BEST BET

Captain Kevin Drennan of Slammer Guide Service out of Stuart reported loads of Spanish mackerel are biting south of the St. Lucie Inlet. The mackerel were eating green glass minnow lures. … Offshore fishing has been slow. Plenty of pompano, jacks and ladyfish are biting near the Stuart Causeway Bridge and on the Sailfish Flats by the House of Refuge. … Snook, black drum and sheepshead are being caught at many of the bridges in the Indian River.

MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD

Mate Adam Goldstein from the charterboat New Moon out of Haulover Marina reported the rare catch of a 30-pound yellowfin tuna and a 60-pound sailfish. … Johanne Ouellette of Canada made both catches. The fish ate trolled rigged ballyhoos in 800 feet of water offshore of Haulover Inlet. The boat was captained by Bobby Meekins. Captain Mike Johnson from the charterboat Local Knowledge out of Fort Lauderdale reported his clients have been catching dolphins, big kingfish, wahoo and sailfish on recent charters working the outside edge of the reef off of Port Everglades. … Captain Jimbo Thomas from the charterboat Thomas Flyer out of Bayside Marina reported offshore fishing outside of Government Cut has been slow, but there are some dolphins to be had in the blue water. … Black groupers are being caught while trolling the shallow reefs and cobias have been following rays.

KEYS

Dave Kaplan of Aventura reported anglers were catching their limits of yellowtail snappers on the party boat Sea King out of Marathon. The snappers were eating silver sides on small hooks and light weights in 90 to 120 feet of water. A few undersize black grouper, big amberjacks and cero mackerel were also being caught. … Captain Rick Rodriguez of Sundance Sportfishing Charters out of Marathon reported the sailfish action outside the edge of the reef has been steady. The sailfish are chasing ballyhoo schools. Dolphins and blackfin tuna are available outside of 200 feet of water. … Mutton snappers and kingfish are being caught on live ballyhoo and cigar minnows.

TREASURE COAST

Captain Glyn Austin of Going Coastal Fishing Charters out of Sebastian reported working the Sebastian Inlet has produced outstanding catches of flounder on the bottom. The flounder are eating live finger mullet. Plenty of mackerel, bluefish, jacks and ladyfish are biting in the inlet. Pompano to four pounds are being caught on Doc’s Goofy jigs.

FLORIDA BAY

Captain Neil Baron reported catching over 100 fish in Flamingo on Sunday. Working the shorelines just north of the marina his clients landed sea trout more than 20 inches. … Further up the coast again along the shorelines plenty of jacks, ladyfish, a few redfish and more sea trout were caught. … In the rivers near Shark River his clients had plenty of mangrove snappers and a goliath grouper. All of the fish were caught on live shrimp on the bottom and under a floating cork. … Captain Jim Hobales of Caught Lookin Charters reported bluefish and mackerel have been biting along the beaches and in front of the passes north of East Cape and there has been some laid up big tarpon in Whitewater Bay.

SOUTHWEST COAST

Captain Matt Hoover of Nightflight Fishing Charters out of Naples reported plenty of baitfish still remains along the beaches. Working the points and passes south of Marco Island and in the Ten Thousand Islands with live baitfish under a float has produced steady catches of redfish and small to medium size snook. … Working the shallow flats and deeper pot holes in Pine Island Sound captain Butch Rickey of BarrHopp’ R Kayak Fishing charters out of the Castaways on Sanibel has been leading his clients to solid catches of redfish, large sea trout and flounder. The fish are eating top water plugs and jigs tipped with soft plastics.

FRESHWATER

Captain Pat Stevens reported largemouth bass fishing has been excellent in Lake Okeechobee. Anglers casting big Rattle Traps, swimming baits and live shiners along the outside weedlines are scoring big numbers of fish more than 3 pounds. Good areas to try are the Coot Bay area and Pelican Bay. Speckled perch are biting. The specs are eating live minnows and jigs in the areas of Tree Island, the second Dynamite Hole and at the mouths of the cuts in the Rim Canal. Channel cats are being caught on the bottom. Best baits for have been live worms and dead minnows.

Capt. Alan Sherman