Florida fishing: Grouper, amberjack, dolphin make for a full fishbox
The Kentucky Derby produced its closest race in years. Cinco de Mayo was celebrated by Americans nationwide with free flowing margaritas. The NBA's second round launched with plenty of fanfare and a few surprises.
Treasure Coast grouper anglers ignored all that. They went offshore and caught some fish.
Fishing from Sebastian Inlet, Fort Pierce Inlet and St. Lucie Inlet, they brought home the groceries by catching plenty of 12-20-pound fish. Gag grouper, the most common grouper caught off our shores, couldn't resist dead sardines and grunts for bait. Plenty of greater amberjack were caught, too, including a 97-pounder aboard Savage Pursuit charters out of Fort Pierce.
Enjoy the grouper fishing while you can. Season closes June 15 for recreational anglers. It will re-open May 1, 2025.
Florida fishing regulations and fishing season opening and closing dates:
Gag grouper: Recreational harvest in Atlantic waters will be open May 1 through June 15, 2024. Harvest will then close for gag grouper from June 16 through May 1, 2025.
Other grouper: Harvest opens May 1 in Atlantic waters. Includes red grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth, coney, graysby, red hind and rock hind. Harvest closes Jan. 1, 2025.
Greater amberjack: Harvest opened May 1.
Red porgy: Harvest open May 1. Closes June 30.
Snowy grouper: Harvest open May 1. Closes June 30.
Blueline tilefish: Harvest open May 1. Closes July 18.
Hogfish: Harvest open May 1. Closes Nov. 1.
Alligator: Application dates for hunt season (Aug. 15-Nov. 1) limited entry permits begin May 3. More info here: MyFWC.com/license/limited-entry/apply
Red snapper: No season dates have yet been announced by NOAA National Marine Fisheries.
Bass: Bass at Headwaters Lake is strictly catch-and-release.
Golden tilefish: Harvest closed March 1 in Atlantic waters. Season re-opens Jan. 1, 2025. Harvest closed based on annual catch limit set by NOAA.
Lobster: Harvest closed March 31. Sport season (mini-season) will be July 24-25, 2024.
Snook: Harvest open through May 31 on Atlantic coast. Harvest closed June 1-August 31.
Spotted seatrout: Harvest opened Jan. 1. Harvest closed Nov. 1-Dec. 31.
Cobia: Bag limit: Two fish per vessel. Size limit: 36 inches fork length. No closed season.
Redfish: Harvest of redfish has been banned in the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon since Sept. 1, 2022. FWC will reevaluate in the future.
Dolphin: Bag limit is 5 fish per day per angler. Vessel limit is 30 fish per day. Captain and crew may not be included in limit. Regulations in state waters began May 1, 2022.
Flounder: Harvest opened Dec. 1, 2023. Harvest closed Oct. 15-Nov. 30.
For complete fishing regulations in Florida go to MyFWC.com.
IR Firefighters 3rd Offshore Tournament
When: June 7-8; Fishing June 8. Where: Sebastian Saltwater Marina and Restaurant. Entry: $250. Potential purse: $14,000 paid out. Species: Grouper, kingfish, dolphin, snapper. Format: Big board. Information to become a sponsor or to fish: Brad Eskew 772-643-1361, Matt Bloch 772-532-2569 or bradeskew@bellsouth.net.
Indian River County
Offshore: Grouper season opened up with great weather for the first weekend and the anglers had good numbers for reefs where the grouper lived apparently. Greater amberjack and dolphin were caught by anglers fishing the same spots for grouper — 160 feet to 200 feet. Use dead sardines or grunt chunks to catch the grouper.
Inshore: Oversized snook, oversized redfish, big jack crevalles and soon tarpon will provide the action in and just outside of Sebastian Inlet. Sardines, crabs and croakers will be the best live baits. Snook will feed on both tides. Redfish will feed better during the outgoing. Tarpon better during the incoming.
Freshwater: Headwaters Lake launch ramp will be closed for repairs June 10-20, according to a news release by St. Johns River Water Management District. Bass fishing there has remained strong. Numbers have dropped a little as water temperatures heat up, but the size of the fish still remains strong.
St. Lucie County
Offshore: The charter fishing boats working out of Fort Pierce found the grouper, the mutton snapper, the greater amberjack and the dolphin. Gag grouper from 12 to 20 pounds were caught in waters deeper than 160 feet. Dolphin have been cruising the currents in 180 to 300 feet of water. Trolling has been a good way to find them. Mutton snapper will bite on long leaders.
Inshore: Snook, redfish and spotted seatrout are being caught near docks, seawalls and mangrove shorelines north of North Causeway. Live pilchards, sardines or greenies are good baits to get bites. Fish around first light for the best time to hook a trout.
Surf: There is still a smattering of pompano working their way north, but the majority of the migrating fish have moved on. Sargassum is in the surf, so be ready to clear grass from your lines. Scouting beaches may help you avoid being tied up with grass too long.
Martin County
Offshore: Capt. Rocky Carbia of the Safari I partyboat out of Pirates Cove Resort in Port Salerno steered his customers to catches of gag grouper, mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, lane snapper and various porgies this week. Dolphin are another common catch for anglers trolling in 180 to 250 feet of water. Good ones from 15-20 pounds are being caught.
Inshore: Snook fishing has been pretty steady around the docks at night from Sailfish Point to Rocky Point to Hole in the Wall, Sewall's Point and Hell's Gate. Live pilchards work well. The clean water has enabled bait schools like bunker to push well up the St. Lucie River. They are a very oily fish so to find them look for the slick. Tripletail and tarpon are also making their presence known.
Lake Okeechobee
Bass fishing is best along the edges in 2-3 feet of water over top of the spawning beds. Flipping and pitching techniques are working well for sight fishermen. Spinnerbaits and worms work well. Wild shiners will outfish artificial lures.
Ed Killer writes about fishing for TCPalm. Email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida fishing: Grouper, amberjack, dolphin make for a full fishbox
