St. Lucie Inlet Offshore Report

[Captain Kevin Drennan]

Snook season has finally arrived and we did well on opening day. We decided to do something a little different this year. Instead of using the boat, we walked the beach on Jupiter Island in Hobe Sound. It was a picture perfect morning as the sun came up over the calm ocean. Once the tide rose and the bait started moving through the trough, the action began. It was not long before my buddy Bill Sproule had a 33inch keeper up on the sand with a bomber lure stuck in it’s face. After a couple of trash fish, Billy hooked up on a monster that dragged him into the rocks. Not to be out done, he entered the water and maneuvered the fish out of the rocks and landed a fat snook just under 34 inches. After several throwbacks, we called it a day and headed for the cleaning table. Dinner was great!
Offshore has slowed down somewhat with small dolphin that are very scattered. There still is a decent sail bite as well as plenty of king mackerel with bonita all over. There are some cobia around the near shore wrecks that are holding bait fish and some amberjack further out. The biggest news in the area has been the sword fishing. Last weekend we had a boat come in with a fish that was over 600 lbs. The same boat had one over 250 lbs the day before. The fish are being caught in about 1500 ft. of water between West Palm Beach and Stuart.
The Indian River is alive with snook, trout, tarpon and some redfish. Fish the docks on the west side for the reds .The St. Lucie inlet is still holding snook and some nice mangrove snapper at the rocks. Snook are also being caught at the spillways into the St. Lucie River. More later.

Captain Kevin Drennan