Chilly waters have cooled the action for now, but reds and jacks are still biting
‘Good morning, hardcore Sebastian Inlet fishing fanatics. I hope everyone had a super weekend! It's time once again for the ‘what's up on the inlet’ fishing. Just when you thought it couldn't get any slower fishing at the inlet, here comes the cold water upwelling or thermocline that usually comes in July. This year it is a little late, but it is here. The water temps along our coastline all the way down to Ft. Pierce dropped from 86 degrees to the 78-80 range and shut it all down! Then, along with it comes the NNE winds spinning off of the storms in the Atlantic and the wave action picking up. It just put a damper on all the fishing. I was down last week Tuesday through Thursday and in the morning the Spanish mackerel were biting pretty well, along with some nice mangrove snappers. After Thursday, well it all went away! Dirty, cold and rough water was the scenario all weekend. So here is your breakdown.
North jetty: As I stated above, early week the Spanish mackerel were biting well in the morning. Plenty of fish were caught using live greenies, but they only wanted the smaller greenies over the larger ones. Most of the fish caught were in the 16-18 inch range. There were also a few nice mangrove snapper caught around the tip rocks and pilings on the inside; we had incoming tides all morning last week, so they were there until the water cooled down. Most of the fish we get this time of the year are subtropical and prefer warmer water temps. The catch-and-release snook bite shut down as well; they don't care for the cool water this time of the year. Some redfish are around, but not like before. They don't mind the cooler water. Blue runners and some small jack crevalle have also been biting just about anything you throw at them. Along the rock shoreline between the catwalk and jetty has also been producing some snappers, until it cooled down. Greenies live or dead got the bite. That's pretty much it for this side.
South jetty: Over here, same thing waterwise, except it is much murkier due to stormwater runoff. At the tip on the outgoing tide, it is the same cast of characters: black margates, blue runners, small jacks and catfish. All are being caught on shrimp, live or dead and greenies - live or dead. The incoming tide, when the water is clear, is still producing catch-and-release snook and redfish, but they are of the smaller ones. Live croakers are the bait of choice for them. Not too much else over here.
T-dock area: Back here it is about the same because the cool water is everywhere. The baitfish are still around, but the snappers have slowed down some. Anglers are still catching them, but just not in the numbers as they were a week or so ago. And again, most are under the legal 10 inch minimum. Some small mutton snapper are still being caught once in a while too, but most are under the legal 18-inch minimum as well. Live and dead greenies are the baits for the snappers. There also have been a few Spanish mackerel being caught back here too on live greenies and small jigs, either white or chartreuse in color. All in all, kind of slow back here.
Surf area, both sides: Surf fishing has been mostly dismal for the last 4 days due to the two to three-foot waves and the brisk 15 to 20 mph NNE winds spinning off of the tropical lows out in the Atlantic. It's been cooler out, but doesn't do much for the fishing.
That's it for this week folks! Not what you all want to hear, but like I always said, I don't sugar coat things when it comes to our fishing, I tell it like it is. But you never know when it will pick up. Hope everyone has a great week.” — Snookman.
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