BREVARD SURF FISHING
SURF FISHING FLORIDA’S SPACE COAST
LATEST SURF FISHING REPORTS
A Tad Gusty!
With all the wind we’ve been having (and look to keep having), I can’t imagine too many reports this week. We got out to the beach for about 30minutes and managed to catch a few decent sized whiting. Otherwise, it’s just been lines in at home. Speaking of home, we got an early halloween scare this week when our garage got a visit from the friendly neighborhood GIANT LAND CRAB. The thing was huge! It sounded like a rat or raccoon with all the noise it was making rooting around out there.
Once this wind subsides, it’ll be all eyes on migrating pompano. It should be just about time for the biggin’s to start making their way south through our waters. Be ready to switch up your rigs — we went from summer to winter in a hurry. Thicker leader, heavier weights, shorter drop loops, downsized presentations, etc. Hopefully we got a few more summer days in next the cards because the Maverick’s Ace on the Beach Surf Fishing Tournament is coming up here in a few weeks. I’ve got the #CRUSHstation ready to weigh some slabs!
Rods Kept Bent in the Surf
Hey yall! Hope you’ve been getting out there and tearing the fish up. Similar to last week we had another strong push of fish that kept the rods bent. We saw hundreds of fish across several reports. Most of all of them were caught on FishGum! On the last day that I fished the water was very dirty and FleaSicle matched with bright orange floats did the trick. We should see fish continuing to be caught after this blow passes through and the water cleans up a bit.
Tight lines everyone!
Goodbye Summer, Hello Winter
Before winds picked up Saturday afternoon, we had a fantastic week of surf fishing in Melbourne Beach. The mullet run was still firing on all cylinders, big pompano were hitting the sand, and all species were in play. I literally couldn’t throw a lure without an aggro bluefish trying to swallow it whole. Mullet were so thick they were fumbling over my feet in the swash. It was cool while it lasted!
I hear a lot of whispers, a lot of complaints, about what’s going down with the North Jetty at Sebastian Inlet over the next 2 plus years — which really is quite a lengthy period of closure. I’m not mad about it, though. With that much less people running amok and that much less fishing pressure, I’ll probably be fishing the inlet at least twice as much usual! Bring it on!
Now, the question is when the surf will be fishable again, and what will be in and around the trough once that time comes. Right now, it’s looking like it could be at least a few weeks — and that could mean that we’ve already seen the end of the “fall” season for us here in Central Florida. Winter, here we come!
Somewhere Over the Rainbow, There are Fish Frying
The ocean did not exactly roll out the welcome mat for our recent surf-fishing trip to Melbourne Beach. We had rough, post-storm conditions, dirty water, and a bite that was slower than usual. Live sand fleas were hard to come by, too.
Other than that, everything was perfect. Fortunately, we had good company. My wife and our two boys joined me, along with Captain Crush and his “partner in crush,” Dorian. We brought self-tied pompano rigs from the mayor of Crush City himself, a couple of scented artificial bait options, and hopes of catching enough whiting and pompano for dinner.
We accomplished that last part. It took some patience, but the trip ended with fresh fish in the frying pan. Given the conditions, I will take that!
Fishing the Beach We Had
There is the beach you picture while getting ready, and then there is the beach you actually find when you arrive. On this outing, the second one featured a rough ocean and dirty water.
The fishing was slower than usual, but the bite seemed to improve as the incoming tide progressed through the late afternoon and into the evening. That was the clearest pattern we noticed. I would not turn one afternoon into a declaration that incoming water always produces the best surf fishing. What mattered was recognizing what was happening during our trip. As the tide came in, the fishing became more encouraging.
Simple Rigs and a Bait Adjustment
We used self-tied pompano rigs with fluorocarbon leaders by Captain Crush. In rough conditions, a few practical questions matter. Is the rig holding where you want it? Are the knots sound? Is the bait still attached after the cast and soak?
You do not need to turn surf fishing into an engineering degree, but you do need a dependable presentation. The bait situation required some flexibility. With live sand fleas difficult to find, we stuck to Fishbites E-Z Crab and Fish Gum Sand Fleasicle, both in orange-and-white presentations.
We fished both products by themselves. There was no shrimp or live sand flea underneath the artificial bait. That is an important detail. These were our actual baits, and they produced the pompano and whiting catches as stand alone baits.
Fishbites: E-Z FLEA
Don’t Be Afraid to Strip
Scented artificial bait strips offer a convenient alternative when natural bait is scarce. They are easy to pack, can be portioned to fit a hook, and give you something to fish without first having to locate live bait.
Their job in the surf involves more than attracting a fish. They also have to survive the cast and remain useful while waves, current, and smaller fish work on the presentation. Fishbites explains that its cut baits use a water-soluble gel that releases infused flavor and scent as it dissolves. In its Longer Lasting formula, an embedded mesh or cloth binder helps keep the bait attached.
