This is Leon, and he is an inlet regular. The snook was about 44 or 45 inches and estimated to be about 25 to 27 pounds. The big girl was netted, dehooked, pic snapped and returned to the water very quickly unharmed. She was caught on a big live mullet on the beachside.
Good morning all you fishing aficionado’s, hope you all had a great weekend! The weather was good for a change, except for the ENE winds which at times were pretty breezy. This week is supposed to be a pretty nice week except for the possibility of some afternoon thunderstorms. The fishing for the most part in the entire inlet has been just “OK.” There are some more schools of mullet moving around in the inlet, and that is attracting the predator fish. Nowhere in the inlet has been a “hot spot” that I saw over the weekend, but the better bite I was seeing was coming on the incoming tide, middle of it and the first 2 hours of the outgoing tide where the water was cleaner. The incoming tide for both sides has been much cleaner than it has been, so that makes a huge difference in how the bite is going to be. I did see several different species of fish being caught all around the inlet. All you needed to do is get to your favorite spot and just wait them out, the south side had the upper hand over the weekend! The water temps have finally cooled down a tad, from 85 it was last week to 83 it showed this morning, and that should get things going for the better. So anyway, here we go with your action breakdown.
North Jetty
Over here the action has been mostly on the very early morning high tide, and the late evening high tide. Snook, redfish and big jack crevalle have been taking live baits of any type. Live pigfish and pinfish and mullet have been the baits of choice. Most of the snook being caught were all over sized, but I did see a few nice upper slot fish caught last week. Pigfish were the dominate bait. Redfish were being caught as well of all sizes, live bait and cut bait did the trick for them. Remember, they are CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY!! Other species I saw being caught over the weekend were the spanish mackerel on live greenies, if you could find some as they are getting harder to find. The mangrove snapper are still around and biting on live shrimp and live or dead greenies all along the rock shoreline and the jetty pilings. The outgoing tide has been producing some snook, redfish, jack crevalles, bluefish, yes I said bluefish! Saw a couple of them caught Saturday morning. Also the guys are still hooking up with some of the big cubera snappers, but not being able to land them. Also on this outgoing tide the spanish mackerel bite was still happening on the beach side. live greenies. Another speices I saw being caught were some nice sheepshead around the rocks and pilings. It’s a bit early for them as they like the cooler water temperatures, but non the less, some are here. Cut shrimp is the bait for them.
South Jetty
On this side the bite has been all on the incoming tide, about an hour or so into it when the cleaner ocean water gets moving in. All along the rocky shoreline it has been all about the snook! Lots of fish are being caught, but most of them have been undersized, but quite a few nice slots are being caught! It’s not been “hot” by any means, just good enough to produce some great action. Live baits of pins or pigs are doing the trick. Saturday while I was watching the guys and gals fishing it looked like what we “old timers” referred to as COMBAT FISHING!! lol. They were slinging baits everywhere and hooking fish all over the place, tangles and breakoffs were the norm, but lot of small fish being caught. Along with them they were catching some redfish and jack crevalle, and hooking some small tarpon. Outgoing tide at the tip was all about the black margates, blue runners, mangroves and a couple of nice sheepshead. Live and dead shrimp for them.
T-Dock Area
Back here it has been a bit slower, the outgoing tide has been pretty stained with the brackish water coming out of the river. Lots of puffers being caught around the dock pilings, and just a few small mangrove snappers, all on cut baits. The incoming tide when the clean water finally gets back to the area is producing some nice snook and redfish, jack crevalle and some spanish mackerel. For the snook and reds live pins and pigs are the go-to baits, the mackerel are hitting small jigs and silver spoons. The nighttime guys are catching snook on the 3-5 inch swim baits, and the artificial shrimp jigs. Incoming tide, and the beginning of the outgoing tide have been the better times.
Surf Area, Both Sides
The north side of the inlet from the pocket up to the north parking lot in the park has been producing some nice snook and redfish when there are mullet present. Also, I have been told that there has been some big tarpon around as well as the sharks, mainly bulls and blacktips. Live baits, large swim baits wil attract a bite from them. Early morning and late evening is the best time to fish. On the south side, same thing, when the water is clean up a bit and there are some mullet around, the snook, reds, sharks and tarpon have been playing. From the south jetty all the way down to the day use parking lot just south of the inlet. Again, live baits and large swim baits of any kind should bring some action.
Well my fishing friends, that’s it in a nutshell for this week. It is supposed to be kind of rainy all week, but that doesn’t stop the fish from biting, they are already wet!! So like I have said before, this is fall time, water starts to cool a bit, mullet should start moving better again, and hopefully the fishing pick up some more. This IS the best time of the year to fish as far as I’m concerned. So grab your gear, drinks, bait, and get out and to your favorite spot and catch some dinner, or a catch of a life time!! Snookman.
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