FISHING REPORT FROM THE SHORE AT THE TREASURE COAST FLORIDA

As the weather gets colder, the fishing gets hotter! Following the reviews about fishing Inshore / Nearshore on the Treasure Coast, its seems to experience a lot of changes for fishing. 

The snook have moved back up river where they stay for the winter in more salty water. They can be caught fishing bottom baits along the bridges and deep channels. Lots of big snook are caught using First Light Jigs. The technique for using these 1-to-2-ounce jigs involves casting up-current and retrieving down-current at a speed that keeps your jig very close to the bottom. These snook will sit belly-down on the bottom where the water is usually warmer during the colder months.

The snook will usually be close to the bridge supports to get out of the current. We also find snook sitting along seawalls that face the sun in the morning back in the St. Lucie River. For those snook, we use top water traps and flies to simply cast close parallel and pop down the wall.

Snook season will soon end but you still have time to catch some big ones and possibly a keeper or two. When it rains, the locks must open and this is the place to be when they are opened. You can catch over 30 snook a trip. Just being there at the right time is all the battle.

The pompano has started showing up along the beaches for surf-casting using 9-to-12-foot rods. For attraction, we use sand fleas, clam’s meat, shrimp, and flavored fish-bites artificial bait strips.

Incoming waves is much preferred with fishing from the beach for pompano. The pompano will also come inshore and school up on the flats. Inshore, we use jigs, sand fleas, and shrimp.

Pompano guys, if the wind stays strong like it has been, look to the river and bridges. Jigs will be your best bet. Jensen Beach and Little Jim bridge are hot spots. You can’t miss where it is because everyone will be lined up jigging. Look for Walton Rocks Beach to be the very best place if the wind lays down. River and wading will be hot for trout and red fish. You also can’t beat the places north of the power lines. Shrimp under a popping cork is the way to go but top water and plugs will work great.

The Spanish mackerel are also showing up along the beaches and the well-known Peck Lake Reef where hundreds of anglers and commercial fishermen can be found throwing jigs and gotcha lures. It’s a great type of fishing for family members and inexperienced anglers to easily get hooked up!

When fishing from the coast, the fish hang out there when the water is flowing to eat all the little baits that come over it. Look for pools of calm areas. I use plugs that look like mullet to get best results. Swim attractions like storms work well, but if water is running hard, it is better to use plastic to get the bite.

Bridge fishing will be good, but you must get deep to get where they are feeding. Skill Hawks will help here. Waterfronts will also hold some snook.

Bluefish have moved in and the best place to get these guys is Hobe Sound Public Beach on cut bait like mullet and spoon lures. Tie a 50-pound mono leader on and then hold on. There will be plenty of sharks in the area, so get the blues in quick.

December is here and it’s not just the holidays that we have to look forward to. With every cold front this month, a new body of fish should push down the beach in search of warmer water and a constant food source. Blackfin tuna, sailfish, dolphin and everything else will migrate south along our reef systems and current edges.

Focus around faint temperature breaks and color changes with both dead or live bait for success. That being said, this is my favorite time of year to troll.

Naked ballyhoo rigged on 6/0 mustad circle hooks are my bait of choice and I definitely like to have a squid chain out there as well. A lighter set of poles will increase your hook up ratio, which is key to a successful day of catching. Blackfin Rods makes an off the chain sailfish rod that is great for both trolling and live baiting.

When weather permits, this is also a great time of year to go swordfishing. Over the last 10 years, daytime swordfishing has become extremely popular and the Treasure Coast offers great opportunities at catching these gladiators. Fishing dead baits a quarter-mile below the surface can provide one of the most exciting days of fishing you’ve ever had when it all comes together.

These fish are sometimes more than 500 pounds and will test every aspect of your fishing game. Whatever it is you decide to do this winter, I hope your trip is off the chain. Enjoy this time for fishing and spoil yourself with stuffed salty presents in the form of the many offshore species of fish that inhabit the coastal waters of Martin County. Local anglers will be able to enjoy the seasonal excitement of being able to intersect and catch an all-star lineup of offshore game fish like sailfish, dolphin, king, spanish mackerel, grouper, and snapper. Florida`s winter weather will be in full swing this month, hosting the typical procession of cold fronts that will pass over our peninsula with fresh breezes.

These fronts and the winds associated with them, will directly determine offshore conditions and force anglers to plan their ocean fishing trips around daily weather forecasts and the sea states they encounter. While there will be many rough ocean days this month, there will also be many favorable weather windows for fishing in between the arrival of cold fronts.

