# Stuart Fl- July 25th



## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

Hello all!

The inshore fishing has been very consistent as of late in spite of the massive discharges and algal blooms. The most common question I have been getting is- how is the water? Is it safe? I always answer like this, I stay away from the dark water. I never put clients or myself west of the crossroads on the outgoing tide.....
It's been a wonderful mixed bag lately with some great stuff going on-
The snook spawn is full bore, though the bigger fish have been more scarce since the full moon. Lots of fish are on the beaches and are readily eating flys!! 3" pilchard imitations get the bites! Most fish are in the 3-10lb class but provide great fun, especially on an 7 or 8 wt. I'm scaling down leader to 30lb to get the bites, and we are still landing almost every fish, you just can't horse them. There have been lots of small snook on the lights at night as well, and we have been scoring good numbers. Live pilchards make for stellar fishing, but flys and arties work too.
The tarpon are hanging in the crossroads, and the best bait seems to be a big live mullet, though it seems most of the time you go home without so much as a bite. Most of these fish are bigger 80+lbs. I'm still hearing about small poons in the St. Lucie but again, I'm not putting my clients at risk....
The Seatrout are very active at dawn and dusk and seem to feed well at night. We are scoring big fish after dark on the lights. Last night I went scouting and put 2-29" trout in the boat. One on 10lb braid and one on fly. Good stuff!! Big trout get my blood pumping!! Water temps in the mid 80s mean you have to be extra careful with these big momma's to ensure the swim away healthy.
Finally, the cubera's have made a good showing! I've been getting some great fish inshore!! The key is rock structure, heavy tide, and a big live mullet. Ive got very limited bookings for the cubera trips.....

Have fun, stay safe and enjoy Gods creation!

-Capt. Buddy Kirkhart
Www.nightheronlighttacklefishing.com

Brian with 1 of 4 cuberas



Noah, with his PB trout on fly



Shannon with his PB snook on fly



My 2 -29's from last night...


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Dude, those trout are sick! I wish we had a consistent stock of those size trout over here.

Cubera?? Now that's what I want to catch on fly! Definately a bucket list thing! I need to come over so we can figure out how to get them to eat a fly. It's the same fish they all rage about in Papa New Guinea called the black bass. But you have them there right at your back door!  Yeow!!!


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## millerrep (Apr 14, 2014)

Nice, Man I have 15 miles on foot on the beachs, have not seen many snook. This is over the last few weeks. Again nice work.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

Backwater said:


> Dude, those trout are sick! I wish we had a consistent stock of those size trout over here.
> 
> Cubera?? Now that's what I want to catch on fly! Definately a bucket list thing! I need to come over so we can figure out how to get them to eat a fly. It's the same fish they all rage about in Papa New Guinea called the black bass. But you have them there right at your back door!  Yeow!!!



I think the cuberas could be caught on fly with some serious effort. About like catching sailfish on fly out here. The real problem would be landing them... You'd have to use an 11wt minimum. We are breaking off more than we land on 30lb!!


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

millerrep said:


> Nice, Man I have 15 miles on foot on the beachs, have not seen many snook. This is over the last few weeks. Again nice work.


Quite a few fish just south of the inlet. They are going to be close to the pilchards.... Also noticing more fish transitioning back to the flats. Really working the mullet schools.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Fish_specialist said:


> Quite a few fish just south of the inlet. They are going to be close to the pilchards.... Also noticing more fish transitioning back to the flats. Really working the mullet schools.


So millerrep, anytime I see snook working bait pods of sardines/pilchards, I'm using fly patterns that match the size of that bait that mimic them. I also like the tie in just a faint hint of chartreuse or yellow along the laterial line of the bait pattern and either some red at the nose, red eyes or red gills so that they can stand out from the bait schools with indicators that it's injured (which snook will key in on).



For spinning rods, I use a small 3" pearl white paddle tail shad soft plastic (blue or green pearl, not red pearl) and either a plain lead unpainted or red painted jig head in 1/8-1/4oz, depending on the depth of water the fish are holding. You can also try a clear tan small DOA shrimp.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Fish_specialist said:


> I think the cuberas could be caught on fly with some serious effort. About like catching sailfish on fly out here. The real problem would be landing them... You'd have to use an 11wt minimum. We are breaking off more than we land on 30lb!!


