Coastal Angler Magazine | Treasure Coast March 2026 Edition

PREDICTING THE RUN

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By Will Schmidt

Tere were birds diving, porpoise rolling and he y yellow n tuna skyrocketing like Fourth of July reworks. Both on the water and in the boat, the energy was palatable. With one angler on the bow ready to cast a top water plug into the fray and me in the stern with ready to deploy live bait, the boat throttled back. !e plug went ying, meanwhile I simply dropped my bait behind the boat and started freelining. Almost instantly the plug was blasted in the air but not connecting. Meanwhile, I tossed a handful of baits o the back of the boat. By now the fray had subsided but the sh were clearly still looking for an easy meal. 50 feet behind me one of the chummers was blasted overhead by a 150 pound yellow n who was skyward bound a er it. Just below I could see my bait franticly swimming as another engulfed it, leading to a great battle before releasing the 100 pound class sh.

While top water shing for tuna is all the rave right now, it really makes sense to deploy multiple tactics to take advantage of these opportunities, as the school o en retreats as the boat nears. Our back up plan is very simple and almost always produces sh. As the boat gets into casting range of the school, we drop live bait o the stern and free line them. We always keep a couple ready to go. !is way, if the school disappears there are other baits ready for those who have been plugging.

For bait google eyes or blue runners, rigging them on a 10/0 circle hook is ideal. Bridling the bait and using a non-slip loop knot presents the most natural movement as the baits ee. Also, tossing a handful of chummers in, as the surface activity disperses, usually brings shing looking to pick up stragglers into the strike zone. Chumming really helps keep the sh around, so make sure you have plenty of bait. When you get hit, give it a ve count real tight and hang on!

I like to use a bit heavier tackle with the live bait, as we o en seem to nd bigger sh. My go to is Shimano Terez BW Roller Striper medium heavy with a Talica 25A. I use 80lb braid to 80lb mono. !is is a great set up that’s fun for sh from 40 to 140 and can handle the occasional really big one. the rod with a better ghting angle. It also helps to keep the line away from the gunnel as a spiraling sh ascends. !is is a great asset for many anglers on these tough sh.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about shing for more than two decades. Follow Will on Instagram @saltynstrong.

Florida’s Spawn Transition: Where the Giants Get Caught

In Florida, we don’t wait on spring the way the rest of the country does. Our bass start thinking about the spawn early, and that in-between window when they’re moving from winter patterns to-ward the beds is one of the most exciting times to be on the water. It’s not full-blown bed fishing yet, and it’s not the deep winter grind either. It’s the transition. And if you hit it right, it’s when the biggest fish in the lake are at their absolute heaviest and most catchable.

During this phase, big females don’t just rush the shallows. They stage first. Think outside grass lines, ditch intersections, shell bars, canal mouths, and hard-bottom spots just off spawning flats. They want easy access to both worlds shallow enough to move up when conditions warm and deep enough to slide back if a cold front rolls through. Instead of randomly covering water, suc-cessful anglers focus on these “inbetween” areas where bass pause before committing.

The fun part about fishing the transition is that these fish are still in feeding mode. They’re fueling up before the hard work of spawning, which means reaction baits can shine. Swimbaits and

TYLER WOOLCOTT

lipless crankbaits are great for covering water along staging edges, especially around submerged vegeta-

tion. If they’re holding tighter to cover, slowing down with a Texas-rigged creature bait or a wacky-rigged stick worm can seal the deal. The key is not getting too shallow too fast; a lot of an-glers run straight to visible bedding areas and skip right past the best fish.

Florida weather adds another layer to the puzzle. A few warm, stable days can push fish forward in a hurry, while a stiff north wind can reposition them just as quickly. The calendar matters less than conditions. Watch water temperature trends, pay attention to wind direction, and look for areas that warm first, especially protected shorelines with darker bottoms. Transition bass adjust daily, some-times hourly, and the anglers who adjust with them are the ones holding up the heavy fish.

For me, this window is one of the most exciting times of the year. You’re not just sight-fishing beds, you’re hunting moving giants that are feeding and positioning with purpose. They’re thick, strong, and aggressive enough to commit. When you connect with one during the spawn transition, it’s not just another bite it’s often the bite that defines the season. And in Florida, that fish can show up on any cast.

