“Unsettled” Week Ahead

Good morning all you fishing family out there! I hope everyone had a great weekend as it sure was nice out for a change! This week looks like it is going to be a bit “unsettled” out there with afternoon storms predicted, but the winds are supposed to be down a bit from what they have been. So here we go with the goodies on the fishing.

Fishing in and around the inlet las week was pretty good for the start of the week while the water was cleaner and before all the sargassum seaweed showed up AND all the what I and others call “snot weed” started coming out of the ICW on the outgoing tide all week from Thursday on. There was some schools of small pilchards around the north jetty just outside of the surf line along with some small greenies around the jetty pilings until the water dirtied up, then they left. Mullet are still coming down the beach in small schools and going into the inlet, and the marorras are starting to be a bit more plentiful with the warmer water. So here’s the meat of things…

The snook bite over here has been a hit and miss deal with most of the action being on the late afternoon/evening high tide. Majorras have been the key bait for them, but some have been caught on the smal croakers too. There have been some caught on the outgoing tide at the tip, but most have been too big, or the goliath groupers have been eating them at mid fight, and they will always win!! Wednesday when I was down looking around at all the sargassm weed on the north side I saw a quite large school of big redfish messing around the weedline. Probably about 50-100 fish in the 15-20 lb range probably looking for the small crabs that are usually riding in the weed, but they never came into the inlet, and nobody hooked any either. They weren’t there for very long.

Also I saw quite a few really nice tarpon coming around the tip and heading up the beach, it is that time of the year for them to do that. They looked to be in the 30-40 lb range. Another species I saw were some small spanish mackerel being caught on small white crappie jigs and live greenies if you could find some.

Those fishing cut bait/shrimp were catching a few nice whiting and pompano, that was early in the week before the water dirtied. Also I did hear of some small mangrove snapper being caught, but they were too small to keep, but that’s a good sign they are showing up. Also I saw a friend of mine on Tuesday catch a small mutton snapper, but it was too small to keep. They have to be 19 inches. Along the seawall between the jetty and catwalk it has been pretty slow as the sandbar is still in there and keeping the water shallow on the outgoing tide. On the incoming when there is more water they have been catching some small undersized snook on live majorras.

Over here same, hit or miss on the snook. Clean water is the key. If you have some on the outgoing tide, they have been biting on the tip of the jetty, ocean side. Small croakers have been the ticket for them over here. Incoming tide, again, cleaner water is better, all along the rock wall, but they are still biting with it being a little dirty. Live croakers AND majorras are both getting fish. A lot of smaller fish over here, but quite a few keepers in the mix. The guys fishing cut bait, shrimp, are catching black margates, spot tail pins, blue runners and jack crevalles on the outgoing tide at the tip. When the water was pretty clean at the beginning of last week, there were a few pompano and whiting caught from the beach side area.

This area has been pretty slow with the dirty water and weeds. Incoming tide around the pilings with cut shrimp black margates and spot tail pins are the target. No mangroves yet.

Back here it has also been a hit or miss deal. Snook are here and biting live majorras on the incoming tide, and the beginning of the outgoing as well. Several slot sized fish have been caught along with quite a few that are oversized. Jack crevalles are also present as they run in and out the inlet chasing the mullet present. Around the dock pilings there has been some small undersized mangrove snappers caught, and a mutton snapper or two, but everything is too small to keep yet. The bigger fish should start showing next month, maybe. lol. For those fishing the small white crappie jigs there have been some small spanish mackerel being caught, along with blue runners and jack crevalles. Either tide will work.

For the most park it has been pretty dirty and weedy, but like always, if you find some clean water you might find some pompano and whithing, possibly a black drum or two. Live sand fleas for the pomps preferably, cut shrimp for the whiting and drum, but they will eat fleas too. Some snook have been cruising the beach troughs and so to the tarpon when the water is cleaner. Live croakers and mullet will entice a bite from them. This action goes for both side of the inlet.

Well guys and gals, that’s it in a nutshell. Better than it has been, and only will get better when our summer weather patterns set in and the water cleans up and stays that way. Lots more action to come, so stay tuned!

Good luck, tight lines…