Here is a sampling of what's been going on with Corporate Retreat Charters and the inshore and offshore waters around Stuart. You can find more fishing reports and lots of photos at http://corporateretreatcharters.blogspot.com/.

November 20 - Charter fishing with Marty and Brett Fitzgerald of the Snook Foundation

Okay, I've been slacking on the updates here. Sorry. The truth is, the fishing has been fantastic this fall and seems to be showing little signs of letting up. As long as the weather cooperates, we should be good for a while.

I went out with Marty Hartrick and Brett Fitzgerald, the Southeast Regional Director of the Snook Foundation for an EARLY MORNING TRIP that began at 4:45. We fished the docklights in the South Fork for a while, pulling a few snook off the lights with D.O.A. shrimp and Brett's fly rod. There were some trout on the lights as well.

From there we moved out the river some and caught some jacks. The swells were up, but the chop was down, so we headed out the inlet and picked off a few Spanish and Cero mackerel on jigs and spoons. Brett caught at least one on the fly rod before we found a weed line in abotu 30 feet.

Here, we threw D.O.A. shrimp and a shrimp fly to nail about 8 tripletail. They were so thick, if you didn't like the size of the one that came for your bait, you simply pulled it away from him and waited for another one to come up.

Turned out to be a great day, even if it did start at 4:15. 

August 21 -- Charter fishing trip with Paul Michele of Navionics

I took Paul Michele out for a quick trip through the St. Lucie Inlet, looking to take advantage of the world-class snook that congregate there. We used live bait and at least one 2-pound mullet, catching a few snook in the 15-pound range. We also watched a 10-foot hammerhead feed around the jetty in water so shallow his entire dorsal fin and most of his back were out of the water. 

July 25 -- Charter fishing trip with Steve Ryan, Paul and Kevin

Paul, from Apollo Beach, joined Steve and Kevin, down from Chicago and Wisconsin, respectively, for what turned into a half-day of fishing in the St. Lucie Inlet.

Trying to take advantage of a snook population that had been pounded for five straight weeks, trio threw live pilchards in different spots inside the inlet. The result was a few slot-sized snook, including Kevin's first ever. They also put a small gag grouper in the boat, a jack and a 12-pound Goliath grouper, that engulfed a pilchard and thought he might swim away with a free lunch.

June 10 -- St. Lucie Inlet fishing charter with Capt. Mike and the Resnicks

Justin, Fran and 11-year old Jake, came out for guided trip, looking for "anything that would bite". That began with some bait on Sabiki rigs and then a trip along the beach, where Jake picked off a 3-pound jack. That may not sound like much, but you should have told Jake that while the fish was running him around the boat!

After grabbing a few more baits, we headed back to the St. Lucie Inlet, looking for some snook. Just like getting a birdie on the 18th hole, the big one came on the last bait of the day.

I fished the final threadfin out from behind the standpipe and put it on Justin's hook. Less than 30 seconds after it hit the water, it got popped by a pretty good-sized snook. The fish missed, but Justin let the bait sit there for a second, hoping for the return attack. He didn't wait long.

After working the fish away from the tree limbs and underwater logs, Justin then had to maneuver it away from the anchor line of a nearby boat. The snook, which made three or four good runs, finally came boatside and allowed Capt. Mike to pull it in for some quick pictures. Just in time, by the way, because as soon as the fish cleared the gunwale, the hook fell out and hit the deck. 

June 9 and 12 -- Charter fishing trip for snook. And lots of them!

Steve, Lance and 7-year old Casey came down from Georgia to break in the summer and find out what St. Lucie Inlet snook are all about.

Fishing wth Capt. Mike Readling on a Tuesday and a Friday, they found out what makes the St. Lucie Inlet so special when it comes to snook.

Steve and Casey had never caught one before. That changed quickly once we got to the jetty. The first snook to the boat was an above-slot linesider. Casey reeled in his first snook and then topped Steve's best with the last of the day, a 35-incher. Three more big fish and the group was convinced they had to come back three days later, concentrating solely on snook.

Friday began with a run to the 14 Buoy for baits. Lots of baits. And then back to the inlet to catch the tide change.

