September 2, 2010

Inshore Fishing:

September arrived with the usual active hurricane systems out in the ocean. Sitting here being thankful that none seems to be heading this direction and hoping that the rest of the eastern coast remains safe this season. The winds have been blowing most of the week and offshore swells have kept anglers at bay as well. I did manage a trip this week that ended up with several good rain soaking hours out on the river. We had fun in spite of getting wet.

Pat and Dalton Wells came down from Cocoa Beach for what ended up being a good day full of rain clouds all over the Fort Pierce area. Seemed like everywhere we ventured, the clouds kept pace with us until we finally got good and wet. The bite was good with trout, jacks, mackerel and blue runners keeping us busy when we could fish. It was a good day anyway. The weather will get back to normal for a while until the next storm brews up out on the ocean.

Trout have continued to bite well on the flats. We found good action in three to five feet of water around Harbor Branch area and Round Island. DOA CAL jerk baits worked best for us on 1/16th ounce jig heads. Work them slowly along the bottom for your best results. Top water in the early mornings can also be rewarded with good action. Redfish are being taken along the shallows north of Harbor Branch and around the docks to the south. DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz works great for redfish. Mackerel, jacks, blue runners and some bonito have been invading the inlet and turning basin this week. Small shiny lures can give you lots of fun action with a variety of fish. Whiting along the beaches and snapper around the bridges, structure and channel edges are still biting. The mullet are starting to move in now....so get out fishing soon!

Snook Season Opening:

Snook season will finally re-open on September 17th. The commission decided that snook season would open as previously announced. It will close on December 15th as normal, but will stay closed until September 1, 2011. You can expect that lots of anglers will be getting ready for the upcoming season and you should anticipate lots of boaters and anglers around the jetties and bridges the first several days of the opening. Live bait, TerrorEyz, deep diving plugs and jigs will be the best bet for a chance at a keeper snook this month. Make sure your snook permit is current along with your license because you know you will have a good chance at being checked. Have fun and be safe out there this snook season!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

September Fishing Forecast

September is always an exciting month to fish along the Treasure Coast. Anglers eagerly await the arrival of the annual fall mullet run. The beaches and rivers will be filled with mullet and you can find lots of predators following the bait this month. Look for tarpon, snook, jacks, bluefish and many other species feeding on the mullet this month. Top water and suspending lures work fantastic in September. Try a DOA Baitbuster or Big Fish lure while fishing around the large schools of mullet. It's a great time of year to fish early mornings along the beach. The fish will be cornering the bait along the surf and action can be fun and exciting.

While snook season usually opens Sept. 1st, it has been delayed until Sept. 17th this year. Check www.myfwc.com regularly to keep updated on the status of the snook season opening this year. Bridges and inlets will bring some fantastic snook action in September. Anglers slowly working jigs, diving plugs, DOA TerrorEyz or live bait along the bottom of these areas can find some big fish hanging in these areas. Docks and flats will hold their share of linesiders as well.

You will be able to find some redfish schools this month as they gather up to head out to the ocean. Look around the shallow sandy flats for them to be feeding. DOA shrimp or jerk baits can coax them into biting. Trout will continue to bite around the usual flats like, Bear Point, Harbor Branch and the Moorings. Deadly Combos fished on the edges of the bait schools will find some action with trout and other species. Snapper can be found along channel edges and around structure. Sheephead, drum and snapper can be caught on the catwalks of the bridges. LIve or dead shrimp will find the fish.

September Tip:
Fish the bait schools! It's easy to spot the bait this time of year. If you don't find bait around your favorite fishing spot, you will most likely not find many fish there. Move around if you need to in order to find active bait. Fish love this time of year and they are out there gorging themselves on the bait in anticipation of the coming winter months. Early mornings can be exciting on the flats. You can find big fish in shallow water around the bait pods. It has been a long hot summer and finally temperatures will begin to mellow out and water temps will get back to normal. It's a great time of year to be fishing!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner

www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

August 18, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

We have enjoyed some much needed rain this week, but it didn't slow down the fishing for us. Most of the weather has come after noon, so you have all morning to get out fishing. The mornings have been nice and not as hot as we have had all summer. It won't be long and the fall transition in the weather patterns will be here. If you plan on fishing the river this week, the trout and snapper bite will be one of the best bets out there.

The trout bite picked up over the weekend and we enjoyed a good catch. Pat Wells and his son, Dalton, came down to visit and fish over the weekend. We found the trout very willing to bite and caught 15 trout that were all slots size or larger. Dalton caught the biggest trout on a top water lure at first light that went 25 inches. All the fish were caught on artificial lures. DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits and shad tails kept us busy on the trout flats. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and the west shore south of Fort Pierce has been good for trout. Find the glass minnows and you should find the trout. We even landed a nice size gag grouper that was feeding on the bait in shallow water.

Snook fishing around the jetties has continued to produce fish. Live bait, jigs and diving plugs have worked well. The mackerel, jacks and bonito have started to show up around the inlet and turning basin. Shiny, fast moving lures will get you in on some of that action. The snapper bite has been good along channel edges, docks and structure along the river. Live or dead shrimp can fill up the skillet..... Whiting and an occasional pompano along the surf has been good for the beach anglers. Its a great time of year to be fishing!

Tip of the Week:

Summer is slowly coming to an end. Hot as it was....the fishing has been good in the river. It won't be long until the much anticipated fall mullet run. With all the action it brings to the river and nearshore fishing, it's a good idea to take stock at your gear and tackle this month. Check out the line and change it if it is worn from lots of use this summer. Change and sharpen hooks on your favorite lures. Make sure reels are clean, greased and oiled. Check out rod guides and tips for broken or chipped ones. Clean up the tackle box and see what you might be missing by now. There is lots of exciting action when the mullet arrives, so be ready when it happens!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Dalton Wells caught and released this 25" trout on the Indian River flats this week.

August 13, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Hot weather continues on the Treasure Coast. Getting out early has been working great for us lately. You can beat not only the heat of the day....but the afternoon thunderstorms that have been lurking around each day. We did manage to get wet one day while trying to beat the rain. The bite was a little more sporadic this week, but the fish are out there to be caught. It's still a great time of year to be fishing.

Trout are biting, but it has slowed down somewhat with the hot weather. Our best results have been with CAL jerk baits on either a weedless hook or a CAL jig head. A 1/16th ounce has worked very well for us lately. Live shrimp or pigfish on a popping cork has also produced some good results this week. Snook fishing has been good around the inlet and docks. We lost a few nice snook this week, but Scott did land an over slot snook on the flats. LIve bait or CAL jerk baits got us hooked up on some snook this week. Clint and Thomas both had nice snook hooked that ended up winning the battle this week. Redfish have been hanging around docks and shallow flats. Clint caught his redfish while fishing around some of the mangroves with a DOA CAL jerk bait. We have found redfish hanging on the flats even during mid-mornings.

Lot of snapper have been caught all over the river. Concentrate on channel edges, structure and docks and you should be able to take home some nice sized mangroves for dinner. Live or dead shrimp will usually get these critters to bite. There have been a good many bluefish around the area lately. Craig, Scott and Cheryl found some nice sized blues to give them a good fight up on the flats. You can also find lots of jacks cruising around and crashing bait schools. Watch for the bait schools and you should be able to find some fish. Bear Point and the west side of the river has been filled with glass minnow schools all week long.

Tip of the Week:

When is the last time you checked your safety equipment?? This year??....last year??....can't remember?? Whether it is flares, life vests, first aid kit or a simple whistle, you should know where your safety equipment is located and know that it is in good condition. There have been too many boating accidents this year already. Being ready to handle situations and having equipment readily available can make a lot of difference in the outcome of any accident. Flares and extinguishers can go out of date and need to be replaced. First Aid kits need replenishing several times a year. Life vests need to be kept in good condition. Having the right safety equipment in good condition isn't just because it's a requirement....it's the right thing to do for yourself and your passengers! Take a few minutes and check yours out soon.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

A few of this weeks catch....

August 5, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

As summer continues to bring the hot weather to our area, the fishing greatly improved this past week. We have enjoyed catching redfish, snook and trout out on the flats or around the docks. I managed to get out one day to do some scouting and another day fishing with Clint Walker of the Fishing Center. Getting out early gets you off the water before the heat of the day sets in. It was a good week fishing!

Top water has worked very well in the early mornings. It produced redfish, snook and trout this week for us. Fish the docks, glass minnow pods or along the channel edges to get your results. I did find some nice redfish up on the shallow flats in one to two feet of water at midday this week. A couple were even tailing for a change. DOA shrimp works best in shallow water for redfish. My largest was a healthy 29" this week. Try around the Moorings or north of Harbor Branch for redfish or the docks south of Fort Pierce.

Trout were biting top water, live pigfish and DOA CAL jerk baits. I even landed one on a BFL lure among the many glass minnows. Try the deeper edges of the flats or around the docks. Some big trout are out there feeding. Our largest topped 26" this week. Snook fishing remains good at the jetties for those anglers using feather jigs, TerrorEyz or live baits. I did land two this week while fishing the drop offs around the glass minnows. There are plenty more out there. Utilize the bait schools to help in your success. Lots of snapper are being taken along the channel edges and again.....around the glass minnows. Live shrimp always works best for them. Lots of ladyfish and jacks have been cruising the river to give you even more action out there. It's been a great week!

Tip of the Week:

Finally...it looks like snook season will open on September 1st. I am sure there are lots of eager anglers waiting to catch that slot snook for dinner. Sometime this month do a simple check of your license to make sure both your license and snook permit are current. You know that the FWC will be out there checking, so save yourself a headache and fine now. I think the first few days of snook season will be pretty hectic this year, so make your plans now and insure that you won't have any problem should you be checked for licenses or safety equipment. Good luck out there!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Some of this weeks fishing....

July 30, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

It might have been another hot week out there, but the conditions ended up being ideal for the many lobster hunters during the mini-season this year. I took the middle of the week off to avoid the extra boat traffic and also to build a new swing set for the grandkids. It certainly is fun to spoil grandchildren!! We had a trip earlier in the week with Jason and Veronica to celebrate Noah's 10th birthday on the water.

Noah out fished everyone while catching trout, snapper and assorted other fish around the river. You find out quick that Noah is a very avid fisherman. He even hooked up on a big snook that wasn't about to be landed that day. Happy Birthday Noah! The early morning bite has been the best for us. Once the sun heats up the flats, you must move to deeper water to find any fish to catch. The trout have been feeding on glass minnows like crazy lately. If you look at the photo of Noah and one of his trout very close, you can spot the schools of glass minnows on top of the water behind him. Fish the edges of these bait pods and you can find hungry trout out there. Live bait and CAL jerk baits have continued to find trout for us. Have fun, but get out early!

The snook bite has remained good around the jetties of both inlets. Live bait, DOA TerrorEyz or diving plugs have all worked well when the snook are feeding. There are some nice snapper around the river. Try around structure or along channel edges. You can even find them feeding on the glass minnows. Look for whiting along the beach and you should find some tarpon out off the surf if the bait is around.

Tip of the Week:

Hydration is vital this time of year with the heat index over 100+ degrees every day. Drinking lots of fluids can help prevent dehydration. Lots of water, Gatorade or Powerade while out in the sun is just as important as not forgetting that favorite rod & reel or lucky hat. I post the information that the Red Cross supplies at least once a year. Below is some of their safety tips for being out in the heat. Visit www.redcross.org for more information.

Red Cross Heat Safety Tips:


Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella.
Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.
Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid high-protein foods, which increase metabolic heat.
Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4 and 7 a.m.
Stay indoors when possible. If air-conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine. Remember that electric fans do not cool, they simply circulate the air.
Be a good neighbor. During heat waves, check in on elderly residents in your neighborhood and those who do not have air conditioning.
Learn Red Cross first aid and CPR.
Know What These Heat-Related Terms Mean:



Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are an early signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.
Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim may suffer heat stroke. Signals of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale flushed or red skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.
Heat stroke: Also known as sunstroke, heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signals include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high—sometimes as high as 105 degrees.

General Care for Heat Emergencies:



Heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. If the person is fully awake and alert, give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not let him or her drink too quickly. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.
Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852


Noah celebrating his tenth birthday with a few catches on the water. Notice the glass minnow schools behind him in his trout picture.

July 23, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

With the weather bringing windy conditions around the Indian River this week, it was a little more challenging out on the water. I had the privilege of attending the DOA Outdoor Writers Festival again this year. Not only meeting old friends and making new ones at the get-together, I was able to get out fishing on the water. I fished with Josh Harvel, who guides around Southwest Florida. We found some trout and jacks willing to bite and Josh lost a big grouper on a DOA TerrorEyz around the turning basin in Fort Pierce. We ended up our adventure on a couple acres of pompano in the river. Both us and another nearby boat couldn't coax them into biting that day.

Later in the week after visiting family in Tampa, I ended up in Steinhatchee, Florida to meet up with a good friend to go check out the scalloping this year. Both families headed out on the flats and after a slow start to the day we found the motherload before we ended up our journey. In less than thirty minutes, we gathered about seven gallons of scallops that filled our ten gallon limit. It was a fantastic meal that night before heading back home from the journey. I am sure we will be back next year for another fun trip on the other coast.

Locally, trout are still biting around the grass flats in three to five feet of water. Live shrimp, DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits all will work on finding trout. There has been some big ones taken lately on DOA lures so get out fishing one day soon. Harbor Branch, Herman's Bay and Bear Point are all good spots to start. Snook fishing has been good around the jetties and bridges. DOA TerrorEyz continues to work well when using artificials for snook. Try around the docks when the wind permits. A DOA shrimp can stir up some good action around some of the docks south of Fort Pierce. Try the channel edges for snapper. The glass minnows continue to filter into the river. Look for action around the bait schools. Lots of fish will be feeding on them this time of year.

August Forecast:

Trout will continue to be a good fish to target. Bridges will become more active with snapper, sheephead and some black drum. Whiting will still be the target along the beaches. Snook fishing will keep improving around the bridges and jetties. Snook season will open September 1st. August is the time to check your fishing licenses. Even though the shoreline license is now free to Florida residents, you will still be required to buy a snook permit to possess a fish when the season opens. Tarpon will feed along the beaches and you can find some around Big and Little Mud as well. It might be hot in August, but the fishing will be just as hot. Have fun and get out fishing soon!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Scalloping in Steinhatchee this week!

July 16, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

It has been a wonderful summer so far. Warm temperatures, light winds and lots of fun out there fishing. This week was a special treat for both myself and my wife, Eva. We took the grandkids for an outing on the Indian River. Brody is two years old and Chloe is almost five now and they sure enjoy a day fishing with Grandpa and Grandma! I think we enjoy it more though....

Trout fishing has picked up and there are good areas to fish like the usual Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Bear Point areas. If you haven't noticed lately.....the shrimp have really shrunk at the bait shops. It's a normal thing this time of year, but hard to fish when they get that small. A good solution for all the live bait anglers is to get yourself a couple small fish traps and catch some of the bountiful pinfish and pigfish around the river. They make great trout bait and young kids certainly enjoy playing in the livewell with them... A DOA popping cork with a pigfish is hard for a hungry trout to resist. Just ask Chloe who caught two nice trout and lost a number of other ones this week. Using a DOA jig head and CAL jerk bait, you can also enjoy some good trout fishing on artificials on the flats. Fish around the many bait schools and you should find success out there.

The snapper bite has also been improving lately. Try around docks, structure, channel edges and bridges for some excellent table fare this time of year. Live or dead shrimp works great around a good snapper spot. There have been some tarpon showing up around the Fort Pierce Inlet and turning basin. Lots of bluefish and jacks have been around the inlet, too. The usual whiting have been along the beaches for surf anglers. Snook fishing around the jetties has remained good. Lots of fish have been around the docks south of Fort Pierce. You can find just about anything lurking under the docks. Try a TerrorEyz or DOA shrimp and work them slow under the docks.

We have been watching for the glass minnows to show up in strength around the inlet. They usually show up this time of year and bring a variety of fish into the inlet to feed on them. It's a great way to end up a day on the way back to the ramp or show the kids a great time. Things should be heating up around the turning basin soon.

We lost a good friend, mentor, educator and enthusiastic fisherman recently. Bob Bergen was a familiar face around Fort Pierce and will be remembered as a teacher, mentor and friend to the Teen Anglers of the Treasure Coast. We will miss his smiling face at the tournaments this fall. He loved fishing and spent lots of time working with the Teen Anglers in many capacities. He was a friend to me and we will all miss seeing him out on the flats in his Mitzi casting a fly.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Our Grandkids, Chloe and Brody, enjoying a day on the water with us.

July 9, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Warm summer days with a light breeze welcomed us this week out on the Indian River. While the afternoons are still hot, the mornings are comfortable if you get out early. We can expect similar weather throughout the rest of July. We had fun out there this week and found some fish to keep us busy. Lots of baitfish are moving around the river. Fish around the bait schools and you should find fish hanging nearby.

Chris, Tina, Christina and Garrett were back out for another fishing adventure. The trout bite was slower this week, but they caught some nice trout with quite a few were in the slot range. Garrett ended up with the biggest trout of the day. Little sister, Christina, caught a variety of fish, including a 22" gag grouper on the flats. It was a fun day out there. Joe, Regina, Dillon and Mattick also joined me this week to fish the river. Most of our trout were shorts, but we had some good fun around the docks. After getting broke off several times, Joe ended up with a 22" redfish for dinner.

Even though the trout bite has been somewhat slow, you can still find slot trout around the bait schools. Fish the bait! DOA Deadly Combos, live shrimp and CAL jerk baits are great ways to seek out the trout. Hit the docks when it gets hotter and you can find snook, redfish, sheephead and other species hanging around the deeper ones. Snapper can be found along channel edges, bridges and even on the flats. The glass minnows are coming in heavy now. Look for action to improve as they fill the river. Watch for the schools and fish the edges.

Bridges have been holding sheephead, snapper and some croakers. The beach has the usual whiting to savor on the grill. Catch and release snook fishing around the jetties, especially at night, has been productive. We have seen a few tarpon around the river, but not in any numbers. Schools of jacks are cruising the river and marauding the bait schools. Summer is always warm....but fun and exciting on the river.

Get out early....keep hydrated....use plenty of sunscreen and have some fun this July on the water!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

A few of this weeks action around the Indian River....

July 2, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

With all the heat in summer upon us, it's not been too bad out there if you get out early to beat the afternoon sun. This week has been one of those special weeks for me as I had two of my favorite young anglers back in town for vacation. Keith, Cai, Turner and Frank were back on vacation and we headed out to fish and have some fun out on the water. Most days provided us with just enough breeze to keep the worst of the suns heat away.

We found ourselves fishing both north and south of Fort Pierce, but had our best luck to the south on both sides of the river. The trout bite was fair this week and we had our best bite in four to five feet of water. After catching some nice trout earlier in the week, young Frank topped everyone with a big 24.5" gator trout using a live pigfish on a DOA popping cork. Not to be outdone, older brother, Turner, teamed up with his brother to catch some nice sheephead, a nice flounder and a 22" snook. We had lots of fun out there and some nice fish to add to the excitement of the day. It was a joy to see the kids out fishing hard and catching fish!

The docks along Indian River Drive have been productive lately. We finally had a calm enough day to enjoy the fishing down south of Fort Pierce. Bear Point remains active with lots of bait and the fish are there feeding. Harbor Branch also has lots of bait holding on those flats. Frank caught his big trout just off the edges of the flats. Find some deeper docks and you can find the fish. As the day heats up, look around the docks for some good fishing action. Try the power lines down by the power plant as the day warms up. Lots of fish will take up under the pilings this time of year.

The bridges have been quiet, but you can find snapper, sheephead and jacks around there. The jetties have held jacks and mackerel lately. Look for whiting to be in the surf. Snook fishing at night continues to be productive this time of year. It might be hot....but its a great time of year to fish!

Tip of the Week:

Just as you plan on what tackle, rods, reels and baits to take when you are fishing. This time of year it's just as important to remember to pack plenty of water, ice, sun lotion and sunglasses. Keeping hydrated and using lots of sun lotion can prevent lots of problems at the end of the day. Make sure everyone on your boat is using sun lotion several times during the day and drinking lots of liquids. Sunstroke or sunburn isn't the way anyone wants to end their day on the water. It's important and the right thing to do!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Frank and Turner Mullins on their fishing vacation on the Indian River this week. Frank caught a 24 1/2 inch trout to top off his week and Turner a 22" snook for his fishing adventure.

June 23, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

The hot weather has really warmed up the water temperatures lately. You can find 90+ degree water during the day on the flats and that certainly has slowed down the midday bite for us. We had some good starts to some of the mornings on the flats that slowed down as the sun came out. Getting out early is important this time of year.

Seth and Brian was out to a good morning bite. Brian caught the largest trout of the day while fishing the flats in three to four feet of water. Rich and his brother was out on another day that was on the slow side for us. We caught fish, but the bite was slower than normal that day. Keith, Cai, Turner and Frank was out on a fun day of fishing. Turner and Frank had lots of fun on the river while catching fish on the flats. Dennis and Tim found a mixed bag on a slow trout day. They ended up with trout, snapper, a nice redfish and a variety of other fish on the flats. We had a fun week in spite of the hot water temps.

Trout continue to be in three to five feet of water. If you can get by the millions of baitfish out there, you can catch some nice trout. Harbor Branch and Bear Point have been our best spots for trout. CAL jerk baits and live shrimp have worked best this week. Redfish can still be found around some of the docks along Indian River Drive both north and south of Fort Pierce. Snook fishing has been best at night around the bridges and jetties with live bait or diving plugs. The snapper have started to move into the river. We have caught a few nice size mangroves on the flats. You should be finding them along the channel edges soon. Bridges have been slow lately. Not many anglers there, but as the snapper bite picks up you will find it much busier. The surf has continued to hold whiting for beach anglers.

July Fishing Forecast:

Water temperatures will continue to be hotter than normal. One of the best bites will be snapper along the channel edges, docks and bridges of the river. Live or dead shrimp can get you a tasty meal. Look to the docks for redfish this month. DOA shrimp, live shrimp or CAL jerk baits are good around the docks. Fish for trout early on the flats. Try deep tidal cuts and drop offs with the warm water. CAL jerk baits, live shrimp and Deadly Combos are great for trout. The glass minnows should be showing up in strength around the river. Fish the bait pod edges for trout in the mornings. The activity around the turning basin should become active as the glass minnows enter the river with the tides. Lots of fish will be out there to feed on them. Have a fun and safe July this year!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Brian with an over-slot trout. Cai and Turner with her trout. Frank even caught a trout this week.

June 17, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Fishing along the Treasure Coast improved this week and the trout were on the flats for us. The weather continues to cooperate in the mornings before the heat and storms begin to brew up after noon. It's the typical summer pattern, but I love fishing this time of year. You can get out early and be back before it gets too hot out there.

Trout was our main bite this week. Rick, Mike and Tracy were out with me and they had lots of fun on the flats. Trout up to 20+ inches are being caught. Mike even lost one that was over 25". Live shrimp, Deadly Combos or CAL jerk baits continue to work well on trout. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Bear Point are all good starting points when targeting trout. The snook bite around the inlet has been good, especially at night. Live bait worked along the bottom has worked very well along with deep diving plugs on the incoming tide. You can find redfish hanging along the docks of Indian River Drive. Live bait, TerrorEyz or DOA shrimp can help find which docks to fish.

Bridges have been slow, but the snapper have been showing up along the channel edges and on the flats. It should be a good snapper season in the river this year. Whiting along the surf has been the best bite for beach anglers. Mackerel and jacks have been hanging around the inlet and turning basin. Hopefully, the bonito will show up again next month to keep rods bending there. It's gonna be a great summer. Get out early, stay hydrated and protected from the sun.....and have some fun!

