Ponce Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

JP from UNITED STATES writes:

Fishin' the jetty

If you plan to be there in the early morning or evening; then bring some insect repellent, or be prepared to suffer from a million little noseeum (sandfly) bites.

Strong current with lots of rocks. Use heavy line and bring a landing net with a long pole, if you have one. Use a "sacrificial leader" or "breakaway leader" for your weight, and be prepared to lose some tackle.

Good live baits: small pinfish, mullet, crab, threadfin herring (greenbacks), menhaden, sandcrabs, and shrimp of course

Good artificials: gulp peeler crabs, gulp shrimp, jig head with funky color grubs, gotcha plugs

What you'll catch: sheephead, red drum (redfish), black drum, grouper, flounder, blues, occasional snook, mackerel, many others

Locals' Tips:

Great light tackle setup: Use 40lb braid connected to 18" of 40-60lb mono leader. Connect your braid to your mono using a properly rated black swivel. If you get hung up on rocks; tighten your drag, drop your rod tip, pull back slowly, a foot or two at a time...using the setup described, the hook on your tackle will straighten and release before your line will break.

For big bull drum: use a heavy weight and leader and at least a 5.0 hook, take a crap, break off legs and claws, peel shell off to expose crab meat, hook through leg sockets on one side of crap. Cast and wait.

Jig head combo: try a 1/2oz chartreuse jig head with a gulp "natural" shrimp...these have white bellies and dark green flake body. Work VERY slowly, hopping along bottom.

If anyone tells you that one spot is better than another, or to stay between buoy markers, don't listen to them. The fish are there, and they're everywhere!

2011-06-10