black drum

Steven Kinney caught a Black Drum measuring at 19 inches, caught on a live shrimp, and on the outgoing tide.

Hello, all you Sebastian Inlet friends and fans! I hope everyone had a great weekend despite the rainy and windy conditions on Sunday. This report is going to be brief again due to the sloppy conditions we had at the inlet over the weekend, especially Sundays blustery wind and rainy and rough seas. The water was pretty clean, and the water temps still at 77, which is good, but it was just too nasty to fish. I was down Sunday, and not very many anglers were out and about, either side. And this week is supposed to be pretty breezy and rough through Tuesday, and start calming back down for the rest of the week thereafter. So here we go with the breakdown.

North Jetty

All the action at the jetty before the weekend was at the tip again on the incoming tide. Some snook, redfish and a couple of black drum were caught on live shrimp. For whatever reason the snook didn’t want the majorra or anything else. Several of the fish caught were over slot, but several were in slot and went home, and quite a few undersized fish were caught as well. Most of the fish including the drum were caught over the “rock pile” at the tip. Sheepshead continue to be around between the pilings for those fishing cut shrimp, fiddlers and sandfleas. On the ocean side of the jetty there were some small and keeper pompano caught on live sandfleas, along with some whiting. Outgoing tide at the tip was all about the blues, jacks, and ladyfish on just aout anything tossed out there. Some snook were also caught at the tip for those fishing the finger mullet, but most were too big to keep, and the goliath’s kept eating them. Lots of catfish were caught as well on the dead and live shrimp. Back along the wall between the NOW OPEN bait shop and the bridge on the incoming tide there have been a few nice catch and release redfish being caught on live shrimp and majorra. A few small sheepshead are still around the rocks when the tide is high enough.

South Jetty… Now open

Over here the fishing has slowed down quite a bit as the water has ben pretty dirty still. Incoming tide has produced some undersized snook, and a couple oversized ones as well on live baits, and jigs at night. Sheepshead and a few black drum continue to be around for those fishing cut shrimp, sandfleas and live shrimp. The outgoing tide at the tip is mostly catfish, puffers, jacks and some black margates, and spot tail pinfish on cut shrimp.

T-Dock area

Back here on the incoming tide the snook action has picked up a tad, some majorra have shown up again and got them biting. Most of the fish have been too big, but some slots have been caught. Majorra, and live shrimp are the baits of choice. Along the shoreline for those fishing dead shrimp and sandfleas the sheepshead, spot tails and an occasional black drum or two have been caught. Outgoing tide on the dock for those fishing with small spoons and jigs the blues and jacks and ladyfish have been around to play, no spanish mackerel yet. Around the pilings with cut shrimp the small snapper are around, along with some grunts and pesky puffers!

Surf Area, both sides

South side has been slow due to nobody being out fishing, and the water being a bit dirty, but ALL the dredging equipment and pipes have been removed from the beach so we can get back to normal and folks can fish the area now, as the dredging project is all done! North side surf was doing pretty good with pompano, sheepshead, whiting and some drum, then the winds and surf kicked back up and blew it all out. So nothing for that area as nobody was out.

Well that’s it for this week. It’s going to be a tad breezy and rough for the next couple days, then calm back down some so we can ge back out there. We are in our “springtime” transition phase, just need for the winds to go away, and it all will get better. I hope everyone has a great week! Snookman..