Locating bottom structure to employ one’s fishing strategies upon, will be the key component to catching success during the month of December. Trolling, drifting, and anchoring strategies for deploying baits is always enhanced when doing so around and over top of some bottom (reef structures). Grouper will be at the top of the holiday fish wish list, as December will be the last month of an open catch and keep season that will close at midnight, December 31.

Lane, mangrove, and mutton snapper will also be high on the wish list and will be found in good numbers from 50 to 90 feet of water, especially around artificial reefs just east and northeast of our St. Lucie Inlet. So, in December, make your fish wishes come true by fishing around “bottom” and post up on one of the many “honey holes” that make up the reef system, offshore of Stuart.

Whether by land, air or sea, you can reach Whiticar Boat Yard for all of your boat repair, maintenance and yachting needs. Stop by. See for yourself what Stuart, FL and Whiticar Boat Yard can do for you.  

We are conveniently located from I-95, only one-half mile from Witham Field Airport, and just west of the Intercoastal Waterway at marker 13A

 Wishing you Happy holidays from all our team!

Top Recommended Places For Boating and Leisure Activities on The Treasure Coast - Florida

The Treasure Coast is considered a boater's paradise as the area offers fantastic opportunities to spend time with family and friends while you enjoy sailing on your yacht. If you want to dock up for drinks, dinner and a vibrant nightlife you will like to drop anchor in the great Florida Treasure Coast.

1. Peck's Lake – Stuart, Florida 

It is located right off the Intracoastal Waterway in Stuart, Florida. Part of the charm of this location is its privacy, there are no facilities, so make sure to pack everything you'll need to comfortably spend time on the virgin white sand beach, it is a passive destination for a seaside retreat where boats of all sizes can anchor up. For more fun activities, you can bring your paddle boards, kayak, and fishing rods. 

If you are making a day trip to Peck's Lake from the south, you'll have a stunning ride up. The manatee zone between Hobe Sound and Peck Lake will slow you down and it will give you more time to enjoy the beautiful scenery. 

2. Pirate's Cove Resort and Marina - Port Salerno, Florida

This energetic waterfront resort is located in the Manatee Pocket, it’s the perfect place to dock up and have a little fun in the sun. After you get off your vessel, most people  head to the waterfront Tiki Pirate Bar. There you can kick back, have some food and drinks in a casual beach setting, enjoy live music, enjoy drink specials and some others activities. Whether you are spending some time with the whole family or in a romantic date, take in the beautiful waterfront views of the Manatee Pocket.

3. Historic Downtown Stuart – Stuart, Florida

Sunset Bay Marina and Anchorage is an exceptional spot to dock your boat for the day or evening in Stuart. The large marina has 198 slips, many of which can accommodate yachts up to 150 feet in length. Once you dock, you can take advantage of the marina club house which offers customers a range of services and amenities. Docking your vessel at Sunset Bay Marina will give you an easy access to Historic Downtown Stuart, a charming portion of Stuart that exhibits a laid- back old-Florida atmosphere which it is completely pedestrian-friendly.

The Atlantic Coast city of Stuart was recently voted as the number #1 “happiest shore town” by Coastal Living Magazine. That ranking should be enough motivation for you and your family to cruise through Stuart, Fl. for a joyful visit. 

4. Manatee Pocket - Port Salerno, Florida

If you're a boater looking for the ultimate bar-hopping opportunity, you will find it at Manatee Pocket - Port Salerno, Florida. On its beautiful protected waters, you'll find a sweet set up of three enthusiastically popular, ideally located dockside restaurants. Whether you visit, during the day for lunch or at night for a little extra fun, these establishments in the Manatee Pocket area are sure to deliver a good time.

5. Fort Pierce City Marina and Main Street – Fort Pierce, Florida

The floating docks at Fort Pierce City Marina have wet slips that can accommodate vessels up to 160 feet depending on draft. In the more northern region of the Treasure Coast off, at the Indian River Lagoon is the historic seaside town of Fort Pierce, another ideal location for a yachting day trip.

Once you’ve secured your ship, the opportunities for enjoying your day here are endless. A variety of markets, restaurants, shops, boutique, live music, and beautiful colonial Spanish architecture await you as you make your way into town. Fort Pierce's Main Street was voted as one of the 50 Best Small Towns by Top Value Reviews as it has so much to offer. 

6. St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park – Port Salerno, Florida

On the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway side, there is a dock with many available slips to dock boats up to 32 feet in length. A boardwalk will take you across forests of mangroves and hammocks of live oaks to a nicely preserved quite Atlantic beach. Just at 2.7 miles away you can find a white sandy beach available to you while you enjoy your day trip or weekend getaway. 

