Last Thursday, while Tania was enjoying her school trip to Universal, I set out for a fishing adventure with fellow Salt Strong Insiders Keir and Grant. Despite having a job interview in the morning, I managed to meet the guys at the dock by 11:30 a.m., ready for a promising day on the water.

We fully loaded the boat and left the dock at about noon. Our destination was Spoil Island 15, the same island where I caught the large trout a few weeks ago. We drifted from east to west with the east wind and outgoing current. Just as we were about to enter the mangroves, Keir hooked up with a jack, which self-released right at the boat.

As we made our way into the cove, we saw lots of bait, but we did not see any birds like a few weeks before. We worked the whole cove and had a few bites, but we did not land a fish until I landed a small barracuda right before we exited the cove.

With the slow bite, I decided to head further north and see if we could find the fish. Once we reached the slow zone, Kier and Grant sent out paddle tails to troll behind the boat. Just as we approached Harbor Branch, Keir got a nice hit and landed a decent jack.

After landing the jack, we started to work Harbor Branch. We used the east wind to our advantage and drifted near the shoreline. Once again, we struggled to find the fish; however, I did manage to pull a small snook out of the mangroves.

Keir suggested trying deeper water, as the fish might be deeper with the hot water. With that being said, we drifted the channel into Harbor Branch. The first drift, I had a few bites, but nothing committed, so we drifted again. This time, I managed to hook up and land a small jack.

Since we were not finding the targeted species, I told the boys we should run north to Round Island. The island’s west side has a deep channel, so we were hopeful it would set us up for success with the mangroves and the channel.

We started working Round Island from north to south. Once again, the fish evaded us, and we had little to no action. As we rounded the island’s southern tip, I had a redfish chase my bait to the boat, but as soon as I saw it, it saw me, turned tail, and swam away. Not long after that, Keir landed another jack.

With the bite being slow and no bait being seen, Keir suggested another spoil island, where he had caught a few trout a few weeks ago. We worked the flats and the spoil island without a bite. With the heat and the wind, I was getting tired, so I suggested we start working our way back south to Fort Pierce City Marina.

As we approached Harbor Branch, I stopped to do a few more drifts, hoping to get Grant on a fish before we called it a day. Stopping at Harbor Branch paid off. Kier landed another jack, and shortly after, Grant landed a jack. Once again, it was not the targeted species, but everyone on the boat caught a fish.

At this point, we headed back home. When we arrived at the dock, it was about 6:00 p.m. Despite the slow bite, we all had a great day in fellowship. Grant reminded me of what I say from time to time: ” It’s these slow days that help us appreciate the good days!”

I am grateful to be able to share my passion for fishing with others, especially fellow Salt Strong insiders! Tania and I send our best wishes to all fellow anglers. May your fishing adventures be safe, blessed, and filled with tight lines and good times! Until next time, keep casting and chasing those dreams on the water.

The Treasure Coast Chapter of Salt Strong now hosts monthly meetings in Fort Pierce on the 4th Thursday of each month. These meetings offer a range of benefits to members, including a 20% discount on tackle, access to Smart Fishing spots, and insider information on local trends. Additionally, there will be monthly tournaments and guest speakers featured. To learn more about Salt Strong, click the links below for a FREE pack of Slam Shady or a 30-day test drive.