We got our on the beach a few days over the last week and we had our ups and downs but the fishing is definitely looking more UP than Down this coming week. Look to target Pompano during the morning and evening rides on the tide switches to optimize your chances of hooking up. We are seeing schools of migratory Black Drum and Pompano with big Whiting mixed in but we do not know for sure how long they will stick around so get it while the getting is good.

If you’re in the Cocoa Beach area stop in at Cocoa Beach Fishing center and see them for the surf fishing report, they will get you pointed in the right direction! Right now we are seeing Shrimp increase our catches but the prized bait still remains as the highly regarded Sand Flea. Your local shops carrying these baits will be Cocoa Beach Fishing Center, Man Overboard Bait and Tackle in Indian Harbour Beach, and Black Dog bait and Tackle in Melbourne beach. All of these shops hold a wealth of knowledge and it pays to ask questions when shopping. Looking ahead we have some windy rainy and cold conditions but that hasn’t thrown off the fish much. Watching the wind switch on Saturday will prove a new weather window and pattern to key into.

Go out there and get them, Tight lines everybody!

It seems as though Mother Nature just keeps sending us some weather like a gift that just keeps giving. The fishing has been holding strong through all these fronts and if you get out a couple days after the front on the low winds and warm up the bite is even better. With the north and north west winds it has emptied a lot of the water making for some great sight fishing on both black drum and redfish. The water is a bit cool so the trout and snook seem to have hunkered down in some deeper holes and troughs but still chewing as the sun gets higher. The extended forecast is looking like another front on the horizon with a higher rain chance into the weekend.

It is another chilly week catching drum, sheepshead and speckled trout for us here at Fineline Fishing Charters. The persistent north winds and cool temps have been hampering our ability to get out to fish the near coastal waters so we are doubling down on the lagoon species that are willing to play. Live shrimp, fresh or frozen sand fleas and Fishbites strips have been our go to hook ornaments recently. Any day now we should start to see schools of big black drum in the 25 to 50 -pound class showing up on the flats of the northern Indian River. Until then we will continue to seek out these previously mentioned species in the residential canals of Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach and other deep water haunts.

We only have a handful of days available to book this month so if you want to get out and bend a rod you will need to book a trip soon. Let’s go catch your next memory about one of our Skeeter bay boats.

This week’s fishing report is sizzling, despite the chilly weather! As the full moon approaches, night fishing in the river has only gotten hotter. My target species has been snook, and I’ve been having success using artificial lures. Key areas to find them have been spots sheltered from the wind, such as near mangroves and docks.

In terms of tackle, I’ve been finding success with both 3″ and 3.5″ paddle tails, worked at a slower pace. But with more cold weather forecasted for the coming week, it’ll be interesting to see if that impacts the fishing. For now, the snook are cooperating nicely.

Tight lines!

A little pompano photographed by Sean Ennis

Good morning all you Sebastian Inlet lovers, here is this weeks report, going to be kind of short due to the cold weather and water temps, not a lot going on, and not a lot of guys and gals fishing.

First off, I would like to start off with a little courteous reminder about the jetties and walkways, NOBODY has the right of way on them, everyone is permitted to be there, including the bird watchers, you anglers do NOT own the place! Last time I was down, I observed some anglers asking the bird watchers to “move out of the way,” and physically force them out of the way so they could fish. THAT’S NOT GOING TO FLY! These people have just as much right to be out there as you anglers! Please be courteous and respectful of them, and their space. They are there to enjoy what they love, bird watching, and this is the season where all the sea birds migrate down to the inlet. Thank you for the support. Now off to the fishing.

The south side has been slow again, the bite has been off and on for the most part. Black drum, some pompano, whiting and a few small flounder are being caught, but you need to be there when it turns on. Oh, and the bluefish are back for those using big silver spoons, jigs and cut bait, on the incoming tide at the tip. Beach side of the south jetty is where the pompano, whiting and most of the black drum are being caught, live or dead shrimp, along with sandfleas are the baits. Outgoing, or incoming tide, doesn’t matter.

The water over here has calmed down and cleaned up some, but still cold at 62 degrees, and they are catching the whiting and pompano on the beach as well just south of the jetty. Also, the beach pocket area is where most of the flounder have been being caught as well. Live finger mullet and mud minnows, or live shrimp are the baits of choice for them. Incoming tide all along the shoreline from the jetty to the T dock is producing some nice sheepshead on live sandfleas, you just need to find where they are. Black drum are also being caught along with them, most are small under the legal 15 inch minimum, but some are keepers. The flounder bite back here around the shoreline and T dock is really slow. The T dock is producing some spanish mackerel and bluefish for those tossing spoons and small jigs. Not much else back here except for a few whiting and tiny snappers on dead shrimp.

