Good morning all my Sebastian Inlet fishing fanatics! I hope everybody’s holiday weekend was a good one. So, without further delay, here is your report!
For the most part, the fishing at the inlet as a whole was, and still is pretty slow. Thanks to our hurricane Idalia who threw some wind, rain and big swells our way and pretty much put a damper on the fishing all last week and through the weekend. With constant NNE, ENE winds at 15-25 mph, and swells from 5-7 ft just turned the Atlantic on our coast into a washing machine at best.
Opening day of snook season last Friday and through the weekend was a dismal scenario for the most part. I only saw 4 snook caught in that time frame and 2 were oversized, and 2 were too small to keep. Remember they have to be in the slot of 28 overall minimum, and 32 overall maximum, and only one to keep per person per day. I did hear of two keepers on the south side, but they were just at 28 inches. So pretty quiet on the snook.
Now, opening day for whatever reason, the redfish were on fire everywhere in the inlet! Fish of all sizes were being caught on any live bait tossed out on both sides. High tide was the best. It was really cool to see all the rods bent over on the jetty and a lot of happy people catching fish. Also remember redfish are catch and release only! Can’t keep any!
About the only fish I saw being caught regularly were the mangrove snappers, people were still getting them in good numbers, and on both sides of the inlet, incoming tide was best. Still live greenies and tiny live majorra were the baits of choice.
On another note, the fall mullet run has begun! All weekend there were tons of the coming down the beach and into the inlet. Fish were busting them up in the north surf as they moved down the beach. Tarpon, big snook and jack crevalle were seen blasting them. I’m hoping that when the seas calm down some more by Wednesday, and the water cleans up more, the bite will be on!! It’s that time of the year again for it to start. Once the snook get out of their “spawning” mode and start eating, it will be GAME ON! Get ready… So here is the break down of what and where.
North Jetty
Over here with the wind and huge waves pounding the jetty it was a pretty wet weekend. Friday morning opening day of snook season was a bust, nothing except a couple of oversized in a boat, and one short on the jetty. BUT the redfish went nuts that morning for about 2-3 hours of the middle incoming tide! Lots of fish caught of all sizes on any live bait tossed out. Once the tide dropped out, they were gone, and never came back. A few were still eing caught over the weekend, but not in any numbers like Friday morning. Even the boats were catching them. Some big jack crevalle were around too keeping it interesting. The other species I saw being caught were the mangrove snappers on live greenies being fished around the tip and inside the pilings. Incoming tide was the tide for them. Also along the rock seawall they were catching quite a few as well. There were a lot of small ones, but I did see some in the 12-13 inch range being kept. Several anglers caught their limits. About the only other fish I saw caught over here were the pesky catfish, and one small nurse shark about 4ft long in the surf, otherwise pretty quiet.
South Jetty
Over here the water was not quite as rough as the north side, but it was much dirtier than the north side. Lots of catfish and puffers being caught on dead shrimp and cut bait, sometimes two at a time,on both tides. The mangrove snapper over here were a hit and miss deal. If you found the right spot and some cleaner water, you just might get a few. One of my buds caught his limit of five fishing along the seawall on the incoming tide with live greenies and tiny majorra. The snook bite over here also was pretty dismal like the north side. I only saw one but heard about two being caught on swim baits on the incoming. All were right at the 28 inch minimum. Jack crevalle and some blue runners round out the cast of characters biting. So yeah, pretty slow.
T-Dock area
Back here much the same. The dirty water plays a key role on how the bite is going to be. The cleaner the better. Lots of baitfish back here, greenies and small majorra around the rocks and the dock. Small snapper of various species are being caught. The mangroves I saw were mostly on the small size, 10-10.5 inches, but a few nice 11-12 fish were caught over the weekend. My one friend who likes fishing for them back here said he caught about 15-20 each day Saturday and Sunday, but they were only 10-10.5 inches, and he doesn’t keep them that small. I did also see an angler catch a small yellow tail snapper back here Saturday! It was only about 6 inches long, but it was a yellow tail! I’ve never seen one up this far north from the keys. The snook bite back here is also kind of slow like the rest of the inlet, but they are catching some nice fish at night jig fishing the outgoing tide. Also on the incoming tide there have been some nice redfish caught over the weekend. That’s pretty much all for back here.
Surf Area, both sides
Still a blown-out mess with the brisk NNE winds and 6 ft waves making things a bit too rough to fish. But when the waves calm down by the latter part of the week, AND the mullet coming down the beach now, expect things to pick up in the surf for snook, reds, tarpon and a host of other predators chasing them. It’s still early in the run, but expect it to pick up, it always does.
Well, that’s all I have for now my friends! Grab your gear, cast net and some bait and get out there and fish. This is the time of the year when things start to get good in the fishing department. Everybody have a great week and stay safe!
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.