Tip of the Week:

Father's Day weekend is another free fishing weekend for Florida. We have had several of the free weekends so far this year to get people out fishing and enjoying what Florida has to offer. July 1st will mark the end of the fees for the Shoreline License according to www.myfwc.com. Anglers will still need to get the license, but the fees are being eliminated. Shoreline license holders will still have to buy a snook permit to keep fish this fall when the season re-opens. Take the family out fishing soon!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Rick and Mike with a trout dinner. A few birds of Florida this week.

June 11, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Summer weather patterns continue to give us warm, sunny days and wonderful opportunities out on the water. Calm mornings provide access to the entire river and plenty of areas to fish each day. The bite was slower this week, but we did catch fish. Plan on getting out early to beat the summer heat this month. We were rewarded with a light breeze most days to take the edge off the hot weather.

Trout fishing has slowed down some this week. We did catch trout, but the slot size were more sparse in biting most days. Jay and Kelly caught trout on their outing to celebrate their high school graduation. Frank and Rich did catch some trout, but most were on the short side. Frank caught a nice redfish under one of the docks and Rich got burned by a big snook that took us for a quick ride. I ventured out later in the week to get away and was joined by my wife, Eva. On her last cast she caught and released a fat 25" trout on the flats. It was nice to spend some time on the river with her.

Look for trout to be around the deeper flats like Harbor Branch and off of Bear Point. Live shrimp on DOA popping corks will keep you busy with the shrimp. Try a DOA shrimp on the trout as well. CAL jerk baits will continue to get you some trout bites on the flats. Redfish can be found around some of the docks along Indian River Drive this time of year and there will also be snook sitting there, too. It's a great time to fish....just prepare for the hot weather.

Bridges have been slow and everyone is waiting on the snapper to move into the river. There are mackerel, jacks and bluefish around the inlet. You can still find whiting along the surf. Even with a slower bite, we had some fun out fishing this week.

Tip of the Week:

With the heat of summer upon us, make sure you have a plan for an emergency. Heat stroke and heat exhaustion is always a possibility when out on the water.
SIGNS:
Heat exhaustion:
Cool, moist, pale, or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.

Heat stroke:
Hot, red skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high-- as high as 105 degrees F. If the person was sweating from heavy work or exercise, skin may be wet; otherwise, it will feel dry.

TREATMENT:
Heat exhaustion:
Get the person out of the heat and into a cooler place. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. If the person is conscious, give cool water to drink. Make sure the person drinks slowly. Give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Let the victim rest in a comfortable position, and watch carefully for changes in his or her condition.

Heat stroke:
Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation. Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.

Check out the Red Cross web site for more information: www.redcross.org

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Jay & Kelly with her jack, Eva with her 25" trout and Frank with a redfish from the docks of Fort Pierce.

June 4, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

It looks like the summers of old this year....super weather in the mornings and those ever predictable afternoon rain storms that run through the Treasure Coast. It doesn't help the afternoon fishing...but we sure do need that rain. We were back on the water after the holiday weekend and found the water still holding up nicely with all the rain we have had lately. We found the fish out on the flats as usual this time of year. We can expect similar weather patterns for a while during June.

Bob Kling and daughter, Maggie, joined me for a day of fishing the flats. They caught trout and Maggie caught a couple nice sheephead that were feeding in the shallows. Jeff and Mark joined me later in the week and they also found trout on the flats. They added a redfish and flounder to the mix when fishing around some of the docks. Jeff caught a couple big bluefish at first light on the flats. It was a good week out on the water.

You can find the trout in two to four feet of water. We have been fishing around Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Bear Point for a few areas to start. Try a DOA CAL jerk bait in Arkansas Glow or a Deadly Combo for some good trout action. Redfish have been hanging around some of the docks along Indian River Drive. A DOA shrimp or live bait can find some success around the docks of the river. Look on some of the shallow flats on calm days for the reds to be feeding. Snook fishing around the inlet at night has been good using live croakers or greenies. You might also try around the lighted docks at night for some snook action.

Bridges have been somewhat slow lately. You can still find an assortment of fish hanging around there this time of year. Beaches are still holding whiting and the jetties have had Spanish mackerel, jacks and some bluefish around that area. It's a great time of year to be fishing.....just get out early and beat the storms!

June Forecast: Look for winds to continue to die off as summer gets a grip on the area. Snook and redfish will be snooping around the docks along Indian River Drive. Get out early to fish the docks with DOA shrimp, TerrorEyz or live baits. The baitfish will continue to fill the river. Glass minnows will begin showing up on the flats and that means that everything out there will be chasing them. Fish the edges of the bait schools for trout. I normally find lots of bait around Bear Point and Harbor Branch. A Deadly Combo is hard to resist this time of year. As the winds die down, you will be able to fish the entire river finally. Explore new areas or ones that you haven't fished in a while. Have a great June!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Bob with a nice trout and daughter, Maggie, with one of her sheephead. Jeff with a redfish caught around the Fort Pierce docks.

May 27, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

I know in the midst of the cold winter that the Treasure Coast endured that I couldn't wait for the heat of summer to get here. It's here and I am one person that is happy to have summer weather back in the area again. Plan your fishing adventures right to get the best out of the fishing and beat the worst of the heat each day. I get out early and back before the hot afternoon sun sets in. It starts getting light around 6 am right now so you can get plenty of fishing time in before noon. Have some fun out there!

Trout fishing remained the best bite of the week for us. Al Rodriguez and his family came up to spend a day in Fort Pierce. Al, Laura and the kids, Alexandra and AJ, had a fun day out on the Indian River and found a variety of species eating that day. They found trout up to 22" on the flats. AJ even added a nice sheephead for a dinner treat for the family. It was an enjoyable day on the water.

If you are looking for trout, try Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Round Island up north of Fort Pierce. Heading south, you can try around the west shore near the power lines. DOA Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and live shrimp will get you in on some of the great fishing action out on the river. Redfish are holding shallow in the middle of the day. DOA shrimp or CAL grub tails are good artificials when fishing shallow for redfish. I have been using the new Arkansas Glow shrimp and having good results. Snook fishing around the inlet and bridges will get better as the moon gets full. There are also lots of big snook hanging around the docks on the west shore. It's a great time of year to be fishing!

Bridges have been slow lately, but there have been reports of margates being caught along with sheephead. Jetties have held jacks and mackerel for anglers using spoons. Whiting is still consistent along the surf. The tarpon are showing up along the beach now. This should be a great summer of fishing around the Treasure Coast!

Tip of the Week:

Memorial Day is the first holiday of summer and that means lots more boat traffic out on the waterways. Safety should be every boat operators first priority during this and any holiday weekend. With added traffic that means more congested areas for boaters to maneuver. Slow down and don't be in a hurry! Holidays are when I wish that everyone would take a safe boating course. Don't rely that the boat coming towards you knows what it is doing......many have no idea about Rules of the Road or Navigational Aids....etc. You are responsible for yourself and your passengers when operating a boat. Remember that alcohol will be more apt to be involved in lots more boats on holiday weekends and safe boating can make sure your boat is not a statistic or accident. I hope that everyone has a FUN and SAFE holiday weekend!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

AJ with a nice sheephead from the flats and dad, AL, with one of his trout caught on their fishing adventure with the family.

May 21, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Wonderful weather was in store for anglers this week on the Treasure Coast. Some windy days, but great fishing weather out on the Indian River. It might be hot out there, but I love fishing this time of year. Get out early and beat the heat or an evening trip can make for a great fishing experience. Just remember to drink lots of fluids and keep the suntan lotion on. Have some fun out there soon!

We found trout willing to bite up north of Fort Pierce this week. We tried a number of areas and found trout on each flat. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Round Island to the north and around the docks to the south of Fort Pierce were all active with bait and the trout were out there feeding. Tom and Jim were out with me and they did well on trout with a few nice keepers. Both DOA Jerk Baits and Deadly Combos resulted in some good catches. Wayne, Grace and Ben found trout on another day on the river. Ben caught several nice trout up to 22 inches. We have been drifting the flats until we get a bite and that area for a while. Try fishing the shallows early and move to three to five feet later in the mornings to continue the bite.

We found some redfish in small schools also this week on the flats. They were in one to two feet of water in the middle of the day. Keeping quiet and moving slowly can help out in finding some redfish that are willing to bite. Tom and Jim caught three and missed a couple others while fishing a DOA shrimp slowly along the flats. Tom even caught one while sight casting to one on the flats. The docks along Indian River Drive will hold redfish most of the summer.

Lot of baitfish have entered the river and you will find some of the flats are teaming with fish. Bear Point has been loaded with bait on the days we have fished around there. Anywhere we have fished around the docks lately has also been full of baitfish on the flats. It's gonna be a great summer! Look for whiting along the beaches and some mackerel and jacks to be around the jetties. You should be able to find some tarpon around the jetties and off the beaches now as well. Have some fun and get out fishing soon.

Tip of the Week:

As summer begins to bake the days along the Treasure Coast. Make sure you use plenty of suntan lotion while out in the sun. The sun reflecting on the water will intensify the rays and you can get burned quickly out there. There are lots of brands and types, but get one that is waterproof and I recommend a higher SPF rating around a number 30 at least. It's better to re-apply during the day to make sure it keeps working. A couple minutes putting some lotions on can certainly reduce the risks of skin cancer and certainly keep you from one of those painful sunburns. Keep some in your tackle box or in the boat throughout the summer!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Tom and Jim with a couple of their redfish. Ben with one of his trout caught on the Indian River this week.

May 14, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

After taking a few days off to enjoy a short cruise with the wife, kids and grandkids, I was back on the water this week to fish the Indian River once again. Windy weather seemed to be the norm during the time we were away and it was no different back on the water. It has been fishable and the fish cooperated for us as well. The winds will be the norm for a few more days, but summer is fast approaching. It is a great time of year to fish!

Steve Hughes and his fishing buddy, Ken, were down this way to do some trout fishing. We tried a couple spots before we found some trout willing to eat both live bait and artificials. Using DOA CAL 4" jerk baits, MirrOLures Mirrodines and DOA Deadly Combos, the guys limited out on nice trout with two above the 20" slot. In spite of windy conditions, the trout were on the flats. We caught trout around Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Round Island where we could manage the choppy waters.

Trout continue to be the best bite with some redfish around the flats as well. We did lose one nice redfish on the flats. You will find some schools around the river in May and it will continue throughout the summer. Docks, when fishable, will be very productive the rest of the month. Snook fishing will be best at night around docks, jetties and bridges. Whiting will remain the steady bite along the beaches this month. It's been a good week on the water!

Tip of the Week:

As summer is fast approaching, it's wise to stock up on sun lotions and water each time you head out on the water. The summer sun can be brutal as the winds die down and being prepared for it can keep you cool and safe from the heat. Drink lots of fluids and make sure you periodically layer on the sun lotion. A few minutes can keep you from an ugly sunburn. Take a hat and sunglasses as well to keep yourself safe and cool in the hot weather ahead.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852


Steve and Ken with a limit of trout on the Indian River this week.

May 7, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Summer weather patterns have arrived on the Treasure Coast. Great mornings rewarded us with some fantastic fishing opportunities around the Indian River. It was a short spring, but who can complain after the winter we endured. I will certainly take the heat over the cold....anyday!

I was out helping out for the Teen Angler championship tournament the past Sunday. We always have a great time and the kids make it a worthwhile volunteering cause. I had Ariel Vance on my boat and was impressed with how his fishing skills have improved since his first trip I had with him. Fishing was tougher on most species, but Ariel caught two trout to give him second place in the tournament. Congrats Ariel and to all the Teen Anglers this year!

I managed a couple hours of scouting the river later this week and was joined by Gary, Steve and Sarah for an afternoon of fun fishing on the grass flats. They found a variety of fish biting including a few very nice trout for dinner. I found snook and redfish hanging around the docks south of Fort Pierce. On the grass flats, find the bait schools and the trout will be nearby. On the docks, I used a DOA shrimp in the new Arkansas Glow color. It's a great color. Both redfish, trout and snook will devour it. We used the Deadly Combo and live shrimp on the flats for mid-day trout fishing and had good success out there. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and the west shore south of Fort Pierce have all been good for trout. Mark Amorello reported having good success with a MirroDine around some of the Fort Pierce docks this week. Bernie emailed me a report of catching an early morning slam at Harbor Branch on top water lures recently. It's been great fishing weather out there!

Bridge fishing has been slower lately, but you can still catch sheephead and a few bluefish on the catwalks. Mackerel are around the river and inlet area and the big jacks are cruising all over the river now. What might look like a school of mullet could very well be some 6-8 pound jacks or larger. Might not be a good fish to eat, but they will sure give a great battle on light tackle. There is bait all around the river now and if you fish the bait school, you can find the predators hanging nearby. I always love fishing in May on the Treasure Coast.

Tip of the Week:

If you haven't noticed lately, there are lots of new signs being placed all over the river marking the slow, idle and manatee zones. There are not any new zones around the area, but the old ones are being marked well. It might be fair warning to obey all signs when traveling around the river. They aren't being placed for no reason and you can expect that enforcement will happen. Ignorance is generally not an acceptable reason for not complying with regulations. Be safe and have a great summer out on the water!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Some of this weeks action on the river:

April 30, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Fantastic spring weather rewarded us with great days to fish and lots of action around the river. Both inshore and offshore fishing has improved with the good fishing conditions and it promises to be a wonderful spring around the Treasure Coast. April has lived up to its reputation of a windy month, but became milder as the days wore on. May is always a month of calmer winds and great fishing opportunities.

Trout fishing remains steadfast as the best action around the river. DOA Deadly Combos, live shrimp, CAL jerk baits and top water lures are all working great on the trout around the river. Fishing in two to four feet of water around Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Round Island have all been very productive for trout action. Wayne Keever, Mario and Kathleen had a fun day catching trout on the flats. I finally managed a morning to check out some flats and found the trout and redfish to be cooperating very nicely. Most of the reds are on the lower scale of the slot, but they will be the big boys of summer very soon. CAL jerk baits and grub tails worked good on the reds for me this week. I was also rewarded with a top water redfish as well. Sandy flats or around the docks of Fort Pierce will be good areas to look for reds in May.

Snook fishing has been good around the jetties and bridges lately. You will still find bluefish, mackerel and jacks patrolling the jetties. The big jacks are filtering into the river and you should be able to find some drag squealing action around some of the deeper docks. The baitfish are beginning to fill the flats and that means lots of big trout will be there to feed on the many bait schools. It's a great time of year to get out at first light with a top water lures to get in on some great action. Beaches are still producing whiting, jacks and some pompano. The bridges have been good for mostly sheephead this week. May will provide us with some great fishing!

Forecast:

Winds will continue to ease up around the area and early mornings will give you some great top water action around the river. Find the bait schools and fish around them to look for big trout. Redfish will become much more active as the water continues to heat up. You can find reds on the flats throughout the day during May. Snook will be feeding around docks and bait schools on the flats this month. May is always exciting on the river and with the past winter, the fish are ready to fatten themselves up on the baitfish. Plan on getting out this month and have lots of fun!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852


A couple of this weeks catch...

April 23, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

The winds slowed down this week and allowed us to fish many areas around the river. Warm, sunny days around the Treasure Coast have melted away the memories of the cold weather we had not so long ago. The bite was a little slower this week, but we still caught fish around the river. It's wonderful to see those nice spring days out there!

Trout continued to be our best catch of the week. We have fished many of the usual grass flats from Round Island down to Middle Cove. Richard and Jacob were out earlier in the week. Mark Orr joined me on another day. Dan and Jack joined me the latter part of the week. We fished both north and south of Fort Pierce and was able to find trout on most of the flats along with the usual jacks. Try the DOA Deadly Combo or live shrimp when drifting for trout. We enjoyed good weather all week! It was a nice week to be on the water.

While trout will be the best bite for now, the redfish will become more active on the flats as May approaches. DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz around the docks can find you some action. The sheephead have thinned out around the structure, but you can still find some around the river. It's the time of year that I enjoy fishing docks. As the winds begin to slow down, you can spend the mornings with top water lures before the sun gets hot and can find a variety of fish hanging under the docks. The big jacks are coming into the river now and lots of baitfish can be found around the area as well.

The bridges and inlet has held Spanish mackerel, some bluefish, jacks and a few black drum. The pompano bite has been down towards the Stuart area lately if you are looking to surf fish. You can find whiting along the beaches for some great table fare. The weather will continue to improve and so will the fishing!

Tip of the Week:
The manatee zone in the Fort Pierce inlet will be shifted to summer rules on May 1. That allows boaters to use the ICW channel at 30 mph during the summer months. Keep it safe as all inlets have lots of boat traffic, especially on weekends. Just because you can go fast through an inlet, doesn't always make it safe for everyone. Fun and relaxation is usually number one on most anglers list for heading off on the water. Observe boating regulations and, above all, be aware of boaters around you. Let's all have a fun, relaxing and SAFE summer on the Treasure Coast!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Jacob with a nice trout and Jack with a couple of his fish from the Indian River flats...

April 16, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

While April winds continue to blow along the Treasure Coast, the fishing has been great out there on the river. Lots of trout action on the flats have kept our anglers busy with some nice size fish. Most days we were fortunate to have the winds lay down early and give us a good window to fish before the afternoon blow began. It was a lot of fun out there on the river this week!

Dave and Cody Howard joined me and they caught a number of nice trout on the flats. Marcos Flores and his fishing buddy also found nice trout on the flats. Al Conklin was celebrated his 94th birthday with son, Al, and son-in-law, Ed, and show the guys how to catch fish. Al caught nice trout and sheephead on the flats and had a wonderful birthday fishing adventure.

Trout has and will remain a mainstay on the flats. Top water works early and DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits work great once the sun comes up. Live shrimp also will get you plenty of action on the flats. Redfish were a little quiet for us this week. With the east winds, it was difficult to fish the docks along the river. We concentrated on the east shore on some of the better trout flats. Queen's Cove, Round Island and Bear Point gave us some good size trout in two to four feet of water. We found some nice sheephead holding in some of the deeper holes on the flats. You can also expect to find plenty of jacks and ladyfish out there as well.

There are still some pompano and whiting being taken along the surf. Most of the pompano seemed to be down towards Stuart lately. Bridges were slower, but there are still sheephead, snapper and jacks hanging around there. The jetties have been holding snook around the rocks and deep trolled lures can get you some good strikes along there. Some mackerel will be hanging around the mouth of the inlet, too.

Forecast:

The winds will normally begin to slow down towards the end of April. Early morning will be fantastic top water action on the flats. Try a Deadly Combo around Queen's Cove or Harbor Branch for some good trout activity. Watch for redfish schools to become more active in the shallows as May gets closer. Fishing docks will be very productive most of the day for a number of species. Look for drop-offs as the sun rises in the sky for some big trout. Don't forget the deeper mangroves on a hot, sunny day. The fish are happy to see some warmer water temperatures and are hungry. As the river fills with baitfish, you can bet that May will be an exciting month to fish the Indian River!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852



Cody Howard with one of several trout and Carlos Flores with a nice top water trout this week.

April 8, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Spring is definitely here on the Treasure Coast and both air and water temperatures continue to warm up the area. We enjoyed a variety of fishing and lots of success around the Indian River this week. Next week should again provide us with some good action all around the area. We will still have those windy afternoons, but mornings will begin a little more calmer than we experienced in March. Get out early for your best fishing opportunities.

We fished north of Fort Pierce most of the week and will most likely be there for another week or so. The slimy seagrass to the south of the area has made it difficult to fish both artificials and live bait. It has been thick from Bear Point and south of there. I gave up trying to fish to the south for now until the seagrass has thinned out that direction. The water north of Fort Pierce has provided much cleaner water to fish and the fish have been biting up that direction.

Trout fishing has been our best bite lately. Fishing DOA Deadly Combos and live shrimp most of the week has given us some nice catches. The slot fish have been fat and sassy and a few over the slot as well. You can expect plenty of big trout around the river this month and action will continue to get better as the month wears on. Round Island, Queen's Cove and Harbor Branch have all been good flats for us lately. Fish in three to five feet of water and you should be able to find some good fishing. We have been drifting around the flats until we find our bite and then anchor up and fish those areas. Sometimes patience will pay off quite nicely!

I had a number of new clients and also some old friends back on the boat this week. Greg and Lori Mihilak, Josh and Kyle Lukat with friend, Luke, and Ken, Mark and Steven McIntosh were all back to enjoy the river and the fishing. Ray Patalano and Glen Parath were out with me for a fishing adventure around the river. We enjoyed everything from trout and redfish to jacks, snapper and mackerel. Redfish were in shallow on the flats and we caught our fish on DOA shrimp this week. There is a good variety of fish out there to keep you busy.

Forecast:

While windy conditions will continue the rest of the month. Early mornings will provide the best and maybe the calmest time of the day. It will give you an opportunity for top water action and fishing areas that will become wind blown later in the mornings. Choose the bottoms that the fish you are going to target will most likely be feeding on. Large grassy flats with scattered sandy holes are ideal for trout fishing. Flats with more sandy areas than grass are usually good redfish areas. Set up and drift the flats until you find lots of bait activity or catch fish. Then you can always anchor up and fish those areas. We set up drifts using the tides and winds to our advantage and give us the largest areas to fish. The rest of April promises to be great trout fishing days and some good redfish days as well. Get out fishing this month!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Josh Lukat with one of his trout and Donald Buckingham with a nice redfish.

March 26, 2010

INSHORE REPORT:

Looks like Spring is gonna stay around this time. After one long, cold winter, we are finally enjoying nice weather. We will still have those windy days, but at least they will be much warmer now. We have had lots of fun out there fishing in spite of dealing with the winds. It's been a good week on the water.

Keith, Cai, Turner and Frank finished off their visit on Sunday. The boys ended up catching 200 bluefish, jacks, sheephead and other species during their annual fishing adventure on the Indian River. It was fun watching them reel in fish after fish. Henry Buzy and his group joined me for another day of exciting fishing around the river. Manny Rivera and Ken finished off the week with another fun day fishing around the Indian River. Lots of sunshine made it even more enjoyable.

The docks around the river have been the most productive areas along with the inlet and turning basin. Lots and lots of jacks are just about everywhere you happen to go. You would swear those fish are following your boat around the river. Sheephead continue to hang under the docks and structure. Live shrimp has worked well on those toothy critters. We are still getting some nice sized ones to bend the rods. Bluefish and mackerel are heavy around the turning basin and inlet. Silver spoons, live shrimp or DOA grub tails can get you lots of action. The trout bite has been improving on the grass flats. It will continue to get better as the water warms up. Fish two to five feet of water with a Deadly Combo, CAL jerk bait or live shrimp to get the trout action going. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island are always good spots to check out.

Redfish action will continue to get better on the flats. There have been lots of them around the river this year already and Spring should bring a good bite. Try around the docks and flats to the south of Fort Pierce using a CAL jerk bait or TerrorEyz. The snook bite should also begin to pick up with the warmer water. Handle them carefully and release them unharmed. Bridges have held sheephead, bluefish, sand perch and black drum. The beaches have been producing whiting,bluefish, pompano and some weakfish for the surf anglers. The fish have been cold for a long time and they are getting hungry now. It should be a great Spring around the Treasure Coast.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

March 21, 2010

In spite of many windy days lately, we have had lots of success out on the Indian River. Most of our fishing has been restricted due to the conditions, but we have found lots of fish out there to keep the rods bending. It's been fun, but also a challenge to get to some of our fishing areas. It should be a great Spring....if winter ever eases out of the Treasure Coast!

