Sebastian Inlet Report

05-31-13 FRIDAY: SPANISH MACKEREL, REDS, FLOUNDER, JACKS AND LADYFISH 

We have sunshine over the inlet this morning! Unfortunately, we still have the high winds to contend with. Winds are blowing out of the Southeast at 18 mph and gusting to 24. There is a moderate to heavy chop on the water and a small craft advisory is in effect through Saturday morning. Check the forecast before going offshore this weekend.

Today is the last day of Snook season until Sept. 1st but they aren't cooperating this morning according to Tommy Turowski at the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop. Schools of Spanish Mackerel have been coming and going this week, sometimes they are within casting range and sometimes they aren't. Oversized and slot Reds have been near the top but they have been very picky. Anglers are throwing poppers this morning, but not having much luck. A couple of nice Flounder have been landed and a lot of Ladyfish have been in play along with smaller Jacks.

Our first photo today features 15 year old Cheyenne Romanillos who landed a large Ladyfish and now she's hooked.

Our second photo today features inlet regular Jose Dore of Palm Bay. Jose landed this real nice 31.5" slot Snook off the north jetty yesterday morning at 8:00 a.m. using mojarra. Way to go Jose!

The Sebastian Inlet State Park will start hosting their annual turtle walk program in June and July, Friday through Tuesdays. You may be required to walk up to three miles on the beach. Reservations are required as space is limited. For reservations and more information call 772-388-2750 or visit www.floridastateparks.org/sebastianinlet. 

From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce

June Fishing Forecast
Summer has arrived and you can bet on hot afternoons and lots of great fishing action around the Treasure Coast during June.  The mornings will be calm and it is certainly to your benefit to get out early to beat the afternoon heat.  Being on the water at first light is worth the effort to watch the sun rise.  Expect a chance of afternoon thunderstorms each day…we can always use some rain around the area this time of year!  Watch the weather each afternoon out there.  It’s a fantastic month to fish.

Inshore will provide lots of redfish, snook and trout action on the flats.  Get those top water lures cleaned up and plan an early morning to get some of that explosive action in the shallows.  Try the new DOA Airhead for great top water action.  Switch to DOA shrimp or a CAL jerk bait as the sun warms up to continue your success.  Watch for bait schools on the flats and you can be assured there are fish nearby.  You can expect the fish to be feeding shallow early and move to the edges of the flats as the sun rises.  Look for sand holes on the flats!  Fish are traditionally lazy and love to sit in a sand hole and wait for the tide to bring the food for them to ambush.

                                                                     photo courtesy of Balls Deep Fishing Team

You should be able to find plenty of redfish around the shallows.  The population this year has been outstanding and they have been growing all spring.  Redfish schools will be feeding on the flats, so be on the lookout for them.  Most will be slot size to just over the slot.  I love using a DOA shrimp or CAL paddle tails while fishing for reds.  Try along the mangroves as well.  Lots of fish will move under the mangroves as the sun heats up for the day.  Trout will be on the grassy flats and feeding on the same food out there.  Move out to three to five feet of water as the day heats up to continue your action.  A Deadly Combo can provide inexperienced anglers with lots of fun learning to fish artificials.    Don’t forget to fish the docks around the river.  Lots of big fish will be hanging around many of the docks along the Indian River.  Live bait, TerrorEyz and DOA shrimp can find some exciting action in June.  Harbor Branch, Queens Cove and Bear Point will all be hot s
pots for action all summer.

Snook will provide plenty of action around the bridges and jetties this month.  Snook season closed on May 31 and won’t open again until fall.   Night anglers will be heading to the jetties for catch and release snook and maybe some tarpon action.   Top water lures, feather jigs, TerrorEyz and Bait Busters can all get you in on some fantastic action.  Handle the snook carefully and release them quickly and safely so that they will be there this fall.  Jacks will also be hanging around the inlets and give you some rod bending activity.

Make sure you take plenty of water with you.  It will be hot out there.  Drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself hydrated and reduce the risk of heat stroke.  Slather on lots of sunscreen!  Sunburn isn’t a good feeling at the end of the good day of fishing.  A little common sense and a few minutes can a big difference.  Make that part of preparations for your adventures on the water.  It will just make a great day even better!