Capt. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler, as well as owner/ operator of Florida Big Fish Adventures, providing bass and saltwater guided fishing trips: www.floridabigfishadventures.com.

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ANGLER

Going Backward as We Go Forward

By Jim Moir, Indian Riverkeeper Executive Director

As a passionate and vocal advocate for conservation, it would be disingenuous for me to agree with claims that our government has moved toward environmental protections. In fact, protections for clean air and water or our future resources are under assault. I regularly hear the dichotomy from folks that first say they resent restrictions posted for limiting access to public areas, and the comment, “You should’ve seen

this place years ago.”

It is true we live in an era of changing baselines for wildlife abundance and there are instances of regulatory overreach. Underlying these oppositional perspectives there are some fundamental cultural conditions, some ingrained since man began to alter his environment to suit his needs. And there are also economic and legislative reactions that have failed to protect resources in meaningful ways. Sometimes

these issues challenge our beliefs, traditions or even pocketbooks, but we are fast approaching a crisis, and we should be responsible and accountable global citizens for future’s sake.

We live in an era where advanced technology and novel research often refute rather than reinforce what we thought we knew about our world. We also use technology to much more efficiently harvest our resources than in the past. Our actions no longer only affect our local ecosystems; they often have earth-wide implications. We found ways to profoundly alter the chemistry of the oceans and atmosphere, accelerating the rate of climate change by converting ancient stores of solar and chemical energy contained in petroleum into mechanical motion and complex

synthetics while emitting heat and greenhouse gasses. We drain wetlands, cut down forests and alter vast areas of wildland into agriculture. We are creative and destructive. Often, we justify our impact by claiming it is our fate to harness the earth as our given right. Or, that others do it, so should I, or just a little more won’t make a difference, or business is business. These attitudes and their effects are cumulative. We blame regulation for impeding unrestrained exploitation. We have the technology to drag our oceans empty and scrape the bottom bare. Marine Protected Areas have proven their merit, yet many advocate for legal encroachment or removing buffers. Many anglers complain about seasonal closures,