Chris Elmore and his party joined us for a day of fishing docks for sheephead, jacks and lots of other species. Rani Christie and his son found lots of action on a windy day out there. Bob, Mark and Tony were back again this year to catch lots of fish around the river. Keith Mullins and sons, Frank & Turner, were back again to give the boys a day full of great fishing in spite of the winds howling. It has been a fun, but blustery week!

Fishing docks will give you lots of sheephead, jacks, bluefish and maybe even some redfish. With a strong westerly wind lately, it give you a great opportunity to get to some of the docks south of Fort Pierce and enjoy some great fishing. Everyone this week enjoyed what the docks around the river have to offer. Live shrimp is always a mainstay around docks, but DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz will also get you in on some of the action. The jetties and turning basin have been loaded with bluefish, jacks and mackerel. Shiny lures or live shrimp will keep you busy. The redfish are shallow on the flats and will eat one day and turn their noses up the next. Frank Mullins caught his redfish around the docks.

The surf has been yielding pompano, whiting, jacks and blues on shrimp and sand fleas. The bridges are still producing sand perch, black drum, sheephead and blues. Live or dead shrimp is the bait of choice there. The trout bite has picked up for those who could get to the grass flats. DOA Deadly Combos are always a number one choice for trout. One of these days the winds will slow down and we will have a fantastic spring to fish the river.

Tip of the Week:

Keep your rain gear handy on these windy days on the water. The water spray can get you soaked if you are not prepared for it. I keep extra ponchos to keep customers and equipment dry when you are up against the winds. Don't forget to keep those phones and cameras in dry storage when running. Saltwater and electronics just don't have a good relationship!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

March 12, 2010

Hopefully winter has left us and spring has decided to move into the Treasure Coast. Milder weather has put us back into a somewhat normal spring transition period. It's been one long cold season. The water temperatures will begin to warm up and so will the fish. It's a wonderful time of year!

We were able to dodge the winds and rains this week and get out on the good days. Richard Cosman and Aaron Swain were out with their parties and we found the fish very cooperative. Fishing docks has been very productive for a variety of fish including sheephead, jacks, bluefish and pompano. Redfish are shallow and feeding on the outgoing tides. We have found many hanging around the mangroves and willing to eat a live shrimp or DOA CAL grub tail. The trout bite is starting to pick up now that the weather has broke and the water will begin to warm up. Fish in 3-6 feet of water and expect them to move shallow as the sun rises each day. DOA jerk baits or Deadly Combos will work on the trout around the grass flats.

Bridges are holding sheephead, bluefish, sand perch and some black drum. Live or dead shrimp is always the bait of choice around the catwalks. The inlet has been filled with bluefish and mackerel. Of course, the jacks are everywhere right now. The next few weeks should provide lots of fishing action. The fish will become more active as the temperatures rise. It's an exciting time on the Indian River!

Tip of the Week:

I love springtime fishing. Top water lures come into play on mornings that the wind lays down. Fish will come shallow to feed and are more willing to strike. Once the sun comes up, I switch to jerk baits or shallow running hard baits. Continue to work the lures slowly as the water temps are still on the cool side. The water is very clear most days now. I like to fish the sand holes along the flats. Fish are traditionally lazy and will sit in the deeper holes waiting for the tides to wash their food to them. Casting beyond the sand holes and working your lures across them can be very productive right now. Have lots of fun this spring!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

March 5, 2010

This ol' boy is sure tired of all the cold and windy weather this winter. I would love to enjoy a few days in the 80's! We have managed a few days out on the water this week. The rest of the week has been blown out and cold. Mother Nature just doesn't want to let Spring arrive on the Treasure Coast. Fishing has been great in spite of all these conditions.

Dennis McNeer and son, Garth, were out with me on a very windy day. The guys caught loads of sheephead and jacks from under the docks. It was just too windy to try anywhere else that day. Paul Hannum and 7 year old son, Jack, were out with me on one of the few beautiful days lately. Jack enjoyed his birthday present and caught more fish than he could keep count of. After lots of jacks and sheephead, we headed up on the flats to look for a few redfish. We were rewarded with a school of about 25 - 30 redfish. Jacks first cast ended up with his very first redfish....a fat 28" beauty. He caught three more in short order while dad caught one as well. It was a great week of fishing!

Trout are still hitting DOA CAL jerk baits and shad tails. You can also get them to his slow sinking hard baits. Redfish are a little nervous in the shallows, but if you keep a stealthy mode and keep your distance you can find some great action in a couple feet of water. DOA shrimp and CAL grub tails work great this time of year. Live shrimp around the docks can keep the jacks and sheephead hitting for hours. The river is still loaded with them right now.

Bridges have been steady with sheephead and a few black drum. The bluefish are all over the river, especially in the inlet areas. Shiny lures can get them hungry. Tackle shops are selling out of silver spoons this time of year. Mackerel are around the jetties and along the beach. Pompano are scattered in the river and along the surf. It a fantastic time of year in the river as long as the winds allow you to get to some of the hot spots. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island have all been good along with the many docks around the river. We should have a nice weekend to get out fishing.

Tip of the Week:

Don't forget to use plenty of sunscreen this time of year. Not only can the sun give you a good burn, but the winds can add to the problem. It takes just a minute or two to protect yourself from the suns rays. Lots and lots of brands out there, but get one that is waterproof and a good SPF rating. A little TLC can save yourself from skin problems down the road. Keep safe out there!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Seven year old Jack Hannum with two of his four redfish this week on the Indian River.

February 25, 2010

Another week flies by.....another week closer to Spring weather! We did manage some very nice days on the water between those windy ones. The fish continue to bite this week on the Treasure Coast. Weekly weather fronts will challenge you some days, but will offer a few days each week to enjoy the water. Plan your trips to cope with mother nature.

Sheephead, pompano, redfish and jacks were the main catches this week for our adventures. Frank Miller was back this year with a couple friend from up north. They caught lots of sheephead, a dozen pompano, too many jacks and seven redfish to finish out their day on the water. Bob caught most of the pompano on a bare DOA jig head. Pat Garrett was out with his sons, Noah and Eli, and the boys caught a boatload of jacks and sheephead. We headed up on the flats and Noah landed his first redfish. I managed to get out a few hours later in the week and found the trout bite had picked up. Some nice trout in the upper slot range are hitting DOA CAL jerk baits. I found the rootbeer colors to work best on the hungry trout.

Bluefish and mackerel are still around the inlet and turning basin in Fort Pierce. Shiny lures have worked best for the toothy critters. Jacks are everywhere! No matter where we fished this week....you caught jacks. Bridges continue to produce sheephead, bluefish and a few macks. Live or dead shrimp works great on the sheephead. Most of the surf anglers are catching whiting, bluefish, jacks and a few pompano mixed in. It has been a good week on the water.

March Forecast:

As the next cold front moves across the area, you can expect the bite to pick up as the sun warms the water next week. Trout and redfish will continue to be active on the flats. You can find them on sunny days in one to three feet of water. I like CAL jerk baits on a 1/16th ounce jig head when fishing the flats. Move slowly and quietly to get close enough for casting. Docks will hold sheephead, redfish, jacks and small grouper. Try a DOA TerrorEyz or shrimp this time of year around the docks. Water temperatures will slowly begin to rise and you will find the fish becoming more active on the flats. Fish drop offs and the edges of the flats on the moving tides. Bluefish and mackerel will continue to feed around the inlet on the incoming tides. March is a great month to fish the Treasure Coast!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Action on the Indian River this week....

February 19, 2010

Wintertime on the Treasure Coast can bring lots of challenging days out on the water. Between cold temperatures and windy conditions, you certainly can be tested out there fishing. We found the normal weather patterns again this week. There are plenty of fish to catch out there no matter what Mother Nature does about it. We had lots of fun out there this week.

Mark Amorello called to report the trout were active earlier in the week as well as the redfish. He caught 14 big trout and four redfish while fishing the flats with DOA CAL jerk baits. The water cooled off by mid week and the bite slowed down again. As soon as we have a few warm, sunny days, you can expect the flats fishing to take off again. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island have all been good flats when the water temps are nearing 60 degrees or better.

The best bite on the river has remained the sheephead. They are thick around the bridges, docks and structure in the river. Live shrimp or dead shrimp usually works great on those toothy critters. Ron, Denny and Mitch joined me this week on a very windy, cool day. We found lots of sheephead willing to bite. There are quite a few areas that can keep your rods bending while avoiding some of the wind and cold. Don Joslyn took his grandsons, Tyler and Brennan, out fishing with me and the guys found lots of sheephead to keep them occupied. Tyler and Brennan had a fun day. Brennan caught the most, but Tyler caught the largest of the day.

Deeper water will continue to be productive in cold conditions. Fish move off the flats to get in warmer water. When you find those areas, you should be able to find the fish. Trout will move off the flats into deeper cuts and channels. Fish the edges of these areas. I keep a river anchor ready to drop at the first sign of a good bite along the flats. The fish can congregate in these warm pocket to feed. We have had great success this year using the DOA CAL jerk baits to find the trout. Remember to work any bait or lure very slowly along the bottom. Fish are more lethargic and you sometimes have to hit them on the head to get them to bite.

Tip of the Week:

Fishing the flats can be great this time of year when you catch the water temperatures warming up. The trout bite can be fantastic some days. It can be challenging to drift the flats. I keep a river anchor handy to drop as we drift the flats. You can stop and fish an area and easily pull anchor, drift a short distance and drop anchor again. It allows you fish an area thoroughly before moving on. I like to have several rods rigged with different lures when working an area. Sometime one works better than another. Once you find some fish, work that area well before drifting again. It a challenging, but fun time of year out there!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Indian River action this week!

February 12, 2010

Lots of windy days this week made it yet another challenge to get out fishing. Those who were able to brave the weather were rewarded with a good bite around the Indian River. It will remain windy most days this month, but you might catch one or two a week that will be a little on the calmer side. The fishing is great if you can stand the winds!

I spent the last weekend camping with some friends on one of the spoil islands of Fort Pierce. Even though it was way to windy to attempt fishing, we had a wonderful time just enjoying the outdoors. The wildlife and water is always good for the soul. As we made camp, I was disappointed with how some campers leave the areas on the islands. Trash and empty cans littered around the island made it clear how some people disrespect the privileges allowed us. We picked up lots of additional trash as we broke camp and headed home. It was a nice weekend anyway!

The trout and redfish bite continues to be the best opportunity around the river. Both north and south of Fort Pierce has been active with lots of trout activity and quite a few redfish being caught. Harbor Branch, Round Island and Bear Point have all been good areas to find feeding fish on the moving tides. The outgoing tide has been the most productive. Live shrimp and DOA CAL jerk baits work great on the trout. Redfish will take a DOA shrimp, free-lined live shrimp or CAL grub tail. I had a number of good reports on catches this week.

Turner, Frank and Keith Mullins were back in town this week and we found a very accommodating day to get out fishing. Turner and Frank ended up the day catching lots of jacks, some bluefish, a few trout and some sheephead for a fun day on the water. We fished both the flats and some of the docks around the area.

Bridges can still get you some sheephead, sand perch and a few black drum. Mackerel and bluefish are still hanging around the inlet this week. Bluefish can be found all over the river. The ladyfish are also making a comeback and are back to their usual antics on the deeper edges of the flats. It's been a good week!

Tip of the Week:

One of my usual tips centers around taking kids fishing. One of the most rewarding experiences is to watch kids catch fish. Their smiles alone make it worthwhile. While camping, my buddy's son spent hours exploring the island. Turner and Frank kept me busy reeling in their fish. Whether you take a kid fishing along the bank, on the beach on in a boat......it fun and exciting for everyone!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Action on the Indian River this week!

February 5, 2010

Other than quite windy, it has been pretty nice out lately. Weekly weather patterns have set in, so you have many windy days and one or two that are calmer. With another front closing in this weekend, it will be anther challenge to get out fishing.

We did manage to get out this week on one those calmer days. After having to cancel the week before, Paul Styspeck made it back from Orlando and we found a good day to get out on the water. As soon as we made it to the first spot, we didn't need to move for most of the morning. The trout were once again having a field day on the flats. About forty fish later, it was time to move on. Paul caught more trout than we could try to count. All were slot size or bigger. Most were in the 18 - 22 inch range. There were a few jacks and ladyfish mixed in, but the majority were nice, healthy trout. Shallow running Mirrolures worked good to begin the morning, but the DOA CAL jerk baits kept the reels busy most of the time. Our best fishing lately has been in two to four feet of water on the grass flats.

It was too windy on the flats for us to sight fish any redfish, but they are out there in the shallows. Live shrimp, DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits can find them when you can fish some of the better flats. Paul even caught a small snook. First one I have seen since the cold weather left us. It was nice to see one that made it! We should have a good spring this year with trout and redfish.

Bridges continue to give up sand perch, black drum and sheephead. Live or dead shrimp works best. Bluefish are around the river and inlet. Work a silver spoon or anything shiny around the inlet and jetties. The ladyfish and jacks are back to their usual antics on the flats. You will probably find quite a few around the river now. It has been nice to see the fishing continue to improve after the cold winter we have experienced so far.

I lost a fishing partner this week. Tom Hull was a cousin and good friend who frequently drove down to help me scout out fishing areas on the river. After a battle with cancer most of last year, he passed away quietly. I will miss a good fishing buddy.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852


Paul with a few of his many trout this week.

January 29, 2010

The river has come alive! From what looked like a wasteland not long ago to a river teaming with hungry fish. The trout and redfish bite has been outstanding this week along the Indian River. Milder conditions have allowed us to fish just about anywhere on the river and the fish are out there feeding. Hope you get a chance to get out soon.

Mark Amorello was out with me this week. We made it pretty much a DOA day on the water. After catching several trout on Mirrolures, we switched to CAL jerk baits and the trout seemed to be fighting on who would take it next. We caught 25 plus trout and only one was below slot size. Most were in the 18" to 22" range. We fished several spots on the east shore to the south of Fort Pierce and caught trout everywhere we stopped. Three to five feet of water was the best depth and DOA CAL jerk baits in dark colors had them eager to cooperate. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island will be some good areas to target trout. Adam from the Fishing Center has also reported lots of trout action while wading along the river. It's great to see the river alive and active!

We headed to some flats north of Fort Pierce and found quite a few redfish in the shallows. Mark hooked up on one that would be near the 30" range before losing it, but we managed three other hookups and got two to the boat. Reds will hit DOA shrimp, CAL grub tails or live shrimp. Move quietly and slowly along the shallow flats and watch for any activity that might be some redfish feeding along the grass flats. The Moorings, Bear Point and docks along the river are good areas to try.

Bridges are still producing sheephead, bluefish and black drum. The jetties still have some bluefish and mackerel, but the bite has slowed some recently. There are plenty of jacks and ladyfish cruising the river and crashing the bait schools. The surf has been holding whiting and pompano, but some days are too windy to fish lately. It's been a fantastic week out there.

Tip of the Week: Jerk Baits

Jerk baits are great lures to use during winter months. Trout are feeding and slowly popping them along the bottom will get their attention. I like to use either 1/16 oz or 1/8 oz jig heads when fishing them. It allows the lure to get to the bottom and the lighter weight lets it sinks slower and doesn't dig into the bottom. It takes a little practice to use a 1/16 oz jig on a windy day, but it works and catches fish. There are many colors, sizes and styles of jerk baits on the market. My prefererence is the DOA CAL series in the four inch sizes. The silver mullet and rootbeer are great colors to try. My most productive color is the Arkansas Glow. It is adaptable for both clear or cloudy water and produces fish for me. Work the lure slowly along the bottom. I seldom move it four or five inches as I give it a slow popping movement. Don't drag it, but use short, sharp pops and give it time to settle back on the bottom and sit a few seconds. Most bites occur as the lure sinks down or as it lays on the bottom. Trout have a distinctive bite and it sometimes is difficult to detect. If you haven't tried it yet....it's a good time of year to get out and give it a try.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Some of this weeks action.

January 22, 2010

Mild weather conditions are back on the Treasure Coast....finally! Warm days and comfortable evenings make it nice to enjoy the outdoors. We have the usual windy days, but that's just fine after what the area has been through this winter. Fishing has been improving each day and the water temperatures have steadily came up to a more normal level on the river.

Trout and redfish have been abundant this week. Herman's Bay, Round Island and Bear Point have all been productive areas. Live shrimp, DOA gold shrimp or CAL Jerk Baits have all worked on the flats. Docks and bridges have held some nice size sheephead and black drum. Live or dead shrimp usually gets these guys excited. Bluefish have been all over the inlet area. The jetties have erupted many days lately with feeding blues. Shiny lures or live shrimp keep them reeling around there. The pompano had been off Fort Pierce most of the week. Try the Boils if you head out the inlet. A lot of boats have been trolling the channels for grouper. Remember that grouper are closed until May 1 this year.

The surf has held whiting and some pompano around the Fort Pierce area. Lots of bluefish are along the beach as well. Cut bait or silver spoons will get the blues and shrimp or sand fleas will catch the rest out there. It is nice to see our weather and fishing on the upside for a change.

Tip of the Week:

Snook fishing will most likely be slow for a while. Do not forget that the season is closed until September 1st. Any snook that you might catch should be handled very carefully and released quickly. It is important for us to do our part to help the population to recover back to the levels we have enjoyed for so long. We can still catch and release....just do it wisely.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

January 15, 2010

The frigid cold from the past couple of weeks has finally left the Treasure Coast. In its wake, there are thousands of dead or cold stunned fish all over the river. We found lots of snook, snapper, lookdowns, ladyfish, tarpon, and many more species floating all around the area. It appears that the redfish, trout, black drum and sheephead were some of the few that survived the freezing water temperatures. It was a sad sight everywhere we went.

Steve and Kathleen joined me on Thursday for the first decent day to try and get out fishing. We found the best bite was around the inlet and turning basin. Lots of fish have congregated in the deeper water and they are hungry. Whiting, croakers, ladyfish and blue runners are abundant in those areas. Mackerel and bluefish are thick around the jetties. Live shrimp or shiny jigs were working for us. Steve ended up with a nice grouper from the seawall. Joe Vennarini joined me on Friday and we again found fish around the turning basin along with some sheephead and ladyfish around some of the docks. I did hear of a few trout being caught. Lots of sand perch are around the bridges, but many did not survive.

The water will slowly begin to warm back up and the bite should be fantastic very soon. The fish are cold right now and will be hungry as they get warmed back up to normal. If you do get out soon, look to the deep channels and cuts. Sea walls will be holding fish to try and get warm near them. Fish you lures and bait very slowly. The fish aren't as active and probably won't go far to chase a meal. Things will improve soon!

Tip of the Week:

It might be tempting to try and take some of the stunned fish home for dinner. I have heard of many people out doing just that. If the fish is in season, legal size and in your bag limits, it won't be a problem. Out of season fish, over/under size fish or over the limit will get you in lots of trouble out there. We witnessed many anglers being checked the past few days, so don't take the chance....it could cost you dearly!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

A few of the fish found around the Treasure Coast.

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January 8, 2010

Br-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r.....The new year certainly started off cold! Freezing temperatures this past week have kept all but the brave anglers off the water. I thought that maybe they moved Florida and forgot to tell us. I hope that I won't be giving an ice fishing report next week... I will be glad to see August..... Most anglers are heading out later in the morning. That is a fantastic idea in these conditions. We did manage to get out a couple days just before the worst of the cold arrived along the Treasure Coast.

Keith, Cai, Turner and Frank were out with me again. Even with the winds, we caught fish and the boys each had fun with bluefish and ladyfish. Larry Shaw braved cold weather and winds to find a great black drum and sheephead bite going off. He caught fish after fish while trying to keep our hands from freezing. Lots of big sheephead are all over the river, especially around the docks of the river. Some trout were being taken on the flats as trout season officially opened on the 1st. The cold water will hamper the bite somewhat for now. Fish deeper water for your best chances. The snook bite has also slowed down. I heard several reports of large numbers of fish dying around the area and it most likely will get worse as the cold weather continues into the weekend. It's gonna be a long winter this year.

Tip of the Week:

The water is colder than normal right now. I got reports of lots of temperatures in the 50's and even one in the 40's around the river. Fish deep cuts, channels and docks for best opportunities. Fish slowly, as fish will be lethargic and slow to feed. Don't expect the greatest bite this time of year. Fish are cold and more intent on warming than feeding. You might see lots of big fish in shallow water on sunny days. They usually are just sunning themselves. Fish for different species. Sheephead and black drum are usually active this time of year and it can produce lots of fish. I love to use a DOA TerrorEyz this time of year. Fish it slowly along the bottom or under the docks and you will have good results. Remember.....slowly!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing and Be Safe!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852


Cool weather fishing on the Treasure Coast.

January 31, 2009

Wow! Here it is....the end of another year and where did all the time go again. Seems to fly by each year. We had lots of fun out on the water in 2009 and want to take a second to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope the best for you in 2010. We made lots of new friends this year and renewed friendship with many more out on the water. It was a fun year!

Cool weather and windy conditions have made it difficult to fish, but the fish are there if you can get out. Look for warmer water for your best opportunities this time of year. I was out with Wayne, Mike and Justin. The water was cold, but we did find some fish around the inlet area where the water was warmer. Keith and his boys, Turner and Frank, were back down to visit. The boys had some fun around the docks and each caught their first redfish along with a variety of other fish. Tom, Pam and Sam were back out with me again this year. Pam and Sam caught the most fish and a variety of species. Sam caught his first and second snook this trip. Pam caught a huge sheephead that gave her quite a battle. It was a fun week on the water.

Most of the action has been around the inlet area. If you can find warmer water, the trout will be feeding in those areas. Docks have been very productive with large variety of fish hanging under them. Live shrimp worked best for us under the docks, but a DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz can work just as well. Mackerel, bluefish and jacks have been all over the inlet and turning basin. Shiny lures work best for those speedy critters. Bridges have been producing black drum, croakers and sheephead. Some large sheephead have been out there lately. Flounder have been around the inlet on sandy flats the past few weeks. Pompano are around the river, but the winds have kept anglers from getting out. The surf has been rough lately, but pomps and whiting await anglers there. A couple of sunny days will warm up the water a little and improve activity on the flats.

Tip of the Week:

Wintertime......time to fish deeper cuts and channel edges. Time to slow down those lures as fish get cold and lethargic. Time to change up fishing patterns and lures to find what will produce on any given day. Time to dress in layers to keep warm early and be comfortable throughout the day. Time to appreciate that hot coffee on those 40 degree mornings. Time to dig through the closet and find those long johns. Time to use the winds to your advantage on the flats. Time to fish the back side of islands. Time to pay attention to water temperatures. Time to enjoy living in Florida.....even if it is a little cold some days!

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing! Happy New Year!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

Frank and Turner Mullins with their first redfish. Pam Hargrove with a big sheephead and Sam Van Ornam with his first snook.

December 20, 2009





Typical winter weather patterns allowed for a few days to fish and the rest of the week was windy, wet and wild. Lots of rain the past couple of days have made it challenging for anglers to try and get out. Looks like the rain might end by Saturday, but we will just wait and see how it turns out. There will be lots of fresh water pouring into the river for the next several days. You can bet the water is pretty dirty for now as well.

Not too much to report this week on the river. Offshore, the sailfish bite has been good and some dolphin were also being taken out in the 150' range. Slow trolling ballyhoo was working for the boats that ventured offshore. The trout bite had been good south of Fort Pierce, but we will have to see what all this rain has done to the bite. Snook fishing has slowed down mostly due to less anglers heading out with the season being closed. Redfish are still hanging by docks south of Fort Pierce and should take a live shrimp or DOA shrimp. I did have several good reports of pompano along the beaches south of Fort Pierce. Live shrimp or Doc's Goofy Jigs are the favorite out there. They are constantly moving and if you happen to be there when they come by......look out! Bluefish have been in the surf, jetties and turning basin. The jacks, ladyfish and mackerel are around the inlet, too. Bright, shiny lures moving fast can get you lots of fun action this time of year. The bridges have been full of sand perch, croakers and black drum for the catwalk anglers. It has been a good week in spite of foul weather around the area.

