# Needing help to learn Vero Beach area



## jimbarn1961

Have MACRO skiff , sorry guys but am shopping for a 16' micro. Just started fishing Fort Pierce 10 months ago from the power plant to 17th street bridge vero.  Have 14 and 16 year old boys we have only managed to boat two reds trying to catch some reds and were told to head further north?? If you would like to help a fella out and go out with us we would love the tips and help. My boat and you can drive drive also if you want. We want to learn what is north of the 17th street Vero bridge and would greatly appreciate any help or tips if it is any better then where we have currently been seeking reds with very little or no luck. We do not seem to have a problem catching snook and trout but just can not seem to figure out how to catch some reds.  Maybe we are fishing wrong places or wrong way, we use arties only so far.

Thanks


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## jimbarn1961

BUMP, anyone out there?


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## Gramps

I can't help ya with the redfish, but have you tried fishing the river(s) for snook? It should be a shorter drive for you and before too long the pomp's will be skipping again. I'm learning the area still but would be glad to give you some pointers.


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## Brett

Don't forget, Sebastian Inlet is a short drive north.
All sorts of good things happening in the water there.


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## jimbarn1961

Gramps,

We caught almost 30 snook  Friday and Saturday last week working mangrove shorelines between harbor branch and vero bridge, yes both east and west shore.  What do you mean work the river??? We are just wanting to know and or learn if anything better on the north side of 17th street vero bridge.  Got that must be more fish around the next bend syndrome.


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## Gramps

Well dang. Lol. I have not been up North in a few months now. I'm fishing the St. Lucie rivers, close to home and good fun. All the reports I've heard have the reds hanging on docks and structure up that way. Sorry I can't help anymore, good luck to ya!


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## jimbarn1961

Gramps,

What about pompano fishing? Never done it but it sounds like fun. I did catch one last spring while trout fishing with a jig by the spoil piles by the river between the islands. Very tasty critter . 
Remember guys I just started flats fishing 10 monthes ago so i do not know squat! almost everything is a new first time experience experience or new place to fish for me and my boys.


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## jimbarn1961

Are you talking about launching in palm city and fishing to the north? arties or live bait? your snook were probably better size then ours ours ran 16" to 24" with 3 oversize breakoffs. 25lb leader in the mangroves is a little light am going to go to 40lb from here on. Would be interested in learning to the south also.


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## Gramps

I'm launching at Sandsprit Park, right next to the St. Lucie inlet, and fishing from the ramp to the Roosevelt Bridge. Used finger mullet but fake shrimps work just as well. Bigger snook. And fishing the docks of the rivers 40lb is as light as I'm willing to go.


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## out-cast

I've been catchin' reds the last 4 trips out of Round Island. Now if your asking how and where,....that'll cost ya :-X I've even hooked my 4 yr old son on 2 reds this past Saturday. Tide and depth seem to play a major role in this area.


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## jimbarn1961

Outcast,
Your too mean :'(,  you make it sound like a caveman could do it ;D.  yes we fished out of round island friday and saturday last week. we fished east shoreline mangroves south of round island and north by power lines shoreline. jigs, mirrodines, and sebile twitch baits.  yes we did hook 3 reds lost two at boat and did manage to land one.  But like I said previous post am brand new at doing this and everything is a new and learning experience. Going out this weekend with the boys again saturday, how bout you?


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## out-cast

I'll be working Saturday and fishing Sunday. It wasn't easy finding them. It took me 8-9 months to figure out where and when they stack up. Fish the west banks of the river during the middle to end of an outgoing tide. A good place to start is near crab traps and sand bars. Most have been caught with sub-surface artificials like a 7" pearl caffeine shad on a weighted twist-lock offset hook.


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## out-cast

Ooohh, almost forgot. It can get pretty skinny on the west bank. Gramps and I have been stuck in the mud before with the 'noes. It's pretty safe near the line of traps tho.


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## jimbarn1961

outcast,

We did fish that crabtrap line about 100feet off the mangroves on the deeper side not the mangrove side going up the west shoreline from north of harbor branch to the power lines. Am I on the right track here??? alot of grass out there correct? and lots of bait all over. no luck till we hit the sandbars by the power lines to the north. Thank you so much I really appreciate all the help it really makes me look good with my boys. Have you ever tried fishing the shallow spoil piles between the islands or no good?


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## out-cast

Everything worth while was caught between the traps and the mangroves. Yep, start at Harbor Branch and end near the powerlines. Plenty of trout on the west side of spoils and mainly snook in between them. Always fish on a moving tide. If you look hard enough you'll find oyster beds


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## Gramps

Giving away all your secrets for free eh? 

Jim my best go to redfish lure has always been a rootbeer w/ chartreuse trail CAL jerk bait on a mustad power lock hook. I don't know why but that lure has accounted for more reds than anything else. Just jig it slowly, bounce off the bottom reel the slack and do it again.

