Wabasso Beach to Boca Raton
Includes Vero Beach, Ft. Pierce, Stuart, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth.

Feb. 26-28

WABASSO BEACH TO STUART

The sailfish bite off Fort Pierce slowed, enough so that there was chatter that captains were readying for the sailfish season down in Conzumel. For the fish still around, rough seas will make the sailfishing better. A cold front blew in on Thursday which should stir things up for the weekend.

A huge push of cobia made their way south of Fort Pierce; double hookups off manta rays were common reports. While scouting offshore, keep an eye on the bottom machine. The nearshore artificial reefs and hard bottom should hold good numbers of lane snapper and mangrove snapper.

Pompano continue to be the superstars. The pompano moved south along the beach past Stuart. But some pompano fanatics expect the pompano to start heading back north as temperatures warm into March. To find the pomps, watch for them "skipping" in the boat wake, or just watch for other boats or commercial pompano fishermen.

Trout and redfish are the main two species along the Indian River Lagoon. Redfish hold south as cold temperatures persist. Docks, troughs and warmer waters will hold both specks and reds.

JUPITER TO LAKE WORTH

Water temperatures warmed offshore—good news for sailfishermen. Top baits for the sails were large threadfins. To catch bait, keep your castnet or sabikis high in the water column, above the hornbellies. Big jacks were racing down the coast, with a pit stop at the Palm Beach Inlet always inevitable. Early in the week, they were south of Pecks Lake. The jacks should be holding at the inlet well into the weekend.

Spinner sharks have been putting on a show from Tierra all the way to the Breakers. Reports were common all the way to the “Black Condo” off Hutchinson Island. Catch a ladyfish, bluefish, or bullet bonito for bait and then deploy. Make sure you’re packing wire leader, otherwise cutoffs will be frustrating. Some anglers are certain that the spinners are chomping on migrating pompano—but pompano are for dinner, not for bait. The kingfish bite continues near shore, another reason to have wire rigs ready to deploy.

BOYNTON TO BOCA

Sailfish action has been hot in the 80- to 120-foot depths. Live baits under kites have been the standard technique for deploying baits. Try fishing the nearshore reefs for muttons if the sailfishing is slow. Both jetties are now back open at Boynton Inlet and the outgoing tide is by far the best. Use live crabs as bait to have a chance at permit. Cobia are still south, hanging with the manta rays if you can spot them.

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