April is upon us and we are finally in a better weather pattern than what we had this winter. The mango snappers have started to make their move and are schooling up more in the rough bottom at 60 to 90 feet of water. You can continue to catch them on 6-to-10-foot leaders of 30-to-50 pound test, preferably fluorocarbon. Small live bats or small grunt plugs are ideal, but you can also catch them on strips of fresh-cut bait or even squid.
Mutton snappers should start to move as well, and they’ll be caught on the drop-offs adjacent to the reefs in 70 to 90 feet of water. As the water on the bottom continues to warm they’ll become more aggressive feeders. When fishing for the mount snapper, continue using 40 to 60 pound leaders 15 to 25 feet long with a sliding sinker type of rig. Grunt plugs, sardines and finger mullet all continue to prove to be excellent bait. Be patient and watch the tides as they may not bite consistently throughout the day.
Lane snappers, triggerfish and porgies continue to bite at 50 to 80 feet on the hard rough bottom. Fish for them with the two-hook chicken rig and bait it with squid, mullet or fresh grunt strips.
The weather patterns should continue to improve. Spring leads toward more summer-like patterns but without the heat and storms. With the winds of winter backing off and the moderate, predictable temperatures of the next few months, this spring is sure to provide some of the most beautiful fishing days of the year.
The Miss Fort Pierce continues to sail seven days a week on an all-day schedule. We leave at 7:00 AM and all of our trips are booked as limited loads not to exceed 28. Please go to fortpiercefishing.com to make your reservation and pick your spot. The Miss Fort Pierce is also available for private fishing parties, group cruising, and even burials. Our capacity is around 71 passengers. Be safe out there, keep tight lines and we look forward to seeing you on board soon!
Have fun and tight lines!
-Capt. Scotty Gold