Fishing Reports News

Fishing forecast florida

Saltwater: Dolphin and sailfish have been roaming offshore Sebastian and Fort Pierce inlets starting in about 100 feet of water. Clean water, temperature and color changes and flotsum are all variables to look for when targeting these two species. Some anglers offshore Port Canaveral are venturing out to the Gulf Stream to find pelagic species and doing well around the Cones area. King mackerel are active closer to shore when anglers can find clean water. Scattered cobia are still showing up along structures, and free swimming out to about 80 feet of water. Bottom catches have been best east of Sebastian and Fort Pierce inlets, usually starting in about 90 feet of water and getting better further out. Clean water above bottom structures are the best bet.

Bluefish, Spanish mackerel, pompano, sheepshead and black drum are all showing up around bridges and along the Intracoastal Waterway Channel between Grant and Fort Pierce. The blues, mackerel and pompano are usually free-swimming, with the pompano being found closer to the bottom of the water column. Cast small jigs tipped with shrimp for the pompano, while the blues and mackerel will take live finger mullet, spoons and jigs. Sheepshead and black drum are usually holding close to pilings and rocky edges of the channel. For the larger drum, anglers can use live blue crabs, while live and fresh cut shrimp, live sandfleas and fiddler crabs are best for the sheepshead and smaller slot-sized drum. Drum and sheepshead are also being found further north around Mather’s Bridge and Eau Gallie and Pineda causeways above the Indian River.

Freshwater: The Stick Marsh, south of Palm Bay, continues to produce good numbers of crappie, also known as speckled perch, and bass. Despite windy conditions, anglers venturing out are picking up crappie along channels, canals and anywhere anglers can find some submerged vegetation. Most of the panfish are hitting small jigs trolled and drifted in open areas close to the bottom.

Bass are active around the spillway when water is flowing, with activity being better after mid-morning when the water has warmed. A variety of lures are accounting for fish, however the most popular have been Rat-L-Traps and weighted plastic worms. Bass are being found along shoreline vegetation and submerged structures in Farm 13 and Stick Marsh areas of the impoundment. Most of these fish are coming on spinnerbaits and plastic worms.

– By Beth Sinclair, for FLORIDA TODAY