DAY TIME HGHT

1SU 12:16 AM -0.41 L

7:01 AM 2.41 H

12:44 PM -0.18 L

7:16 PM 2.4 H

2M 1:06 AM -0.44 L

7:46 AM 2.49 H

1:31 PM -0.32 L

8:05 PM 2.5 H

3TU 1:53 AM -0.43 L

8:28 AM 2.52 H

2:15 PM -0.41 L

8:49 PM 2.54 H

4W 2:36 AM -0.38 L

9:07 AM 2.5 H

2:56 PM -0.45 L

9:30 PM 2.52 H

5TH 3:17 AM -0.28 L

9:43 AM 2.42 H

3:36 PM -0.41 L

10:10 PM 2.45 H

6F 3:57 AM -0.14 L

10:19 AM 2.31 H

4:14 PM -0.33 L

10:48 PM 2.33 H

7SA 4:36 AM 0.01 L

10:54 AM 2.18 H

4:53 PM -0.21 L

11:27 PM 2.19 H

8SU 6:16 AM 0.18 L

12:30 PM 2.05 H

6:33 PM -0.06 L

9M 1:08 AM 2.04 H

6:57 AM 0.35 L

1:08 PM 1.92 H

7:17 PM 0.08 L

10TU 1:53 AM 1.9 H

7:44 AM 0.49 L

1:52 PM 1.8 H

8:09 PM 0.2 L

11W 2:46 AM 1.79 H

8:41 AM 0.6 L

2:45 PM 1.72 H

9:10 PM 0.28 L

12TH 3:49 AM 1.74 H

9:48 AM 0.64 L

3:50 PM 1.68 H

10:15 PM 0.29 L

13F 4:56 AM 1.77 H

10:53 AM 0.6 L

5:01 PM 1.72 H

11:15 PM 0.23 L

14SA 5:57 AM 1.88 H

11:50 AM 0.47 L

6:06 PM 1.84 H

15SU 12:09 AM 0.12 L

6:49 AM 2.02 H

12:38 PM 0.3 L

7:02 PM 2.02 H

16M 12:56 AM 0.01 L

7:35 AM 2.18 H

1:21 PM 0.09 L

7:51 PM 2.21 H

17TU 1:40 AM -0.11 L

8:17 AM 2.32 H

2:02 PM -0.12 L

8:38 PM 2.41 H

18W 2:23 AM -0.2 L

8:58 AM 2.42 H

2:42 PM -0.31 L

9:22 PM 2.56 H

19TH 3:05 AM -0.24 L

9:38 AM 2.49 H

3:22 PM -0.46 L

10:07 PM 2.67 H

20F 3:48 AM -0.24 L

10:19 AM 2.51 H

4:05 PM -0.55 L

10:52 PM 2.7 H

21SA 4:32 AM -0.19 L

11:01 AM 2.49 H

4:50 PM -0.56 L

11:40 PM 2.66 H

22SU 5:19 AM -0.09 L

11:46 AM 2.43 H

5:39 PM -0.5 L

23M 12:30 AM 2.56 H

6:10 AM 0.05 L

12:36 PM 2.34 H

6:33 PM -0.38 L

24TU 1:26 AM 2.42 H

7:07 AM 0.2 L

1:32 PM 2.23 H

7:35 PM -0.23 L

25W 2:28 AM 2.28 H

8:13 AM 0.32 L

2:37 PM 2.13 H

8:45 PM -0.1 L

26TH 3:36 AM 2.2 H

9:25 AM 0.36 L

3:50 PM 2.1 H

9:58 PM -0.04 L

27F 4:47 AM 2.19 H

10:37 AM 0.3 L

5:04 PM 2.14 H

11:06 PM -0.04 L

28SA 5:51 AM 2.26 H

11:40 AM 0.18 L

6:12 PM 2.25 H

29SU 12:07 AM -0.07 L

6:48 AM 2.35 H

12:35 PM 0.02 L

7:10 PM 2.38 H

30M 1:00 AM -0.1 L

7:36 AM 2.43 H

1:24 PM -0.13 L

8:01 PM 2.5 H

31TU 1:48 AM -0.12 L

8:20 AM 2.48 H

2:08 PM -0.24 L

8:46 PM 2.58 H

ST. LUCIE INLET

TIME

SEBASTIAN AREA OFFSHORE

Capt. Terry Wildey

Big Easy Fishing Charters (772) 538 - 1072 www.bigeasyfishingcharters.com captwildey@bellsouth.net

Old saying goes, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” However, sometimes it’s the last week in March and we’re still looking for that lamb. The fishing should be worth the wait. Due to the terrible weather we saw in January and February, I’m counting on a good weather March to make up for it.

Look for good catches of mangrove snapper, triggerfish and hopefully some cobia still lingering. Last year, in the 85- to 90-foot range, fishing was great when we could find clean water. The winds of March can sometimes leave us with a decent ocean, but dirty water conditions. Good to be prepared to run to 160 feet or deeper to find clean water. Chicken rigs with squid will produce catches of amberjack,

vermilion snapper, triggerfish and porgies. It’s a great way to salvage the day and put some dinner on the table.

Offshore trolling should be slow, but there’s always a chance of a blackfin tuna and occasional mahimahi or wahoo. I like to troll some ballyhoo from spot to spot while I’m looking for a mark of fish for bottom fishing. There’s the chance of picking up a fish as well as giving the rest of the crew something to do other than stare at you, staring at the bottom machine.

I’ve found the water to be stirred up after long periods of March winds to where fish don’t mark or bite right away when you get to a spot. If that’s the case, you might give it some time. Stay to make it pay. If the water is dirty the fish will be back in the ledges and take some coaching to come out and bite.

The fishing near shore is usually tough due to lack of calmer water keeping it stirred up. With the crazy changing weather patterns, though, you never know if we’ll get a couple weeks of decent March weather or just a couple of days. If it’s the latter, I take advantage of this time to prepare for April fishing. I go through everything—from safety equipment, bilge pumps, engine maintenance and tackle. It’s also

a good time to re-spool reels and restock your spare parts inventory. Sometimes having an extra fuel filter or set of spark plugs can salvage your fishing day, as well as your reputation. If there’s a calm day in March, I’ll be out there in the blue water. Look for Big Easy Fishing Charters. We’ll be wherever the fish are biting!