Sebastian Inlet Report

05-30-13 THURSDAY: SNOOK, SPANISH MACKEREL, JACKS AND LADYFISH 

We have wind and overcast skies at the inlet this morning, but not as brutal as yesterday. Winds are blowing out of the East at 16 mph and gusting to 22. The water is choppy and there is a small craft advisory in effect through Saturday morning. Always check the coastal forecast prior to going offshore.

We received an update from Mike Ricciardi of Vero Beach who was on the north jetty yesterday morning battling the elements for a couple of hours. The early morning Snook fishermen hooked up with 3 - 4 fish, but none were in the slot. A lot of Ladyfish were landed by the overnight crowd, Mike reported one keeper Snook in that group. One 26" Red was landed near the beach on the north side and a couple of small Jacks came over the rails as well. Rumor has it that on Tuesday, Diane Buyce of Melbourne did well with Spanish Mackerel using greenies and one nice Flounder was landed by an unidentified angler. 
We also received an update from Brian Clark who spent last Saturday night through Sunday afternoon at the inlet. Brian reported getting lots of bites, but could only manage to land small stuff that he returned to the water. 
Photo one is Brian's monster Hairy Blenny he caught and released. 

REMINDER: Snook season closes from June 1st - Sept. 1st. Friday will be the last day of the season.

Fishing Humor

Sebastian Inlet Report

05-29-13 WEDNESDAY: POOR CONDITIONS FOR FISHING 

Conditions are less than desirable this morning. Winds are blowing out of the East-Southeast at 20 mph and gusting to 25. The wind, clouds and showers have kept most folks home today. Small craft should exercise caution. Starting this evening through Saturday morning a small craft advisory will be in effect. Always check the coastal forecast prior to going offshore.

We haven't had a whole lot of shore based action, but patient anglers have landed a few nice fish. Snook and Reds, mostly oversized and in few numbers have been landed, along with Jacks, Blues, Ladyfish and Atlantic Spadefish. 

Our angler of the day is Chris Lockwood. Chris was fishing the north jetty when he landed this nice 35" C/R Snook using mojarra, about 8:00 p.m. The Snook was released unharmed right after the photo. Ladies and gentlemen, his is the proper way to hold a C/R fish.


Our photo from yesterday has been corrected with the proper species listed. The shark was a Reef Shark, not a Nurse Shark. Thanks to all of you who keep us on our toes!

Tourney Time

Sebastian Inlet Report

05-28-13 TUESDAY: ATLANTIC SPADEFISH, JACKS, BLUES, LADYFISH, REDS AND SNOOK 

We have a windy morning at the inlet. Winds are blowing out of the East-Southeast at 17 mph and gusting to 22. The water is choppy and small craft should exercise caution.

We had a beautiful weekend, although the fish weren't cooperating very well. Overall, it was slow, but every now and then a nice fish would find its way to one of our anglers. Atlantic Spadefish, Spanish Mackerel, Lookdowns, Blues, Jacks, Ladyfish and a couple of Snook and Reds came over the rails of the jetties, but nothing in large numbers.

Our photo today features Rob Strauss of Melbourne Beach. Rob fished the north beach when he hooked up with a 4' Nurse Shark using a whole mullet. Rob reported other anglers were getting bites but this was the only one brought in during his time on the beach. The Shark was released unharmed right after the photo. 

From Henry @ Snook-Nook - Jensen Beach

Tank tops and flip flops, sunshine and flat seas, you just cannot beat the summer in south Florida.  Fishing is pretty darn good too.  From the beaches to the offshore, action it picks up across the board, the mullet migration begins and the fish are right behind them.  Nothing like watching the sunrise on the beach while taking on the likes of 100+ pound tarpon, 20lb snook and bruiser  jack cravelles, it certainly beats going jogging. After all the “beach re-nourishment” it has finally settled down out there.  Whiting, croaker, big jacks, Snook and tarpon all making the catch list, yes there are still a few bluefish lost in the mix as well.  Early morning top water baits and Yo Zuri crystal minnows will find the Snook, jacks and Tarpon.  After the sun gets up, make your self a drink, relax in the chair and throw out a whiting rig with pieces of shrimp to catch dinner.  Beats the couch any day in my opinion.  The 

river is starting to fill up with mullet, redfish, big trout, and Snook will be roaming the flats looking for an easy breakfast.  The west side of the river has been the best bet on the redfish.  Live shrimp, artificial shrimp, and suspension baits like the Unfair Lures Rip n’ Slash fished around the docks will all get bites.  The east side has been holding slob trout from nettles island to middle cove, 3-4 feet of water is the zone.  Top water chuggers and soft plastic baits, keep in mind it is summer, that sun gets up and the water heats up quick so get your fishing in early.  

