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Treasure Coast Fishing Report: Redfish redemption

Ed Killer
Treasure Coast Newspapers
Nick Mingace, formerly of Jensen Beach, caught and released this 24.5-inch redfish earlier this week while fishing the Indian River Lagoon with Capt. Carl Eby of Fintastic charters out of Billy Bones Bait and Tackle.

Indian River County

Nedra Maxwell of the Sebastian Inlet District said there have been difficult fishing conditions at the mouth of the inlet the past few days. From dirty water to stiff easterly winds to debris like grass floating in from the Gulf Stream, anglers are having to work very hard for a limited number of catches. Snook and redfish always feed aggressively during rough conditions and are being caught with methods fishing the bottom like live bait on fish finder rigs and big jigs. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks and ladyfish are also being caught, but on spoons and plugs, reeled fast.

St. Lucie County

Kadri Benton of White's Tackle said the snook fishing has been best during the outgoing tide with live bait or jigs around the bridges. For redfish and trout, he said to try fishing the mangrove shorelines or docks around Queens Cove on up to Harbor Branch. To find the best action, look for the mullet schools. Tarpon and snook are in the surf, although the conditions have been sloppy and can be difficult to fish depending on the tide and wind.

Martin County

Paul Sperco, of Bass Pro Shops in Port St. Lucie, said the dirty water and big waves continue to keep surf fishing efforts in a shut-down mode. It's a shame, too, as nearly six weeks of what can be prime surf fishing season has been essentially lost because of hurricanes and poor water conditions. Only Monday was even slightly fishable this past week, Sperco said. Fish Bites and clam strips were able to produce catches of jacks and whiting. Hobe Sound has been unfishable thanks to Lake Okeechobee runoff hugging the beach south of St. Lucie Inlet.

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Lake Okeechobee

Capt. Mike Shellen of Okeechobeebassfishing.com said fishing seems to be improving with each day following the effects of Hurricane Irma. "Fall is the time of year when the large female bass start moving closer and closer to the shallow water haunts where they will spawn," Shellen noted. "In preparation for the rigors of spawning, they will feed heavily of almost anything they can catch." Shellen said that means huge bait fish schools consisting of wild golden shiners ranging in size from 3 inches to 11 inches. They are the primary source of protein throughout the upcoming months for bass as they spawn.