Fishing the tip of the north jetty at Sebastian Inlet.

Hello there all my Sebastian Inlet fans and fanatics, I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend out there! Was very nice with the breezes coming from the NE, not quite so “sweltering” as it has been. Good news, after our couple days of big winds from the NNE, and surf up to 5-6 feet, it has calmed right back down, and for the most part the water on the north side has remained PRETTY CLEAN, and still at seasonable temps, maybe just a tad higher at 83 degrees as of this writing. The really good news is the big blow and surf have pushed the finger mullet down, and in onto the beaches, and the hand size and bigger mullet as well. Last Thursday when I went down during the weather event, there were all sorts of finger mullet as far as the eye could see! Just millions of them in the entire inlet, with fish blasting them up everywhere! Was a fantastic site to see, and on Sunday while I was there, same thing, mullet galore, all sizes! The fish being caught were a conglomeration of everything, spanish macks, ladyfish, bluefish, snook, tarpon, didn’t hear about any redfish, but who knows, they may have caught some, they usually do when the finger mullet are this thick, I just didn’t see or hear of any. So with that appetizer, lets get into the action spots.

North Jetty

Out here most of the action has been in the early morning, and late evening when the water comes up, the snook bite has been really good in the surf pocket area on live mullet. Most of the fish have been too big to keep because the guys are using large mullet, and the smaller slot sized snook won’ bite them, the hand sized ones are what you want to use. Also along the jetty in that area away from the surf there have ben some snook caught s well on the mullet. On the outgoing tide at the tip the snook have been active as well on live mullet and pigfish, again, most of them have been oversized, just a few slots caught. Incoming tide around the rock pile and along the inner area of the jetty there have been plenty of snook being caught as well on live shrimp and pigfish, and that’s pretty much all they wanted to bite, not mullet, or pinfish. The spanish mackerel showed up in pretty good numbers Friday, and over the weekend, and the bluefish too, live small finger mullet, greenies, and silver spoons did the trick for them. For those fishing dead shrimp and dead greenies and cut bait the mangrove snapper are still hanging around due to the warmer water we still have, all around the pilings and the rocks at the tip of the jetty, both sides. I did also hear about one nice cubera snapper being caught as well. Another species I saw caught on Sunday while I was there was a very nice pompano about 2 pounds caught ocean side on dead shrimp. The seawall/rocks between the baitshop and cleaning station is still producing mangrove snappers in the 10-12 inch range on the incoming tide.

South Jetty

Out here, from what I gather, the incoming tide is still producing plenty of snook, mostly on the smaller size, but several slots have been caught. Live pins and pigs are the baits of choice. The water has remained decently clean after the blow last week, which is a good thing. Outgoing tide at the tip, same cast of characters as always on cut baits, margate, spot tails, jacks, blue runners. And a few mangrove snapper. With the mullet being around now, look for some snook to be caught in the surf pocket area over here.

T-Dock Area

Back here on the dock, Sunday was all about the mangrove snapper, quite a few were being caught on dead baits, small live shrimp, and live greenies. I saw quite a few decent fish in the 11-12 inch size in the buckets of some anglers. Outgoing tide. Incoming tide around the cleaning table some of the regulars have been catching some decent snook on live pigs and pins, most of them though have been too big to keep. For those tossing silver spoons out the jacks and blues, and spanish macks have been playing. I saw quite a few in the buckets while I was there Sunday. Along the rocks for those fishing with dead shrimp, spot tail pins, margate, and pesky puffers have been biting.

Surf Area, Both Sides

The south side surf remains slow due to the absence of people fishing the area, and no access from the parking lot. Most of the anglers are traveling light and walking the 3/4’s of a mile to walk to the jetty to fish, so they are not stopping to fish the surf. The north side on the other hand, since the huge sandbar we had over there is getting smaller, and there is more water now, AND the fact that the mullet run has started along the beach in that area, the “beach snook” are atarting to play nicely now! About time! Lol. As the jetty gets to be a train wreck at times! Live mullet cast netted in the surf and fished, along with the pigfish, are the baits scoring catches. Look for the mullet schools, and fish them. Either tide will work, but high tide is the better choice. Also being seen, and hooked in the surf are the tarpon and sharks which follow the schools as well, fish in the 50-100 pound class will be around for play time. For those fishing shrimp or sand fleas, whiting are still being caught, and quite possibly some pompano, since I saw one caught on the jetty Sunday. Look for more of them to show up when the water cools down some more, and stays this clean.

Well folks, that’s it for this week, the ocean conditions are supposed to stay pretty calm, with also light winds for the rest of the week, until Friday when it shows the winds kicking back up NE, and the seas going back up to 5-6 ft. For Friday and Saturday. So fishing remains still pretty darn good, and will still continue to get better as the water cools down a tad, and MORE mullet show up. Grab your gear, water, snacks, and get out and catch some dinner!