This past week at Sebastian Inlet, anglers experienced a mixed bag of fishing conditions, with snook biting well during the incoming tide on Wednesday and Thursday, but a slowdown was noticeable over the weekend.
Live shrimp was the bait of choice for snook, yielding mostly over-slot fish along with several keepers. However, the bite cooled off with the arrival of a cold front on Saturday.
Wayne “Snookman” Landry, a local fishing expert, noted the impact of weather on fishing conditions. “As long as we keep getting these fronts come across the state and messing up the water conditions, it’s going to be hit or miss with the fishing,” Landry said.
Black drum were also caught, attracted by both live and dead shrimp. Meanwhile, silver spoons proved effective for catching blues and jacks on the outgoing tide at the tip of the North Jetty.
Spanish mackerel were present but inconsistent, with anglers finding success on some days and none on others. Small jigs and gotcha lures were also used, with varying degrees of success.
The South Jetty reported slower activity, attributed mainly to the dirty water conditions brought on by southeastern winds. Nonetheless, there was some action with small snook on live baits and artificials during the incoming tide, and a mix of jacks, blues, and black margates on the outgoing tide, with dead shrimp being the preferred bait.
Despite calmer conditions over the weekend, catches were few and far between.
“It was pretty calm, but no fish were caught to speak of; it was pretty crowded, but the water has cooled back down,” Landry added, noting the water temperature dropped to 69 degrees by Monday morning.
The murky water conditions have been a significant factor in the slow fishing pace, with surf fishing also impacted by silt and cool temperatures.
Best Days for Fishing
The best days for fishing at Sebastian Inlet are expected to be Wednesday through Saturday, with temperatures forecasted to range between 80 to 85 degrees. Friday may see higher wind gusts from the south, around 20 mph, but no rain is expected until Sunday. This period could mark one of the last cold fronts.
For boaters, Monday’s conditions were challenging, with seas at 5 to 7 feet. However, the sea state is expected to improve to 2 to 3 feet by Wednesday, promising excellent boating conditions from midweek to the weekend.
The coming days should bring stable weather and improved fishing conditions at Sebastian Inlet.
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