I'm guess you are using 1-2oz weights to get them down to the bottom, unless the water around the jetty is somewhat shallow enough to come up to a free lined mullet. That would determine what kind of line, rigging and flies to use. Are you only catchin them at night? Full moon thing?

Yea you'd want to use a min of a 10wt with those fish and I wouldn't have a problem breakin out the 12wt, just because I know how powerful those fish can be.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

Backwater said:


> I'm guess you are using 1-2oz weights to get them down to the bottom, unless the water around the jetty is somewhat shallow enough to come up to a free lined mullet. That would determine what kind of line, rigging and flies to use. Are you only catchin them at night? Full moon thing?
> 
> Yea you'd want to use a min of a 10wt with those fish and I wouldn't have a problem breakin out the 12wt, just because I know how powerful those fish can be.



Yes, night time only. I have the setup, an 11wt with an intermediate tip. These fish are in 3 feet of water....


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Fish_specialist said:


> Yes, night time only. I have the setup, an 11wt with an intermediate tip. These fish are in 3 feet of water....


Wow, nice!!! I'm guessing the currents are strong?? I'm thinking the Clear intermediate tip would get it down enough. What line is it?


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## millerrep (Apr 14, 2014)

Got one yesterday eve, Jensen, similar fly like above only more blue. Monster fish, hit outside the pilchards. Beached to 10 inches of water twice, The third time, got through the 20 flouro. I know you told me strike leader 30 or 40.. That's two big boys in the last month chewed through the 20. Great fun.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

millerrep said:


> Got one yesterday eve, Jensen, similar fly like above only more blue. Monster fish, hit outside the pilchards. Beached to 10 inches of water twice, The third time, got through the 20 flouro. I know you told me strike leader 30 or 40.. That's two big boys in the last month chewed through the 20. Great fun.


You can easily land big fish with 30lb Shock tippit. Just have to give them a little more finesse, equating to less pressure on the fish. certainly on the beach you can let them run as there's little they can break you off on. Also, not all flouro is created equal. I'm very partial to Seguar blue label.....


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## millerrep (Apr 14, 2014)

Fish_specialist said:


> You can easily land big fish with 30lb Shock tippit. Just have to give them a little more finesse, equating to less pressure on the fish. certainly on the beach you can let them run as there's little they can break you off on. Also, not all flouro is created equal. I'm very partial to Seguar blue label.....


Yes, I'm using 20lb Berkeley, cheap stuff. What about going blue label 25lb for the last 30inch. I have been tying my own leader ties, 50 30 20. It casts ok, need 30 plus inch of the 20, as it seems to goof more when the end gets short.


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Backwater said:


> So millerrep, anytime I see snook working bait pods of sardines/pilchards, I'm using fly patterns that match the size of that bait that mimic them. I also like the tie in just a faint hint of chartreuse or yellow along the laterial line of the bait pattern and either some red at the nose, red eyes or red gills so that they can stand out from the bait schools with indicators that it's injured (which snook will key in on).
> 
> 
> 
> For spinning rods, I use a small 3" pearl white paddle tail shad soft plastic (blue or green pearl, not red pearl) and either a plain lead unpainted or red painted jig head in 1/8-1/4oz, depending on the depth of water the fish are holding. You can also try a clear tan small DOA shrimp.


Ted, 

I remember on another thread you mentioned you need to get down for snook. I can sort of vouch for this as coming in the other night I tried tossing a popper at some dock light lurkers and nada. Not wanting to change flies in the dark, I had a jig on my spin rod and wham, first cast.

The point is I am wondering if snook have some visual issue with seeing what is above unless they are chasing bait on the top. Given their skeletal structure it seems they would be more able to see above than most. Your thoughts?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Blue Zone said:


> Ted,
> 
> I remember on another thread you mentioned you need to get down for snook. I can sort of vouch for this as coming in the other night I tried tossing a popper at some dock light lurkers and nada. Not wanting to change flies in the dark, I had a jig on my spin rod and wham, first cast.
> 
> The point is I am wondering if snook have some visual issue with seeing what is above unless they are chasing bait on the top. Given their skeletal structure it seems they would be more able to see above than most. Your thoughts?


