See Weed Everywhere at the Inlet

If the Snookman says it’s bad, you better listen. See for yourself, through the lens of the man himself.

Yeah… It’s Pretty Bad

Good morning all you fishing fans out there! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! The weather was nice, but the fishing wasn’t so good. Again, I have to say this report isn’t one I like to do, but when I do my reports I don’t sugar coat anything, I tell you all how it really is down there. All last week and through the entire weekend the water has been REALLY messed up with the sargassum weed! It is literally EVERYWHERE, and as far as you could see, no escape from it. Also with the winds blowing NNE 15-20 and the surf picking up it has made the inlet look like a washing machine! There are some fish being caught in the inlet, but you have to search really hard for a bit clean water. The boaters drifting the inlet channel have been picking up some catch and snook and redfish on live baits. So here we go with the pinpoint spots.

North Jetty

Over here the majority of the catches have been those pesky catfish, on both tides on any bait. Word of caution, please be careful in handling them as they have very dangerous spines on the fins and can inflict a nasty wound if stuck by one! On the outgoing tide at the tip there have been some small to medium sized jack crevalle being caught on spoons and jigs, also some blue runners on cut baits. That’s pretty much all for over here. Along the rock seawall between the jetty and the catwalk has been unfishable due to the massive mounts of sargassum weed along the shoreline.

South Jetty

Over here is the same, but in some instances on the incoming tide the sargassum weed will go farther out to the edge of the channel and allow the water to clean up some. In that case there has been some nice catch and release snook and redfish being caught on live baits of any kind. But you need the cleaner water. Outgoing tide it has been all about the catfish, blue runners and jack crevalle. I did see a couple of Atlantic spadefish in a bucket when I was down Sunday. Cut shrimp was the ticket for them. Also there are plenty of spot tail pins still being caught, but they are small.

Catwalks (both sides)

As you already know, the north catwalk has been closed for some time, but now as of last Friday the Florida Department of Transportation has closed the south catwalk indefinnatly. No more fishing from there either.

T-Dock area

Back here it has been somewhat cleaner waterwise and weedwise. The incoming tide has been producing some nice catch and release snook on live majorras, if you can net some with all the weeds present. Around the dock pilings on both tides there has been quite a few small mangrove snappers being caught on all cut baits, but they have been just shy of the 10 inch minimum to be kept, but that is a good sign that they are moving in. For those throwing small white jigs and small silver spoons, some spanish mackerel are possible, along with jack crevalle and blue runners.

So there we go folks. Wish I had better news for the fishing, but we are at the mercy of the weeds and water conditions from the winds that aren’t supposed to be like this for this time of year. Hope everyone has a great week!