LOCAL FISHING REPORT
Offshore
With the recent rough weather, there haven’t been a lot of anglers venturing offshore.
Off Jensen Beach, there were reports of a few king mackerel being taken in 60 to 120 feet of water and there are still some summer sailfish to be had.
Off the Boynton Beach area, there have been a few king mackerel caught in around 120 feet. Though there have been a few in the 20-pound range, most have been on the smaller side at 7 to 10 pounds.
There has been a good yellowtail snapper bite. They’re being caught inside the reef, on the sand in about 45 feet. The recent currents have pushed in some colder water and divers are reporting that the bottom temps on the outside of the reef are 55 degrees and on the inside, where the sand starts, 72 degrees. They are being caught using cut or half sardines. There are also a few mutton and mangrove snapper being caught in the same area.
Inshore
In the Jensen Beach area, anglers fishing the east side of the Indian River near the power lines have been catching some nice size trout. MirrOLure Top Dog and Rapala Skitter Walk lures are working best.
In the same area, but on the west side, anglers working the docks have been catching a few redfish and black drum.
There are still snook biting at the St. Lucie Inlet and they are mostly hitting live baits including croaker, mullet, bunker and greenies.
If you can find a spot free from seaweed, there are still some tarpon to be caught along the beaches.
At the Jupiter Inlet and along the beaches in Jupiter, the name of the game is snook. Anglers working the beaches from the Juno Pier to the Jupiter Inlet and from Blowing Rocks Preserve up to Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge in the early mornings are catching these prized fish.
At the Juno Pier, they recently had a good run of Spanish mackerel and pompano.
Anglers should keep an eye on Hurricane Florence. If it stays on track, it eventually could send a decent groundswell from the north, which likely will push the finger mullet schools that are currently up around Sebastian down to us. This will bring in more game fish and should further boost the already good snook bite.
At the Boynton Inlet, there has been a good amount of bait around.
Anglers are having decent luck catching keeper-size snook using chicken feathers and Flare Hawks and also using live croaker.
There have been some nice-size tarpon along Beer Can Island.
Anglers working the Lantana Bridge are reporting catching lots of sand perch. There also have been lots of tarpon and snook stealing those sand perch before they can be reeled in.
Bridge anglers targeting snook are doing well at night working the shadow lines with Flare Hawks.
Lake Okeechobee
The bass bite is still good and has been best in the early mornings and evenings using spinner baits and swim jigs. Live shiners are working well for the mid-day bite.
Hot spots have been from Buckhead Ridge over to the Tin House Cove area as well as Indian Prairie to Horse Island.
There is still a decent bluegill bite happening in the rim canal. All fishing report information courtesy of Snook Nook in Jensen Beach, Fishing Headquarters in Jupiter, Captain Bruce Cyr and Garrard’s Bait & Tackle in Okeechobee.