbs. and thick. Green and chartreuse tube lures, Gulfstream Minnow jigs, clark spoons and white bucktails tipped with shrimp are all working. Using 8-12 lb. test with 20-30 lb. leader with produce more strikes than steel. Just outside the jetty rocks are scattered sheephead, black margate, mutton snapper and bluefish. Trollrites and shrimp on the bottom with a vertical jig are producing well.
Inside the inlet, if you can get past the 2-3 lbs.jacks and blue runners, you have a shot at some nice pompano to 4 lbs. Gulfstream’s redfish and shrimp jigs tipped with shrimp on the bottom do the trick. Dead smack in the middle, look for boats anchored up in 5-6 feet. I prefer drifting, allowing me to cover more area, plus I’m away from the pack. Pompano have been running good at times in the Crossroads also. We tried Hell’s Gate and the Sailfish Flats but there wasn’t much going on there except for some ladyfish action. The pompano brigade, fishing from the Quarter Bridge, jigging nylures, are finding some pomps (mostly small) along with plenty of ladyfish, jacks and blue runners.
The area bridges remain hot with snook, black drum and mangrove snapper. Last week on Catch 22, we caught 21 black drum to 7 lbs. along with snook and mangroves.
Haven’t fished the grass at all, but the New Year is right around the corner, bringing with it the opening of trout season, promising some great rod-bending action.
Happy Holidays!
Capt. Bob Bushholz
http://www.catch22fish.com
(772) 225-6436
Inside the inlet, if you can get past the 2-3 lbs.jacks and blue runners, you have a shot at some nice pompano to 4 lbs. Gulfstream’s redfish and shrimp jigs tipped with shrimp on the bottom do the trick. Dead smack in the middle, look for boats anchored up in 5-6 feet. I prefer drifting, allowing me to cover more area, plus I’m away from the pack. Pompano have been running good at times in the Crossroads also. We tried Hell’s Gate and the Sailfish Flats but there wasn’t much going on there except for some ladyfish action. The pompano brigade, fishing from the Quarter Bridge, jigging nylures, are finding some pomps (mostly small) along with plenty of ladyfish, jacks and blue runners.
The area bridges remain hot with snook, black drum and mangrove snapper. Last week on Catch 22, we caught 21 black drum to 7 lbs. along with snook and mangroves.
Haven’t fished the grass at all, but the New Year is right around the corner, bringing with it the opening of trout season, promising some great rod-bending action.
Happy Holidays!
Capt. Bob Bushholz
http://www.catch22fish.com
(772) 225-6436