The overall bite is improving as the flounder begin to arrive
Without further ado, here we go with the meat and potatoes of the fishing at the inlet. Fishing has picked up somewhat, not fantastic, but good enough to keep you interested and hopeful to catch something. Water clarity has improved on the incoming tides and the beginning of the outgoing tides, and it has warmed up again. This morning the coastal water was around 82 degrees, but should be around 84 degrees this time of year. As things improve, anglers are catching several different species throughout the inlet. Here’s the breakdown:
North jetty: Fishing has been fairly good on the incoming tide, early morning and late afternoon. The summer flounder have made a presence on the beachside of the jetty near the rocks at the surf area, with a few being nabbed on live shrimp fished on the bottom. There were about three or four caught in that area, with one lucky angler catching one about three to four pounds, as displayed above. Nice fat fish! The others I saw were only in the 12 to 14-inch range — and remember that they must be at least 14 inches to keep. The mangrove snappers, some nice lookdowns and black margates were being caught around the pilings and the rocks at the tip. Again, on the incoming tide. There were some catch-and-release snook caught on live shrimp and small croakers. The outgoing tide at the tip has been producing snappers around the rocks. Live shrimp, small greenies and cut bait are the baits for them. There were also a few sheepshead and a couple black drum caught over the weekend on live and dead shrimp at the tip. Blue runners, jack crevalle and catfish round out the menu on the outgoing at the tip. I did see a couple of barracudas on the beachside looking for a free snack. June through August, when the water is warm, is when they will appear. You can fish for them with a tube lure, or a large live bait thrown right at them. Not too good to eat, but really fun to catch!
South jetty: Over here, pretty much the same deal, incoming tide is the better time to fish. Along the entire rock shoreline, from the tip to the back, anglers are catching mangrove snappers, and catch-and- release snook. Live shrimp, live greenies or cut bait for the snappers, live croakers for the snook. Black margates and sheepshead are also being caught on shrimp and fiddler crabs. The outgoing tide at the tip is all about the jacks, margates, a few snapper, puffers and kitty fish. I haven't heard of any of the flounder over here yet, but that doesn't mean they are not there; just nobody fishing them. The north side has been better due to the cleaner water over there.
T-Dock area: Back here, the fishing has really picked up quite well! There are a lot of the small greenies and tiny minnows all around the dock, and that has attracted the predators: mangrove snappers, mutton snappers, schoolmaster snappers, all of which are mostly too small to keep, but some do make the grade to be kept, just have to keep trying. Also, around I saw the commercial cast netting guys catching a lot of sand perch and black drum. Both can be caught on small hooks and cut shrimp. The best species being caught back here are the Spanish mackerel — live greenies either freelined, or fished on a small float is getting the job done. Most I saw caught were in the 14 to 16-inch range, nice fish! And as always, the pesky puffers are always biting.
Surf Area, both sides: I haven't heard much from the surf anglers; the tide has been low for most of the day all last week, so few are out fishing it. Being the time of year it is, when you do go to the surf, look for schools of bait fish. If you find some, either cast net if they are mullet or fish them; if you find glass minnows, fish them with a medium-sized swim bait, or if you do have live mullet, toss them out. The possibilities of hooking something are good. This time of year, we have the sharks, tarpon, snook, redfish, big jacks, and quite possibly a cobia that are running up and down the beach. You never know what you might hook.
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