With small presentations, you really need to get it down to eye level with them. They do like to stay low since a lot of bigger bait they feed on will be deep in the channels and deeper water around docks. But the smaller ones will come up top and take small minnows, baitfish and shrimp running thru the light. But in the complete dark under docks without lights or bridge pilings where they may hold, snook will look up to either the ambient lights or bridge lights or even the moon and look for dark silhouettes running overhead of them.

Snook have a almost perfect wedge shape like head, which allows them to use the currents to hold them down low and therefor exert less effort holding still. They do that to burn less energy while they wait for bait to come to them, unlike pelagic species where they are constantly hunting to feed the fire that they are constantly burning while looking for food. It's a vicious cycle and snook has this game all figured out. However, the main reason I see them moving on the beach is a combination of spawning, where they are following breeders or lack of tidal movement and therefore they goo looking for food. Even redfish are constantly on the move and on the hunt, while snook can just sit still in currents, not consume energy and ambush, instead of stalking. Their lateral line is exaggerated and the littlest movements can catch their attention. So they can act on feel as well.

With all these things, they feed well and can pass up plenty of opportunities to feed and refuse offerings, unlike many fish. Connecting with them is being there at the right time and presenting what they are keying in on. Maybe the popper wasn't what they were looking at that moment, but the action of the jig was probably in-line with what they felt like eating that day. That type of selection is the reason I find they are challenging with a fly rod.

Ted


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Ted, 

Aha, that explains everything. I neglected to mention the minor detail that the dock lights were _underwater _dock lights, so they were feeding on whatever was coming between them and the light source. What a dumbass for my not figuring that out on my own...

By the way Fish specialist, sorry to derail your fine report.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

millerrep said:


> Yes, I'm using 20lb Berkeley, cheap stuff. What about going blue label 25lb for the last 30inch. I have been tying my own leader ties, 50 30 20. It casts ok, need 30 plus inch of the 20, as it seems to goof more when the end gets short.


As a general rule, I tend to use Rio pre made 10' tapered leaders in the 15lb class then add a 12" or less piece of 30lb to try to be inside of IGFA regs (though they may not be IGFA compliant themselves) I get them very cheap and it saves me time. Available at White's tackle.
That being said, I would say still- add a short bit of 30lb after your class tippit, which should be at least 15"+ of 20lb or less. Say, 50, 30, 12, then 12" of 30. It will actually help it roll over more. Also, I prefer mason mono for my butt section then regular mono class tippit then flouro shock. Also as per, 25lb flouro- I find that the difference between 25 and 30lb as far as landing fish go is night and day. I lose approximately 35% of the snook I, (or clients) hook with 25lb, whereas we only lose about 10% with 30lb. In areas where a lot of big seatrout are present I will scale back to 25, even 20 knowing full well we are GOING to break off plenty of snook....


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

Blue Zone said:


> Ted,
> 
> Aha, that explains everything. I neglected to mention the minor detail that the dock lights were _underwater _dock lights, so they were feeding on whatever was coming between them and the light source. What a dumbass for my not figuring that out on my own...
> 
> By the way Fish specialist, sorry to derail your fine report.


No apologies necessary! This is the PERFECT place to ask a question. The WHOLE reason I got into guiding is to help people get on fish. 

My personal experience with lights shining from below is that it makes it difficult to get follow up shots. Fish tend to spook very easily. My favorite lights are the old sodium vapor lights with decent current, and about 6ft of water.

I will say, with snook patterns are fairly important. This time of year, all of south Fl is covered up with pilchards, small sardines, and threadfins. Small 1.5-2.5" glass minnow patterns are the absolute best thing to throw right now. By mid September, I will go up an inch or so and switch to a mullet pattern. Later in the winter, it's shrimp all the way...... Got any more questions please ask away!!


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