From Capt Joe Ward @ Bait Shack - FT Pierce

With the closing of snook season just around the corner you can look for some good catch and release action in the Ft. Pierce Inlet on the falling tide. Try fishing live baits on the bottom at places like Judy Rock or around the cleaning table on the South Jetty - if the dredging is complete On the flats the trout bite should be red hot on both artificial and live baits. Try a top water bait like a Top Dog, Zara Spook or a soft plastic bait early in the morning and just before dark. Later in the morning you will want to try a live shrimp or a bait fish and fish it under a popping cork. Try places like Harbor Branch, the Mooring Flats, or Bear Point. These should be some of the best spots. Look for plenty of snapper along the channel edges and they will be taking the smaller live shrimp or small pinfish fished on a 1/0 hook and about a 1/3 ounce weight. While along the channel edges look for tripletail or two hanging around the channel markers. Use a 1/4oz. jig head and a large live shrimp. The redfish are going to be shallow - in 1 foot of water. Try a gold spoon or a live shrimp. Try the areas between Queens' Cove and Jack Island.

Mack or King

Many anglers will catch mature Spanish mackerel right alongside juvenile king mackerel. This can cause confusion when it comes to a proper identification for those looking to keep their recreational catch.

It’s very easy to mix up the two fish as they are very similar in appearance. However, if a mistake is made most Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers are not very understanding of the ignorance excuse.

Therefore, I think a post I made last year showing the proper way to distinguish the two fish, will come in handy again this year.

The following photos were provided to me by a fellow angler who frequents the Boatless Fishing internet forum. I took the time to Photoshop in the type and identifiers. These photos provide good examples of how to tell the difference between a juvenile king mackerel (kingish) and a Spanish mackerel.

Juvenile kingfish and mature Spanish mackerel are often caught in the same areas when the kingfish are running and are often of the same size. They can be easily confused by novice anglers. I used to have a hard time myself until I learned to look for the tell tale differences.

(Photo Courtesy: David Thornton)

The two main things to look for are the lateral lines and the dorsal fins. A juvenile kingfish’s lateral line dips significantly compared to a Spanish mackerel. Also the dorsal fin of a juvi kingfish will be a much lighter color, more of a gray or white color than the Spanish, whose fin will be black or very dark in color.

Here is a close up of the dorsal fins.

(Photo Courtesy: David Thornton)

Knowing these differences between the two fish should help you distinguish the difference between the two if you’re ever out fishing for mackerel and catch both species during the same trip. This is a very common occurrence whether trolling offshore, fishing the beaches, on some of the state’s piers, and even locally from the Sunshine Skyway Piers.

Anglers should remember the limit on the two fish differ significantly. The minimum size in Florida for king mackerel is 24 inches to the fork with two fish allowed per angler per day. The minimum size for Spanish mackerel is 12 inches to the fork with 15 fish allowed per angler per day.

Story Courtesy of Michael "SnookMook" Wilson

About The Color

                                                        Jayson Arman 
                                                          That's R-Man 
                                                Land-Based Fishing Charters
                                                           772-335-3715     

Sebastian Inlet Report

05-24-13 FRIDAY: SNOOK, SPANISH MACKEREL, BLUES, JACKS AND A FEW PERMIT 

It's another beautiful morning at the inlet. Winds are blowing out of the North-Northwest at 8 mph and there is a light chop on the water. We have a real nice weekend forecasted, we may have a little wind to contend with, but overall it should be beautiful. Get out and wet a line!

