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Florida fishing: Pompano pursuit yields good lagoon catches for some

ed killer, treasure coast newspapers
·5 min read

A mid-week cool front will slowly become a distant memory as temperatures warm through the weekend. Winds will shift to the east and southeast, making it a little rough offshore.

That's ok, because the dolphin disappeared anyway. Hopefully, guys can catch them this week as the winds swing around the compass dial.

Pompano did show up in the Indian River Lagoon for anglers. Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Jensen Beach and Stuart anglers all reported catching pompano by drifting jigs on the bottom, or by fishing from bridges, catwalks and piers.

As the shorebreak allows for better fishing from the beaches, look for pompano fishing to improve there. Spanish mackerel are all along the first ref from Vero Beach to Hobe Sound, including at the Kingfish Hole off Peck's Lake.

Pompano showed up Dec. 3, 2023 for anglers fishing with Night Stalker charters Capt. Jimmy Walden in Jensen Beach.
Pompano showed up Dec. 3, 2023 for anglers fishing with Night Stalker charters Capt. Jimmy Walden in Jensen Beach.

Florida fishing regulations and fishing season opening and closing dates:

  • Flounder: Harvest re-opens Dec. 1. Size limit: 14 inches. Bag limit: 5 fish per person.

  • Snook: Harvest closes Dec. 15. Catch and release until Feb. 1, 2024.

  • Spotted seatrout: Harvest re-opens Jan. 1, 2024.

  • Hogfish: Harvest closed from Nov. 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. Season re-opens for harvest May 1, 2024.

  • Gag grouper: Harvest closed for both recreational and commercial sectors on Oct. 23. Re-opens May 1, 2024.

  • Blueline tilefish: Harvest closed Sept. 1 in Atlantic state and federal waters. Season re-opens for harvest May 1, 2024.

  • Golden tilefish: Harvest closed July 17. Harvest opens Jan. 1, 2024.

  • Lobster: Regular season opened Aug. 6-March 31, 2024. No egg bearers, 3-inch minimum carapace length. Lobster stamp required.

  • Alligator: Hunt season opened Aug. 15-Nov. 1. Permits required.

  • Grouper: Harvest opened May 1. Includes gag grouper, red grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth, coney, graysby, red hind and rock hind. Harvest closes Jan. 1.

  • Cobia: New bag and size limits for state waters. Bag limit: Two fish per vessel. Size limit: 36 inches fork length.

  • Redfish: Harvest of redfish has been banned in the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon since Sept. 1, 2022. FWC will reevaluate in the future.

  • Dolphin: Bag limit is 5 fish per day per angler. Vessel limit is 30 fish per day. Captain and crew may not be included in limit. These fishing regulations began on May 1, 2022, for state waters.

  • Bass: Bass at Headwaters Lake will soon become all catch-and-release.

For complete fishing regulations in Florida go to MyFWC.com.

Santa's Wonderland

Stop by Bass Pro Shops, 2250 Gatlin Blvd., Port St. Lucie for a free 4 x 6 photo with Santa until Dec. 24. Special deals on numerous favorite fishing, hunting, boating and camping products, free kids activities, Santa's Wonderland and more will be available during store hours for the entire month. Go to Basspro.com for more information.

Indian River County

Offshore: The mangrove snapper fishing has held up nicely the past several days the weather has allowed anglers to fish. The best bite is on pinfish and cut grunts in 70-90 feet of water. Other bites in 40-60 feet of include kingfish, sharks and cobia.

Inshore: There has been a mixed bag of catches near the inlet, as reported by Going Coastal Fishing with Capt. Glyn Austin of Sebastian. Tarpon, redfish, snook, jacks and goliath grouper can be caught by drifting live croaker and crabs through the inlet during the outgoing tides. There have been a few pompano caught by jigging near the Intracoastal Waterway channel in Vero Beach.

Freshwater: Bass fishing has been very good at Headwaters Lake. Use wild shiner to get numbers, but the cooler weather has also meant good fishing for crappie on live minnows and jigs.

St. Lucie County

Offshore: Kingfish were caught on the calm days in 20-40 feet of water by slow trolling live baits like blue runners. Mangrove snapper fishing is best in 80-90 feet of water on Bethel Shoal and the Offshore Bar. Sailfish action has been hit and miss.

Inshore: Jayson Arman of That's R Man land-based inshore fishing charters in Port St. Lucie said he has been guiding anglers to catches of snook, seatrout, redfish, jacks, sharks and more while wade fishing in the Indian River Lagoon near Little Mud Creek, Bear Point and Walton Road. Topwater plugs, live shrimp and artificial shrimp have been working best.

Surf: Paul Sperco of Capt. Paul's Surf Fishing charters said a few pompano arrived this week, but many of the fish were undersized. Croaker, blue runners, bluefish and Spanish mackerel are also in the mix. Use sand fleas or Fishbites in the EZ Crab flavors.

Martin County

Offshore: Dolphin fishing and sailfish action ebbed a little bit this week, according to charter boat captains in Stuart. They made up the difference by catching vermilion snapper at Push Button Hill. Mutton snapper fishing has been pretty steady on the reefs in 60-70 feet of water.

Inshore: Anglers in the lagoon have been catching pompano on jigs at Jensen Beach Causeway, Joe's Point, the Sailfish Point Flats and in the inlet. Snook fishing is still pretty good at the bridges at night on live bait like mullet or shrimp. Black drum and sheepshead can be caught at the Roosevelt Bridge.

Lake Okeechobee

There has been a good crappie bite along the Kissimmee River. Small crappie jigs and live minnows have been the best way to catch a limit. Some of the crappie are big, too. Fish where the Kissimmee River enters the lake, around Tin House Cove and Pearce Canal.

Ed Killer is the outdoors writer for TCPalm. Email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida fishing: Pompano pursuit is productive for anglers