Peacock Days and Snooky Nights after Irma

Capt. Patrick Smith reports on the Lake Ida and Palm Beach fishing following the storm.

The Lake Ida system is getting back to normal. The finger canals have been flowing hard due to the open spillways. This has caused poor water conditions. At this time the system is starting to settle down and clear up. We’ve been finding good numbers of peacocks and largemouths along the walls and docks. They’re feeding well being that their spawn is over. Keep in mind that we’re approaching the best time of the year for Lake Ida. When the water temperature drops the peacocks, largemouths and sunshine bass will be schooling up in the middle of the lake. The grey Polar Fiber Minnow and various other shad imitations with a sink tip or full intermediate line will get the job done. Live chumming shad is not always necessary but it will turn the fish on when they seem otherwise uninterested.

As for Palm Beach: “mullet be poppin”. Seems like the mullet run has started full bore. The bridges in Palm Beach have been very productive at night on an incoming tide, not so much on the outgoing. The first wave of mullet is composed mainly of smaller finger mullet. Although the snook and tarpon are feasting, it’s difficult to get them to sniff out your fly. Being a little different in size and/or color can help. The Fishalicious in Red/White and the larger (3/0) EP Finger Mullet Black Tail have been producing well. If you’re tying your own mullet patterns, bronze is the ticket.