Fishing Report From Beth Sinclai

Website - www.fishbrevard.com
Email - beth@fishbrevard.com

December 29th, 2006

Surf Fishing Report for East Central Florida by Fish Brevard

Rough weather conditions have hindered some surf fishermen, however, those venturing out on the calmer days are finding some fish. Pompano have been the most desirable species recently, with scattered reports coming between Satellite Beach and Melbourne Beach. Most of the fish are under a pound and are hitting live sandfleas. Whiting, black margates and black drum catches are fairly good when the water is somewhat clean, though many of the black drum are under the 14-inch minimum size. Fresh cut clams, shrimp and live sandfleas are working especially well.

Further off the beach, often within a few miles, anglers are finding schooling bluefish and Spanish mackerel though the fish have not been showing up much in the surf zone. When winds calm and water clears, look for more blues and mackerel along beaches. Watch for diving birds to find concentrations of baitfish, which generally attract and hold the larger predatory fish.

Anglers that prefer to use artificial baits for fish in the surf can start casting small jigs for pompano. Look for the cleanest water available and try casting about a 1/2 ounce pink, yellow or other bright-colored jig. While some anglers can get away with using lighter rods, generally, the winter weather dictates that you need to use at least a medium-action rod of at least 8 feet to get any casting distance and to handle the wind and waves. Straight 15 to 20 pound line is all you'll need for the pompano, though mackerel, bluefish and other predatory species may also be enticed by small jigs.

If you find the area full of these more toothy predators, try tying on a heavier leader, though mackerel are likely to cut through that as well. Unless specifically targeting the mackerel, don't use any steel leader material, as this will significantly diminish your strikes, especially from pompano. I like to use jigs specifically designed for pompano, but any jig will do. Try cutting all the feather or body of the jig off right behind the hook if using a standard type of flair jig. Some anglers like to tip the jig with a fresh piece of cut shrimp, which can enhance strikes but can also make the jig move less naturally.

Beth

Winds have been keeping a lot of anglers off the beaches these last few weeks. Today and maybe even tomorrow, the wind has let down some and surf waters are starting to clean up. If conditions stay this way, look for more fish in close to shore, especially pompano, Spanish mackerel, black drum and bluefish. We aren't seeing a lot of pompano on the beach like we do later in the winter, however, anglers fishing just north of south of Sebastian Inlet and just south of Port Canaveral, along Cocoa Beach, are finding some pompano to 3 pounds. The choice bait for the pomps is live sandfleas and fresh cut clam.

Bluefish are generally a given for this time of year and are usually fairly consistent so long as the water isn't dirty. Cut finger mullet or pogies are the best method for picking up scattered bluefish. When anglers find a beach where bluefish activity is more concentrated, or bait schools are consistent, they can switch to spoons and jigs. When targeting the blues, remember their ominous teeth and use stout leader material. I like to use 40 lb test line for leaders on my spoons or when making rigs for cut bait, in addition, I use long shank #1/0 to #2/0 hooks to act as a bit of extra insurance against cut-offs.

Mackerel are hit and miss, being active on a beach one day and gone the next. They generally follow the smallest of the schooling baits, namely bay anchovies, also known as glass minnows. Mackerel generally won't hit baited hooks and anglers have to try to find a lure that mimics the tiny fish they feed on. Small jigs, spoons and glass minnow fly patterns are the best method for targeting these fish. Even sharper than those of the bluefish, Spanish mackerel have razor sharp teeth and a very short piece of steel leader is important for landing these guys. I like to make a 6 to 8 inch leader out of thin wire leader material tied directly to the lure.