The first 10 casts produced eight fish in shallow water, allowing us to watch the bite happen.

When the tide switched out, we moved out of the inlet and set up shop near the rocks. The fish were bigger here and even more aggressive as they followed the baits to the boat. It got to the point where they were keeping the baits on top on purpose, waiting for the topwater hit every angler loves.

After about 20 fish, all near, in or above the slot, they called it day.

May 8-9 -- Charter trip for sharks, jacks and snook

Scott and Dylan came in from Meridian, Mississippi for a charter fishing trip, looking around Stuart and Jensen Beach for sharks, some jacks and, eventually,a snook.

The day began with a 24-pound jack, caught on a Sebile Splasher. The lure hit, was popped twice and immediately engulfed by the big jack. Very cool bite!!

We used the jack for shark bait, enticing a big spinner to eat. He jumped around and thrashed a little bit beffore breaking off. The next shark was a little smaller and he broke off too.

The water temp dropped about 15 degrees over night, so yesterday's spot was a desert. We headed back to the flats, hoping to take advantage of some warmer water, not to mention the big, fat greenies I'd netted earlier that day!

A couple of casts in and we were hooked up to an upper-slot snook, which we got to the boat for pictures. A couple more snook seemed more interested in batting and popping our baits around the flats, rather than eating them, but the show was worth it anyway! 

May 1 -- Fishing offshore from Stuart for BIG permit

Generally, most people want to stay inshore and fish for snook, trout, redfish, tarpon, jacks and things like that. Stuart does, after all, have some of the biggest snook you'll find in the state.

Once in a while, however, you just have to grab a big, fat rod, take the boat offshore and pull on something that may well drag you a little ways. Friday was that day.

After a morning of fishing the Sailfish Point flats for trout (up to 6 pounds), jacks and bluefish, me and the two other Mike's (Mike D. and Mike H.) headed out the St. Lucie Inlet for some permit that were schooling in about 40 feet of water.

Mike D. was the first to hook-up, socking into a 30-pounder right off the bat, but having to fight it on tackle that was way too light for what we were surrounded by. He got it in the boat and we went back to drifting. I caught one in the 35-pound range and then the two Mikes hooked into a doubleheader that turned the boat into a Chinese Fire Drill for about 15 minutes.

Mike D. also managed to feed a pretty big crab to a 5-pound mutton snapper, which he then returned before Mike H. and I could get our hands on for the cooler.

I finished the day by feeding a 30-plus pound jack a pilchard (was trying to hook a barracuda) and then watching as he stripped my Daiwa Tierra 2500 down to the backingm leaving me to reel in 200 yards of 30-pound braid, which I did as soon he broke the leader.

April 9 -- Fishing the St. Lucie Inlet

The Owen Family came in from Georgia for a little Spring Break vacation and a nice, relaxing fishing charter out of Stuart.

Michael gets to fish quite a bit, chasing big tuna and whatever else the Gulf rigs hold out of Biloxi, so this trip was a chance for Allison and daughter Sydney to catch some fish. The first stop provided a few snook, enough to keep Sydney busy with releases, and a small grouper.

When the tide changed we ran out on the beach and found a school of the big jacks. Unfortunately, they weren't hungry, but they were having a good time tormenting fishing guides with clients.

Back in the inlet, we caught the first hour of the outgoing tide and found a hole where the snook were laying up. Everybody was hooking in to something, including Allison, who caught a couple jacks. We pulled another grouper and some more snook before heading in to meet the rest of the party.

April 4 -- Dolphin fishing with Capt. Mike Readling

 Shawn Steele came down to Stuart for a charter trip out the St. Lucie Inlet. Normally, we'd stay inshore and look for snook, redfish and trout, but today was so beautiful offshore we headed out about 10 or 12 miles.

In about 230 feet we ran in to some flying fish being crashed by what turned out to be a dolphin. Shawn pitched the fish a live mullet and watched as the mahi swam straight for his bait.

In no time, it was hooked and doing all kinds of acrobatics behind the boat. Once on board it weighed out between 35 and 40 pounds.