The E-Z format comes in ribbons that you cut into smaller portions. It differs from Fish’n Strips, which come as precut wedges. That distinction is useful when shopping: similar bait concepts, different formats.
Fish Gum’s Sand Fleasicle is an orange-and-white strip presentation. The company describes its bait as combining scents associated with several prey items, including crab, sand fleas, shrimp, and clams. We also used a color called Atomic Yabby. For our trip, the practical point was straightforward: we had two options available when live sand fleas were hard to obtain, and we caught fish using them alone.
FISHGUM: Atomic Yabby
Keep the Hook Exposed
With cut-to-size bait, resist the urge to build a buffet on every hook. A compact piece that fits the hook is a sensible starting point. Keep the point exposed and leave room in the hook gap. More bait does not automatically mean more fish, especially if the extra material interferes with hooking one.
Check the bait when you retrieve the rig. Something remaining on the hook does not necessarily mean it is ready for another cast. With mesh-backed Fishbites, the scented gel can eventually dissolve and leave the mesh behind. At that point, replace the bait and dispose of the spent remnant.
Fishbites offers Fast Acting and Longer Lasting formulas across its cut-bait lineup. The manufacturer generally favors Fast Acting for colder water and Longer Lasting for greater durability in warmer conditions. Check the package you are buying rather than assuming every strip has the same construction or breakdown rate.
Also…a pair of scissors is a useful tool to keep on hand, both for cutting portions and clearing stubborn remnants.
Two Useful Options, No Champions Crowned
Before writing this report, I also reviewed a separate video comparing Fishbites and Fish Gum. That angler paired each product with shrimp and tried to keep the rigs and casting distances similar.
His recorded catch tally favored the Fishbites presentation, but the handling differences were just as interesting. He found Fish Gum easier to remove and reposition while rebaiting. The mesh-backed Fishbites held firmly, although clearing it from the hook took more effort.
Those were his observations from his outing. Our trip used both products alone, and I did not keep a bait-by-bait scorecard. I cannot tell you that one brand won our afternoon, and a small sample from another angler does not settle the question either. Both deserve consideration as options to keep available.
The useful comparison is practical. Which bait gets bites under the conditions you are fishing? Which survives the cast? Which remains useful after a soak? Those questions can help you decide what to put on the next hook.
Taste the rainbow -- and the fish!
A family trip with a good ending
Having my wife and our boys along gave the outing something beyond a catch tally. We spent time together on the beach with Captain Crush and Dorian, worked through less-than-ideal conditions, and brought home a meal.
I do not remember the exact number of fish. I do remember that we had a delicious platter of fried fish to chomp on once we got back to their pad. Captain Crush and Dorian had just moved into a new house, so kitchen supplies were limited. We kept the preparation simple: an almond-flour coating, no extra seasonings, and into the frying pan.
We wanted to enjoy the flavor of the fish. We did. It was extremely tasty. After all the decisions that go into catching a fish, there is something satisfying about letting the finished meal stay simple.
This was not a nonstop-action surf trip. The water was dirty, the ocean was rough, and live sand fleas were difficult to find. But the incoming tide brought a better bite, our self-tied rigs and artificial baits got the job done, and the day ended with family, friends, and fresh fish.
Sometimes the ocean makes you work for supper. This time, supper was worth the effort. One thing that can put you ahead of the game before it starts on your next beach trip, stop by Strike Zone Fishing in Melbourne! Your one-stop shop for all your surf-fishing needs! Whether you’re stocking up on bait, gathering supplies to tie your own pompano rigs, or getting ready for a family afternoon in the sand, keep our local tackle shop in mind. Support local, get geared up, and go catch supper!
Thanks for taking the time to read, stay safe, be happy, and my your lines be ever tight… Until next time!
Matching Rigs for Pompano!
Well, in last week’s report I said be ready and I hope that you did just that. Sand fleas have been hard to find so FishGum was the ticket. We fished our FishGum color match rigs (&FishGum) available at surffishflorida.com with dark colors (FleaClipse & PompSmash) while the sun was overhead, and we fished Fleasicle & Pomp Candy after the sun came out to play. The pompano are here but, in typical fashion they might move out quick. Get them while it lasts. Reports of pompano in the Melbourne Beach area all through Hutchinson Island. Above are some pictures of the fish we caught.
Pomp Run Among Them
On a gorgeous day in Melbourne Beach (Tuesday, Sept. 28), the Crush Station charter group went surf fishing and smashed into some serious pompano action. I lost count early on, but it sure felt like we reeled in +40 fish. That includes 4 double-ups. Of all those pompano, only 5 were big enough to take home. We also got a nice 13″ whiting. The mullet were running as thick as I’ve personally observed this season, but there wasn’t much to see as far as predator activity. I tried free-lining a few finger mullet and throwing some paddle tails, but couldn’t connect with any hungry customers. Sandfleas were pretty sparse out there. All fish were caught on @FISHGUM!