Capt. Gus Brugger

Capt. Rocky Carbia

Capt. Jonathan Earhart

Capt. Scott Fawcett

Capt. Scotty Gold Jim Moir

Capt. Bo Samuel Capt. Adam White Capt. Terry Wildey

MARTIN COUNTY DEEP SEA

Capt. Rocky Carbia

Safari I Deep Sea Fishing

Pirates Cove Resort and Marina 4307 SE Bayview St. Port Salerno Reservations: (772) 334-4411 www.safari1deepseafishing.com

Visions

of cobia will fill the daydreams, as well as the fishing strategies of offshore anglers this month. The days of March are historically one of the better periods of the year for targeting and catching cobia east of our St. Lucie Inlet.

Schools of migrating cobia pushing down from northern environs, following temperature contours and bait, will stream through our local offshore waters and visit the reef system from depths of 40 to 180 feet of water. Martin County’s artificial reefs in 50 to 65 feet of water have especially become favorite haunts for hungry “cobes” and will be found throughout the water column over top of these reef structures.

While the Sand Pile and the Evans Crary Bridge Reef will be most

anglers’ first go-to spots for cobia fishing, artificial structures that make up the Donaldson Reef will be high on the honey hole list for cobia anglers to try. The Cement Barge, the Owl Barge, and the Clifton Perry Memorial Reef, just to name a few, are all famous for attracting cobia and are excellent options for fishing—especially when the more popular spots become crowded. (For a complete list of artificial reef sites, visit martinreefs.com.)

Live baits of all flavors will yield the best results for provoking a cobia strike— greenies, sardines, blue runners, and grunts—will be the best of live bait offerings, while using 30-to 50-pound mainline tackle and 50- to 80-pound terminal tackle with a 5 to 7/0 hook. Along with live bait, cobia enthusiasts need to supply themselves with an assortment of jigs, which can be cast or dropped in front of cobes while sight fishing. Lead head jigs of four ounces in weight will be the most effective for throwing to a cruising cobia.

So, in March, post up on one of Martin County’s many near coastal reef sites and make your cobia daydream come true.

Capt. Jonathan Earhart

Chaos Fishing Charters (772) 341 – 2274

www.chaosfishingcharters.com jon@chaosfishingcharters.com

Spring fishing is upon us, my fellow anglers! This month we can expect some good inshore action for snook, jacks, tarpon, seatrout and redfish. Live bait fishing around structures such as docks, seawalls and mangrove shorelines will be your best bet throughout the whole day. Pilchards, croakers, pinfish, mullet and mud minnows will all work well for said species. Shrimp fishing will work well on a fish finder rig for snapper, sheepshead, flounder, black drum and pompano.

feet. Casting shiny spoons or casting jigs with flash and a fast retrieve will get the bites. Cast, catch, keep and repeat!

Cobia will also be on everyone’s minds as we typically start to see them migrating along the Treasure Coast this month. Casting cobia jigs around rays or sharks is a great way to locate a hungry cobia. Cruising the beaches in 8-25’ of water searching for free swimming cobia is also very fun and rewarding when you can

Drifting the sandy inshore flats casting goofy jigs will be an excellent way to locate feeding pompano on these sandy shallow water flats this month. Expect a few bonefish, ladyfish, jacks and the occasional bluefish in the mix.

Nearshore fishing is still a good option for Spanish mackerel along Pecks Lake oceanside in depths 10-30

locate a school and sight cast to the larger cobia with live or artificial bait. Expect to run into a few sharks, jacks, kingfish and bonita along the way to keep things interesting. Load up the live wells with some sabikied greenies or pilchards to keep the rods bent all day!

FISHING

FORECASTS

ST. LUCIE COUNTY OFFSHORE

Capt. Bo Samuel

Pullin Drag Charters

(772) 971-6661

facebook.com/Pullin-Drag-Charters

catpainbofishing@gmail.com

Hello, Treasure Coast anglers!

The last couple of months have seen a real challenge in weather conditions, but thankfully the severe cold should be well behind us. Typically, we expect March to bring the wind, but we’ve gotten used to it as January and February produced plenty of gusty and windy days to work around. That being said, we still live in a fishing paradise so just keep a check on local weather reports and be prepared to take advantage of those good weather windows.

manta rays this time of year because cobia are known to swim beside these shadowy gliders as they migrate down the coast. Being prepared with a handy pitch rod can pay off big time. They are also known for their awesome fight so always have a gaff ready. Catching a monster cobia will definitely make you feel like you had some St. Patrick’s Day luck!

