Post-Dorian Surf Fishing Improving

20″ permit caught on live fleas at Stuart Public Beach. Ray drove from Ft. Lauderdale and scouted the beaches and fished the 5 pm tide.

First, I want to thank all the folks that provide boats and planes to ship domestic goods to sustain life in the Bahamas. Don’t ever think one donation will solve this need — think outside the box. Consider if you were going on a camping trip and what you would need for six months! I personally feel tangibles versus small donations is the most valued approach. Floridians are thankful for being spared, so now those extra supplies you purchased could be shared with those most in need… I know not everyone could afford to do this, so you all know the drill!

Has surf fishing improved post Dorian? Absolutely! It’s not nuts yet, but it is improving as the suspended mud transcends to acceptable hues of blues. The strategies vary amongst anglers. “I know where they caught ’em yesterday” is an adage of the past. The influencing factors change bodies of shoreline water sometimes within a few hours. All the fish caught Saturday were caught on a strong southwest wind. Whitish blues and creamy aqua were the components that create for these successful trips. Strong east southeast Sunday winds displaced the St. Lucie Inlets coffee colored low salinity water to traverse north and shutdown all activity. Similarly, Saturday’s pomps and a few redfish were landed on the Juno Beach Pier, but Sunday was a bust! Overnight, the tainted rain water from Palm Beach Inlet fused with a turbid bathtub and every cast was a catfish.

There are some ways to avoid the pollution and find optimal surf conditions. Right now, the tides are good early and late. Avoid the 6:00 AM mysterious mistake. Leave at 3:00 PM, stop at a few beaches and scout the water. Or, assign your reliable cohort from the north to drive south while you do vice versa. If it doesn’t pan out, stop for a bite and a beer. Sadly, my number two solution is broken. The Erdman video beach cams for Hutchinson have been broken since July 11th, so folks, it’s a hands on approach.

Art Ring corrals 5 river/surf pompano at North Federal Beach, Hobe Sound, and is loving his new rods.

An array of attractive permit, pompano and redfish pics with aqua/blue backdrops frames the exclusive reason for the “Spacefish Report!” With the advent of Northeasters in the near future, there is almost a spiritual movement that occurs. It’s as if summer hibernation is over and for anglers on foot, it’s a “The Birthday of the Surf.” The Harvest Moon will ignite racked trucks to leave the Northeast and chase these migratory tourists. Locals will reunite with old friends and share fishing stories and summer tales. Does it get any better than this?!?

The gentle giant Monster Max of Facebook fame smacked 5 keeper pomps at Middle Cove Beach in Port St. Lucie. The largest was 2 lb!

Autumn presents a fishing predictability problem expressively for beach anglers. Hopefully, some will chase new avenues that have been habitually avoided. Bridges, jetties and municipal piers. Some ask “How do you locate fish?” The evidence are the tackle orders. Is it for sand-fleas, pompano rigs, jigs and quills or sputniks. Thirty shops and three piers are like anglers. Every order has a sense of “I need this now, its going off”!

Practice, preparation and bait inventory are imperative. Reach out and make a few beach friends. Don’t listen to rumors about certain characters and their lies about them catching more fish than anyone. Egos run high and secret spots don’t exist. Some pompano anglers are simply angry, and many times, jealous. After ten years of selling long cast graphites and mentoring folks, I have created this incredible camaraderie. If you see John Killian Stumpf IV with four AFAW surf rods, befriend him, he will give you a quick seminar on surf fishing and his awesome company, Native Salt Baits, featuring clams and sand fleas! If you wish to share ideas and or questions contact me at Richvidulich777@hotmail.com or go to my website. Tight lines!