Tip of the Week:

While most boaters and anglers check the local weather before venturing out.....there are still those that don't bother. It only takes a couple minutes to either turn on the TV or go online and check out weather sites to see what is in store for the area. You will find that most people check any number of different sites to try to get a better insight on the predictions. Nothing is ever written in stone, but you can get some idea on what the day might have ahead. Checking local radar is a great way to see weather patterns and direction of any coming rain clouds or systems. A couple minutes can make a big difference in planning for that day on the water.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Happy Holidays!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

December 11, 2009

Seems like just yesterday it was January 2009 and here today the year is almost finished. Days sure fly by anymore. It has been a good year with lots of action around the Treasure Coast. As the holidays arrive, I hope that everyone has a wonderful Holiday Season this year. Fishing around the river has remained good, even with the windy days of winter.

Snook fishing at night has held up well. Seems like the worse the weather, the better the bite. Anglers on the jetties, bridges and docks have done well with live bait, TerrorEyz, and Bait Busters. Feather jigs will also work well for the night bite. Don't forget that snook season ends Tuesday, December 15th. Trout season is already closed until January 1st, so you need to look at other species until then.

Spanish mackerel have been throughout the inlet, turning basin and south of the Fort Pierce bridges. The ladyfish, jacks, blue runners and bluefish have also been feeding among them and providing plenty of action for anglers. Shiny lures moved fast will keep you busy! Pompano are around the river, but the winds held up fishing for them most of the week. A few reports of pomps along the beach this week with whiting being the best catch in the surf. Redfish are still hanging around the docks of the river. Live shrimp, DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz will help you find them around the river. If the wind allows, the docks south of Fort Pierce are great wintertime fishing areas.

The bridges have still been active with sand perch, black drum and sheephead for those anglers. Live or dead shrimp will get you a tasty dinner treat. There are still flounder being taken around the sand in the inlet area. Wind and water temperature will factor into each day on the water and add to the many factors that affect the bite. It's fun to just be out there anyway! Have a great time out there.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

December 4, 2009

Weather was the deciding factor most of the week on whether anglers were fishing or just waiting for a nicer day to get on the water. Wind played a big part in that decision. Fishing has continued to be good even though the weather isn't as cooperative with anglers. The weekend should provide a little more favorable conditions.

Snook fishing around the inlet has been very good this week with the full moon and windy weather helping get them in the mood to eat. Nighttime anglers have done good with live bait, feather jigs and diving plugs around the jetties. Live bait fished on the bottom around the turning basin has also done well. Docks have still been holding redfish, sheephead and black drum around the river. Live shrimp, DOA TerrorEyz or shrimp have worked well in those areas. Trout fishing was a little more quiet on the flats. The water temperatures continue to drop and the fish have moved to a little deeper water. Water temperature will be a factor when fishing the river as it cools off.

Bluefish, mackerel, ladyfish and jacks are all around the inlet. Shiny lures work best, but live shrimp will also get you some action. From south of the bridges in Fort Pierce to the mouth of the inlet has been active with feeding fish. Bruce Greenop was out with me on Sunday and ended up his day with a big 5# Spanish for dinner. Bridges have been busy with a good sand perch bite for those anglers. Live or dead shrimp can catch you a mess of sand perch, black drum, sheephead and flounder. There have been some pompano caught along the surf. Mostly south of Fort Pierce for now. Shrimp or sand fleas are the baits of choice along the beach.

Tip of the Week:

Wintertime has arrived on the Treasure Coast. There are lots of days this time of year that the weather has a determining factor on fishing or not.... It's a great time of year to do those things to the boat or trailer to get ready for better weather ahead. Whether it be cleaning, fixing or organizing, it's a great time of year to take one of those foul weather days and give some attention to the boat, equipment or tackle. Once in a while I actually find out that there is a bottom in my tackle bag. Never can seem to find it most of the time! You will always find things that you were certain that it was lost. Spring isn't that far off, so spend a little time this winter getting things back in working order.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

http://www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!

December Fishing Forecast:

Here it is December already and the Holidays are almost upon us. Where has this year gone? I must say it has been a great year for fishing all along the Treasure Coast. Both inshore and offshore has provided anglers with many great fishing adventures. Hopefully, this winter will be milder and the fishing great for everyone.

December brings on the winter months and changes fishing tactics on the river. The water temperatures continue to fall and your fishing must adjust to the weather. We will get many days of breezy winds that will hinder getting to some favorite spots out there. That's one of the reasons I love fishing in this area....you can always find somewhere to fish! Not only does the cooler weather affect the fish, it also requires us to dig out the ol' winter fishing clothes. It can get pretty chilly some mornings!

Trout and snook will be targets throughout the winter. Although trout season will remain closed through December and snook season closes December 15th, lots of anglers will still play catch and release with them. Fishing around bridges, docks and inlets can bring great action with snook hanging around the deeper waters of the river. Using live bait,DOA Baitbusters & TerrorEyzand bomber lures can help you catch one worth a photo opportunity. Trout will tend to hang around the deeper cuts of the river. Move off to three to six feet of water for trout. Live shrimp on popping corks or DOA Deadly Combos will work the best for them. I love to work DOA CAL jerk baits this time of year on the flats. You can also find snook and redfish hanging around those areas, too.

Pompano have already arrived in the area and not only provide great fishing action, but fantastic table fare. Spanish mackerel will continue to hang out in their favorite haunts of the river. Fish the inlet, turning basin and channels for them.Jack Crevalle will be traveling around in packs chasing bait all over the river. Flounder should arrive soon and hang around the inlets, docks and sandy flats of the river. Ladyfish is a great way to spend a few hours with the kids on the water. The bridges will be holding sheephead, black drum, croakers and sand perch for those anglers. Live or dead shrimp is always the best bet from the catwalks.

Redfish will hold up around local docks during the winter months and a live shrimp or DOA Shrimp can entice them into striking. Don't forget about the deeper cuts along the mangroves for redfish and snook in December. Using stealth is essential when fishing the shallow waters for redfish. Amild winterwill have them feeding in the shallowsthis month.

Winter fishing is already here. Change your tactics with the weather and follow the water temperatures more closely to make your fishing more productive. The fishing on our Treasure Coast continues to improve each year. If we all do our share to protect our rivers, we can insure the future generations will enjoy the same experiences we have been blessed with.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner

www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

November 11, 2009

INSHORE:

Tough fishing conditions along the Treasure Coast had anglers scratching their heads and wondering when and where they might go fishing lately. Lots of wind each day made it a challenge to get out on the water. Offshore was pretty much out of the question and inshore wasn't much better. After canceling several days, we finally made the attempt on Sunday. It made for a very limited area to fish.

Will Whitehead and his friend, Ty Fisher, were back out with me on Sunday. They caught fish, but it was tough fishing in both the wind and waves that we endured. The water was pretty chopped up and will take several calm days to clean up the water conditions. The trout bite should continue to hold it's own, but don't forget that it's catch and release. I didn't hear much about snook fishing this week. The conditions were right for activity around the jetties at night, but few dared the adventure. The weekend is much more promising for fishing. Still some winds, but nothing like the past week out there.

Pompano fishing should improve with the cooling off , sand fleas, Doc's Goofy Jigs and DOA jerk baits will work well when fishing for pomps. Add that toof the water temperatures. They have been in the river and along the surf. Live shrimp your next trip out fishing. Some sand perch have been caught around the bridges and it should take off now as well. Live or dead shrimp are great off the catwalks. We should see some flounder around the jetties and bridges soon. As things get back to normal, the fishing should be good out there.

Tip of the Week:

Make sure you pack your rain gear as winter continues to work its way into the Treasure Coast. It might not rain, but those windy days can get you wet just as well on the water. Wear your rain gear when traveling around on the water to keep that cold spray from getting you soaked. We have many windy days throughout the wintertime and into spring. Planning on how to battle the winds and deal with the waves and sea spray can make an otherwise uncomfortable day into a much more enjoyable trip on the water. Have a safe and fun time out there!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

November 6, 2009

INSHORE:

I usually talk about windy weather in March, but here we are in November and we have windy conditions throughout the Treasure Coast and it appears to be here for several days. The fishing has been very good out there, but few anglers have been able to brave the choppy waters to give it a try. I managed a day out earlier in the week, but had to cancel the last couple of days with small craft advisories out.

The pompano bite has been good and I found some early in the week that were feeding under the ladyfish and jacks. They have been nice size in the 15 - 18 inch range. Live shrimp, sand fleas, DOA shrimp or Doc's Goofy Jigs can get you some action on a very tasty fish this time of year. There are also pomps along the beach when it is fishable. Snook fishing around the inlet has continued to be productive on the tide changes and at night. Live mullet, Bait Busters and feather jigs are all good choices for snook. If you are fishing around the spillways, try the Bait Busters or TerrorEyz for good results. Redfish reports were mostly north of Fort Pierce around the Moorings. It's a tough place to fish this week though. Trout season is closed, but the bite had been very good. Release the fish carefully and handle them as little as possible.

Bridges have held snapper, black drum and sheephead with a few reports of some sand perch moving into the inlet. The river is overrun with jacks and ladyfish and lots of fun for the kids and young at heart. I found lots of tarpon at first light around the turning basin earlier in the week. Live mullet will be your best bet at coaxing one into striking. Bluefish have been hanging around the mouth of the inlet along with big jacks, tarpon and snook. It's a great time of year to fish......just a little challenging this week.

Please take a moment and keep one of my good fishing buddies, who is also a cousin, in your thoughts. Tom Hull has accompanied me on many scouting trips to try out new lures, try new fishing areas and just help me enjoy a day on the water. He was diagnosed with cancer this summer and has been going through treatments since then. I haven't been able to get him out fishing since August and look forward to having a chance to take him out one day soon. He truly loves to fish and I miss him being on the water. Thanks for thinking of him!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Tom Hull on one of his recent fishing trips on the Indian River.

October 29, 2009

INSHORE:

Warm fall weather has been the norm lately along the Treasure Coast. Light winds have allowed anglers to enjoy the great fishing action around the Indian River. Lots of baitfish all over the river this time of year makes it a fantastic time to fish. There is some great action all over the area, so plan on a fishing adventure soon!

Trout fishing continues to be the best bite all along the river. Jim Kosko, son, Brennan, and his friend, Grey was out with me earlier in the week. The guys battled with some snook around the docks, losing several big fish. We headed north of Fort Pierce and fished the grass flats for trout. Lots of trout continue to feed around the bait schools in two to five feet of water. The trout were waiting on the guys and along with some snook, ladyfish and jacks, they had a busy morning of fishing the Indian River flats. Brennan and Grey had a great time catching fish. DOA Deadly Combos or live shrimp will keep you busy reeling during the fall months. Harbor Branch, Bear Point and Queen's Cove continue to yield good amounts of good size trout.

Snook fishing around the inlet has been good on the high end of the tides and at night. James Herta sent me an email and photo of his first slot snook (29"). He caught it on a Mirr-O-Lure along the Stuart Causeway. Lots of tarpon continue to feed the inlet at night. The bluefish are along the jetties and invading the river for their share of the spoils. Spanish mackerel are spreading around the river and the turning basin will soon provide some great action for anglers. Pompano are along the surf and lots of fish are being caught south of Fort Pierce on the deeper flats. Redfish are being caught around the docks in the river. Bridge anglers are eagerly awaiting that first sign of the sand perch bite. There is action all over the river, so get out fishing soon!

Tip of the Week:

Just a reminder that trout season is closed November and December each year. Everyone is always attuned to snook season, but many forget about the closing of trout season. Catch and release is very important to trout. A de-hooker can reduce handling the fish for a quick release. The season will re-open on January 1st. Vermilion snapper will also go out of season on November 1st in the Atlantic and re-open on April 1st. It is important to keep track of seasons and sizes of fish. Ignorance of the law is never an excuse to possess an illegal fish.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Action from this weeks fishing!

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October 29, 2009

INSHORE:

Warm fall weather has been the norm lately along the Treasure Coast. Light winds have allowed anglers to enjoy the great fishing action around the Indian River. Lots of baitfish all over the river this time of year makes it a fantastic time to fish. There is some great action all over the area, so plan on a fishing adventure soon!

Trout fishing continues to be the best bite all along the river. Jim Kosko, son, Brennan, and his friend, Grey was out with me earlier in the week. The guys battled with some snook around the docks, losing several big fish. We headed north of Fort Pierce and fished the grass flats for trout. Lots of trout continue to feed around the bait schools in two to five feet of water. The trout were waiting on the guys and along with some snook, ladyfish and jacks, they had a busy morning of fishing the Indian River flats. Brennan and Grey had a great time catching fish. DOA Deadly Combos or live shrimp will keep you busy reeling during the fall months. Harbor Branch, Bear Point and Queen's Cove continue to yield good amounts of good size trout.

Snook fishing around the inlet has been good on the high end of the tides and at night. Jmes Herta sent me an email and photo of his first slot snook (29"). He caught it on a Mirr-O-Lure along the Stuart Causeway. Lots of tarpon continue to feed the inlet at night. The bluefish are along the jetties and invading the river for their share of the spoils. Spanish mackerel are spreading around the river and the turning basin will soon provide some great action for anglers. Pompano are along the surf and lots of fish are being caught south of Fort Pierce on the deeper flats. Redfish are being caught around the docks in the river. Bridge anglers are eagerly awaiting that first sign of the sand perch bite. There is action all over the river, so get out fishing soon!

Tip of the Week:

Just a reminder that trout season is closed November and December each year. Everyone is always attuned to snook season, but many forget about the closing of trout season. Catch and release is very important to trout. A de-hooker can reduce handling the fish for a quick release. The season will re-open on January 1st. Vermilion snapper will also go out of season on November 1st in the Atlantic and re-open on April 1st. It is important to keep track of seasons and sizes of fish. Ignorance of the law is never an excuse to possess an illegal fish.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Action from this weeks fishing!

October 23, 2009

INSHORE:

As our first winter front blew into the area, reminders of things to come was sure in my mind. A cold front followed by windy days made it challenging for sure. We did manage to get out a few days later this week and skirted most of the wind to fish around the river. The weekend looks much more favorable, so plan to get out now that this front has finally calmed down.

The trout bite continues to be the best around the river. John, Tom and Jeff were out with me on Thursday and we found a great trout bite later in the morning. Lots of trout, a couple reds and a variety of other fish kept them busy once the bite took off. Larry, from West Palm, and Richard, from Oklahoma, were out with me today and after a couple of spots, the trout bite again turned on for us. Live shrimp, DOA Deadly Combos, and CAL jerk baits kept our reels busy on the trout flats. There are some big gators out there, too. Richard had three on that ended up getting the best of him. We did boat a number of good trout in the 18 - 22 inch class. Bear Point, Queen's Cove and Round Island are all good areas to get in on the trout action.

The inlet has been busy with mutton snapper. While most are undersize, many bigger fish have been taken. Not a lot of snook report with the windy conditions, but they are out there feeding, too. Pompano and Spanish mackerel have invaded the river. Captain Chris Nelson sent me a report of skipping just south of Fort Pierce. The deeper flats from the south bridge down to the power plant will be holding pompano. Spanish mackerel have been in the inlet and turning basin and also just south of Fort Pierce in the deeper flats. We hooked up on a nice Spanish on the Deadly Combo this week. It's a great time of year to fish!

Tip of the Week:

We are getting into that breezy time of year when most days will bring some kind of windy weather. Using the wind to your advantage can also help in your fishing. Drifting the flats can give you the opportunity to fish a larger area to find the fish bite. Both days this week, we would start near the lee side of the land and let the wind drift us across the flats. Each time we found that trout would be feeding in certain parts of the flats. With each drift, we would move a little north or south of the last one. Once the bite stops, move back again. You can fish big areas and once you find a good bite, it's easy to anchor in the productive areas. I seldom anchor up to fish. I have went to an area that had a good bite one day and nothing the next. By using a drift method, you will many times find that the fish are there, but just in another part of the flat that day. It works!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

October 16, 2009

INSHORE:

We have enjoyed lots of great fishing around the Treasure Coast this week. Maybe not a lot of big fish, but plenty of action to keep rods bending in all directions. Hoards of baitfish around the river has the fish gorging themselves on the easy meals. We have caught a variety of species and have lots of fun out there!

While trout have continued to bite well on the flats, the big news has been that the pompano have shown up in the river. Anglers have been waiting for the tasty fish to come back to the area for winter. Start looking in three to six feet of water along the edges of the flats and you can have some great dinner fare. Live shrimp, sand fleas or pompano jigs are the best options. Doc's Goofy Jigs are very popular this time of year and pink has been a favorite color.

There are some big fish around some of the docks to the south of Fort Pierce. Harper and Dave had one on for a short time before getting spooled by one of the big boys. We found snook around the docks while Mitch and Brianna were out with me. A DOA TerrorEyz will find the fish around the docks. Pat and Dalton Wells were down and I have never seen so much activity around the river as that day. As far as you could see in any direction, bait was being crashed by just about every species on the river. It was an amazing day for all of us. 13 year old, Dalton, caught fish till his arms were worn out. We ended the week by taking Grandma Eva and our two grandkids, Chloe and Brody out for an afternoon on the water. Four year old, Chloe, ended her day with two fish that kept her busy reeling.

Trout on the flats in two to five feet of water on both live shrimp and Deadly Combos are consistent from Round Island to the Power Plant. Redfish reports have been mostly to the north near Round Island and south towards Midway Road. Snook and tarpon around the jetties have provided good fishing at night on live bait or diving plugs. Snapper and black drum are still being caught around the bridges and channel edges. Ladyfish and jacks are just about anywhere you drop a line. It's been an exciting week for us on the river.

Tip of the Week:

As the pompano continue to migrate to our area, it's a great time of year to surf fish. Seems like anglers will be sitting around being bored on the beach until a school of pomps come cruising through and everyone hooks up at once. Get some sand fleas or shrimp and head down to the beach. These fish put up a good battle and are excellent tasting when broiled or grilled. They are simple to clean. I generally just cut off the head and remove the organs. This give you all the meat with no waste. When grilling I simply cut some slits in the skin and baste it with lemon, garlic and butter as it slowly grills. Get out there fishing soon and try some pompano!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

A fun day with the grandkids!









Enjoying the Indian River this week!

October 7, 2009

INSHORE:

It has been a lot of fun on the water this week. Action has been good, especially for the trout bite. Each time out there has produced lots of trout on the flats. We have fished both north and south of Fort Pierce with the same results. Deeper water on the edges of the flats has held lots of fish. Find the bait schools and you will find the fish hanging around there. It's been a good week!

Todd and Lauren were down again, They caught a lot of fish and lost a couple big ones, too. A good variety of fish were to be had from lookdowns to gag grouper. I was out with Pat and Dalton for a weekend of fishing. We caught trout and redfish among our catch. Most fish came along the edges of the flats in two to five feet of water. Live shrimp or DOA shrimp will get you plenty of action out there. CAL jerk baits have also been very productive on the flats. Docks are holding big jacks, redfish and snook. Top water early, followed by DOA TerrorEyz are great lures for dock action.

Snook fishing around the inlet has been good, with lots of tarpon action at night on the jetties. Some good reports of bigger snapper around the jetties as well lately. Bridges are holding black drum and snapper. The turning basin is still boiling with ladyfish, blue runners and jacks. It's a free-for-all on the high tide. Fishing has been great and will continue as the baitfish fill the river. Plan on getting out soon!

Tip of the Week:

Lots of hungry anglers are gearing up for pompano season. Some recent reports of pompano along the beaches this week will have many surf anglers out in search for the tasty fish. There are many lures, rigs and baits to use, but sand fleas have always been the favorite on the beach. As the water begins to cool off in fall, the pompano begin their journey along the surf. The river will be active with schools of pomps patrolling along the flat edges. Have a rod rigged and ready for them as you fish the river. You just never know when you might run upon a school. Pompano season isn't far off!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Some of this weeks action on the water.

October 1, 2009

INSHORE:

Mild weather has made fishing along the Treasure Coast a joy! Gone were the 90+ days for a while and cool breezes made for wonderful fishing weather. We have enjoyed some really good fishing on the river and client have caught a lot of fish this week.

Jeff and Jane Hearn joined me early in the week and they caught trout after trout, including one redfish and each a snook to their catch. John Dadak and Johanna Grauer was out with me later this week and we got into the trout again and larger trout as well. Johanna boated a big 22" gator trout, while John landed a 22 1/2" and 24" to add to the days catch. John lost a couple trout that would have topped his 24". They also caught a smorgasbord of fish including several snapper species and snook. It was a fun week on the water!

Try the DOA Deadly Combo, live shrimp or CAL jerk baits for good results on trout on the flats. Queen's Cove, Harbor Branch and the east shore south of Fort Pierce have all been productive this week. Snook fishing around the inlet has been good at night with live bait, TerrorEyz, top water or diving plugs. Lots of bait around the river has kept the predators busy feeding. We found acres of glass minnows in the turning basin and the ladyfish, bluerunners, mackerel and jacks were constantly crushing them. Some decent size tarpon are also around the inlet chasing bait.

Snapper and black drum continue to hang around the bridges and channel edges. A couple reports of the first pompano along the beaches this week will be welcome news to surf anglers. We encountered a number of sharks recently. When you reel in a half of a ladyfish and the head of a nice trout.......they are out there. It's been a fun and productive week on the water.

Tip of the Week:

Safe boating is a responsibility of each boater on the water. If you haven't done it, it is a great idea to take one soon. The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers safe boating courses throughout the year. Learn the basics of waterway signs, navigation, Federal and State regulations, adverse conditions, how to handle emergencies, and lots more. Anyone under the age of 22 must have a safe boating course in order to operate a vessel. Some insurance companies offer discounts for safe boating courses. Check with your local Coast Guard Auxiliary for the next course. Safe boating is everyone's responsibility!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Jeff and Jane with a couple snook. John and Johanna with a few big gator trout this week.

September 27, 2009

INSHORE:

East winds kept most boaters off the ocean this week. It didn't affect the river as much, but we have found the water on the dirty side both north and south of Fort Pierce. The fall equinox has bought higher tides to the area and made it possible to fish some usually shallow areas. It has made it harder to find the redfish for us lately. The fishing on the river has been very good for us.

Trout has been the mainstay on the river. Lots of trout are on the flats and fishing around the bait schools can give you lots of action. Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and live shrimp can all get you hooked up. Colors didn't seem to make as much difference as fishing the baits slowly along the bottom. We found a good number of snook feeding in the same areas. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and the east side of the river south of Fort Pierce have all been good areas. Rick and Glen were down over the weekend and we found the trout to be cooperative most of the day. Redfish were difficult to find in the deeper water.

The turning basin has been boiling some days with mackerel, ladyfish, jacks and blue runners. Small shiny lures can give you all the action you can handle with these fun fish. Snapper around the flats, channel edges and bridges have been providing good table fare to lots of hungry anglers. Snook around the inlet has been good at night with top water, diving plugs and live bait. The jetties have been pretty rough to fish with the easterly winds, but hardcore anglers have continued to do well. Beaches had been producing lots of whiting when fishable. Seaweed has been the plague in the surf for a while now.

