Action ALL Over the Inlet!

Mark Gajownik shared this photo of his grandson, Franklin, who caught a mutton snapper at the north jetty.

Good morning, Sebastian Inlet anglers and sightseers; I hope everyone had a great weekend. The weather was awesome, and so was the fishing! The action was all over the inlet, but the north side was the better spot due to the cleaner water. There were baitfish in and around the inlet over the weekend: finger mullet, greenies and pilchards, mojarras in the back, but still NO glass minnows in the surf that are usually present this time of year. They have been largely a no-show all along the beaches. The action at the inlet has been the catch-and-release snook, redfish, good catches of mangrove snappers, Spanish mackerel, and a few hooked-but-not-landed cubera snappers. Here are your action spots:

North jetty

Here, most of the action has occurred during early morning and late evening high tide cycles, and on the FIRST of the outgoing tide at the tip. Live mullet and croakers have been the baits of choice for catch-and-release snook and redfish. Most of the snook have been in the 34 to 40-inch range, which are the big breeder females; if you catch any of these big girls, PLEASE return them to the water as quickly as possible! They, just like us when they are worked too hard fighting to land them, have lactic acid build up in their muscles. They cramp and can’t swim, and become goliath or shark food. Again, please return them as quickly as possible. Also, the redfish being caught are nice, too, being in the 27 to 34-inch range, with some being bigger. Like the snook, return them to the water as quickly as possible.

Boaters fishing the tip of the jetty are doing very well with the snook and reds. If you can get good-sized live shrimp — which is kind of tough during the summer when they are small — they will work on the incoming tide for the snook and reds. During early high tide, anglers are catching Spanish mackerel on live greenies on the ocean side of the jetty. Around the pilings and rocks of the jetty on either tide, high being the better tide, mangrove snapper are around and being caught. Live shrimp, greenies either live or dead are the bait for them. Some sheepshead are possible as well on live fiddler crabs and cut shrimp. If you see any schools of finger mullet around, keep an eye out for schools of the big jack crevalles that will be following them. Big spoons, jigs and poppers will attract a bite from them. Moving inward toward the area between the jetty gates and bridge, the incoming tide has been producing mangrove snapper on greenies, live or dead, or cut. Small live croakers or mojarras have been producing catch-and-release redfish as well.

South jetty

On this side, same thing. Most of the action occurs during the early morning, and late evening high tide cycles. Catch-and-release snook and reds are biting all live baits. The snook on this side are smaller than the north side, but still fun to catch! Mangrove snapper can be caught all along the rocky jetty/shoreline on live shrimp, greenies either live or dead/cut. Most of the snappers are still small, 10 or 11 inches, but larger examples are being caught. At the tip on the outgoing tide, same cast of characters as always, black margates, blue runners, jack crevalles, and a few mangrove snappers mixed in to keep it interesting. Not to mention the annoying catfish and puffers that are ever present with the dirtier water on this side.

T-dock Area

Back here the action is still a little slow, but fish have been caught. Around the dock pilings and shoreline on either tide, angler are catching small mangrove snapper and mutton snapper on live and dead greenies. Also, look for Spanish mackerel, using live greenies and small white or green jigs. Mullet schools are coming into the inlet again and attracting big jack crevalles which can be caught on big silver spoons and jigs tossed to the channel area. The snook fishing back here has been a little slow due to the dirtier water, but they are catching some on the incoming tide on live mojarras and croakers. And again, back here too, the pesky puffers are ever present!

Surf Area, both sides

Again, same as last week: not too many people fishing at the beaches. Those fishing at the beach just north of the jetty where the water was cleaner told me they caught a few whiting and croakers, and an occasional catfish or two. South side, just a bit worse as the water was pretty dirty. Catfish, puffers and some small bonnethead sharks were caught. There has been a dearth of baitfish schools in the surf to attract much of what would be here along the coast for this time of the year.

That’s all I have for this week, friends. Expect some rain this week, but small seas (one to two fee) and SSE winds of five to 10 mph all week, so get your gear, bait, water and sunscreen and hit the inlet to see what happens. Tight lines, everyone.