That’s pretty much all for this week, the water needs to warm up a bit more, but I don’t think it’s going to. Last week Wednesday and Thursday it was at 60 degrees, that’s cold for us! With all the cold weather we had, and are still going to get, and the cold winds blowing down the intercoastal and the beach, it cold quite possibly make the water go down into the high to mid 50’s, not good!! Reminds me of back in 2010 when the water got down in the 50’s for an extended time and we had a fish kill that was pretty bad on the snook. I hope that doesn’t happen again.

And on another note, for those of you who don’t know, it is our “whale watching” season when the right whales come down the coast to the calving grounds off our coastline. November to March is the time to watch for them. Since the north jetty is closed, you can go on the upper deck of the grille/gift shop to look for them when you are here. When they are around, it is a cool sight to see! When they surface, they are the only whales that do NOT have a dorsal fin, also when they spout, you will see two plumes of spray, not just one like all the other whales’ blow. Telltale signs of right whale.

Any way, you all stay safe and warm out there, going to be another coolish week, I keep reminding myself, it’s January, and winter! Cheers everyone! Snookman.

Hope everyone has stayed warm this past week because it’s been pretty chilly some mornings. The fish have been feeling it too, as they’ve been biting off and on over the past week. This time of year, it’s always hit or miss. We’ve seen lots of baby sharks, bluefish, and whiting, with the occasional pompano joining the party if they decide to show up.

The surf has been relatively calm with no seaweed in sight. Those north winds have been keeping it at bay. The week ahead looks to warm up a bit, and the winds will stay somewhat calm, with a couple of days of stronger winds. It does look like Wednesday and Thursday will bring bigger waves, but things should calm down for the weekend. The fish are out there for everyone; it’s just been about picking the right location lately—finding the semi-clean waters and the right washouts and troughs. If you’re looking to catch a lot of fish, it’s better to move along the coast, following pressure lines daily and weather patterns. It takes some work to get that great shot showing a limit of pompano and whiting!

To wrap up this week’s report, chartreuse, orange and pink floats have been flying off our shelves lately, along with 3-5 oz pyramid leads and sputniks. Frozen shrimp pieces, fresh sand fleas, and clams are your go-to baits. We have live sand fleas daily, and plenty of frozen shrimp and clams for you. Have a great week, stay warm, and tight lines, as always!

Noah and Wyatt with a nice bunch of trout and snook!

Decent week of inshore fishing despite the colder weather. Plenty of trout still along with some snook, jacks and pompano. Artificials are still working well but the snook are better on live bait than they are on artificial. I’m looking forward to some warmer weather after this full moon so we can get some warmer water and get the fish feeding better. Nearshore bite should be pretty good with pompano, bluefish and mackerel once the seas stay calm and the water warms up a bit.

This week’s report will be short for me this week. With a family member passing away and having to go through all the procedures and everything, I never had any time for fishing myself. All I know is what a few friends that have filled me in on the bite is all I can really report on.

Headwaters is still the main producer of fish but with that said, it’s all about wild shiners being used. Setting yourself up in strategic locations where there is deep water next to the shallow water ledges is the key for many bites. Water temperatures are now in the mid 50’s and will remain this way until we have our warming trends and lesser fronts passing through. The Speckled Perch action is getting better and better with these colder conditions. Our coldest temperatures of the year are just a few days away so I’m sure all will be the same or really slow down once this front passes.

We were able to get out on the ocean the last couple of days which has been great. The kingfish bite on 8A has been just fine using frozen minnows. Bottom fishing was very good too with some quality amberjack and Red snapper on 21. We are ready to rock so let’s get you offshore and catch some fish!

Get the latest word on the bite with Damon from Spacefish on the Mark Moses Show. We talk local fishing every Friday on the air at 4pm.

To kick off the new year we have had some really crappie weather! Perfect weather for crappie fishing, that is!

Also known as speckled perch, these panfish are slightly larger than the typical bluegill and are down right delicious, not to mention a lot of fun to catch! With dry, cold and windy conditions, this is very ideal for targeting these tasty critters! Crappie can be found almost anywhere in the state from ponds, lakes, and rivers, and there are several ways to target them. My favorite way is pitching jigs along vegetation using light 4/6lb mono and 1/16 oz jigs in green and pink, look for areas that have flowing water and small eddy’s or current breaks and your almost sure to find some crappies close by!

Another great method that can yield some larger fish is slow trolling. Look for areas on the edges of lakes or mouth of rivers and channels that have drop offs or small depth changes even, troll in zig zag patterns at slow speeds such as 1mph, give or take a little. Once you get a bite, continue to do circles within that area and it should continue. Crappie like to school up and the majority of the time you’ll find larger numbers all together. Jigs are a better way to cover ground faster and work great; the key is small and light. You can also use live Minnows in each of these scenarios under a small float with a light split shot. They can be slow trolled or fished along grassy banks, and most bait shops this time of year will have them in stock!

With more and more cold on the way, the crappie bite should get better and is definitely a great “go to” when conditions are less than ideal for saltwater fishing!