Tip of the Week:

Have fun on the water! That's what it's all about anyway. Whether fishing, boating or sitting on the beach......just plan on a fun day. Catching fish is just another added bonus. There is nothing more relaxing than being on the water. Take a few minutes and enjoy the sights and sounds that abound around the Treasure Coast. It's already a troubled world out there so enjoy your time on the water. It's a wonderful way to relieve the tensions of your world. Have some fun soon!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

September 17, 2009

INSHORE:

Beautiful fall like days have made fishing along the Treasure Coast much more enjoyable lately. Of course, the temperatures haven't quite dropped yet, but it has been gorgeous out there. The bait fish are everywhere around the inlet, river and beaches. It is a fantastic time of year to be fishing!

Keith Mullins and Cai joined me early in the week. We spent the morning trout fishing and had a nice time enjoying the day and watching Cai catch trout and feed the rest of them. It was a fun day. I did some scouting this week, too. Spent most of the morning just looking around and watching the bait schools. Got broke off by a big snook under the mangroves and boated a nice 28" redfish to end a relaxing day on the river.

Snook fishermen are doing well at night on the jetties, docks and bridges of the inlet. Live bait can get you hooked up on snook or tarpon at night. Bomber plugs or feather jigs have also worked good at night. There have been some Spanish mackerel in the turning basin along with some bluefish chasing bait there. Trout fishing has been best in three to five feet of water. DOA Deadly Combos and live shrimp can keep you busy around Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Middle Cove. The tides have been too high lately to spot redfish schools, but you can still find them around their usual haunts. Snapper, black drum and sheephead have been around the bridges and channel edges. Plan on getting out soon!

Tip of the Week:

Making sure your drag is set properly can make the difference in landing a fish or losing one. Adjust your drag to suit the conditions you are fishing. On the flats, a lighter drag load will give you less chance of pulling the hook on a fish. The fish have no where to hide out there. Around mangroves and docks, you might have to tighten the drag some to have a chance at getting the fish out from under structure before it breaks you off. Match your gear to your fishing. Lighter equipment on the flats is all you need and you can step up your equipment around docks, bridges and other structure. Setting your drag properly can give you better results on the water.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Redfish on the Indian River this week.

September 11, 2009

INSHORE:

The annual fall mullet run has officially began around the Treasure Coast. Eager anglers have been hitting the inlets, beaches and river in anticipation of catching one of the big fish that will be feeding on the finger mullet. Tarpon, snook, jacks and many other species will be cruising along the beaches or cornering bait around the inlet and seawalls. It's a fantastic time of year!

Our week consisted of drifting the trout flats and skirting the many rain storms. Lots of rain this week has come early in the day, but you can fish north or south of the systems as they get blown in from the east. The result has been a great trout bite for the clients this week. Jim, Jim Jr. and John had lots of fun with the trout and snapper. Sandy, Lindy and Debbie just as much fun drifting the flats and catching trout after trout. Most were in the 15 - 22 inch range and they did lose a few bigger fish. If you just want to get out and have some fun catching a lot of fish.....head out to some of the trout flats. Live shrimp, pigfish and the Deadly Combo provided them with an action packed day on the water. The usual trout flats up and down the river have provided us with hours of fun!

The nighttime snook bite has been incredible in talking to some of the snook anglers this week. With all the mullet coming into the river, the snook are crashing bait all through the inlet. The hardest part of fishing for them has been finding spots that aren't overcrowded with people. Top water, diving plugs and feather jigs along with live bait have kept anglers busy on the moving tides. Redfish schools are still active on the flats, but with the higher tides this week it has been harder to spot them in the shallows.

Lots of snapper are still being caught on the bridges and channel edges of the river. Live or dead shrimp are working very well. Beaches will be very active, but right now the seaweed has been hindering the anglers. Look for the action on the flats to take off as the schools of finger mullet fill the river and bring in the predators. It's a fantastic time of year!

Tip of the Week:

We have done a lot of trout fishing the past couple weeks. An easy way to find the trout is to drift the flats. Anchoring will restrict the area you are fishing and the trout may be feeding just beyond your cast. I always start upwind of the area that I intend to fish. It's been a slow drift lately and that gives you a much greater area to fish. If you start catching trout, then anchor up and fish it more thoroughly. Sandy, Lindy and Debbie all found this out as we were drifting and all of a sudden all three ladies were on fish at the same time. Drifting in a zig-zag pattern can cover an entire flat and give you the greatest opportunity of catching fish. Drift with the wind or tide, angle back to start another drift above or below your last drift. It works!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Trout for dinner!

September 2, 2009

INSHORE:

Snook season opened with the usual anticipation of many anglers of catching that first slot fish on opening day. A number of midnight excursions had been planned and with lots of hope for success. We did manage a slot snook of 28", but that was this past Sunday and was released to battle another day. Afternoon thunderstorms have kept anglers off the water late in the day, but mornings have been fantastic and so has the fishing!

Tom Hull and Tom, Jr. were down to seek out some adventure and fun. Tom Jr. caught his 28" snook just as the first light was easing over the eastern sky. A quick release and we headed north to find some sea trout. Both dad and son caught a number of nice trout along with the usual jacks and ladyfish to fill out the morning. Lots of bait fish around the river have kept trout feeding around the edges of the bait pods. Live shrimp, DOA CAL jerk baits and top water lures can sure help you find the action on the flats this time of year. As the morning neared an end, we decided to look for some redfish to end the day.

Tom Hull and Tom Jr. with a few of their fishing rewards.















Redfish have been schooling in good numbers on the shallow flats. Trolling motors will most likely scare them off before you can get close enough to cast. I poled the guys onto one of the flats and we began to look for signs of redfish action. Bait being chased and a few submarine wakes told me that we had some reds around the boat. As I continued to pole the boat further onto the flat, we could see big tails of reds feeding in the shallows. We don't often find tailing reds in the area, but this was a treat for both Tom and Tom, Jr. A number of casts ahead of the feeding fish soon found Tom Jr. hooked up on a nice Fort Pierce red. Using 6 pound line on his light tackle, he was in for a battle. Thinking any minute he might get broke off, the fish fought gallantly all the way to the boat. A beautiful 30" redfish eased up beside the boat for a quick photo and release. It was the end of their morning and we decided not to disturb the school anymore and left them for another day.

We had a family day this week. My wife, Eva, daughter, Dena, and grandaughter, Chloe, joined me at the ramp for a boat ride and quick fishing adventure for four year old, Chloe. It was hot out, but Chloe caught a little pigfish to bend her rod before we headed back home.

A grandfather and granddaughter adventure!












Snapper, black drum and sheephead are around the bridges. Lots of snapper are along the channel edges. Lots of good areas north of Fort Pierce have graced many a table with a delicious snapper menu. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and the Moorings have held some nice keeper trout. Snook fishing around the inlet and bridges will keep many anglers busy targeting a slot size fish this month.

Tip of the Week: I always get excited to find redfish schools around the river. Finding tailing fish gets your blood pumping. Working a flat quietly and slowly can help you find more success. Trolling motors can easily scare the fish in the shallows. If you don't have a way to pole your boat, try getting set up for a slow drift across a flat. The less noise and movement you can make, the better your odds of finding fish. With the calm morning winds, spend some time watching and reading the water. Fish don't always make movements to give themselves away. Some very slight swirl or wake might be that trophy fish. Take your time and have some fun on the flats!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

August 27, 2009

INSHORE:

We have enjoyed some great weather this week. Afternoon rain has continued around the Treasure Coast, but mornings have provided good conditions for fishing. The wind picked up most days, but that has been a blessing to temper down the heat. It has been fun being on the water.

I had a very special charter this week. Seven year old, Justice Rodriguez, with his mom, Eufrasia and Grandma Lil joined me and my wife, Eva for a boat ride on the river. Justice had never been on a boat before and this was an honor for me to show him around the river. Justice was diagnosed with Autism when he was 15 months old. With the love and help from many people, Justice enjoys a lot of activities and has made great strides since those early days when he was first diagnosed. It was a fun day out on the water. Justice was excited about being in a boat for the first time. It was evident by his smile when we first got up on plane. We ran around the river and even let him practice fishing for a while. When he comes back to Florida again, we will make a fishing trip for sure. As soon as we got back, he decided that he wanted to go to boating school next.

Redfish are up on the flats in the shallow water. I found schools up to twenty strong and many lurking along the mangroves this week. The water was pretty clean. Fish around the schools of mullet. I found a number of reds that were cruising along with the mullet. DOA CAL jerk baits or grub tails are good choices in root beer colors. Move slowly and keep quiet or you will scare them off before you realize. I spent some time just drifting and there were some swimming around the boat that never knew I was there.

Trout fishing on the grass flats will be best in the early part of the day. Fish two to five feet of water and you should find some nice trout out there. Live shrimp or Deadly Combos are the best way to get some action. Top water at first light can also get you hooked up. Snapper continue to be plentiful around the river. Most of the nicer size are around the channel edges and bridges of the river. I found a dinner size flounder hanging around one of the docks that couldn't resist a DOA TerrorEyz.

Snook season opens Tuesday. It's a good time to check your license and snook permit to make sure they are current. Remember that fishing from land now requires you to have a license and snook permit as well. It's one of those times of year that taking the chance isn't worth the fines involved. The jetties and docks will be the best choice for hooking a slot snook along with the inlet area. Live bait, TerrorEyz or feather jigs are all good ways to get started. If the spillways are still running, you can bet it will be crowded next week.

Tip of the Week:

This week, I am letting Justice's mom tell you about his adventure on the water this week. It was a pleasure for me to see his smile and joy on his first boat ride.

"This was Justice's first fishing trip. Captain Charlie let him feel right at home. First by providing him with a life jacket, and then by showing him the beautiful Florida seascapes. He was able to see fish jumping out of the water. He especially loved feeling the wind in his hair as we cruised around on the boat. Fishing was an additional treat. Even though he didn't catch anything Captain Charlie kept him enthralled with the casting and the quick, quick, slow of reeling the line back in. I think that Justice believed he caught the little shrimp on the line he was using for bait.

If you have an autistic child and would like to trying fishing, Justice 4 Autism highly recommends Captain Charlie's Fish Tale Charters. It is not a huge party fishing boat which can be overwhelming for a child on the spectrum. Also you will have a personal experience that is sure to please every fisherman."

Justice4Autism.com

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Justice on his adventure and a couple of this weeks catches.

August 20, 2009

INSHORE:

It appears the Hurricane Bill will miss our area, but most likely steer some wind, waves and rain our way sometime in the coming days. Otherwise, we have had some great weather, just a little windier than normal this time of year. We have easily found areas to fish and the fishing had been good most days on the water. I guess the Bill will give us a reminder to check hurricane preparedness as we head into the heart of the season.

I had the privilege of having some good friends of DOA on the boat this week. Jim Sutton of the Florida Times-Union, Byron Stout of the Fort Myers News Press, Mark Bradbury of Coastal Angler Magazine and Eric Burnley, an author and outdoor writer from Delaware. We had a challenge fishing in the morning winds both days. Byron had the best day by hooking up on two reds, landing one. He then hooked a nice size snook that broke him off under the docks. Later, Byron caught trout after trout on the flats. He certainly had the touch that day. DOA CAL jerk baits proved our best lure, with the TerrorEyz our best choice for snook fishing. Mark hooked a big trout the next day, but it decided not to come to the boat and spit the hook. We later had some big 20-25 lb jacks make some swipes at our DOA BFL lures. We did have fun both days just being on the water.

Trout fishing has been best to the north of Fort Pierce. Harbor Branch, Round Island and Queen's Cove have held good numbers of trout and snapper. There have been tarpon hanging around the jetties, inlet and up around Harbor Branch and the Moorings. Snapper have continued to be a hot commodity on the channel edges and bridges. Snook are still being caught around the jetties and some of the deeper docks in the river. It's a great time of the year to be fishing!

Tip of the Week:

With the constant hot days we have had this summer, it's important to get out early if you intend to fish the shallow water. We have fished just at daybreak in one to three feet of water and had some good action on top water lures. This week our best action was on the DOA CAL jerk baits on a weedless hook. You can work it right on top of the water at any depth with success. Once the sun rises, move off a little deeper and fish more towards the bottom. Jig heads and jerk baits work great. Work your lures slow on the bottom and you might be surprised at your results. Move to docks as well once the sun gets hot. Many fish will be lurking just under a dock and you can find some good bites in the middle of the day at those spots. Plan your trips around where the fish will be moving. Good luck out there!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

May 21, 2009

INSHORE:

Much welcomed rain dampened the ground, the temperatures and the minds of anglers this week around the Treasure Coast. I have to say it was nice to see some green grass for a change and a milder climate. It gave me a chance to catch up on the honey-do list and do some work on both the boat and tackle. And soon, it will be mowing grass for a change as well!

Although, we have had some wet conditions, many snook anglers have braved the winds and rain to get a chance at catching that slot fish before the season ends. Time is running out as snook season closes May 31st. You can bet night fishing will pick up this next week. There have been some good catches for those that have been heading out. The jetties have produced good numbers of snook along with the bridges and docks around the inlet. You can bet the spillways will be packed now that there should be water running again. Live bait has been the best with red-tail hawks working for artificials.

We did manage to get a trip in just before this wet front hit the area. Mads Levet and son, Mike, went out with me on a warm, sunny day on the Indian River. The trout were in the mood to eat and they caught a dozen nice trout with three being over the 20" size. The others ranged in the 15 - 20" slot. All were caught on the DOA Deadly Combo. It continually proves to work better than live bait.

Redfish have been on the quiet side, but we have seen many in the shallows. Once this front moves on, look for the reds to be feeding along the flats. Bridges were quiet this week for the most part. A good number of fishermen were out on the jetties catching snook, jacks, bluefish and mackerel. A few reports of snapper this week, and it should be picking up real soon. The fishing has been great, just a few rain clouds to dampen your spirits.

Tip of the Week:

Take some time to check hooks on your lures. Saltwater and metal just never seem to mix well and hooks will rust quickly. There are many brands and types out on the market to choose from. I like the VMC galvanized treble hooks when I am changing hooks. They are strong and now even come in the 6x type. It can give that favorite lure some new life for another day. Rusted hooks can easily break and cost you that big fish. I keep a small box with different size hooks, split rings and split ring pliers ready and take an hour once in a while to refurbish those lures. Oh, and don't forget to put a good sharp edge on those hooks before heading out on the water.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Trout has been a mainstay for anglers during May along the Treasure Coast.

May 14, 2009

INSHORE:

Wonderful weather has prevailed over the Treasure Coast this week, providing some warm, sunny days to enjoy being on the water. The fish have been hungry after the full moon and we had lots of fun out there on the Indian River. It's a great time of year to go fishing.....or just enjoy the outdoors!

The trout bite slowed a little for us this week, but the snook were feeding on the flats and we had several productive days once the full moon waned. Todd Dziak and his girlfriend, Lauren, were out with me on one of those fun, fast action days. Jacks are still cruising the river and we found several bruisers to strip some line off the reels. Todd began his day with a nice Spanish mackerel on a top water lure. The snook took over once the sun came up and we caught some nice shorts up to 26", but Lauren topped off the day with a 28 1/2" slot on light tackle while fishing the flats. Find the bait schools and you should find the predators lurking along the edges.......

The inlet was full of ladyfish and pompano this week. Both Lauren and Todd had lots of fun catching one after another of either ladyfish or pompano. The surf has been holding whiting and some pompano this week. Bridges are yielding sheephead, snapper and some black drum. Look for fishing to improve as the week continues and things get back to normal. The water was cool with the recent upwelling, but the fish will be out there for the taking. Docks continue to be productive with snook, jacks and redfish hanging around those areas. It's a great time to fish the Indian River!

Tip of the Week:

Lots of bait schools are around the inlet and river this time of year. If you want to find the fish....find the bait schools and they will be nearby. Bait usually hang around shallow areas when they can. Fish will be hanging around the edges of the flats or in deep sand holes waiting for the tides to bring the food to them. Early mornings are great times to try top water lures around the bait schools. You never know what might just be around the bait. It's a fun time of year out there.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Lauren catching and releasing her snook. Todd with his snook and Keith with a snook caught on the Indian River flats.....

May 7, 2009

INSHORE:

This week has a significant meaning for me, since it happens that my birthday is this coming Saturday and it's one of those we refer to as the Big One.......60th. I can still remember digging up a can of worms to go on that first fishing trip with my dad, so many years ago. It has been lots of fun years fishing and I still get excited at each trip on the water. It's been great!

It's the time of the year to be out fishing. Dolphin, trout, redfish and a host of other species are out there feeding. The weather has been fantastic this week and looks like those windy months of spring have finally surrendered to summer patterns. Sure, it's gonna be hot out there, but the fishing continues to improve each day. Look for many anglers to be on the river and ocean and be patient and aware of your surroundings.

Redfish have finally got hungry and you can find them on the flats and around the docks. Charlie Hollis and his wife, Cindy, celebrated their 25th Anniversary with me this week. We caught a variety of fish, including an oversize redfish on the flats. Try a DOA TerrorEyz or CAL jerk bait around the docks. Trout, redfish and snook will all take their hits at them. Live bait will also work as well. There are some big fish cruising the flats now, so be quiet and slow moving across the flats to give yourself a chance at hooking up. It's a great time of year to use top water lures in the early mornings. Queen's Cove, Harbor Branch and the thousands of docks around the area can give you some good starting points on the river.

Trout fishing has been the best of the year lately. Snook fishing has been getting better. With the full moon, you can bet a lot of anglers will be out in search of that slot size fish. Snook season closes at the end of May, so get out soon if you want to keep a slot fish. You can find lots of bait schools around the river. Fish around the edges of the bait and you can never tell what might be lurking in the shadows. It's a wonderful time of year to be on the water fishing......

Tip of the Week:

Ok, so this week I am nostalgic and reminiscent.... Looking back on the many years of fishing, I cherish each moment on the water. Spend some time teaching the youngsters the art and experience of fishing. It's not just learning how to cast a rod, bait a hook or tie a knot, it about spending time together, passing down fish tales and creating memories that last a lifetime. I am working with my three year old granddaughter and soon her little one year old brother to share those kinds of moments on the water. There are great organizations out there if you are looking to get involved, like Teen Anglers. Make fishing something special for someone soon!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Charlie Hollis with this 28" redfish. A relaxing day on the water with my wife, Eva.

May 1, 2009

INSHORE:

April turned out to be one of the windiest months I can remember. We had some calm days, but most of the time it blew unending day after day. This week was no exception. I finally was able to get out with Mark Amorello for a fun day with a good friend. Even though the winds continued to blow, we had a good day on the water. The bait schools are thick around the river and that means lots of the predator fish are out there feeding. The coming weekend promises to be a great chance to enjoy fishing, both inshore and offshore!

Trout have remained the best fishing opportunity out there. There are plenty of grass flats that have been fishable. Two to four feet of water can find you some action. Some big trout are out there along with many schoolies. Popping corks or DOA CAL jerk baits have proved to be very successful on the flats. There will be lots of boats out there this weekend.

Most of the river was to rough to fish lately and many of the docks that I enjoy fishing were out of the question. Redfish are out there in the shallows and you can find some when it calms down. Snook fishing should be good this weekend around the inlet and docks. Live baits have worked best recently along with jigs. The fishing has been good. It has just been difficult to fish many of the favorite areas of the river. We found some big snook hiding in the sand holes out there this week.

Jack-Attack is on around the river now. Big jacks have invaded the area and you can find some tackle busters around the inlet, docks and cruising the flats. We have had some fun catches and blistering runs from some of the bigger jacks. Live bait has been working best on the big jacks. If you happen on some of them busting up the bait schools, toss a top water into the frenzy and you will most likely get hit. Bridges have been a little on the quiet side, with mostly sheep head and some black drum on the catch list. The surf has been very quiet with all the easterly winds, but there are still whiting out there for the taking.

Tip of the Week:

The manatee zone in the Fort Pierce inlet has been shifted to summer rules. That allows boaters to use the ICW channel at 30 mph during the summer months. Keep it safe as all inlets have lots of boat traffic, especially on weekends. Just because you can go fast through an inlet, doesn't always make it safe for everyone. Fun and relaxation is usually number one on most anglers list for heading off on the water. Observe boating regulations and, above all, be aware of boaters around you. Let's all have a fun, relaxing and SAFE summer on the Treasure Coast!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852


Jack Attack on the Treasure Coast!

April 22, 2009

INSHORE:

It certainly has been a fantastic week on the water without worrying about temperatures, winds and weather for a change. We had some productive days fishing the Indian River and I for one am thrilled that Spring is here to stay......finally! I had some friends return for a fishing adventure along with new friends. It has been fun out there with an assortment of species around the river.

Chris, Al and Ryan joined me this week. Keith and Megan were back to battle some fish and Dennis was on his first voyage with me. We all had some fun and excitement catching fish and having some others get away. Ryan stole the show on their trip by catching an assortment of fish, including snook and grouper. Chris had the big one get away this year. Dennis found some nice trout on the flats and caught a big 30" snook that he released. Keith caught a very nice redfish, while daughter, Megan, worked very hard to get her 30" snook out from under the dock. After wrapping around the motor, we finally got it in the boat to her excitement. A lot of fun awaits anglers out on the Indian River this week.

Snook fishing has continued to be good when fishing the tides. The first part of the outgoing tide has been best for us around docks and the inlet. Night fishing has been producing all sizes of snook. Live bait has been the best choice, with jigs and DOA shrimp working for artificials. The redfish bite picked up this week as the water continues to warm up to their liking. Live bait, DOA CAL jerk baits and TerrorEyz are all good redfish baits. Trout have been hitting the Deadly Combo with a vengeance. Work them a little more aggressive as you would live shrimp and you will be surprised at the results.

Keith Lundy and daughter, Megan, with some of their days catch this week.












The big jacks have invaded the river. Megan got one this year after being beaten last year by a bruiser. Keith also boated a big jack before losing a monster around the docks. Dennis also was broken off by one of the big boys. Live bait on a jig or float can give you a lot of fast, intense action. The mackerel and bluefish disappeared this week from the inlet. There are still lots of big sheephead around the docks and bridges. The jetties have been full of jacks lately, along with some macs and blues. The macs have been along the beaches again this week. Whiting and some pompano have also been in the surf. Fishing has been great around the area!

Ryan Foster with a few of his catches and Dennis with his 30" snook this week.











Tip of the Week:
Dock fishing can be an exciting adventure in Spring. Begin fishing long before you are near the docks. Lots of big fish will be patrolling around the docks and you can get hookups on the outer edges of the docks. It is always amazing at the variety of fish that hang around docks. We are especially fortunate that we enjoy a vast array of docks all along the Treasure Coast. I usually gear up a little heavier for dock fishing than flats fishing. Not much more, but a size heavier line and leader might make the difference in catching rather than getting broken off. I like 20# Power Pro with a 30# Fluorocarbon leader. It give you a little more power to work a fish out of the dock, but light enough to have lots of fun.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

April 16, 2009

INSHORE:

Wonderful spring weather has provided us with some great adventures on the water this week and many more to come as the winds finally begin to slow down. We had some fun fishing on the Indian River and caught a variety of species. I had the pleasure to have some friends back on the boat and some new anglers to share the fishing experience. Tom, Josh and Kyle Lukat were back for a fishing adventure. Chris, Tina, Kristina and Garrett Helseth came out for their first trip with me this week. Tom Hull was back down from Melbourne for some action as well. It was a fun week on the water!

Trout have continued to bite on the flats. We caught our share on both live shrimp and DOA Deadly Combos. Five year old Kristina caught her very first fish, which was a 20" trout, all by herself. There has been lots of bait around the river and if you fish around the bait schools, you should find some fish there. The water has been very clear in spite of the windy weather lately. Fish the sand holes around the grass flats and you should find some action.