One of the few remaining undeveloped barrier islands on Florida’s east coast, the St. Lucie Bay Preserve State Park, is accessible only by boat and totally worth the ride. Visitors come here to swim, sunbathe, kayak, surf fish, or picnic at the beach tower. Snorkeling and scuba diving are also popular activities at this state park. 

Important fact: There is a lot of shallow water in this area. Be sure to head out of channel right by the big dock sign that reads "St. Lucie Inlet Preserve Park."

While you are boating through any of these beautiful places, remember the importance of having Whiticar Boat Works phone number handy, in case you need assistance or service for your boat.

• Whiticar (Stuart) 772-287-2883

• Whiticar (Fort Pierce) 772-460-0660

• Shearwater Marine & Industrial 772-781-5553

Whiticar technicians have extensive knowledge and training to assist you with any of your boating needs.

Whiticar has 2 full service boat yards and they also offer the following Mobile Services:

• Main Engine and Generator Service

• Marine Electrical

• Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

• Plumbing Systems/Pumps and Strainers

• Hydraulic and Steering

• Stabilizers

• Electronics

• Carpentry Services

Advantages of Manual Marine Navigation Tools

Modern electronic marine navigation tools are easy to use and accurate but it is easy to become dependent on them however is important to learn how to use the manual tools as the electronic marine navigation tools may not be 100 % reliable.

All modern marine navigation tools depend on electricity, and are susceptible to shorting of current by seawater or lightning strikes. Even with the elaborate backup systems and rigorous insulation, there is a risk of water shorting out the electrical system. To prevent all the issues that, you can address while on board we recommended to learn how to use manual tools like chart, magnetic compass, pencil, rulers among other as there is little that affects their functionality.

Recognizing those tools will help you to be become a skilled human navigator able to sail professionally even though the marine navigation equipment on board fail. 

Manual Tools to Navigate 

Chart Table

A secure place to work on navigation is to have a permanent [ chart table] with a horizontal surface large enough for a chart to be laid out at one fold. A chart table should either have a lifting top with chart storage space underneath, or a drawer allowing the charts to be stored flat.

Some navigators prefer to stand at a chart table arranged fore and aft, but commonly chart tables are place athwartships with a seat. Shelf space for reference books and bulkhead for marine navigation instruments and communication equipment. a small compass mounted so that the navigator can keep an eye on course.

A flexible stalk-light is ideal for lighting the chart and allows the navigator to work on charts without disturbing sleeping crew or affecting the helmsman's night vision fitting it with a low-power red bulb which minimizes loss of night vision should be considered.

Parallel Rulers

The parallel ruler is used by the navigator to transfer a bearing from the chart's compass rose to the section of the chart which is being worked on. Depending on the design, the ruler is rolled or "walked" across the chart to the selected area where the replicated bearing is drawn indicating the course or the bearing of an object. choosing a parallel ruler, try out a range of both roller and walking designs at sea.

Log - LogBook

The elements of dead-reckoning are course and distance; the compass tells you the course steered, and a 'log' measures distance sailed. The common type of log is an electronic instrument that shows speed and distance run, much like the speedometer and milometer in a car.

For recording position, course, distance run, and other crucial information, a logbook is used. There is a requirement to keep one by maritime law, because it in the event of an incident at sea, it may have to be produced. Record key data at half-hourly or hourly when close to shore and less often when offshore. 

Plotters

A plotter achieves the same result as a parallel ruler and easier to use on a small boat. Plotters are used in conjunction with the latitude and longitude grid lines marked on the chart, rather than using the compass rose.

Dividers

Dividers are usually made of brass with steel tips and used to measure distances on the chart. Purchase a pair of dividers at least 15cm (6in) long as this gives a useful span. The [single-handed typ] with the bowed top is more manageable than the straight type, which requires two hands to open and close it.

Nautical Publications

Nautical Almanac - The principal reference book is a current copy of the nautical almanac covering the sailing area which provides tidal information, harbor plans and details.

Pencils - The use of soft pencils, such as 2B, on charts prevents permanently marking them. Hexagonal pencils resist rolling off the table when the boat heels. Along with the pencils, is a requirement for a pencil sharpener and a soft eraser.

Boat Compasses

A compass is the primary navigation tool on board a yacht and is the means of identifying direction, enabling a course to be steered and to plot a chart position by the means of bearings of navigational marks and shore objects. Choose from a variety: conventional compass, fluxgate Boat compass, steering boat compass, hand bearing compass.

Get Ready for your Boat Trip

Pilot Books -Tidal Atlas - Instruction Manuals - Lights and Radio Signals – Marine Binoculars among others, Shearwater Marine Supplying you 4519 SE Commerce Ave. Stuart, FL 34997, Contact us (772) 781-5553 or reach out us at: adolf@whiticar.com