Excellent snapper fishing should continue this month and prove the effective strategy of bottom fishing our local reefs. Colorful tables of snapper can be caught on the 50- to 90-foot reefs with plenty of opportunities for triggerfish, porgies and pompano, too. We also like to target kingfish and Spanish mackerel on the reefs and wrecks where they are known to congregate during these cooler months.

March is when we usually see big migratory fish moving closer to shore as they follow abundant schools of bait fish giving anglers of all ages plenty of opportunities to catch. Personal bests and some nice trophy catches will be made with fish like cobia, kingfish, mutton and tripletail. Take it from me, the famous “pot of gold” is the absolute abundance of fish in our Treasure Coast waters.

Cobia will be found from just

off the beach all the way out to the offshore wrecks. These pelagic fish are powerful, aggressive feeders and will take almost any bait, live or artificial, from shrimp and crab to mullet and pilchards. I also keep an eye out for

ST. LUCIE COUNTY DEEP SEA

Capt.

Scotty Gold

Miss Fort Pierce Fishing (772) 766-0191 www.fortpiercefishing.com

Asthe cold front passes us our weather pattern should start to get warmer and warmer as the days become longer and longer. The ocean water temperature took a little turn on the bottom in February, but that should be resolved in March.

We have been catching loads of lane snapper from 40 feet out to 100 feet, as well as the largest amount of triggerfish I’ve seen down in the area. We’ve been picking away at snapper for a few months and seeing more mangrove snapper as this is the time of year they start to move around and take up residency on the sharp rough bottom. If you can get there, they’ll been around to spice up the catch, with a showing of cobia as well

The Miss Fort Pierce continues to sail daily by 7 a.m. with reservations required as all our trips are “limited load” and we only take 28 passengers. Visit www.fortpiercefishing.com to make your reservation.

If you need a ride out to our bountiful reefs, just visit me at my home base, the historic Little Jim Bait & Tackle, and we can plan your custom charter on the fishiest boat in the Fort. We are ready to fish each and every day, weather permitting, with a focus on stocking up on salty groceries. DeBrooks Fishing Corner is my other recommendation for all your bait and tackle needs. Just tell them Pullin Drag sent you!

Here’s hoping your St. Patrick’s Day includes a bit of luck Pullin Drag!

We have also posted the May 2026 red snapper dates as well. The Miss Fort Pierce is also available for private charters for red snapper throughout the month of May during the week. We’re also continuing to make improvements beyond our new engines by adding Starlink to the mix as well. Be safe on the water and we look forward to seeing you on board.

LUCIE COUNTY INSHORE

Capt. Adam White

St. Lucie Flats Fishing Charters (609) 820-6257 www.stlucieflatsfishing.com

March signals the beginning of spring fishing in the Indian River Lagoon around Fort Pierce, bringing noticeable changes in fish behavior as water temperatures slowly rise. While occasional cold fronts can still pass through, longer days and increased sunlight trigger more consistent feeding patterns. Anglers can expect improving conditions throughout the month, especially during warming trends and stable weather windows.

Productive spotted seatrout fishing continues through March, especially along deeper edges of flats, channels and drop-offs. Early mornings often find trout holding in slightly deeper water, but as the sun warms the flats, fish push shallow to feed. Topwater lures become increasingly effective later in the month, offering exciting surface strikes on calm mornings. MirrOlures, MirrOdines and soft

myfwc.com to make sure you’re in compliance with the new regs.

Snook activity begins to increase as spring approaches, particularly around bridges, docks, mangrove shorelines and the Inlet. While cooler nights may still keep snook from full spring aggression, warming afternoons often spark feeding windows. Live bait such as pilchards or pinfish works well, along with twitch-style soft plastics and jerkbaits.

