Stuart Area Inshore and Offshore

{%image_id=5788%} It has been a fun couple of weeks fishing out of the St. Lucie Inlet. Good weather, calm seas and plenty of live bait have made our charters successful. The sailfish bite has been excellent for this time of year. We have had at least one on just about every trip and even a couple of double headers. The ones that we caught were in eighty feet and shallower. Live sardines were the ticket. The king bite has been hot and cold. One day we would limit out and the next day we could not buy one. Bonita are everywhere and consume most of the baits in our spread. We caught some nice amberjack on some of the wrecks using both live sardines and butterfly jigs. The dolphin bite is slow and you are lucky to find them. Tarpon are around the inlet early so be there at sun rise for the best bite. Snook are everywhere. The inlet rocks, the Indian River, and the St. Lucie River. We have released fish on every trip at the Dime Bridge on the way in from fishing offshore. Live sardines will work any time of day. Stout tackle should be used as the fish are big and will break you off on the concrete pilings. There are some big goliath grouper there also. The early morning trout bite has been excellent in the Indian River up near the power plant. The river is loaded with pilchards and be prepared to hook a snook feeding on them. Tarpon are rolling in the St. Lucie River near Bessey Creek. Live mullet are the best bait. Big snook are in the canals, docks and seawalls also. More later.