The Outdoorsman (Fish, Feathers & Fur)

In the past week, sea water surface temperatures have ranged in the low to mid-eighties. Anglers fishing the surf and those fishing from the piers have been catching slot sized red drum, blue fish, black drum, whiting, and small hammerhead sharks. The large amount of mullet usually attracts a considerable number of tarpon, but as of now relatively only a few have shown up.

As summer winds down, the fishing off shore is outstanding offshore: Tthe king mackerel are providing plenty of action as are the offshore tarpon. Bottom fishing continues to be good. There are even a few reports of an occasional sailfish being seen.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The recreational and commercial harvest of tiger sharks and smooth, scalloped and great hammerhead sharks will not be allowed in Florida state waters beginning Jan. 1.

EDGEWATER -- The sea surface temperature at Ponce Inlet is in the high 60s and low 70s. In the surf and off the piers, whiting are plentiful as are bluefish. Pompano seem to be present one day and then gone the next. A lot of the pompano were feeding on periwinkles, which are small, edible marine snails having thick, cone-shaped, whorled shells.

In Ponce Inlet, founder continue to please anglers as have snook. Remember that snook season will be closed from Dec. 15 to Jan. 31.

The sea surface temperature has been around the high 70s- to  80-degrees fahrenheit over the last week. Larger than the normal-sized bluefish for our area have been reported in the surf and around the piers with some as large as eight pounds.

The surf temperature is in the low 80s. Catches of whiting and bluefish describe the past week’s activity in the surf and piers. In Ponce Inlet, there has been plenty of redfish activity and some tarpon have also been caught and released.

Don’t drink and drive when operating a motor vehicle of any kind. And that includes a boat, especially on this Labor Day weekend when many boaters will be out on the waterways of New Smyrna Beach and throughout Volusia County and off shore along the coastline.

When it comes to fishing, the bite is definitely in the early morning way before nine o’clock. 

As I have been advising you the cold water upwelling is now here in full bloom. It extends well offshore all the way to turtle mound. This upwelling will make some fish lie virtually motionless like in a hypnotic state while other fish will move to warmer waters.

As I have been advising you the cold water upwelling is now here in full bloom. It extends well offshore all the way to turtle mound. This upwelling will make some fish will lie virtually motionless like in a hypnotic state while other fish will move to warmer waters.