The bite continues to stay strong throughout Mosquito Lagoon and the backwaters of New Smyrna Beach. We have been dealing with some isolated showers the last few days but it has not affected the bite. The weather looks to be stable into the weekend making for some great fishing days. The bait continues to flood the flats with a lot of life in and around the bait pods. Plugs early and then moving to spoons and soft plastics have been working well along with a variety of live bait like pinfish, finger mullet and shrimp.

This week’s focus was on early evening trips targeting snook in the Indian River. With windy conditions, I turned to sheltered waters along mangrove shorelines for refuge. Soft plastic 4-inch paddle tails were the go-to lure, and interestingly, color didn’t seem to be a factor – both white and dark purple produced consistent results.

The results were impressive, with five slot snook landed, complemented by a handful of quality trout, jacks, and ladyfish. Despite forecasted increased winds for the upcoming week, I’m optimistic about sneaking in a few more excursions.

Tips for Success:

– Focus on areas with good water flow, as these spots tend to attract baitfish and predators.
– Look for areas with abundant bait, such as schools of mullet.
– Mangrove shorelines with plenty of cover provide ideal ambush points for snook.

By targeting these key areas and using the right presentation, you can increase your chances of landing some impressive catches.

Tight lines!

Despite the pending closure of the north jetty due to a repair project, the fish are biting west of the bridge and the south side of Sebastian Inlet.

Good morning, Sebastian Inlet friends. I hope everyone had a great weekend despite the rain. This is going to be another short report as the nasty water conditions and rain has put a damper on the fishing — and it is going to be bad again all this week.

First, keep in mind that the north side from the bridge to the jetty, and the jetty, including the seawall and rocks will be CLOSED to public access for quite a while. If you’re going to fish this side, you will need to fish west of the bridge along that shoreline. They have been catching some snook, reds, black drum and black margates and a few nice sheepshead on shrimp, live and dead. West of the tide pool is another place to fish as the fish do move along that shore all the way back to the mangroves. Incoming tide is the best for these areas.

The south jetty has been way to rough to fish with the big waves washing over the concrete on the high tide, which is the time to fish. But if you’re willing to get wet standing on the wall/rocks, nice snook and reds are being caught on live pigs and pins. Also, before rough seas arrived, I did see some nice black drum caught at the tip on the outgoing tide, on dead shrimp, also some jacks and blues. The shoreline west of the bridge offers some protection from the wind and waves, and on the incoming tide, if it is somewhat clean, possible snook and redfish catches can be had. I have also seen many sheepshead caught there on sandfleas when the water cools down.

Back at the T-Dock, there has been some action with the Spanish mackerel on small white jigs and live greenies, also there have been quite a few big jack crevalle roaming around chasing the mullet schools. Live bait and big silver spoons will entice a bite. If you’re going to fish, I suggest the south side. There are plenty of fish to be had; you just have to put in time and be patient. Good luck everyone, and have a great week!

I finally got back to fishing at Headwaters this past week. Water temperatures are starting out around the mid 70’s and the water was clean in all the spots we hit. No blockages on the main canals to run. It was a tougher day than we expected and trying several different patterns we just gave up and threw lures that we have confidence in. By day’s end we managed 15 bass but none with any size.

As I drove on the long dirt road getting there and leaving I had so many memories of the times taking the journey to the Stick Marsh only going 5 mph or after a days before rain it was so slushy you had to engage the 4 wheel drive to make it to the ramp. Those days end this week as the paving work gets started as I write this report. The paving should take a week to complete but they are not closing it down for traffic. It will be different the next time traveling to go fish with only memories to remember by.

Another week of windy conditions with some rain storms moving in from offshore. This week the bite slowed a bit but was still pretty decent. We spent the week throwing Skitterwalks and DOA Shad tails on jigheads for snook, trout, redfish and jacks. The snook bite was definitely slower but we still managed to get quite a few but mostly smaller fish than we have been seeing. Trout bite has been good with a lot of slot and just under slot with some bigger fish in the mix as well. The pompano bite has been hit or miss but it has been hard to fish them in the wind and if you are anywhere in open water where the pompano like to be, it’s windy and rough and tough to fish it.

We have quite a bit more wind forecast for the upcoming week but don’t let that stop you from getting out on the water and giving it a shot. There should still be plenty of action if you can find moving water and some bait.

The red fishing has been great lately whether you are sight fishing for them or soaking bait. We have been catching some really nice upper slot fish. The artificial bite has been good on the overcast mornings for redfish, trout and some snook. With the cooler temperatures approaching over the next few weeks, redfish and black drum schools should start to come together. This is a great time to fish the Mosquito Lagoon, whether using fly, soft plastics or top water, it can be very rewarding catching these fish on the crystal clear waters of the lagoon. I have dates available this month so give me a call to book a trip at 386-295-5991 or visit the website at fatfishguide.com

Federal agency creates another paper crisis to shut down bottom fisheries

The drumbeat that some anglers may be hearing in the South Atlantic isn’t their imagination. It’s the sound of NOAA Fisheries relentless efforts to slam the door on their fishing access. Using the red snapper fishery as a stalking horse, NOAA Fisheries is preparing to take the highly unusual step of a Secretarial Amendment to impose draconian fishing closures on anglers. Measures that not even the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council thinks are necessary or warranted given what is known about the fishery…

The federal system continues to infuriate both the Gulf and South Atlantic councils and staffs as it creates paper crisis after paper crisis for various species. Stock assessments are far too infrequent, the recreational data system is a mess and economic data is non-existent. It is an outrageous situation, and the public must utterly reject this latest effort as the misguided pursuit of a federal agency that has lost its way.