Now all I have to do is fix my trailer lights.... ;D


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## jimbarn1961

Outcast & Gramps,

Thanks for all the help and tips  .  one last question when you say sandbars are u referring to sandbars like up by the power lines west shore by the spartina grass or do u mean sand pockets in the grass all the way up??  Do not know that I have anything to offer but am indebted to u for your help.  If I ever get good enough or am slayen em I will post up and let u know how and where.

Mucho thanks


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## Gramps

It's no problem.

I think out-cast is referring the sand bars as the areas circled in the attached picture.


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## out-cast

> I'll be working Saturday and fishing Sunday. It wasn't easy finding them. It took me 8-9 months to figure out where and when they stack up. Fish the west banks of the river during the middle to end of an outgoing tide. A good place to start is near crab traps and sand bars. Most have been caught with sub-surface artificials like a 7" pearl caffeine shad on a weighted twist-lock offset hook.



Scratch that...no longer working Saturday  I'm talking about the sand bars( only a couple) west of the barrier islands between Parks Cove and Little Parks cove.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=little%20parks%20cove%20fl&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

See you guys at the ramp??


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## HighSide25

i was born n raised fishing the vb area. im away right now, but ill be down there around thanksgiving time and most of december. i have about 8 or so years of fishing from harbor branch to wabassoo, and as you now know, trout are big and plentiful in that area. snook are numerous, but it can be difficult to find a slot one at times. reds, well, redfish have historically given me trouble, but the last two years i have been getting progressivly better with them in that area. let me know if you want to go north of 17th st bridge and ill show you a few spots that hold fish. im pretty sure the 28 of nov after a duck hunt im going flats fishing.

ohh, and if you see a redfish, my go to in that area is a gulp shrimp new penny with a weedless unweighted hook and 15-20 # flouro leader.
yes, Round island IS the best area to fish within a 5 mile radius


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## jimbarn1961

Chasing tail,

Yes, would like to hook up and get a shakedown on what lies on the north side of 17th street Vero bridge. I would not mind adding a couple more miles of fishable water to the equation. 
Soo much water soo little time to FISH . 
I'll pm you with my cell so we can hookup when your down in Nov.

Thanks
Jim


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## Gramps

> See you guys at the ramp??


I'm staying local, gonna play with the snook in the St. Lucie river and see if the pompano are around yet.


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## MATT

There are no fish North of 17th Street. only catfish would be nice if al fishermen stay south of Stuart. No need to fish any where up here. Realty not worth the drive all you guys stay south. I heard there is dangerest grass and mud that will eat any small skiff north of Ft Pierce, Stay safe and south of Stuart. I only say this to help you guy out. Realy no fish up here.


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## jimbarn1961

I guess I have been warned.  But you know the quickest way to get someone to do something is to say you can't do it ;D ;D.  So I guess I will be fishing alongside you for  dem catfish and tearin my boat up in the dangerest grass and mud   See u on the water


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## Gramps

Yo Matt, you're from Ft. Lauderdale, or still claim the area in your sig. So that's a bit ah, um, contradictory...


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## MATT

> Yo Matt, you're from Ft. Lauderdale, or still claim the area in your sig.  So that's a bit ah, um, contradictory...


I fixed that for all you IT types.


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## out-cast

I'll be at the ramp around 7am.


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## jimbarn1961

we are going to launch out of round island around 7 also, but seeing as you guys have 3 boats already my boys and I won't crowd ya let me know where your gonna start and well start opposite end and meet ya'll in the middle somewhere.


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## MATT

It was nice meeting you and your son's but next time a guy with a mask asks you if you got a gun it is best to say "Yea 2 of them"

see ya on the water....


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## jimbarn1961

Matt,
Yes it was a pleasure to meet you. You really freaked my boys out with your opening questions ;D ;D. They said what kind of guys are you going to hang out with. Kyle thanks for all the info and tips. Justin pleasure to see you again, and lastly Scott glad we got to talk and look forward to hooking up for some pomp fishing down your way over the winter. It must have been quite a site to see four noes and a 20'cc parading up the IRL in line at a blistering 26mph ;D. Really all you guys thanks for all the help my boys and I really appreciate it. By the way after we all split up we did manage to boat two more reds and several more snook b4 calling it a day. See you all on the water hit me up if yo uwant to go out!!


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## HighSide25

Gramps and Jim, it was good to meet yall. All this pre- redfishing talk and Jason or myself no getting a red made me think the trip was a bust, but hearing about Justins 3 reds, your 3 reds, and seeing gramps doormat flounder made the trip for us, along with Matt's self proclaimed nipple sighting from the sailboat ladies. See yall on the H2O, maybe the afternoon of 11.28.09


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## Gramps

It was nice to meet you too Kyle and Justin(?). Overall it was a good trip except the end when I was standing in red ants cleaning the fish... 

Kyle since I outfished ya, I'll do a payment plan, need a push-pole too?


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