Throwing Doc’s Goofy Jigs on the flats will keep you busy with jack crevalle, ladyfish, and pompano throughout the month of March. The first reef will still be going strong with sheepshead and snappers for the remainder of the spring. Near the inlet and along the beaches, anglers may encounter pompano, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel during favorable conditions.

plastics like a D.O.A. CA.L. shad tail or jerk shad are some of the best trout catching lures for our area. Note that changes have been made, effective April 1, in seatrout regulations throughout the entire state. Refer to FWC’s regulations at

Overall, March offers a noticeable shift toward spring fishing in the Indian River Lagoon. With increasing bait activity and more aggressive fish, anglers along the Treasure Coast can enjoy diverse opportunities across inshore flats, near shore reefs, and inlet areas as the season gains momentum.

bag limits or slot sizes and convince ourselves that catch and release light tackle sportfishing is always non-lethal. This is not intended as a commercial vs. recreational comparison of accountability; each share responsibility for declining stock. Agencies and regulators are supposed to balance evidencebased science with the concerns of industry and political influence. But there is a not-so-subtle shift. Science and a conservative concern for our ocean’s legacy are falling victim to special interest profiteering and legislative/executive preemption. There are many things in my beloved watershed that give me great hope and pleasure in its complex resilience and beauty. Getting wet while recreating is joyful. But accepting the trajectory of environmental management that we have recently been following will be tragic for us and will leave our children and grandchildren with a depleted waterworld. I know we are less selfish than that.

To learn about the benefits of supporting Indian Riverkeeper, visit www.theindianriverkeeper.org or call (772) 341-4953.

Sam Cohen got this 32-inch, 18.6 lb. Cubera snapper using a chunk of mullet sitting on bottom while land-based fishing along the St. Lucie River in Stuart.

Samuel caught this 20-inch spotted seatrout casting a 3” paddletail.

After a long day of hunting weed patches off Ft. Pierce, David Bradley and friends got this nice mahi on a live pilchard.

Scan the code or visit coastalanglermag.com to submit your photos and catch details.

NEW SPOTTED SEATROUT REGS TAKE EFFECT APRIL 1

At its February meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved new management regions and regulations for spotted seatrout shing in the State of Florida. e rule changes establish nine management regions for spotted seatrout as well as regional regulations for recreational and commercial shing.

ese new regulations will go into e ect on April 1, 2026:

OPEN/CLOSED SEASONS

Recreational

» Panhandle: Open March 1–Jan. 31; Closed February.

» Big Band, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast: Open year-round.

» Indian River Lagoon: Open Jan.1–Oct. 31; Closed Nov. 1-Dec. 31.

Commercial

» Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: Open Jun. 1–Oct. 31; Closed Nov. 1–May 31.

» Indian River Lagoon: Open May 1–Sept. 30; Closed Oct. 1-Apr. 30.

» Northeast: Open June 1–Nov. 30; closed Dec. 1–May 31

BAG LIMITS

Recreational

» Big Band: Five (5) sh per person.

» Panhandle, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast: Four (3) sh per person.

» Indian River Lagoon: Two (2) sh per person.

Commercial

» 50 sh (1 SPL);100 (≥2 SPLs) in all regions.

SLOT LIMITS

» Recreational - 15-19 inches

» Commercial - 15-24 inches

OVERSLOT ALLOWANCE

Recreational

» All Regions: None. is regional management strategy has been implemented for some of Florida’s most popular inshore species, including red sh and snook, and now spotted seatrout. ese regions and regulations are part of the FWC’s holistic management is approach takes a more holistic view of the shery by evaluating multiple metrics, including shing, stakeholder experiences and environmental factors, at a smaller regional scale. It improves our understanding of regional di erences in environmental conditions and stakeholder experiences and provides greater exibility to address localized concerns.

» Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: One (1) sh over-slot allowed per vessel or per person if shing from shore

» Indian River Lagoon, Northeast: None

Commercial

For the full FWC commission meeting agenda and links to background reports, go to myfwc.com/about/commission/commissionmeetings/. For current spotted seatrout annual reviews, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Spotted Seatrout.” ese documents provide a summary of the management metrics in each new management region.

SPEND LE TIME ON TASKS More Time Fishing

It’s no fsh tale when you run with a John Deere. You can get everything done faster and easier, so you get more time on the water. Plus, our special offers make them the catch of the day.

PREDICTING THE RUN

By Capt. Jim Ross

s a charter captain, as well as a regular contributor to the Brevard County, Florida edition of Coastal Angler Magazine, every year there are certain events that happen that I try to predict in advance so that clients and readers can catch more !sh. However, there are many times that even we so called “professionals” don’t get it exactly right. Obviously, my crystal ball isn’t 100 percent correct all of the time...maybe it needs a tune up. LOL!

ings like the giant black drum schooling up, spring cobia run, June tarpon run, fall mullet run, and winter pompano run aren’t things you can pin down to a certain day of the month, but most of the time we can at least predict the month. Hopefully, I can achieve at least a 90 percent e ciency rating a er doing this report for the past 25 years.