Our photos today are courtesy of Chris Van Hoven. Chris and his buddy Rick Dexter, both of Orlando fished the south side rocks when Rick landed the 36" C/R Snook in photo one using a bomber. The big Snook was released unharmed. 

Photo two is of a monster Snook Rick landed using a 9" mullet, they knew it was oversized and wanted to get the big breeder back in the water, so they didn't bother to measure it. Chris hooked up with the same fish, fought it for about five minutes when the line broke. The Snook swam back to shore and beached itself. Rick went into the water to revive the fish and she swam away! nice handling of the fish!

Please remember to handle your catch and release fish properly. Use wet hands to keep the "slime" from coming off their bodies and always support the fish under the belly, never let it hang vertically; it can damage their internal structure. Keep the fish out of the water the least amount of time as possible. If you need a net to get it up onto the north jetty, use the net to lower it back into the water. It's a long drop! 

From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce

We enjoyed some great fishing action this week in spite of lots of rainy weather throughout the Treasure Coast. Dodging rain systems became a norm most of this week. We have certainly entered the rainy season! Watch the weather out there and plan your trips around the conditions. The fishing has been super for us this week as long as you can work around the weather patterns. 

                                                  photo courtesy of Chris Oliveira, Balls Deep Fishing Team


We continue to catch trout up to 28" on the grass flats from Harbor Branch to Bear Point in Fort Pierce. Try CAL jerk baits, Deadly Combos or live bait for trout on the flats. It's the time of year for the big trout in this area and most anglers have not been disappointed! Our redfish catches have been mostly from around the docks of the river. DOA shrimp or live bait can help find one for you around on of the hundreds of docks in the area. Most of the snook fishing has been around the bridges and jetties. Snook season closes May 31st, so you have a few days left to try for that slot fish. There are lots of mangrove snapper in the river now. Most that my anglers have caught are in the 12" to 15" range and are very tasty table fare. Channel edges, docks and structure are the best places to target some nice fish if you are looking for dinner. We are still catching some sheepshead around the docks. They have thinned out now, but there are still some keeper fish to be had. Live or dead shrimp are the bait of choice by most anglers for snapper and sheepshead. You can find plenty of bluefish, jacks and ladyfish all over the river to keep your rods bending. It's a great time of year to enjoy the fishing!

Bridges can produce snapper and sheepshead and the surf will hold whiting, bluefish and jacks. May is almost over and it has been a fantastic month for fishing. Plan to get out and enjoy the fishing soon!

Treasure Coast Tackle Has Got Them And More

                           Capt. Joes Massaro's Buck Tail Jigs
                           1/4 oz. 3/8 oz. and 1/2 oz.
                         
                           Treasurecoasttackle.com                                        
                                        jigbycaptjoe.com
          

Sebastian Inlet Report

05-22-13 WEDNESDAY: SNOOK, SPANISH MACKEREL, BLUES, JACKS AND SMALL MANGROVE SNAPPER 

It's another pretty morning at the inlet, but clouds are looming in the east and we could see rain sometime today. Winds are blowing out of the Southeast at 8 mph, gusting to 11 and there is a light chop on the water.

Early this morning Snook were hitting live shrimp, a few slot sized fish were landed. We've also been seeing Spanish Mackerel, Blues and Jacks. Mangrove Snapper have been running, but they've been small.

Our first photo features inlet regular Diane Buyce of Melbourne. Diane landed two nice Spanish Mackerel  using a Gotcha lure.
  Do you have a difficult time telling the Spanish Mackerel from Kingfish? Many folks do. Photo three is courtesy of SISP Ranger Ed Perry who found this photo taken by David Thornton on Michael Wilson's blog site http://forshorefishing.blogs.theledger.com. The photo shows the difference in the dorsal fins and the lateral line drop on the King Mackerel. 

Art For "The Man Cave"

                                      This Prints are still available from 

                                        Eric Estrada  

                                        check him out at   

                                    IamWaseOne.com

A Great Reason to Fish

The Florida Sportsman SE Bash had a great turn out. Some nice fish caught for a great cause. One of my Balls Deep Fishing Team Buddies....Chris Oliveira won Big Trout Category with a 28' Gator and walked away with some great prizes...................

Another friend Chris Keyes won Big Red with a 30 inch beast

Congrats to all the winners and anglers who where part of this great event.

