April is a phenomenal month for targeting large jack crevelles, sea-trout, snook, tarpon, redfish, & cubera snapper on the treasure coast inshore waterways. Live bait fishing with large white baits, mullet, croakers, & or pinfish will produce plenty of action and bigger game fish too. Artificials are working better at first light, sunset, & after dark. Topwaters, subsurface twitch baits, nlbn, flairhawks, & doa soft baits all work well this time of year. Tarpon fishing along channel edges has been producing some larger tarpon on live mullet. Heavy leaders and 2x 8/0 BKK circle hooks will get the job done. Snook fishing around structure with live pilchards is working very well this time of year. Expect some oversize jack crevelles this month while snook fishing. I always keep an 8000 size reel onboard with an 80 lb braid & 80 lb leader for these 30-50 lb jacks. Large live mullet on a 2x 8/0 circle hook should be adequate. Cast out & HOLD ON!! Also, we are still seeing a few pompano in the Indian river along the sandy sailfish flats near the st. lucie inlet. Fishing pompano jigs while drift fishing and or anchoring with sand fleas on pompano rigs will produce the bites if you’re in the right area. Nearshore fishing remains steady for snapper, cobia, jacks, snook, tarpon, permit, & kingfish. Running the beach early in the morning looking for large schools of tarpon, jacks, permit, & kingfish is a great idea this month. Approach these large schools of fish slowly with the boat and stay as far away as possible while casting to the lead fish. This will prevent you from spooking the entire school and allow you to catch multiple fish. There are still a few spanish mackerel around pecks lake but the spanish run is at its tail end.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Jonathan
Morning Snook Charter
Big Jack Crevalle
Large Sea-Trout Morning inshore charter
Goliath Grouper on a afternoon fishing charter
