Tricky Bite at the Inlet

Zach Pullias with a monster snook caught at the inlet

Good morning all you fishing and beaching fanatics, Sebastian Inlet lovers, hope everyone had a great weekend! Here we go with the happenings of this past week at the inlet and surrounding beaches…

Again, not a lot has changed from the previous week, it has actually slowed down again a bit. My take on it is that late last week the W/SW offshore winds had turned to SE each afternoon 10-15 and silted up the water again, plus the water temps keep changing from around 82-86, then back down to 82-83, and when that happens it kind of plays games with the fishing and the bait situation. There are fish around, but you have to put in some time, and be at the right spot for when they decide to bite. I also want to apologize for the webcam being down for so long, they are working on it and hope to have it back up soon! The electrical system for the camera took a hit from an electrical storm we had on July 17, last day it was working. A bad storm came through the area that afternoon and did it in. Anyways, here is your fishing outlook for the week!

North Jetty

Over here it has been a hit and miss deal as we had low water all last week, and very early high water in the mornings, and late evenings. So fishing was mostly at the tip and around the rocks and pilings since that long sandbar on the beach side of the jetty is still there keeping that side pretty shallow. Mangrove snapper are the target species this time of year with quite a few showing up now to the party, but still a lot of them are too small to keep. 10 inches is the minimum for them. Live and cut dead greenies and pilchards are the bait of choice, or small majorra if you find some, cut of live. Live shrimp will work too, but all the little bait stealers love shrimp too!

Also, I heard that some nice cubera snappers have been hooked up on live croakers, but in trying to get them to the net, the monster goliath groupers had other plans and ate them mid fight, and they ALWAYS win! lol. So they are there, the cubera, but none landed. Another species being caught are the Spanish mackerel, some are being caught on mostly live greenies, but some are being caught on small white jigs. While fishing for them be on the lookout for the barracudas, they are around and will also try to steal your catch if you don’t get them to the net quickly. The barracuda can be caught on tube lures fished quickly along the top of the water. Green or pink are the preferred colors.

South Jetty

Over here as well the mangrove snapper have picked up, but again still a lot of shorties being caught, some keepers though, just enough to keep you interested! Live and cut dead greenies are the baits. Incoming tide is the best to fish them as you have more area to fish for them along the rocks. Outgoing tide at the tip they are catching some as well, along with the black margates and blue runners. Cut shrimp for the margates. For those catch and release snook guys and gals, the nighttime bite has been pretty good using artificials, swim baits or live bait are working the best. Fish the last of the incoming, and the first of the outgoing tide along the jetty rocks. One of my friends son, and a couple of his buddies fished last Thursday and landed several nice snook, a couple tarpon and some lady fish. Nice job guys!! I haven’t heard any more about the summer flounder we see sometimes this time of year. But that doesn’t mean that aren’t there.

Catwalks remain closed.

T-Dock area.

Back here it is still snapper city, with several different species being caught, mangrove, mutton and lanes. Fish live or dead greenies around the dock pilings for them. When the water is pretty clean look for the possibility of the spanish mackerel being around. Small white jigs, either feather or rubber along with live greenies will attract a bite from them. Also back here there should be some jack crevalle and blue runners to keep it interesting.

Surf area both sides

With the advent of the winds switching from offshore to on shore SE and 10-15, that in turn has silted up the water again and along with the low tides in the morning all last week, it has been pretty slow. The pesky catfish have been around for those fishing shrimp and cut bait. Talked to a few of my surf fishing buddies and they said the bait schools have been pretty absent and not too much going on for the predator fish. Snook, reds, and the spanish mackerel and tarpon. But if you do find some bait fish, you could have some fun! This week we will be having early morning high tides and that alone should help make the fishing better.

Well my friends, that’s all I have for this week. Going to be another hot one, so make sure you take plenty of water, stay hydrated, take your sunscreen too. Be on the lookout also for those afternoon thunder storms, they can be pretty bad! So grab your gear and get out to your favorite spot and enjoy the ocean and outdoors!