I met my friend Joel at the dock at about 7 a.m. It was a beautiful morning—calm winds and 2-foot swells at 14 seconds—so we decided to head out to the boils. When we got there, the area was full of life, and I was hopeful we were in for a great day of fishing.

About 30 minutes in, just as things were looking promising, we got a call from the dock notifying us that we were restricted to inshore fishing only due to forecasted winds. So, we packed it up and headed back in through the inlet. Before we left the boils, we managed to hook into two nice Spanish mackerel.

Once back inshore, we drifted south of the Causeway bridge, where we caught several short mutton snappers and jack crevalle. As the tide started going out, we went to the Smithsonian dock. The action picked up quickly; it wasn’t long before we went through our bait. We caught a few more snappers and a short sheepshead, though most fish were skilled bait thieves.

It wasn’t the most productive day, but we still caught some fish. It’s been a while since I fished the river, so I was glad to get back out—and even happier to put Joel, who was visiting from Pennsylvania, on some fish.

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 at Islamorada Brewery and Distillery on the 4th Tuesday of each month. These meetings offer members a range of benefits, from guest speakers to fellowship with local anglers who like to help each other catch fish. Membership to Salt Strong includes 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.