Conditions Collide for Banner Day
This past Thursday these catches were made on September 23. The first pic of a bag limit of pomps was made by Tony Yannette on Hobe Sound Public Beach. On that same day he caught the permit with his son. Son in his left hand!
The picture with approximately fifty pomps were caught just south of Indian Atlantic on Sept. 23 rd by Kevin Cooke and Kayla his girlfriend.
All fish from these anglers were caught on FishGum, except for the Permit, which bit on calico crab.
This was the day before the Nor Easter slammed us. A full moon and prefrontal conditions stimulated the fish to bite. Pre Frontal simply means a steady barometer probably dropping. Pompano have tight stomach bladders and will not bite on high pressure. Fish with loose bladders like blue fish and grouper bite in any condition.
A nice W.N.W blow turned North during the course of the day. By late day it was honking.
Any day you can fish during the season with these conditions get to the beach. A nice sluggish swell with building during the course of the day.
East Side Surf Fishing Report
What’s going on everyone! It’s been a while since my last report but here’s what I’ve been seeing line up for the week. We have a system approaching that is sure to push some seaweed onto our beaches and hopefully along with it More Fish!
When I say hopefully, this is what I mean by that. The fishing has been steady but suboptimal conditions are making it challenging to find them. We have been seeing catches of pompano, whiting, bluefish and mackerel. Sharks are on the bait pods and you might still find a few tarpon and snook if you know where to look (hint hint, look south towards the big jetty).
This season is going to kick off in full force in a few weeks. Stand by, get your rods, reels and rigs ready because you’re going to want to fish it hard! That’s all I have for you guys for now.
Dude, where’s my beach?
Just one of countless sea turtle eggs exposed by the surging king tides last week.
It was tough to do much fishing over the back half of last week on account of the ocean absorbing most of the beach. That’s how it was down on the south end of brevard county, anyway — rough, high surf and churned up water. So I didn’t get out much to do much surf fishing for the second week in a row. But I was able to sneak out to the beach for a few min on sunday night and managed to catch a decent sized whiting. This week, things will pick up and I’ll be out there to capitalize!
Anybody got some Gum?
I had been out of FishGum for a while… Saltwater Cowboy had been out of stock and I didn’t feel like making the pilgrimage all the way out to Strike-Zone. Meanwhile, I stopped catching Pompano for the first time all summer long. Coincidence? I don’t think so…
By chance, I got to speak with pompano fishing legend, Pompano Rich, over the phone recently. He let me know I could just order from him direct online. I did — he gives an awesome deal, and it shipped FAST. Unfortunately, that arrival came at the end of last week, along with the front that blew everybody off the beach. So, I’m reloaded with FishGum of every color variety, but I haven’t got a chance to deploy any of them yet. Hopefully today is the day.
Pompanorich.net: $9.99/pack, free shipping, 15% off orders of +$50, plus some sweet freebies if you buy 2 packs of Gum or more.
Shasta, FishGums’ crackshot regional distributor and bad ass local surf fishing guide, has been crushing it out there supplying product, but the demand for FishGum seems to have spiked and the market is still adjusting. Don’t worry, our guy is all over it. Please do support your local tackle shops by picking up this fine product in store when available!
Beach Wheels & Ace of the Surf
Capt. Glyn Austin claims his sources in Carolina say we’ve got some pretty significant mullet movement running south. His methods may be unconventional, but he’s probably got traditionally reliable sources…
On account of weather, and then being pretty busy at times, I didn’t get to do much fishing this week, unfortunately. I did get out to scout the beach a little and was able to confirm that there’s still loads of bait and mullet run-related activity has bounced back after a lull due to the rough weather we encountered last week. It is STILL happening out there.
Benjamin’s Got Wheels!
If you’ve been trying to upgrade your surf fishing cart’s beach wheels lately, you’ve probably noticed that dang near every vendor has been out of inventory for MONTHS. The popular local beach wheel dealer, Nathan Benjamin, has informed me that he’s officially back in stock, but orders are flooding in and wheels are flying off the shelf. If you want wheels, you better act now. You can purchase Benjamin’s 16″ beach wheel kits on his website and if you pic it up at Nathan’s in Palm Bay, there’s no shipping cost and he’ll install the kit for you at no charge.
2nd Annual Ace of the Beach
Benjamin, along with Capt. B of Capt. B’s Surf Fishing Charters, are also gearing up for the second run of their hugely successful surf fishing tournament, Ace of the Beach. Spacefish is stoked to be on board as a sponsor this year, too! Save the date November 7th, more details will be coming soon!