Snook fishing has been good around the jetties, docks and bridges this week. Live bait has worked quite well. Both Kyle and Josh caught snook early in the morning around some of the docks. Tom found a big ocean jack while fishing for snook around the sea walls. Redfish had been slower, but we managed two slots around the docks. Look for things to keep improving as the reds begin to school up this month.

The inlet has been teaming with ladyfish, mackerel and blue runners. Live bait or shiny lures will get you in on some of the action. There have been some nice size macs this week. The catwalks have held sheephead, black drum and some snapper. The beaches were pretty quiet most of the week, but you can still find some whiting, pompano and bluefish around the surf.

Tip of the Week: Many of the fish that have been feeding around the river this week have lots of teeth. It's easy to get bit off and you should be checking your leader each time you get a fish or get a bite. I tie on about a three foot leader to start each day and usually tie on another at some point as we fish. Making sure your leader is fresh can be the difference between catching and losing a fish.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Tina, Kristina and Garrett Helseth having fun with the family on the water. Kristina and Garrett with their first fish











Kyle and Josh Lukat showing off their snook and redfish.

April 2, 2009

INSHORE:

Great fishing awaited anglers most days this week. Springtime weather provided us with fishable conditions most of the week and we took advantage of the opportunity. Winds have lightened their strength and allowed us to fish a large area of the river lately. It's a great time of year to fish the Indian River!

Trout fishing took off this week and we had several days that clients caught 30 - 50 trout on the flats. While most were schoolies, they did manage keepers from 18 - 22". Live shrimp on popping corks is always a go to bait, but the DOA Deadly Combo proves time after time to catch just as much fish on the flats. Ken, Mark and Stephen McIntosh finished off their day with trout after trout on both live bait and DOA. Matt and son, Dale, had some non-stop action for their day on the water. They ended up with fifty plus trout by the end of the adventure. Andrew Donofrio and son, Andrew, also got in on some of the trout action. Ed Killer was out with me and we did find a few that day, but not quite like the rest of the week.

Snook fishing around some of the docks has continued to produce fish. Mark, Stephen and Andrew all managed to pull some snook from under the docks, while losing a few good fish to the pilings. Night fishing around the inlet has produced some good catches. I continue to see lots of good size snook on the flats and lost one big fish as he chewed up my leader on the way to the boat. Redfish are biting now and we are looking forward to finding more and more on the flats this spring. Andrew caught and released a slot red while fishing around the docks this week. Some areas to fish this week: Round Island, Bear Point and Queen's Cove.

The surf has held whiting, pompano and bluefish when you could get out there to fish. Sand fleas and shrimp have been the baits of choice, along with shiny spoons and jigs for the blues and jacks. The inlet has had a lot of Spanish mackerel and bluefish again chasing bait. Bridge anglers are catching drum, snapper and sheephead. Fishing has been excellent out there this week!

Tip of the Week:

It's a good time of year to check your line on the reels. Old and frayed line should be changed out to be prepared for spring fishing. The sun and water can speed up deterioration on line and you certainly don't want to lose that big fish to weak fishing line. You know.....Spring cleaning isn't just for around the house anymore! The fishing is improving each day so be prepared.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Stephen McIntosh caught an assortment of fish this week. Dad and Grandpa, Ken, look on as he battles another fish. Andrew Donofrio with a snook and redfish and son, Andrew, with a big jack this week.

March 26, 2009

INSHORE:

March winds continued to blow strong again this week. Some of the brave dared to venture out some days, including myself. If you can stand the wind, you can catch fish! Look for more blustery days ahead, but the sunshine and warm temperatures will surely tempt you to head out. Luckily, this week I only had to fish a couple spots to find some nice fish on the Indian River.

The most exciting catch this week was a 21" bonefish on the Fort Pierce flats. What a surprise when fishing for the usual targets. I was working a DOA CAL jerk bait when it gobbled it up. We also caught snook, redfish and trout in the shallow water. Snook have been numerous on the flats and there are some in the slot size soaking up the sunshine on any given day. The trout bite has continued to improve with the water temperatures. Most have been in the twenty-plus inch size and they are fat and sassy right now. Redfish have started to bite along the flats as well. Tom Hull was down and boated a very nice redfish right after he had boated his snook. Other than live bait, the DOA CAL jerk baits have been the best producing lure for us lately. Work them along slowly on the bottom and you should find the fish to hit them. Fishing areas have been limited due to the windy conditions, but clean grass flats will find you some fish this week.

The inlet and jetties have been a little quiet this week. Snook fishing at night has produced some keepers as well as shorts and a few oversize fish. Some jacks around the mouth of the jetty for the brave at heart. Bridges and docks have held sheephead and jacks for those anglers. The surf has been very difficult to fish at all. Whiting and a few pompano for those brave souls on the beach. For the most part, it has been a fairly quiet week in the area. We are in a transition period right now as spring takes over and winter fades away.

Tip of the Week:

Fish the sand holes! That's the key right now to catching fish for me. No matter where you fish on the flats, fish will be sitting in those deeper holes on sunny days. Fish are generally lazy and don't like to expend much energy to feed. As they sit in washed out sand holes, they can wait for food to be carried to them by the tides. Sunny days can show you where these places are as you work the flats. Fish the slowly and thoroughly and it can give you some greater odds at success on the river.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

A great week of fishing along the Indian River out of Fort Pierce!

March 19, 2009

INSHORE:

The Treasure Coast has come alive on the flats with trout, snook and redfish along with many other species to be caught. The wind was a small factor this week and a few days were tough to get out on the water, but overall.....good weather and great fishing. Spring has finally arrived! The water continues to warm up and so are the fish.

Trout fishing has been good on the flats south of Fort Pierce. Turner and Frank Mullins both caught nice trout in the shallow flats. Young Turner had his hands full as he caught and landed a four foot bonnet head shark that day. Mark, Tony and Bob were back in Fort Pierce again this year and we found the trout biting just as the winds were picking up strong this week. Two to four feet of water has been a good depth with live shrimp or DOA CAL jerk baits working well to get the bites. Snook fishing has improved along with the water temperatures. Bob Altieri ended up their day fishing with a leaping snook that was just a little short on the slot size. Night fishing for snook has been good with mostly shorts being taken. Live shrimp or DOA TerrorEyz have been our best baits for catching snook. Redfish are on the flats and you can expect the bite to pick up now.

The inlet and jetties have continued to hold lots of bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Live shrimp, shiny spoons or diamond jigs should get your rod bending. Some flounder are still being taken off the south jetty in Fort Pierce. The surf has been difficult to fish lately, but whiting, pompano and bluefish are cruising the beach for those anglers. Bridges and docks are holding sheephead, snapper and black drum. It's a great time of year to fish the Indian River.

Tip of the Week:
Fishing Etiquette 101

Fishing in Florida is the most popular outdoor adventure. More and more anglers take to the water each week. You can see many more boats on the river and ocean than past years, especially on weekends and holidays. Fishing etiquette is essential to having fun on the water for every one. It takes just a little common sense to make everyone’s day much more enjoyable.

You hear complaints from both inshore and offshore anglers about a few of the boaters who have little regards to others. Luckily, that’s a rare few and most anglers share the same thoughts of showing some respect on the water. We all go out on the water to have a good time and catch fish. Your fun adventure shouldn’t be at the expense of others.

Some of the common mistakes that some boaters and anglers make are:
1. Motoring close to others.
When you see boaters fishing an area, don’t speed by them too close. Give them a wide berth and not interrupt their time on the water. You will get to your spot just as fast and not create animosity with others. If you have limited space to go by others, slow down and idle by them quietly. They will appreciate it.

2. Fishing too close to others.
If you can cast your lure or bait close to another angler, you are way to close. You’ll most likely succeed in scaring the fish rather than catch them. None of us own the water and if someone is in YOUR spot, give them the courtesy and stay clear of their boat. Notice if they are drifting and fish behind or well to one side of their drift if you must.

3. Anchoring right next to another boat.
Same as fishing too close. Show some respect for others and anchor well away from others. Sometimes a wave or simply asking can make things friendly and you can both share the fun.

4. Trolling etiquette.
Many boats troll out on the ocean and it seems like if the word get out on a catch, you can find others heading to that area. Simple common sense can let a number of boats work an area without interfering with each other. Radio contact can solve problems before they occur and keep a friendly attitude with everyone. If it is crowded, move on to another fishing ground.

These are just a few things that come to mind and there are many other circumstances and situations that happen. Using just a little common sense can reduce unfriendly encounters. We have a tremendous variety of fishing habitats in our area. Share the experience, friendship and respect with others and we can all have a fantastic time on the water. Have fun and good fishing!


As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Turner and Frank Mullins with some trout they caught this week. Mark Roth with a nice trout he caught on the flats. Bob Altieri with a snook he caught around the docks.

March 12, 2009

INSHORE:

Spring finally arrived on the Treasure Coast and none too soon for us. This week has been fantastic on the water for both fishing and sunny, warm weather. Light winds have prevailed and allowed anglers to fish both inshore and offshore with success. Looks like next week is a lot of the same conditions, so it's time to get out fishing! Spring is here and no more complaining from me!!

There has been lots of activity all around the river. The jetties and inlet has been full of bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Live shrimp, diamond jigs or anything shiny has proved very successful. Tom Hull was out with me this week and we ventured just outside the jetties and landed 50 mackerel in a very short span. It was a frenzy out there. Keith Mullins and his two sons, Turner and Frank, has been out with me several days this week. They also have enjoyed catching bluefish and mackerel in the river. They are loads of fun and great to eat.

The trout bite has improved with each day this week. The water has begun to warm back up and so has the flats. Doc and ZZ Knepper were out with me and they found redfish, snook and trout all on the flats and ready to eat. Sheephead has been one of the best fish to catch as well. We fished some docks and pilings to the south of Fort Pierce and found sheephead plentiful around the river. You have had to plan your trips with the spring tides this week. Lots of low water conditions on many of the normal flats. It has been easy to drift or pole the shallows lately and there have been lots of big fish lurking there. It will only get better now!

Bridges have held the usual black drum, sheephead and snapper on live or dead shrimp. Pompano and whiting have been along the beaches. Snook fishing has been fair this week overall. As each day continues to warm up the water, you can find snook hiding under docks and mangroves. Activity increases as the water temperatures rise. Have fun and enjoy the weather!

Tip of the Week:

It is everyone's responsibility to obey the law, whether it is boating or fishing. I have discovered that there is a person gill netting around the river. He has been gill netting north of Fort Pierce for a while now and I haven't had the opportunity to get close enough to get some boat numbers. He hides back inside the islands and buries his boat in the mangroves while using the net. Keep your eyes open!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Turner and Frank Mullins enjoying fishing on the river. Tom Hull with one of fifty macks. Doc and wife, ZZ, with a few catches this week on the water.

March 6, 2009

INSHORE:

March has certainly lived up to its reputation of coming in like a lion. Lots of windy weather this past week has made it difficult and challenging to fish the river. The weekend looks a little more friendly for now and we can expect to see some warmer weather again. The water has cooled off some this week, but the sunny days will begin to warm it up again. Hope you get a chance to get out fishing!

The trout bite has remained good if you could find some areas to fish the grass flats. The DOA TerrorEyz has continued to be a great producing lure out on the flats. Today, it fooled trout, jacks, ladyfish, flounder, bluefish and snapper for us. Round Island and Queen's Cove has been productive north of Fort Pierce, while Bear Point has been fishable most days to the south. Live shrimp on popping corks are also a great way to find some sea trout. I have found some redfish schools in shallow water, but they were more interested in staying warm this week. There are also some large snook lurking in the deep sand holes in the shallows as well. Warmer water will get these fish active and feeding soon. April can't get here soon enough!

The pompano bite along the beach has been good on the north end of Fort Pierce lately. Whiting is also available along the surf as well as bluefish and jacks. Sand fleas and shrimp have worked well for baits. The jetties and inlet continue to hold bluefish, mackerel and jacks. Shiny artificials are working great out there. The bridges have the usual sheephead, snapper and black drum for those anglers. Snook fishing around the inlet has been fair this week. Not many reports due to the windy weather out there. Some flounder have also been caught on the south side of the south jetty this past week.

Tip of the Week:
Trailer maintenance is often forgotten or put off till another day for a lot of busy anglers. Making sure lights work, tires inflated properly or bearing are greased are a few important preventatives that can save time, expense and frustration. Inspect your trailer each time you use it and do the simple things that can keep it running smoothly. It doesn't take a lot of work to keep your trailer in good reliable condition. Lack of maintenance leads to problems much quicker!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Tom Hull with a couple catches made with the DOA TerrorEyz this week...

February 27, 2009

INSHORE:

In spite of continuing windy conditions out on the water, the fishing has remained good around the Treasure Coast. With March looming ahead of us with its reputation for being another month of traditionally foul weather, anglers will be challenged for a while longer. Spring is fast approaching and the fishing will just get better!

Ed Whitman and his son, Chris, joined me this past week on what turned out to be a very windy day. We had fun around the inlet in spite of the weather and found some fish around some of the docks along the river. Sheephead and snapper was the catch of the day. I found some reds and trout on another day that ended up a little calmer around the area. It was a good week of fishing on those days that you could venture out on the water.

The best bite right now has been around the bridges and docks for sheephead, snapper and sand perch. Live or dead shrimp will find you the fish. The trout bite has been good this week in the deeper flats of three to five feet of water. Live shrimp on popping corks or a DOA TerrorEyz can get you some nice fish. You will also find plenty of bluefish cruising around the flats as well. Redfish and snook have been coming shallow on sunny days, but the water temperature needs to rise a little more for them to get hungry. Spanish Mackerel, bluefish and jacks have continued to keep anglers busy around the jetties. Anything shiny can get you some fast action. There are some flounder being taken on the back side of the jetties. Live shrimp is your best choice, but Doc's Goofy Jigs and DOA TerrorEyz can also find you some flatties.

Tip of the Week:

Don't forget the sun screen when heading out on the water this time of year. Not only can the sun get you good, but the wind can also add to the misery of a sun burn. Use plenty and often on these windy days to prevent unwanted and unexpected burns. It can make for a great day of fishing and not end up with a red face!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Ed and Chris Whitman with a couple of fish this week. I enjoyed a day fishing for a change with a DOA TerrorEyz.

February 19, 2009

INSHORE:

We had a variety of weather conditions around the Treasure Coast this week. Calm, summer like days over the past weekend to downright blowing conditions later in the week. Some days it was really a challenge in getting out on the water, but we managed to do just that and everyone had a great time in spite of the blustery days we faced. It looks like we should have a decent weekend at least for fishing inshore. Water temperatures have varied each day. Warmer water last weekend to much cooler temps after the wind had its way with the river. The water was crystal clear through Tuesday, but the next day it had been clouded up everywhere we fished.

Kyle Collins and the whole family joined me on a very windy day. Kameron and Skyler really enjoy fishing and Skyler led the way by catching the most fish. Kameron, mom and dad tried to keep up, but Skyler had the best day. She even caught a redfish that broke her off next to the boat. Jake, Jack, Jim and Ben joined me on a windy day as well. We found ladyfish and jacks for the boys. Jack and Ben caught a number of fish to have a fun day on the water. Jake and Jim helped make sure the boys had fun catching fish. Bob and Don joined me on a day that was much better wind conditions. We caught some trout up to 20" and drifted on the usual ladyfish and jacks to end the day with some wild and crazy fishing. It was a fun week for us all.

There are lots of fish out there if you can get to the flats. Redfish, snook and trout have been in shallow water, but it has been difficult to fish many of those areas. I managed to get out Sunday and found some nice fish hanging around some of the docks. It was a good day for redfish and trout. DOA TerrorEyz continues to be the best producing artificial for us. Once the water warms up a little, the fishing should be fantastic out there. For now, fish deeper water early and you can find the fish moving shallow later in the mornings. We can look forward to March as another windy month ahead. Each week, you will face different challenges on which way the wind blows.

Bridges are still producing black drum, sheephead, snapper and some croakers. The jetties are full of bluefish, mackerel and jacks with some good reports of flounder on the south side of the jetties. I talked to several night anglers who have caught some slot and oversize snook this week. Beaches will have whiting, bluefish and some pompano in the surf.

Tip of the Week:

Fishing with artificials can be fun and exciting for any angler. There are more kinds, colors, variations....etc...etc....of lures available that is worse than shopping for toothpaste or shampoo! Any lure out there can catch fish on any given day. Whichever you decide to use, it is more important to use the proper presentation than worrying about color or size. There is more information than anyone could want out there about fishing and you will find that most will always use presentation as a key element to catching fish. Experimentation is one way to determine how to fish any kind of artificial. Whether trying it fast or slow, shallow or deep, or different ways just to work your lure, it can make the difference in catching or fishing. Always be open minded to trying something different. You never know when you just might find a lure that produces fish when presented in the right way. Have fun out there!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Kameron and Skyler Collins with a couple of their catches this week. Kyle enjoying a day on the water....











Jack Hogan and Ben Doern enjoying a fun day on the water....








Bob I'Anson managed this 20" trout on another windy day on the Indian River....

February 13, 2009

INSHORE:

The Treasure Coast was greeted to some fantastic warm weather this past week and it appears that we can enjoy similar weather in the coming days ahead. Winds have been light one day and blowing the next, but inshore fishing has continued to be improving with each sunny day. Water temperatures are climbing and the fish are coming in shallow on the flats. Hopefully, this is the coming of spring weather and those nasty cold fronts will be milder in the weeks ahead.

I was on the water several days this past week and found the fish in the mood to eat. The full moon had a little affect on the daytime bite, but overall, the fishing has been great out there. We have continued to start the days in deeper water and finding a variety of fish hanging in five to ten feet of water. Tom Hull was back down from Melbourne and after finding a number of nice trout in the deep cuts, he got slammed by a gag grouper that refused to come up from its lair on the bottom. With some coaxing, he finally got it to come up to release it for another day.

Moving onto some of the vast grass flats later in the day, we found numerous snook, redfish and trout laying in less than a foot of water. Most were just in the mood to get warm that day, but it is a good sign of the fishing that lies ahead. We managed some good bites under the docks and landed one hungry snook. DOA jerk baits and TerrorEyz kept us busy this week with trout. Rootbeer is the color that has worked best for us lately. We have found trout from Round Island down towards the power lines. Fish three to five feet of water and you should be able to find a limit of trout this week.

Around the docks, channel edges and bridges you can find sheephead, black drum and snapper. Live or dead shrimp are the choice baits. The water continues to stay clear in most areas and where you can find the warmest water, you can find the fish as well. Snook fishing was good during the full moon period at night this month around the bridges and inlet. Look for fishing to be good this next week as the sun warms up the water and the fish will become more active on the flats. Beach anglers are still enjoying good catches of bluefish, whiting and pompano along the surf. Sand fleas, shrimp and silver spoons will usually get you some action in these areas.

Tip of the Week:

Safe boating is everyone's responsibility. It is amazing at the number of boaters on the water that seem to have no indication of knowing the Rules of the Road. I am sure most of you have encounter one of those on the water and just shake your head in wonder. There are pamphlets and literature available to give anyone the basics in boating. The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers safe boating classes. There are even a number of online courses that you can find through myfwc.com. I appreciate Ed Killer for putting weekly safe boating tips online and in the St Lucie News. With the amount of boaters on the water, especially on weekends, keep yourself and everyone around you safer by knowing and using the Rules of the Road.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Nice days on the water along the Treasure Coast this week....

February 5, 2009

INSHORE:

Alright, I have finally figured it out. Sitting here with the wind and freezing temperatures outside has gotten me to thinking and I have came up with the solution to beating these cold fronts. Everyone should show up at the beaches on both coasts on Sunday and bring a paddle. We can all just row Florida a few degrees south and end these freezes for this year. It shouldn't take more than a couple hours........

Wind has been the enemy most of the week. Daytime temperatures haven't been so bad, but windy conditions has kept many anglers off the water. This weekend should provide us with fishable weather and much milder temps. The water is cold, but the fish will have to eat. Start fishing deeper water until the sun rises high in the sky. I did manage a trip to check out the river. The water has remained fairly clear so far and the trout are coming onto the flats later in the day. I drifted the Harbor Branch flats and found fish looking for the warm rays of the sun.....

Anglers have had luck on snook at night around docks, bridges and the inlet area. Live pinfish or large shrimp are the best choices with feather jigs the favorite artificial. Some slot and a lot of shorts were reported this week. At least the inlet has given some protection from some of the winds. Snapper and a few flounder have been boated this week as well. Catwalks have been mostly quiet this week. The Northwest winds have allowed beach anglers to hit the surf and find whiting, bluefish and pompano along the beaches. The jetties have held bluefish, mackerel and jacks during the day and some snook caught at night along the rocks.

The ocean continues to be a challenge on getting offshore. On the river, pick your spots and fish deep cuts or the channel edges for now. Most of the fish will be holding there, especially in the mornings or late evenings. Hopefully, this is the end of the freezing temps and things will begin to get back to normal soon. Cold water can make it challenging to find the fish some days. It's still better than chopping a hole in the ice....

Tip of the Week:

This time of year usually provides plenty of days to get your gear checked out for the coming spring. When it's cold and windy, I take a little time to change out line, oil reels and check rods for damaged guides. Changing hooks on lures, looking in the bottom of the tackle bag..... and cleaning out the storage compartments on the boat are a few other things to do on a cold, windy winter day in Florida. The warm weather isn't far off......

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Trout were hitting DOA TerrorEyz on a windy day this week....

January 30, 2009

INSHORE:

A few nice days of weather in between windy and cool periods found a good bite this week on the Indian River. The water temperatures began rising and that got the fish in the mood to feed. With the next cold front already moving in the area, it looks like the nights will continue to be cooler and winds to blow most of the week. Welcome to winter in Florida!

We began our days by fishing deeper water for trout. Finding cuts and channels that were six feet and deeper gave us a good trout bite along with grouper and snapper. Once the sun rose in the sky, we moved into three to five feet of water to find trout, ladyfish and jacks in a feeding pattern. Redfish, snook and trout are coming onto the shallows later in the day to warm up under the sun's rays. As the water temperature continues to warm up, the fish will become more active on the flats.

To find trout, look for clean water. Most of the east shore south of Fort Pierce has remained clean and you can find some clean water to the north around Harbor Branch and Round Island. We caught all of our trout on DOA CAL jerk baits in several colors that were mostly dark in nature. Snook season opens at midnight on Saturday night and many anglers are preparing to head out to get the first chance at a slot fish. Remember to check your license and snook stamp prior to getting on the water. Redfish can be found in many areas in shallow water around the river. DOA CAL grub tails are my favorite this time of year for the reds. Rootbeer is a good ol' standby that can't be beat on the flats.

Bridges slowed down this week with some black drum, snapper and sheephead being caught. The mackerel, bluefish and jacks have been thick around the jetties and along the beaches this past week. Pompano have been around the channels and beaches, but the bite wasn't heavy lately. It should be picking back up this week. I took my wife, Eva, out for a spin on the St Lucie River this week. We had a nice cruise and it was good to get her back on the water again.