I was just telling my clients one day last week, a er catching a bunch of small trout and a couple of lady!sh, that the big uglies were probably going to show up in a few weeks and if they had a chance to come back out with me then that they may have a shot at catching some much larger !sh than the ones we had landed that morning. Just !ve minutes a er saying this I spotted something unusual about 500 yards up the at. It was exactly what I had just been talking about- a 300 !sh school of 30 to 50-pound black drum.

e !sh in this big school were happy-tailing and waking as they pushed their way down the at. We eased up to them, cast our shrimp in their direction, and as you !gured, the battles were on. All three anglers were hooked up to huge drum that had absolutely no respect for them. Drags screamed, rods doubled over, and dozens of yards of line dumped o their reels. Grunts and groans were heard between laughter and smiles as they worked to tire these beasts. e boat deck looked like a country bar dance oor as anglers shu ed and two-stepped under and over each other in an e ort not to lose their prized catches.

We ended up extending the trip from a 3/4 day to a full day outing because each !sh took 15 to 25-minutes to land.

e moral of the story? Don’t ever count on !sh to be there and don’t ever think that it’s not quite the right time to catch them. e bottom line is just go !shing every chance you get. at is the only way that you can be sure to catch your next memory.

Capt. Jim Ross is owner/operator of Fineline Fishing Charters on Florida’s Space Coast and host of “Catch a Memory Outdoors” live radio show and podcast. www. neline shingcharters.com • www.catchamemoryoutdoors.com

COME JOIN

PRO FISHING TECHNIQUES

Top 3 Mistakes

So many anglers have a “go-to” color lure that they swear by. What they do not understand is that the color of your lure barely makes the top three most important factors for catching tons of !sh.

Mistake #1 - e number one mistake anglers make is ignoring the importance of the size and pro!le of the lures they use. When snook, tarpon, red!sh, speckled trout or ounder are feeding, they o en become laser focused on that particular forage species. In other words, if they are feeding on a 6-inch mullet your 3-inch paddletail or shrimp lure will probably be ignored.

PRO TIP: Have a few of your rods rigged up with various sizes and pro!les of lures on them. I like to have a 3-inch paddletail, an arti!cial shrimp and a 4- to 5.5-inch jerk bait ( uke) rigged up when I can’t determine what bait is around. Try all three sizes and pro!les of lures until you !gure out what the !sh in the area are feeding upon.

Mistake #2 - e number two mistake most anglers make is thinking one retrieve style works best for all of the !sh all of the time. ere are so many di erent factors to consider when retrieving your lures. Here are a few to consider:

• Is the water cold or hot? Fish are cold blooded and move more slowly in cold water. is means that you have to slow down your retrieve when the water is cold. Conversely, you want to move your lure faster when the water is hot.

• What species are you targeting? Di erent !sh species like di erent retrieves. For instance, the best retrieve for a red!sh is slowly bouncing your lure o of the bottom. A tarpon likes a low and steady retrieve. A ounder likes a very slow bounce/dragging retrieve no higher than 12 inches from the bottom. A speckled trout likes a vertical jig and will usually hit the lure as it falls through the water column. Snook like a fast and erratic retrieve most of the time.

• Is the water clear or murky? Low light, cloudy skies and murky water scenarios makes it harder to get a !sh’s attention. Use a retrieve or lure that creates vibrations and ashes in the water. You also want to fan cast the area keeping your lure placement close together because they are less apt to seek out your lure. When it is sunny and the water is clear it is easier to get the !sh’s attention. You can make your casts further apart and make the !sh come to your lure.

Mistake #3 - e third biggest mistake is thinking !sh care about lure colors. A saltwater tackle box with white lures and something dark like root beer or purple is all that you need to catch any !sh. PERIOD. e bottom line is that if you want to catch more !sh, switch up your sizes and pro!les and vary your retrieves for di erent species and conditions. I GUARANTEE that you will catch more !sh.

Capt. Mike Smith is owner of Fish Your Ass O Charters.Reach him at (561) 339-2317, contact@ shyourasso .com or shyourasso .com.

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