CJ caught this 15 pound jack crevalle on a swim bait while fishing the outgoing tide Saturday afternoon.

CJ caught this 15 pound jack crevalle on a swim bait while fishing the outgoing tide Saturday afternoon.

Good morning all my Sebastian Inlet friends and fishermen, gals! I hope everyone had a great and safe 4th of July weekend! The weather was great, but very hot! So here we go off into a new week, with a new report. For the most part, the fishing has been pretty steady at the inlet, about the same as it was last week, but has picked up a bit on both sides due to the cleaner and calmer water, also the presence of baitfish, greenies and nice schools of finger mullet coming into, and around the inlet. With that being said, off we go with the action spots!

North Jetty

On this side most of the action has been on the tip of the jetty on the out going tide with live mullet or croakers. Nice sized catch and release snook and redfish are being caught by the jetty anglers, and the boaters as well. Also being caught have been some monster sized jack crevalle as pictured above. Large schools of them were spotted while I was down over the weekend just swimming around at the tip about 50-100 yards away, also some schools of large redfish were spotted. The reds are coming inside the inlet feeding on the small blue crabs that are coming out of the inlet this time of year, and are being fished for by anglers tossing large floating popper plugs at them when they are sighted feeding on the surface up around the gate area. Also the big jack crevalle are present along with them. Some heavy spinning tackle is required for these brutes to be landed. Both the incoming tide, and the outgoing tide are continuing to produce small mangrove snappers on live and cut greenies, and shrimp. Most are too small to keep, 10 inches, or just a tad over. The larger ones we had show up back in June, for whatever reason have left the building, but I’m sure they will be back. Also being caught around the pilings on this side, incoming tide, are some pretty nice sheepshead. Cut shrimp, and a better bait are fiddler crabs if you can get some.

South Jetty

On this side the water has cleaned up quite a bit, still not the best, but is producing some good fishing. At the tip on the outgoing tide they are catching blue runners, jack crevalles of all sizes, black margates, and a few mangrove snappers. All on cut baits and shrimp. The incoming tide has been a bit better with the cleaner water, and because you have more area to cover with higher water. All along the shoreline from the tip back to the bridge they have been catching some nice catch and release snook and reds on most any live baits fished, and also on small artificial swim baits. The mangrove snappers have ben being caught as well on cut and small live baits. Greenies and small majorras, and shrimp, live or dead. Again, most are too small, but there are some keepers to be had, you just have to weed through the small ones. Also over here in this area there have ben some nice sheepshead being caught on cut shrimp, and the best bait, fiddler crabs if you can get some.

T-Dock Area

Back here the fishing has been pretty slow, only because I haven’t seen very many anglers back here fishing! Doesn’t mean that the fish aren’t here, just nobody fishing back here. Probably because it gets too hot, due to the sea breeze that keeps the jetties area cooler, is totally blocked off back here, and it does get pretty hot.

Surf Area, both sides

Again, like last week there haven’t been very many folks out fishing the beaches. The north side water has been, for the most park pretty clean and calm, but no anglers. South side the same, water has cleaned up quite a bit, but not very many folks fishing. Typically this time of the year you will see some nice whiting, croakers and possibly some black drum caught on shrimp, live or dead. Both sides. Also on both sides with the schools of bait fish showing up, anything is possibly, from snook and redfish, to tarpon, sharks, and large jack crevalles. All which can be caught on live mullet cast netted in the surf where you are fishing, and tossed back out on a rod. You never know. Heck, even I have seen and heard about large kingfish and cobia being caught by some lucky anglers who were in the right place, at the right time.

Well my Sebastian Inlet friends, that’s all for this week, a little better than last week, but still has room for improvement yet! Grab your gear, bait, and plenty of water, and get out there and catch a memory, or some dinner!