Tip of the Week:

Safety equipment in your boat is not only just a requirement, but an essential part of your boating experience. Having the right gear might not seem important until you have a situation where it is necessary for safety or survival. Check the U. S. Coast Guard requirements for your particular vessel. You should check flares for expired dates and that fire extinguishers are current. First Aid kits should be checked and stocked regularly to be ready for any emergency that might pop up on any given adventure on the water. Life vests should be inspected for mildew and broken straps. Instruct passengers on locations of emergency equipment on your boat. These are a few things that always seem to be at the bottom of the list and last to be thought of until an emergency happens and you need your safety equipment. Boat and fish in a safe manner to prevent accidents, but be prepared when the unexpected might happen on your vessel. Have a safe and fun 2009!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

January 23, 2009

INSHORE:

As I look around outside and see brown grass....frost scorched plants & trees and my poor tomato plants....we sure did have one cold front move through this week. The days haven't been so bad, but the nights have chilled the water and made it more challenging to fish on the river this week. Look for a fantastic weekend ahead to get out and do some fishing!

I was out over the past weekend, just before the cold front hit so hard. Ray Boyd and his son-in-law, Mike, were out with me and we ended up having a great time on the water. With the water so cold, we found trout, ladyfish and jacks on the flats. Ray and Mike decided to have a contest to see who caught more fish. We lost count of how many and they tried to keep track of who was ahead. Well, rules continued to be changed and challenged so I have no idea who won the contest, but we all had a wonderful time on the river. I think this was a continuation of the contest from last year.....

It's important to find the warmer water to find the fish. Deeper water will work better in early mornings and you can move to the shallows on these sunny days to look for redfish and trout. Jerk baits, suspending lures and live bait will be good choices of baits. Fish slowly as the fish will be slow to move and sometimes you have to put if right in front of their face to get them to eat. Harbor Branch and Queen's Cove have continued to hold trout, ladyfish and jacks. Fishing around bridges, docks and deep cuts can pay off in this type of conditions. It has been a challenging and cold week!

Tip of the Week:

It's not as important in getting the early start in cold conditions. As the sun warms up the water, the fish will become active and more apt to feed. Fishing lures slowly along the bottom will give you more opportunities on each cast and have a better chance getting that hit from a fish. DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits are great ways to fish for trout and other species in cold water. Deeper cuts along mangroves can also be a great area to target fish. Fish slow and low and have success in this artic weather.......

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

January 16, 2009

INSHORE:

Looks like the latest c-c-c-cold f-f-f-front has invaded the T-t-t-treasure C-c-c-coast and brought some cold nights and cool days for a few days. Staying warm is part of preparing for your trip on the water. I broke out the ol' long handles this week in order to make fishing a little more comfortable. I called the Fishing Center in Fort Pierce to see if they stocked ice augers!!

Fishing will change as the water temperatures drop rapidly over the next several days. Looking for fish in deeper water will help improve your catch. Try fishing areas that might help keep the water warmer. Concrete seawalls can retain heat from the sun and keep water a little warmer than the surrounding water. Look to the shallows later in the day as the sun warms up the water. Fishing your lures or bait very slowly will also give you a better advantage.

Bob Baker was back this year to visit with his dad, Tom. We ventured out on a nice day and found the trout in the mood to eat as well as the usual ladyfish and jacks. Both caught their share of nice trout up to 20" and filled in the day with the ladies, jacks and bluefish on the flats. Tom Hull was down from Melbourne and we launched from Round Island on a windy day on the Indian River. It was just as this cold front had made it into the area. I didn't expect the fish to cooperate as much, but I needed to run the boat and do some scouting around the area. Harbor Branch has steadily been producing trout. We found them on the flats with DOA CAL jerk baits. I have been using the silver mullet and Arkansas glow colors a lot lately and having good success with them. Ladyfish and jacks kept us busy on some of the trout flats as well. We stealthily made our way onto some of the better redfish flats and found a couple of hungry reds along the mangroves and shallow flats to end up with a good day of fishing in less than desirable conditions.

Trout fishing will change this next week to deeper water. Try channel edges for some good action and deeper tidal cuts around the islands. Docks and the bridges will be great areas as well to find fish hanging around to keep warm and wait for an easy meal to drift by with the tides. Bridges will produce sheephead, sand perch and snapper. You can't beat a slow worked DOA shrimp around the docks. Redfish will be a little more tolerant of the cold water, but getting them to bite might be a challenge for a few days. I generally like to move out the three to five feet of water when the sun is high to find fish trying to feed and keep warm. The jetties will continue to hold jacks, mackerel and bluefish, while the surf should have plenty of whiting and pompano cruising along the beach.

Tip of the Week:

Remember to slow down your retrieve and approach around the flats. Fish are lethargic in cold water and will be slower to react to bait or lures as well as your boat moving along the flats. Trout will hang in the deep sand holes and will be more likely to hit a slow moving lure. If you are drifting too fast, you will see lots more fish than you will catch. Slow it down and improve your catching in cold water.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

DOA CAL jerk baits work great on redfish!

January 9, 2009

INSHORE:

Well, here we go beginning another new year and looking forward to exciting adventures on the water. We have already had some great days out there in spite of windy conditions a lot of the time. The fish are feeding on the flats and you can find an assortment of species around the Indian River this month. We have had lots of fun out there recently.

I had several friends return to fish the Indian River. Robert Strang and Denise were down and Denise topped off her day with a 26" snook. Keith Mullins and Kai were down to enjoy the nice weather again. Adrian and Phil Lusardi were out again with me and we had some wonderful fishing on one of those very windy days. Mark Platt, Bill Massan & John Wayman were some of the new clients that I had the privilege to have on the boat.

The bite for redfish, snook and trout has continued to improve around the river, with some big gator trout being taken in the shallow grass flats. Our best day was with Adrian and Phil Lusardi as they caught six reds and a number of snook and trout. Almost all of our fish continue to be caught on artificials. DOA CAL jerk baits and grub tails are my favorites out there on the flats. Rootbeer is always a sure fire color to use during the winter months. These fish are all feeding in the same areas, so you can find yourself with an inshore slam on any given day. Fish slowly and keep a stealthy approach in the shallows to improve your success rate.

Bridges continue to produce sheephead, black drum, sand perch and snapper on live or dead shrimp. Lots of mackerel, jacks and bluefish are around the inlets, while whiting and pompano are the best catches along the surf. You can usually find jacks and bluefish also feeding along the beaches. Channel edges along the river has held a good grouper bite as well as mackerel and snapper. And the usual ladyfish and jacks are wreaking havoc all over the river!

Tip of the Week:

Wind is the norm around the Treasure Coast during winter and spring. You can expect lots of it and plan your adventures around each front. It's also a good time to use the wind to get some much needed things accomplished that is hard to do most of the year. Here are just a few little chores that can be done when the winds are blowing and you have that itch to go fishing!

1. Cleaning out that tackle bag or box. You just never know what might be down in the bottom of it!

2. Changing that old line on your reels and making sure all your reels and rods are in good working order.

3. Checking safety equipment on the boat. Flares and fire extinguishers all have expirations that need to be checked at least once a year to comply with Coast Guard regs.

There are many little things that you can just take a few minutes and check out so that your next trip on the water will be safe, fun and exciting. Checking lights on the boat and trailer change spark plugs or water separators, inspect battery connections, tighten the screws around the deck of the boat and many more small chores that take little time. Have a fun and safe 2009!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Denise with a nice snook, Mark battling another fish, Adrian & Phil with a few of their catches this week on the Indian River....

INSHORE:

January will be full of sunny days and windy conditions for most of the month. We can expect a few days a week to enjoy and the rest can be a challenge to get out on the water. Offshore is usually choppy to rough seas, but will hold some great sailfishing for those who can get out on the ocean. We will be playing cat and mouse with the wind, but there is always somewhere on the river to enjoy a day of fishing.

Trout season re-opens and many anglers will be out with their popping corks on the grass flats. Pompano will also be cruising around the river & surf and you never know where or when you can pick up some of these great tasting fish. The grouper bite along the channel will still be good as will be the dock fishing for them. Jetties will hold lots of bluefish, mackerel and jacks, while the catwalks provide sheephead, black drum and croakers for eager anglers.

January is a great month to fish the Indian River along the Treasure Coast if you watch the weather and plan your trips around the weekly cold fronts that will invade the area. Have fun this year and have a fantastic 2009!

Tip of the Week:
As winter settles in on the Treasure Coast, windy conditions will be the norm on most days for the next several months. Small boats that cruise the river in search of a good fishing spot can be especially vulnerable to water blown around in the boat from choppy waves and blustery winds. Make sure cell phones, keys, cameras or any things that could be damaged by salt water are stowed secure and dry from the conditions. Dry boxes or zip lock bags can save a cell phone or car keys from sure disaster from the effects of saltwater. Keep them safe and dry before you leave the dock!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner

www.fishtalescharter.com
email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852

December 23, 2008

INSHORE:

This year has come and gone so fast and I would like to thank everyone for making 2008 full of great memories and fun adventures on the water. We hope that you and your family has the most wonder of Holiday Seasons and wish you the very best for 2009!

Some great fishing weather awaited anglers this past week on the Indian River. Mild temperatures and very little winds to allow boats to spread throughout the river and ocean in search of their favorite species of fish. It was unusual to have so many great fishing days without another cold front to stir things up again. Even the fish were enjoying the weather and we found them hungry as well.

Big sheephead are around the river now. Each day we caught lots of three to five pound sheephead around docks and structure along the Indian River. Kevin and Gordon had some non-stop action and the next day Jack, Bill and Steve enjoyed the same fun and even caught some snook and grouper as well. Dave and Cody Howard were next to wrestle some of these big sheephead from under the docks. Young Cody mastered it well and also found a variety of fish to keep his rod bending. We had lots of fun this week on the water!

Trout have been holding in three to five feet on the grass flats. We had a number of trout along with all the jacks and ladyfish you cared to tangle with. The youngsters were all smiles this week with the quick and seemingly unending action. There were some redfish caught around some of the docks this week. You can also find some hanging in the shallows under the warmth of the sun. All our fish this week were caught on DOA CAL jerk baits or live shrimp on a DOA jig head. There is some fast furious action awaiting you out there on the river!

Black drum, sand perch and sheephead topped the list on the catwalks and bridges this week. Live or dead shrimp works great for these areas. Pompano around the Power Plant and in the surf has been the catch for those anglers. The jetties continue to hold Spanish mackerel, bluefish and jacks for those with a silver spoon. It's been a fantastic week on the water!

Tip of the Week: It's almost the end of 2008 and many will soon be thinking of resolutions for the coming year. While my usual ones are always to lose weight and keep healthy, I will set a few as well for the water.....

1. Protect our grass flats. Idle speed in the shallows and use a trolling motor or push pole the majority of the time. Prop scars can take years to heal if at all.

2. Pick up some kind of trash from the water on each adventure. There is always something floating around in the river and picking up something can only help in keeping our river cleaner.

3. Teach as many of our youth the art of fishing. Etiquette, casting skills, safe boating and using artificials are only a few of the many things that we can teach our future anglers.

4. Practice catch and release. Safe handling and releasing of fish can help insure a population for generations to come.

5. It's all about having fun! Enjoy your time on the water and make it enjoyable for everyone around you.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852


Cody Howard was busy reeling in fish this week with his dad, Dave. Jack and his sister had big days while fishing with their family, the Murrays.

December 18, 2008

INSHORE:

Finally! After a couple weeks of battling the flu, I was able to get back on the water and do some scouting around the river. It turned out to be a wonderful weather day with light winds to make it a warm welcome back to the river. It looks like the weekend will be a fantastic opportunity to get out fishing. The fish are out there, so plan a trip out soon!

If you have children, it's one of the best times of year to take them fishing. The ladyfish and jacks are thick on the edges of the flats and you can treat them to an experience that they will remember for a long time. Tom Hull came down from Melbourne and we play with them for a while to get back into the fishing mode again. Try to get some kids out there soon and show them a good time!

There are still large trout, snook and redfish hanging just on the flat edges once the sun warms up the morning. We found some nice size trout to hit and did manage one redfish before the day ended. It sure was nice to get back on the water again. If you are out, try soft plastics like DOA CAL jerk baits or grub tails for the trout, snook and redfish. We caught trout on the jerk baits and the redfish on a grub tail. Suspending lures will also work along with top water in the early mornings. Harbor Branch, Round Island and Bear Point have all been good areas to fish.

The sand perch bite slowed down a little this week, but you can still find some along with black drum, snapper and sheephead. I have seen some big sheephead around the river on the flats as well. There are still mackerel, bluefish and jacks around the inlet and jetties to catch. The pompano bite has been mostly around the power plant area. The surf has found whiting and pompano for anglers along the beach.

Tip of the Week:

Most of the big fish we have caught or seen on the flats have been hanging in the sand holes. I love to fish any sandy areas on the grass flats. Most sand holes that you happen on will usually be a bit deeper than the grass around them. Big fish are typically lazy and will hang in these holes to wait for bait fish to drift over with the tides. I cast just beyond a sandy area and fish slowly along it. Once the sun comes up, it easy to spot these areas on the flats and might just help you be a little more successful.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852
A couple trout from this weeks fishing....

December 12, 2008

INSHORE:

With all the cold and flu that goes around this time of year.....I finally got hit and it decked me out all week. No fishing....just bed and rest to try and shake this bug. And I am not one who enjoys just laying around! The fishing has been pretty good out there and anglers are catching a variety of fish. With the latest cold front upon us, the winds will be blowing most days this week.

Around the river, anglers are catching quite a few grouper while trolling along the channel edges north of Fort Pierce. Pompano fishing down around the power plant has remained consistent most days. The trout and redfish have continued to come in shallow as the sun warms up the water. We were finding them in one to three feet of water. Bridge anglers are still enjoying lots of sand perch, black drum and sheephead out on the catwalks. Ladyfish and jacks are everywhere! Mackerel, jacks and bluefish are around the inlet. I had some reports of snook catches, but most have been shorts of late with a few slots being taken. Remember......snook season CLOSES on December 15th and trout season won't re-open until January 1st.

Tip of the Week: Windy Weather Fishing

We can expect some windy days so plan your trips around the direction of the wind and enjoy your adventure. Setting up your drifts by using the wind directions can give you more fishing time and less time worrying about keeping the boat positioned. Drifting a flat in a zigzag pattern can allow you to cover a larger area while letting mother nature assist you. Fish ahead of your drift or to either side of the boat. If using live bait, I like to use popping corks and fish them ahead and re-cast as you drift up on them. You can use a drift anchor to slow down or use a small mushroom anchor like I do. I drop the anchor and fish an area. After some casts, I lift the anchor and drift ahead a little and drop it again. When you start catching fish, just keep the anchor out and fish that area longer. Once you are finished with a drift, move back across the flat at an angle to give your next drift in waters that you have yet to fish. It's an easy way to fish in windy conditions. Let the wind be your friend!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852
Clint Walker and myself with a couple recent trout catches on the Indian River flats...

December 5, 2008

INSHORE:

Fantastic weather and great fishing awaited anglers this week. Mild temperatures and winds provided us with some excitement on the water. In spite of cool water, the fish are out there feeding and it's a great time of year to fish the Indian River.

Rich Dickerson was out with me this past week and we enjoyed lots of action early with ladyfish, trout and jacks and later in the day we chased redfish and Rich hooked a nice red until it got off. Josh Lukat, with brother, Kyle, and friend, Austin, came out to celebrate Josh's Birthday. Once again we began the day with hoards of ladyfish, jacks and trout and the guys ended up their day with some nice trout and Kyle losing a slot redfish. Clint from the Fishing Center and I went out for a fun day of fishing. We found big reds and trout in the shallow water and boated several big trout to end up the day. There are some big fish out there on the flats!

Trout season is still close, but catch and release trout action has been hot lately. Big trout are in the shallow water as the sun warms things up. Redfish are also coming onto the flats as well. You can find them in one to three feet of water once things warm up out there. We used soft baits and MirrOLures to find some nice trout this week and even hook up with a few redfish. Snook are also patrolling the edges of the flats. Harbor Branch up north and any of the flats south towards the Power Plant have been good areas this week. Night anglers are still catching some slots and a good number of shorts this week. Don't forget that snook season closes December 15th. You still have a few days to catch that slot!

If just fun is what you are looking for......there are large schools of ladyfish and jacks on the flats to keep your rod bending for hours. We have fished three to five feet of water when just wanting a little fun fishing this week. The inlet has held bluefish, mackerel and ladyfish in large numbers. Bridge anglers are still enjoying lots of sand perch, black drum, snapper and sheephead from the catwalks. Live or dead shrimp always get you some action around the bridges. Pompano have been along the surf and down by the power lines for those interested in some great table fare. Shrimp or sand fleas are the best baits for them. Not many reports of flounder yet, but everyone is anticipating their arrival. We had lots of exciting action out there!

Tip of the Week:

Jerk baits have been working great for us lately. Colors aren't as important as working them properly. We have been slowly popping them along the bottom and letting them sit for a few seconds in between pops. Most hits have been of the drop or when it lies motionless on the bottom. DOA CAL jerk baits in rootbeer, silver mullet or green back colors have been our best producers this week. I use 1/16 or 1/8 oz. jig heads so they will easily work over the very shallow flats. Have some fun this week on the Indian River!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Kyle, Josh and Austin enjoyed a good day fishing the waters of the Indian River......

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!

December Fishing Forecast:

Here it is December already and the Holidays are almost upon us. Where has this year gone? I must say it has been a great year for fishing all along the Treasure Coast. Both inshore and offshore has provided anglers with many great fishing adventures. We were blessed with a mild winter last year and hopefully we can look forward to another great year for winter fishing!

December brings on the winter months and changes fishing tactics on the river. The water temperatures continue to fall and your fishing must adjust to the weather. We will get many days of breezy winds that will hinder getting to some favorite spots out there. That's one of the reasons I love fishing in this area....you can always find somewhere to fish! Not only does the cooler weather affect the fish, it also requires us to dig out the ol' winter fishing clothes. It can get pretty chilly some mornings!

Trout and snook will be targets throughout the winter. Although trout season will remain closed through December and snook season closes December 15th, lots of anglers will still play catch and release with them. Fishing around bridges, docks and inlets can bring great action with snook hanging around the deeper waters of the river. Using live bait, red tail hawks and bomber lures can help you catch one worth a photo opportunity. Trout will tend to hang around the deeper cuts of the river. Move off to three to six feet of water for trout. Live shrimp on popping corks will work the best for them. I love to work DOA CAL jerk baits this time of year on the flats. You can also find snook and redfish hanging around those areas, too.

Pompano will begin to show up in the river and beaches this month. Spanish mackerel will continue to hang out in their favorite haunts of the river. Jack Crevalle will be traveling around in packs chasing bait all over the river. Flounder should continue to hit in the inlets and sandy areas of the river. Ladyfish is a great way to spend a few hours with the kids on the water. The bridges will be holding sheephead, croakers and sand perch for those anglers. Live or dead shrimp is always the best bet from the catwalks.

Redfish were hanging around the flats all last winter and I don't see any reason why you won't find them there this year. The past two years, the redfish population has explodedin our area! Schools of reds have given many anglers a fantastic fishing experience on our saltwater flats. Look for them as the sun warms up the water. You will find small groups at times tailing along the flats. Gold spoons, twitch baits and live bait can entice one into striking. Work your baits slow and remain stealthy to keep from sending them to depths unknown.....

Snook season closes December 15th so you just have a short time to catch that slot fish.

Winter fishing is already here. Change your tactics with the weather and follow the water temperatures more closely to make your fishing more productive. The fishing on our Treasure Coast continues to improve each years. If we all do our share to protect our rivers, we can insure the future generations will enjoy the same experiences we have been blessed with.

Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!

Good Fishing!

Captain Charlie Conner






While catching a smorgasboard of fish this week, Rich fooled this sheephead with a DOA CAL grub tail.

November 14, 2008

INSHORE:

With winter fast approaching and water temperatures dropping, anglers along the catwalks of Fort Pierce are excitedly reaping the rewards of braving the windy weather of November. Sand perch, snapper, black drum and croakers have filled the area with eager anglers looking to catch up on the feast that awaits them. Live or dead shrimp has put many good meals on the table recently. There have been lots of fish and lots of catching.

On the flats, the much awaited return of the pompano has finally arrived. While the numbers have been increasing, you can find pompano around the river along drop offs and deeper flats. Great table fare and battle on the hook. We found some pomps along the flats in 4 - 5 feet of water and had one take a DOA CAL jerk bait while fishing the flats. Live shrimp or sand fleas are the preferred baits while fishing for pompano. Look for lots of them to be along the surf in the near future.

If a fun day of fishing is all you need, look to the many jacks, mackerel, ladyfish and bluefish around the inlet right now. Tom Hull was down and we had a few hours of furious catch and release of some of the lesser renowned battlers out there. You can find some non-stop fun, especially for the young ones, out there awaiting you. Tom caught one of the biggest ladyfish I have seen on light tackle this week on the flats.

With the full moon, most of the snook fishing has been at night recently. Look around the inlet and bridges for your best opportunities using live bait. Lots of shorter snook have been hanging around the mangroves and provide some fun while ducking out of the windy conditions out there. Redfish reports have been mostly to the north in the Moorings and Round Island area. Live or cut bait has found a few willing to eat. We are still waiting for the flounder to show up in numbers and that shouldn't be too far off.

Tip of the Week:

A reminder that the Fort Pierce channel from the north bridge to south of the southern bridge is due to return to a manatee zone very soon. Watch for the signs and slow down. We continue to see boaters ignoring slow speed zones. Whether you like them or not, they are the law and we must obey them. The fines aren't worth taking the risk of being caught out there. Have fun and be safe.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Tom Hull with a few catches this week on the Indian River.....

November 6, 2008

INSHORE:

Now that fall is in full swing around the Treasure Coast, you can find water temperatures dropping and windy conditions much of the time out on the water. We ended up canceling twice this week and I managed to get out one day that was not so blustery as the others. We can expect similar conditions as the cold fronts work their way through the area on an almost weekly basis now. It's a great time to fish, but can be challenging on some days.

Let's take this week to talk about changing conditions on the river and changing tactics as well. Water temps have begun to drop and that will drive most fish to deeper water, especially in the mornings. Deeper cuts around mangroves, docks and islands will be good places to start in the mornings as the water continues to cool off. As the sun rises and the water warms again, you can find the fish heading back up on the flats to feed and get warm again. Redfish, especially, can be found cruising the flats at high noon during the cooler months of the year. Pompano will be in the deeper areas from three feet and better. Small jigs or live shrimp will work well for them.

Slowing up your retrieve is essential to success this time of year. I like to take DOA shrimp or jerk baits and slowly work them across the flats or around the mangroves. The slower the better as the fishes metabolism slows down and they become lethargic as the water gets cooler. I like three to five feet of water this time of year. They will stay off the edges of the flats and move up onto them as the day wears on. Live or artificial shrimp on popping corks are wintertime fishing staples. I like to put one out the back of the boat while I fish artificials out the front. Gold spoons, suspending lures and jigs are all good lures when the water is cooler.

Fishing docks can be exciting where snook, reds and other species will be hanging to catch an easy meal drifting by. I especially like DOA shrimp for dock fishing. Fish it slow and let it settle on the bottom. When the water is cold, fish the drop offs, channels and docks. It's a great time of year. Changing tactics for the cooler months will help you be more successful. Have fun out there!

This week on the river: Sand perch (mojarra) have invaded the inlet and the catwalks have been full of anglers fishing for them. They are a popular staple this time of year in this area. Live or dead shrimp will get you a feast right now. On the flats, snook, jacks and trout have been in the deeper cuts of the mangroves and flats. There are lots of jacks out there to keep you busy! A few pompano have been caught, but still waiting on them to arrive in numbers.