Sebastian Inlet Report

05-21-13 TUESDAY: SNOOK, SPANISH MACKEREL AND JACKS 

All of our photos are updating again, we are still working on the tide chart.

Winds are blowing out of the South-Southeast at 2 mph this morning and the water is calm. No wind = no see 'ums, they are thick this morning; be sure to take insect repellent with you if you head to the inlet. Clouds are building in the east, so rain gear may come in handy later in the day. 

This morning Snook, Spanish Mackerel and Jacks have been biting according to Tommy Turowski of the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop. 
Our photo today is of Quincy Hearl of Sebastian with a Spottail Pinfish he landed using sand fleas.

Eric Gates @ Juno Bait and Tackle Juno Beach

                                              Lure Colors

Last week we talked a little about picking out the right lures for the right situation.  Just to re-cap last weeks article, you are trying to choose a lure that is the right size for the forage in the area, stays in the strike zone, and most importantly one that you have confidence in.  Now we are going to get into color selection.

1)   You can’t go wrong with a natural color.  You’ve heard it over and over; match the hatch, a simple but effective way for choosing the right color. The hard part can be finding out what exactly the fish are keyed in on.  The solution, ask your local tackle shop.  If it has been a while since the last fishing trip, ask again, the forage tends to change a lot throughout the year.  Don’t forget about the food chain, if you’re watching guys catch ladyfish on glass minnows a large imitation ladyfish makes a great lure for targeting the larger species.  DDX makes a great soft plastic ladyfish imitation that can be rigged for slow or fast current situations.

2)   Low light vs. high light situations.  I have always done well in high light situations with natural colors that flash or have flake in it that reflects a lot of light.  D.O.A.’s clear holographic (382) is great for clear high bluebird skies.  I have seen many summer days when snook will hit the #382 shrimp or cal plastics out of aggravation before they will touch live bait.  On the other side of the spectrum on those pitch black nights a dark color moving slow will get the job done when it come to ambush predators like snook, trout, bass, and others.

3)   Water condition is another factor that comes into play when selecting a color.  In water with low visibility you want to use a color that will stand out, like your chartreuses or whites.  On days or nights when the water is brown and there is almost no visibility I have always done well with a large white swimbait.  Storm’s Wild Eyed Shad is a good choice, and size is important.  If it’s early in the season smaller is better.  One of the other things I have noticed over the past few years is when the water is that milky green color and there is a lot of seaweed around a lighter colored soft plastic with red flake in it will out fish other colors most of the time.  When it comes to flairhawking, don’t be afraid to throw yellow or chartreuse in clear water…it will get bit.

Every day is different and the fish’s mood can change at any time.  It’s a good idea to carry a few different size and different color lures with you and experiment.  Start small and light and work your way to larger lures until you find what the fish are in the mood for.  If you are getting a lot of bites on small lures and that stops suddenly, break out the big lures and try to catch that fish of a lifetime!

Sebastian Inlet Report

05-20-13 MONDAY: SNOOK, REDS, SPANISH MACKEREL, BONITO, BLUES, JACKS, MANGROVE SNAPPER AND A FEW FLOUNDER 
We have an overcast morning at the inlet, but it's real nice. There isn't much wind and the no see 'ums are ferocious. Winds are blowing out of the South-Southeast at 5 mph and the water is calm. Be sure to take some insect repellent and rain gear with you if you head to the inlet today.

Tommy Turowski of the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop reported that over the weekend there were a nice variety of fish landed. Spanish Mackerel, Bonito, Snook, Reds, Blues, Jacks, smaller Mangrove Snapper and a few Flounder. Tommy said he hooked up with some nice Spanish Mackerel on the flats and had a couple of Bonito hits on the flats as well. 

Our first photo features Benny Perez of Orlando. Benny hooked up with this beautiful 48" C/R Redfish  Benny said it took him about an hour to pull this big guy in for a quick photo and a safe release.

Our last photo features Ray LeSonn of Poinciana. Ray and a couple of buddies were fishing the north jetty, but Ray landed a Jack and a Blue, using live shrimp. 