Click HERE to go to the website where public comments are now being accepted until Nov. 8 on the Environmental Impact Statement. Your help is needed to shut down the Secretarial Amendment before the door is finally slammed on recreational bottom angling in the South Atlantic for good.

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.

The bite has been a little inconsistent this past week. We still have an influx of fresh water draining into the intracoastal and Mosquito Lagoon. The bait is still plentiful throughout the backwaters of New Smyrna Beach and Mosquito Lagoon. The fish are still there but just a little scattered so you have to put your time in to locate them, but they are definitely chewing when you find them. They have been receptive to both live bait and artificials.

If we can get a cool front to move through in the next week or so it will really get these fish fired up as of right now they’re still kinda in limbo of a summer time pattern or a Fall pattern. The weather looks to be the same into the weekend but we have a little chance of a front next week.

A bunch of quality fish on topwater and DOA Shad tails and jerkbaits for Nick and Capt. Bouncer

Another windy week of fishing but the inshore bite was still strong. Plenty of snook and trout on artificial and topwater. The bite was strong early, sometimes until mid day. Once the topwater bite slowed the fish were eating DOA Shad tails on 1/4 ounce VMC jig heads and DOA jerk baits on jig heads as well. There have been plenty of schools of jacks roaming the lagoon willing to eat anything you throw in front of them and mixed in the jacks are plenty of sharks. Pompano have shown up around the islands and some of the flats and we were getting them on small chartreuse VMC hot skirt jigs which are just 1/2 ounce bucktails and also on goofy jigs but the bucktails seem to hold up well and get more bites.

Looks like another windy week but if you can get out of the wind and find some bait the action should be pretty good still with the warm temps and east winds.

Chung caught this 40-inch redfish and a 30-inch slot snook on Friday using finger mullet.

Good morning all you Sebastian Inlet fishing fanatics, I hope everyone had a great weekend! Here we go with this weeks “what’s biting at the inlet.” This is your last week to get your “north jetty” fishing mojo out of the way before the extended closure! And for you folks that have asked me, and those that are wondering about fishing the seawall and rock area between the bridge and jetty, per my conversation with the district, that ENTIRE area will be fenced off as a “hard hat/safety vest” construction zone, no public access what so ever, it will be a NO TRESPASSING area for public safety. Just wanted to keep you all posted and aware, and safe. Now on to the fishing.

North Jetty

There has been a pretty good bite on the north side of the inlet, with several different species being caught. The north jetty has been the hotspot for snook. Live finger mullet fished in the surf, and just outside the surf break have been tie ticket for some nice slots being caught. Also quite a few undersized snook have been caught as well. Also saw a couple of big redfish caught as well. The main topic has been the jack crevalle, bluefish, and spanish mackerel, they have been pretty much out of control! All shapes and sizes are being caught, with the spanish mackerel being the sought after species, with some of them in the “jumbo” class, 3-4 pounds! Live greenies and finger mullet being the ticket for bait. Several anglers were lucky enough to catch their limits with the mackerel. I did also get a report that on Sunday the black drum made an appearance with several nice fish being caught on live shrimp on the incoming tide, along with quite a few slot snook as well. Along the seawall and rocks on the incoming tide there has been a decent bite on smaller snook on live baits, pigs and pins and shrimp. Most have been too small to keep. Also there have been a few mangrove snapper still around, and a couple of sheepshead and black margates.

South Side

Over here it has been slower due to the roughed up, dirty and weedy water, but on the incoming tide when it does clean up a tad the snook have been around and biting. Live baits and plastic swimbaits are doing well, with most fish being undersized, some make it in the slot range. Other species making it interesting are redfish, blues and big jacks. Any bait will work for them.

T-Dock Area

Back here it has been a hit or miss deal. Snook have been around on the incoming tide on live baits, also some redfish are mixed in with them to keep it interesting, as well as the large jacks chasing the mullet schools in the inlet. For those fishing greenies and tiny white jigs there have been some nice spanish mackerel around, not a lot, but enough to keep you fishing.

Surf Area, both sides

The surf for the most part has been all washed out from the winds and waves, and the massive amounts of the sargassum weeds the storms have blown in, so that’s been a bust.

Well everyone, that’s all I have for this week. The rest of the week is supposed to get back to being windy and the seas are going back up again, just like last week was. So if you go out on the jetties, please be careful as it can get pretty nasty out there. You all have a great and safe week!