INSHORE - The inshore fishing has been a little slow this week but, if you went before daylight or right before dark you can expect to find plenty of trout and catch and release snook action. After dark try the lighted docks for the best action and free line a live shrimp or a small live bait like a greenie, a pinfish or pigfish. During the day there has been a steady catch and release snook bite in the Ft. Pierce Inlet on the falling tide and a live bait fished on the bottom has been the way to go. The channel markers to the south of the power lines have been producing a few tripletail and a live shrimp has been the bait of choice.
OFFSHORE - The dolphin have been scattered from 40 to 300 feet of water and taking both naked and skirted ballyhoo. The cobia bite is still good with several ones coming into the docks this weekend. Most were caught between 30 and 60 feet of water and a live bait seemed to work the best. On Saturday we had 12 boats that had multiple sailfish hook ups. Most were in about 100 feet of water and they were both to the north and south of the Ft. Pierce Inlet -- one angler said they were just everywhere! Bottom fishing over the reefs and wrecks has been a little slow. There were a few AJ's, snapper and a few grouper reported.
BRAGGING BOARD - Rick & Lynda Thurman & the Doug, Holly & RJ Gilliam families from North Carolina were in Ft. Pierce for the annual 2 week stay here at the Dockside Inn. During their stay they caught and released a total of 127 fish and Holly caught and released her 1st snook! Guy Harrell caught a 13.4 pound dolphin in 54 feet of water on Saturday and it was good enough for a 2nd place finish in the CFOFC's monthly tournament. Wally Schultz took 1st place with his 19.9 pound dolphin and it was caught in 112 feet of water. Today I had Don (grandpa), Russ (dad) and 7 year old Logan Ronchi (son/grandson) on the boat with me. Logan had never fished before and he caught a total of 4 nice trout, a few snapper and a catfish. Logan & Russ were visiting from California. Connor Kelley stopped by to weigh a cobia he caught in 53 feet of water on a live sardine. The fish weighed 39 pounds.