From Native Tackle - Sebastian

INSHORE  

The trout and snook has been good this past week, fish the mangroves and docks at night.  Sheepshead, black drum and mangrove snapper are still heavy around the docks.  Lots of jacks and blues in the North area of the lagoon still.  Anglers fishing the Sebastian River are having good luck with the Jacks, ladyfish, snook and tarpon.  

INLET  

Fishing the inlet has been outstanding this past week....... Bonita, jacks, blues, spots, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, cobia, over size reds, spanish mackerel and snook.  

SURF 

Blues, jacks, pompano, spanish mackerel, and some snook.  

Sebastian Inlet Report

05-17-13 FRIDAY: SPANISH MACKEREL, BONITO, SNOOK, REDS, BLACK DRUM, ATLANTIC SPADE, BLUES AND JACKS 

We have another beautiful morning at the inlet. Winds are blowing out of the North-Northeast at 5 mph and the water is calm. It looks as if we have a real nice weekend ahead of us, get out and do some fishing and tell us all about it! Be sure to take your photos on site, we only used photos taken at the inlet or on your boat.

There have been lots of schools of bait fish in the water attracting a variety of fish. Spanish Mackerel and Bonito have been the prevalent species, but we've also seen a few Black Drum, Snook, Reds, Jacks, Blues and Atlantic Spadefish in the mix.

Our first photo today features Kevin Booker with a real pretty Snook he landed off the north jetty early Friday morning.
Photo two is of "Granny" of Melbourne with a good sized Atlantic Spadefish she landed off the north jetty
Photo three is of Dave Lectric of Sebastian with a perfect 32" slot Snook he landed using live shrimp.
Our fourth photo of Scott Truong with an oversized Snook that was safely released after the photo.

From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce

Lots of sunshine around the Treasure Coast lately has made for some great fishing weather.  Afternoon showers will loom around the area each afternoon, but they move in and out quickly most days for us.  The water has cleared up from the recent rains and it makes for some exciting fishing action.  It's a wonderful time of year to enjoy the fishing!

                             photo courtesy of Brian Nelli / Pushin' Water Kayak Charters

Get out early to enjoy some great top water action.  Try the new DOA Airhead as a top water lure on the trout.  The big trout have been on the grass flats in two to four feet of water lately.  Nothing will get your blood pumping like watching a big trout crash a top water lure.  Move to three to five feet of water as the sun get higher for more trout action during the day.  We have had success both north and south of Fort Pierce.  Our redfish continue to come from under docks and mangroves.  Fish your lures slowly under these structures to get the most out of each cast.  Don was back out with me for one more fishing adventure this week.  He landed two slot redfish and a fat 26" trout to top off his day.  Francis and Brenda found trout, bluefish and jacks to keep their rods bending this week with me.

Snook fishing has been best around the jetties and bridges.  Fishing the high ends of the tides will give you the best chance at hooking up with a snook.  Snook season closes June 1, so you have a couple weeks left to get that slot fish.  Lots of snapper are still around the river if you are fishing structure or channel edges.  Bluefish, jacks and ladyfish are just about everywhere in the river.  Beaches will produce whiting, bluefish, jacks and snook if you are fishing around the bait schools.  I still see mackerel in the turning basin each time we are out there as well.  May is a great fishing month with so many choices and ways to enjoy the fishing around the area.  Have fun and do some fishing soon!

Memorial Day is almost here already.  

From Todd @ Juno Bait - Juno Beach Fla.

                                                     photo courtesy of Eric Gates

INSHORE- Snook fishing has been getting better and better.  The linesiders are getting ready to stack up in the inlets, but before they do it is feeding time!  The spring (now early summer, I guess!) mullet run is on, and the snook are taking advantage of the mass of food.  Big swimbaits, flair hawks, and of course live mullet are a good choice for the snook. Inshore mangrove snapper and sheepshead fishing has been getting better.  Try shrimp around the bridges for best results.

SURF/PIER- The snook have decided it is summertime and have showed up in the surf.  Look for them cruising the first rough early and late in the morning.  Throwing live shrimp, doa shrimp, or small white jigs should get their attention.  Word has it the tarpon are cruising the beach as well.  Keep an eye out for the big schools of jacks cruising the beach as well!