Tip of the Week: As the cold fronts signal that winter isn't far off, it's important to dress in layers on those cool mornings. Florida is famous for cold nights and hot days and layering can keep you comfortable throughout your day on the water. It can get challenging with the wind and cold, so prepare prior to getting on the water. It's always cooler out there than at home.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

October 30, 2008

INSHORE:

Some ghoulish weather has kept the winds howling around the Treasure Coast this week just in time for Halloween! The rain went away, but the breezy conditions remained this week to keep most anglers from venturing out. The approaching weekend should bring few milder days, but the winds will most likely be blowing into next week. Welcome to wintertime in Florida!

We did get one good day on the water prior to the latest weather front. Bill Schaefer and his son, Chris, and friend, Chris, met me for a day of fishing and dodging rain clouds. We fished south of Fort Pierce and found trout, jacks, snook and other species feeding on the flats and proceeded to have a lot of fun playing catch and release. We had a number of triple hookups that morning. We managed to skirt most of the rain and finished off the afternoon as the weather deteriorated quickly. By the next day, the winds picked up and made fishing difficult if not dangerous.

Trout, jacks, ladyfish and bluefish continue to feed on the flats in two to four feet of water. Live shrimp on popping corks along with DOA CAL jerk baits have provided lots of fun this month. Fish the outgoing tides to find snook around the inlet areas and docks along the river. Redfish have been hanging around docks as well. We should find pompano and flounder around the river now that the cold fronts have started their winter patterns.

Bridges anglers have been catching sand perch, black drum and snapper on live or dead shrimp. The jetties continue to hold big jacks, snook, bluefish and some flounder on the south side of the jetty. The north bridge in Fort Pierce and Taylor Creek have been good spots for snook fishing, especially the night anglers. The fish are out there if you can work with the windy conditions!

Tip of the Week:

Winter is fast approaching and weather fronts will be a weekly force around the Treasure Coast. Unfortunately, good weather seldom coincides with days off or weekends. Take a few minutes and check the weather for the days that you want to fish. There are many ramps around the area that can provide safe launching depending on what conditions you will be facing. It's easy to google local county boat ramps in the area. Some are great ramps and less used than normal. Some provide access to areas when the wind isn't your best friend. Make the most of your days on the water!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

October 24, 2008

INSHORE:

In spite of a blustery week of windy weather, we managed a couple nice days to get out on the Indian River and find the fish in the mood to eat some baits. We had to cancel a few days due to the conditions. Looks like this next week will continue with strong winds and rainy days in the forecast, so plan your ventures wisely out there. Inshore has been fishable, but offshore still has been difficult most days to get out.

Todd Dziak and his dad, Fred, were out with me this past week and we encountered lots of trout and jacks on the flats on a near perfect day for fishing. Richie and JoAnn Adams also had some nice weather the day we fished the Indian River this week. Once again, the fish were feeding and we had a great day on the water. We caught a variety of fish this week on the Treasure Coast.

We fished some docks on the outgoing tides for snook this week. Richie and JoAnn caught a half dozen snook in the 22-25" range and lost one big snook under the docks. Fishing the outgoing tides has been the most productive around the inlets and bridges as well. Live baits have worked best for us, but some are still being taken on artificials, especially around the jetties.

Richie landed a nice 26" redfish from under a dock as well while snook fishing. He even caught a few gag grouper both at the docks and on the flats. We spent the rest of our trips on the flats catching lots of trout up to 22" and many jacks. Todd, Richie and JoAnn had a busy, but fun time catching and releasing a lot of fish on their adventures. We have still been fishing mostly south of Fort Pierce down towards the Power Plant on the eastern side of the river.

Bridges have continued to hold sand perch, black drum, snapper and some croakers on live or dead shrimp. The surf has been pretty quiet with the strong northeast winds coming onto shore. The jetties have held snook at night and jacks, bluefish and mackerel most of the time on active tides. It a good time of year to play around with a top water lure around the inlets.

Tip of the Week:

Now that fall is showing signs that winter isn't far off. It's a good time to check on your batteries and make sure they are in good working condition. Cold weather and batteries don't always make a good combination. As the temperatures cool off, if you are going to have battery problems, it will most likely happen on a cold morning when you least expect it. Clean terminals for good contact and replace any worn or corroded cables that can cause problems. If a battery is in question, most places that sell them will also check yours out to see what condition it is in and if replacement is necessary. Oh...and you might locate those long johns soon, too!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

October 16, 2008

INSHORE:

A quiet week along the Treasure Coast.....rain blowing and wind howling most of the week kept all but the diehard angler off the water. Both inshore and offshore fishing was all but lost this week. It finally calmed a bit today to allow some fishing, but dirty water and higher than normal tides made it difficult to say the least. But....tomorrow is another day and we will be out on the water in search of our quarry once again! The coming weekend should provide us with fishable weather ahead.

Ian Moss and I finally got a day that we could get on the water after cancelling earlier in the week. The day provided us with trout and jacks on the flats. The bait was harder to find, but we were able to catch some fish. Tom Hull reported catching trout and jacks as well. He caught some up to 23" on the flats south of Fort Pierce. DOA CAL jerk baits continue to work well on the flats. They have even out fished live bait this week. Seek out the bait schools and clean water when you can for your best fishing opportunities.

Bridges have held some sand perch, snapper and black drum recently. Whiting has been the mainstay on the beaches for those who have dared venture on the sand. Snook around the inlets have been caught mostly at night or on the outgoing tides. Overall....a pretty quiet week around the river.

Tip of the Week:

Jig heads have always been a pet peeve of mine. Lots of types, brands, sizes, colors, etc....... I use lots of jigs on the flats and rely on them to work the way I want them to. Pay attention to how the head is made. Is it tapered to allow the jig to lift up over the grass or made so it will nose down when jigged. Below are two photos of a few types of jig heads. All are designed as jigs, but most will act differently on the flats. In shallow water, I like jigs that have a tapered head and the eye of the hook positioned so that it will pull up at an angle when used. It allows my lure to work through the grass effectively without picking up grass on the retrieve. Next time you are looking at jig heads.....notice how they are made. Choose yours based on your own fishing needs.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

October 9, 2008

INSHORE:

Weather this week along the Treasure Coast has been wet and windy on a few days, but great fishing conditions most of this week on the Indian River. A great weekend is ahead of us and with all the baitfish around the river, it should be a fantastic time on the water. We have spent most of the week between the Power Plant and the Fort Pierce bridges and found cleaner water in most areas and lots of activity on the east side of the river.

There have been lots of schoolie trout on the flats. Find the cleaner water and the bait schools and you should find your fish. Lots of other species have been feeding around the bait as well. Barracuda, snook, redfish, jacks, mackerel and bluefish have all been out there feasting. There are some tarpon around Big and Little Mud Creeks. It's a wonderful time to be fishing the Indian River. Try live bait, like mullet, pinfish or shrimp, and DOA CAL jerk baits for your best results. Top water in the early mornings can also give you some solid strikes. We have been targeting 3 - 5 feet of water around the edges of the bait fish.

Tom Tait and his fishing friend, Annette, were out fishing this week with me and we caught trout, snook and jacks along the bait schools. It was a fun day on the water. Adrian and Lionel Lusardi were back fishing with me again this week. We caught an assortment of fish including trout, snook and jacks and just missed a tarpon hookup at Little Mud. Lionel ended the day with a nice redfish on a CAL jerk bait.

I have had a few reports of the sand perch showing up around the Fort Pierce bridges this week. A few flounder, snapper and black drum also being caught around the Inlet. Some whiting, bluefish and mackerel along the beaches have kept surf anglers busy. Snook fishing around the area at night has been productive at the jetties, north bridge in Fort Pierce and the turning basin. It's a great time of year.

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Martin County Anglers Club in Stuart. Met a great bunch of avid anglers and had a wonderful time at their meeting. Thanks to everyone for having me and hope to see you all again.

Tip of the Week:

Fishing the Treasure Coast in the fall can provide fantastic opportunities at hooking up with your favorite species. So much baitfish have invaded the river that it's easier to decide where to fish and spend more time fishing. We look for areas that have nervous, agitated or bait being crashed. Fish the edges with live or artificial baits for the best results. Snook, trout, jacks and redfish will all be looking for that quick, easy meal. If the bait calms down and things get quiet, it might be time to move on to the next action. The more the activity, the more chance at finding the fish. Try fishing around the bait.....you just never know what might be lurking on the outskirts!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

October 2, 2008

INSHORE:

If you haven't been out fishing lately...you are missing some of the best action of the year. Acres of baitfish and lots of hungry fish eaters out there giving chase. It's a fantastic time to live and fish the Treasure Coast! Mild weather conditions have only contributed to the exciting times on the water. We had some great fun out there this week.

It's not too difficult to find areas to fish right now. Look for any of the cleaner water and baitfish and you should find your action waiting on you. We have fished south just about exclusively this week and had some nice catches out there. Sunday, as I was scouting for this weekend, the bite took off on the flats and the redfish, snook, trout and jacks all were in a cooperative mood to eat. All fish were caught in 3 to 4 feet of water.

Tom Hull was down to fish this week and we again headed south of Fort Pierce to try our luck. A few lost top water lures later we switched to jerk baits and found the fish ready and willing to eat again. Lots of trout up to 18" are out there and willing to choke down a soft bait to keep you busy. Jacks are everywhere along with some ladyfish. We also nailed some short snook.....that is until Tom got crushed by a snook on his CAL jerk bait. After a tense battle on light tackle, he coaxed a 31" slot snook boat side. I am sure he said it was his personal best. These fish are following the bait schools and hungry. Watch were the baitfish have gathered and fish the edges for your action.

DOA CAL jerk baits have produced just about all our catches this week. I have been using any colors that tend to resemble mullet or baitfish and having good success on a CAL jighead. Try Arkansas Glow or Silver Mullet colors. We have fished them slow or fast as the bite seems to warrant. We have caught a smorgasbord of different species this week on them. Don't miss out on some of this great fishing action out on the Indian River. Have some fun soon!

Bridges and jetties have produced black drum this week. The surf has yielded whiting and a few pompano with live or dead shrimp. Night anglers are still catching snook around the jetties and bridges on mostly live bait. Enjoy yourself out there!

Tip of the Week:

Check your leader often out there fishing. Fish or structure can fray leaders quickly and if you aren't re-tying as necessary, you might just lose that big fish. Tom was a perfect example this week. He retied his worn leader just prior to hooking up on his slot snook and that enabled him to fight that fish to the boat. Take those few seconds and make sure your gear is ready for action. Sometimes doing little things correctly can lead to bigger things ahead!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

September 26, 2008

INSHORE:

It was another good week fishing on the Indian River Lagoon. We had some fantastic sunny days along with a few days that you dared not venture out. Overall, the weather has held up nicely and we are in for another great weekend of fishing on the Treasure Coast. We fished both north and south of Fort Pierce this week. Hope you get a chance to get out fishing.

The trout bite picked up this week, finally. CAL jerk baits caught most of our fish this week. Try colors that will resemble baitfish or mullet. Those worked well for us. Arial, Kaleb and Jordan fished with me in the Teen Anglers tournament and we hooked up on nearly two dozen trout. The guys had more trouble getting them to the boat that day than hooking up. Scott Ring and his son, Jeremy, was also out with me and we hooked up on the trout as well. Most are schoolie trout up to 18 inches. The tides were high so you can fish closer into the banks on some of the flats. Most of our fish came in 3-4 feet of water.

We also caught some short snook, grouper and jacks while fishing the trout flats. Some big fish were crashing bait along the outer edges of the shallows. There have been lots of jacks around the river lately. Most of the snook action has been around the bridges, jetties and docks and mostly at night. Live bait has worked the best for them. We did find a few big snook around some of the docks. Not many reports of redfish this week. The water quality continues to improve and so will the fishing. The better water has been south of Fort Pierce on the east side. Bear Point has held lots of bait this week.

Not much to report on the catwalks or surf this week. The winds had the surf churned up most of the week and the catwalk anglers were not reporting much on catches. Some black drum, snapper and flounder are being taken. Mid week bought the windy conditions and not many anglers were brave enough to get on the water.

Tip of the Week:

Fall is fast approaching and fishing conditions always change with the seasons. Plan on varying your fishing patterns and try something different if the bite changes. Right now, with the mullet run in force, you can use mullet type lures and colors with good success. As the mullet move out, watch for changes in baitfish, temperatures and water conditions. It's a great time of year to fish on the Treasure Coast!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

September 18, 2008

INSHORE:

Mother Nature sure dealt us a great week of fishing weather. Winds inshore were mild most days and we had some fantastic fun out on the water. Fish were in the mood to bite and the water clarity has continued to improve, especially south of Fort Pierce. Looks like this weekend the forecast calls for more of the same conditions, so plan on fishing and enjoying the sunshine!

I was out scouting a couple days and found snook, jacks and bluefish around both the river and along the surf. Large schools of jacks are roving the water and can provide some great fun out there. Snook have continued to hit around the jetties, bridges and docks of the area. The best bite has been the outgoing tides. DOA TerrorEyz, shallow running Baitbusters and the Big Fish Lure has been the best producing artificials along with top water lures. Live mullet or pinfish are the preferred live bait. Redfish have been hitting around the inlet and docks this week as well. The bait has flooded into the river and the hungry predators have followed it.

I also had the pleasure of having Will Whitehead and Ty Fisher on the boat this week. I could tell right off that it was gonna be one of those competitive days. We found jacks, snook, redfish, flounder and grouper as we fished the area. The guys caught a number of snook, a couple of nice slot reds and a host of other fish. We lost a couple big snook and had several big grouper break us off. It was a great day out there with wonderful weather and hungry fish.

Today, I ventured down to the beach to see what is happening out there in the surf. Anything that resembles a mullet will catch you some fish right now. The trough along the beach was loaded with snook, jacks and bluefish. I ended up with one slot snook (released) and lots of jacks and bluefish. I was using a DOA Big Fish Lure and the fish ended up tearing it up by the time I was finished. Lots of fun in the surf this week!

Tip of the Week:

With the fall mullet run in full force, look to find which of your lures will best imitate a wounded mullet. The fish are keying in on the bait schools and will attack anything that looks like an easy meal. Top water, Baitbusters, etc will get you the strikes. It wasn't long ago that the fish were gorging on pinfish, but now it's mullet time! Match your lures to the bait and you will have better success out on the water.

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

Take a minute today and remember all the loved ones who gave their lives on 9/11.



September 11, 2008

INSHORE:

As Ike decided to stay south of us, the weather was fantastic for outdoor activities over the past weekend and looks the one approaching will be just as nice. The fishing really on Saturday and Sunday, even though Ike decided to throw some winds at us the past several days to make it harder to get out there. If the forecast is correct, get out some top water lures and head out for a weekend of fishing!

I was delighted to get the opportunity to take out the grandkids this weekend. Grandma Eva and mom, Dena, met me at the ramp with 3 year old, Chloe, and 6 month old, Brody for an adventure on the water. Just remember that pinfish isn't always just for bait. Chloe excitedly reeled in pinfish after pinfish and even caught a catfish in the process. Of course, being a three year old, she was determined to reel every fish in herself and did it like a seasoned angler. There's nothing as rewarding than watching children enjoy a day on the water!

Snook fishing has remained good for those fishing around the inlets, bridges and docks. Some overslots were reported along with shorts and several elusive slots. Live mullet and pinfish has been the bait of choice, but diving plugs and jigs have also worked well around the jetties. Some big snook are out there in the shallows as well. DOA's Big Fish Lure has worked great this time of year. It looks and swims like a mullet and presents an easy target on the flats for many species. A 31" snook exploded on it in three feet of water. I was able to fish south of Fort Pierce and the water is showing good signs of clearing up soon.

Big schools of jacks have moved into the river to wreak havoc on the bait schools. They are easy to spot on calm days and are great fun to catch and release. Some are in the 15 - 20 pound range. The bluefish have also been crashing the bait. There are still some snapper along the channel edges. The trout bite has remained slow for now, but should pick up again soon. Redfish have begun showing back up on the flats as the water begins the slow process of clearing up. Most have been north of Fort Pierce on the flats from Queen's Cove to the Moorings. The surf report has been spotty with all the windy weather lately. Offshore has also been pretty quiet of late. It's a great time of year to be living and fishing around the Treasure Coast.

Tip of the Week:

Once in while, I manage to get one of those days to just get out and enjoy the weather and water. Not so much concentration on fishing as relaxing and watching everything around you. The many birds and fish provide a natural serenade of sights and sounds to help soothe your soul and mind. It brings back the memories of many fishing adventures on the water. There's a lot going on in this world we live in, so once in a while it's good to get out on the water to ease the tensions. It might not change a lot, but is gives you a break from the news, TV and routine. Plan on getting out soon!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

August 28, 2008

INSHORE:

Don't expect that ground to dry up just yet.....looks like another storm is out there brewin' and could very well head this way again. The river is stained brown with all the runoff freshwater flooding all through the Treasure Coast. Finding clean water will be difficult for a while longer, but the fish have to eat and if you try different areas you can still be successful out on the river. In spite of water conditions, we enjoyed some great catching this week!

I had R J Swinford, Joe Senneville and Cory Sullivan on the boat this week and we went out in search of some fishing action in the Fort Pierce area. After trying several usually good areas, we finally found fish gathered along the mangroves in a deep cut of water. We never had to look for another spot that day. They guys caught twenty some short snook up to 24", four slot redfish up to 26" and a number of snapper to make for a great day of fishing. It was steady action once we found where the fish were lurking.

Cory caught three of the redfish himself, while R J boated the other one. They all shared in the snook and snapper action. Live pinfish and shrimp on popping corks helped locate our fishing spot and we finally called it a day when we used up all our bait and an afternoon storm was working towards us. Try around the islands and along the channel edges. Live shrimp and pinfish are working great for now. DOA TerrorEyz has also been good for artificials. Top water lures will be the choice lures at first light.

Snapper action continues to be good along the channel edges. Some up to 13 pounds have been reported this week north of Fort Pierce. Snook action around the spillways of Taylor Creek have been producing some good sized fish. The jetties have also been a good spot to fish for linesiders. Snook season will re-open on September 1st, so get prepared for a lot of anglers out at midnight Sunday night into Monday.

Tip of the Week:

Take a quick minute and check out your navigation light on the boat along with your trailer lights. A lot of anglers will be heading for the ramps Sunday night for the opening of snook season and the Labor Day Weekend. Make sure all your lights are in good working order to keep yourself and others safe with the additional boating traffic this weekend. Keep safe this weekend and good luck fishing!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

August 14, 2008

INSHORE:

It's great to live and fish along the Treasure Coast! Fishing was a little on the slow side this week, but we had fun out there on the water anyway. Early mornings continue to hold the best opportunities for fishing. The weather has been fantastic if you get out and back before the afternoon storms roll into the area. Continued summer patterns will give you the opportunity to have some great fishing weather.

Fishing was on the slow side out there this week. Redfish were on the flats one day and disappeared the next. Trout fishing has remained on the slow side. The summer doldrums have really kicked in! We did manage some short snook on several days around the mangroves and docks. Kimberly Kolz caught hers from under a dock in Fort Pierce, while Adrian Lusardi lost a couple nice hits at the same dock. There was a definite lack of bait around the flats. Most of the anglers fishing this week were after snapper along the channel edges. I had several good reports of nice sized snapper from under some of the docks and north along the channel at Harbor Branch. The southerly winds kept us from enjoying fishing south of Fort Pierce on some of the days we were out this week.

Bridges have had some snapper, sheephead and a few reports of flounder. The jetties at night have continued to hold snook, jacks and tarpon. I had a few good reports of pompano along some of the beach areas on shrimp or sand fleas. Brennan Smith was out one day and caught several nice kingfish right along the beach. Live bait is the best way to catch them right now.

Tip of the Week: Snook season is fast approaching! It's that time of year to break out the trusty ol' snook gear and make sure it is armed and ready for action. Checking line, rods and reels are essential to being prepared for that opening night. It pays to get things ready now so you won't be running around crazily trying to get prepared. Oh....and it's also a good idea to check that snook permit and make sure it's still good. Have fun this snook season!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

772-284-3852

August 7, 2008

INSHORE:

We enjoyed fishing schools of redfish once again this week. It's a sight in itself to see anywhere from fifty to one-hundred redfish out in front of the boat. We had some great fun and won a few battles fishing the flats of the Treasure Coast! It might be hot and muggy, but it's a great time of year to fish the Indian River.

While fishing with Steve Rial and his buddy, we ran into Charlie Norburn and his wife on the flats. Both boats ended up fishing a nice school of reds and everyone came out a winner! Charlie's wife, Linda, caught her very first redfish and can't wait to get out fishing again. The fish have been moving so any flat around the river could be holding them on any given day. From the Moorings south to Bear Point, you could find a school out there feeding. Most times, they have been very shallow so watch and see what is going on around you. DOA TerrorEyz has been the go to bait recently for redfish. DOA shrimp or CAL grub tails will also give you an advantage when fishing for redfish.

Snook have been holding around the jetties, docks and bridges around the river. A good night bite on the moving tides continues to keep anglers busy with catch and release snook. The trout bite continued to be slow this past week. They are gorging themselves on pin and pigfish, so try the TerrorEyz around the grass flats this time of year. Lots of good size snapper reported along the channel edges this week. Greg Schroeder reported he is catching lots of nice snapper. The surf has held whiting, jacks, Spanish mackerel and snook along the beaches. Can't beat a good ol' silver spoon this time of year!

Tip of the Week: Patience when fishing the shallow flats can really pay off if you take the time to watch the water and learn to read what is going on around you. It's good time of year to get out and see what is happening around you. Calm mornings mean that you can see just about anything moving on the flats. Redfish can sit and feed quietly, but you can find them if you are patient and watch. Noting where fish are feeding can help you on future adventures. Redfish like to feed in the shallow, sandy flats and sometimes are in less than a foot of water. It's fun, exciting and rewarding fishing!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com

email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com

August 1, 2008
INSHORE:
Continued hot and muggy weather around the Treasure Coast this week has bought thunderstorms and rain around the area most afternoons. Fishing early or late in the day will give you the best opportunities out on the river. It's hot out there, so drink plenty of fluids throughout the day.
Redfish was our main target all week. Earlier in the week, the schools continued to feed on the shallow flats and we had some great success. The schools left the flats by the end of the week, but should appear any day again. Soft plastics, like DOA TerrorEyz or shrimp work best if fished along the bottoms slowly on the flats. Live pinfish work when nothing else will get them to eat. Gary Cruz was out with me earlier in the week with son, Devin, and nephew, Shane Murphy. They guys combined for a total of seven redfish in the 27" to 30" range. By midweek, the schools had left the shallows for deeper waters. Joe Vennarini and Debbie Stange each caught a snook this week. Debbie also caught a huge ladyfish that day. Joe broke in his new rod and reel with a big jack crevalle. Bob Bergen and Charlie Norburn joined me to seek out some redfish. It was a fun week on the river, even if the reds had moved out of the flats. We will get them next trip!
There are still lots of snook around the inlet, docks and bridges of the inlet. Night fishing and fishing the tides has been good with live baits. There are a few Spanish mackerel around the river and I have seen some bonito in the turning basin. Not the frenzy of a few weeks ago, but you can still find some out there feeding. Trout fishing was slower this week. Your best chance is at first light with top water lures. There are so many pinfish and pigfish out there, it's hard to tempt one with anything else right now. Some of the best action has been for snapper around the channel edges and structure. The sizes have been decent and make a great meal. Surf fishing has been mostly some whiting along the beaches.
Tip of the Week:
There are a number of things to remember with fishing this time of year. Fluids, sunscreen, sunglasses and hats are all important to keeping safe in the hot temperatures and high sunlight you face out there. Prepare before you get on the water and continue taking in fluids and using sunscreen throughout the day. It can make your day enjoyable and reduce the risks of too much sun.
As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!
Good Fishing and Be Safe,
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com
email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com