snook sebastian jetty

Aldo Luis Rodriguez with a nice catch and release snook at the jetty

Good morning all my Sebastian Inlet fishing fanatic’s, I hope everyone had a great weekend, and missed the thunderstorms we had. Here we go with this weeks’s report on “what’s happening at the inlet.” Well, for the most part the fishing has remained steady, but with most of the action switching to the south side, where last week it was the north side, but the north side is still holding its own. The bait fish are still around, greenies, mullet, pilchards and majorra to be had, and that in turn has kept the predator fish active despite the water cooling down some from what it should be. Snook, reds, jacks, snapper, mangrove and mutton, spanish mackerel, and even a couple summer flounder have been caught in the inlet. So here we go with the action spots.

North Jetty

Over here the action has cooled down some with the water cooling down from the thermocline that showed up, and usually does this time of year. Outgoing tide, the first part of it before all the stained up fresh water starts coming out has produced some nice catch and release snook and reds at the tip, along with some cuberas that have been hooked. Live baits like mullet, croakers and majorra are getting the bite. Also for those fishing live and cut greenies around the rock pile and pilings are finding some decent mangrove snapper, and an occasional mutton snapper, which most have been too small to keep. They have to be 18 inches to be kept. Another species making an appearance have been some very nice spanish mackerel on live greenies, beach side of the jetty, on either tide, along with some big barracudas looking to eat them. They really like mackerel! I saw 3 or 4 of them last time I was down there. The mackeral I saw being caught were in the 16-18 inch range.

The incoming tide has been pretty slow on the jetty for snook and reds due to the cooler water, they just don’t want to play, plus the goliath’s are always keeping them pushed out away from the jetty which makes them tough to get to bite along with the boat traffic. In and around the pilings there has been some nice mangroves caught, live shrimp, greenies, live or dead will work for them, also I saw some pretty nice sheepshead on live fiddler crabs, and cut shrimp. The incoming tide along the rocks from the jetty gate back to the bridge is still producing some nice catch and release redfish on live croakers and majorras. Mangrove snapper and sheepshead round out the menu in that area. For the boaters drifting the inlet, big jacks, redfish and some snook are being caught along the channel areas fishing live baits such as croakers and mullet and majorra. Both tides.

South Jetty

On this side, outgoing tide at the tip is producing the usual fare, black margates, blue runners, jacks, some snappers, along with the puffers and catfish. Any kind of cut bait will work for these species. The afternoon/evening incoming tide over here has been where the action was due to it cleaning up quite a bit, and being a bit warmer than the north side. From the tip all the way back to the bridge, anglers have been catching catch and release snook and redfish on live croakers and majorra. For those fishing live shrimp and greenies there have been quite a few mangrove and mutton snapper caught. Most of the mangroves have ben on the small side, but there have been some keepers in the mix. The muttons also have been too small to keep, they have to be 18 inches. Blue runners and some jack crevalle have been in the mix to keep things interesting. For those looking for sheepshead, live fiddler crabs and cut shrimp fished west of the bridge along the rocks is the ticket, incoming tide. Plus there are mangrove snapper here too.

T-Dock Area

Back here in this area, pretty much same as always, small mangroves and some mutton snappers around the pilings and rock shoreline, live and dead/cut greenies and majorra will work, also live or dead shrimp. With all the tiny baitfish around the dock there have been some spanish mackerel being caught on freelined live greenies, and small white crappie jigs on very light tackle. Either tide is good to fish. The catch and release snook fishing back here has been pretty slow, but there have been some fish caught on majorra and small croakers.

Surf fishing, both sides

Again, same as last week, there hasn’t been many folks out fishing the beach, mostly because the tide has been very low in the morning, and due to the last full moon we had back on the 21st, and the afternoon storms keep anglers from doing the late afternoon high tide. So I don’t have any info on all this.

Well folks, that’s all I have for this weeks report. The fishing has been steady, which is a good thing, but could be better. So, grab your gear and bait and get out before the storms and see what pans out. Stay well, stay hydrated and be safe!