South Indian River Fishing Report

[Captain Charlie Conner]

May 3, 2007

Inshore:

Lots of sunshine and great fishing weather arrived here on the Treasure Coast this week. The winds eased up to let anglers enjoy themselves both inshore and offshore. It was nice not to hide out among the islands for a change. Lots of baitfish have invaded the area and the fish are out there chasing them. May is always one of my favorite months on the water.



R J Swinford and David Brashear with their trout caught in the recent Teen Anglers Tournament!

Trout fishing was spotty some days, but we managed to catch some each day on the water. I had David Brashear and R J Swinford on the boat Sunday and each caught a nice trout in the Teen Anglers Tournament. Tom Hull was down from Melbourne and we caught a nice number of trout. Tom boated a huge 26" gator trout along with several others in the slot range. I managed a 23" fat trout also. Bob Whitbold reported another big gator trout catch this week. The usual flats were holding trout and we used jerk baits and gold spoons.



Tom Hull with his huge 26" gator trout....

Redfish were hanging on the flats again this week. After scattering several small schools we found a few in the mood to eat. Tom Hull battled a fat 26" redfish that he caught on a twitch bait. Spoons and soft baits are also good choices when seeking a spot tail on the flats. Some are hanging very shallow, so keeping a stealthy approach is a necessity. I have found redfish on most flats lately so they are out there cruising around.



Tom Hull with an early morning 26" redfish....

We caught a few snook this week, but they weren't our target most days. Most of the snook anglers are fishing at night along the bridges and seawalls around the inlet. I did talk to several who caught legal size snook this week. Live pinfish or large shrimp (when available) are the ticket for fishing these areas. Now that the winds have given us a break....try around the docks in the early mornings. Tom Hull completed his slam this week after catching a snook hanging around the flats.

Bridge fishing was slower this week. While sheephead and some snapper are being caught, many anglers took a break in the action. Lots of Spanish mackerel are still around the inlet. Some big jacks have been around the jetties along with bluefish. The surf has continued to hold whiting, bluefish and some pompano for those beach anglers. I keep seeing more and more sharks around the flats. As the bait continues to show up on the flats, they will seek the shallows in search of an easy meal.

Tip of the Week:
Wade fishing is lots of fun and many people around this area take the opportunity to get out fishing on the shallows. We continue to see many large stingrays and sharks coming up on the flats in very shallow waters. Just a note of caution to be careful when wading around the river. I had a number of reports of sharks attacking fish as anglers were reeling them in and experienced it myself. Sound, smell and sight of a fish can bring a reaction from these creatures.

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

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
Indian River Lagoon Fishing Charters - Port St Lucie Fishing Charters - Fort Pierce Fishing Charters - Florida Fishing Charters

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852