Great Fishing Last Week on the Waters and Inlet, But Rough Weather Ahead

Last week, anglers reeled in various species at the Sebastian Inlet, including snook, black drum, pompano, whiting, redfish, bluefish, jack crevalle, blue runners, and sea trout. This week’s Sebastian fishing report warns of deteriorating weather characterized by high winds, rough seas, and increased rainfall.

Got a catch to share? We’re eager to spotlight it! Share details about your bounty, including your name, hometown, type of fish, bait used, location, and pictures at info@sebastiandaily.com.

Snookman

This week, we seek an expert, Wayne Landry, whom many call the “Snookman” to find out what fish are biting at the Sebastian Inlet. He said the north side remained the prime spot last week, while other areas were somewhat murky and less active. The conditions on the north side stayed favorable until Thursday, when the winds shifted to the SSE and intensified, leading to murky waters once more. Anglers caught snook, black drum, pompano, whiting, redfish, bluefish, jack crevalle, blue runners, and even some sea trout. Landry reminds us that sea trout season is closed until January 1, 2024.

“One thing to note, this week is really going to get pretty bad in the weather department after Tuesday with the winds clocking from the NNE at 20-30 mph and the seas picking up to around 8-11 ft! That’s going to make for some treacherous fishing from BOTH jetties, so if you go, please be careful out there,” Landry said about the conditions.

Landry has observed active fish at the North Jetty during high tide, with catches including black drum, pompano, redfish, and whiting. Successful anglers here are using live sandfleas or fresh-cut shrimp on the bottom. Additionally, Landry mentions that the outgoing tide at the tip yields 2-3 pound bluefish caught with silver spoons and cut baits.

Over at the South Jetty, Landry says cleaner water conditions facilitated good snook and redfish catching last week. The preferred bait for these species has been live pins and pigs or big live shrimp. However, Landry notes that while most snook caught were undersized, there were some keepers within the slot limit. The flounder has been less active at the South Jetty, likely due to the murky water conditions caused by rough seas.

A crucial reminder for anglers: snook season concludes this Friday, December 15, 2023, at midnight.

Kirby Kitchener

Kirby Kitchener, who is a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Paradise, was fishing at the inlet twice last week. He mentioned that the North Jetty was quite “chilly,” and only a few fishermen were around when the sun rose at 6:45 a.m. Despite some waves breaking over the jetty, he still found the day beautiful.

“I even had my gloves on with my casting finger cut out so that I could still feel the bite. I switched up my fishing rig from just one hook to a double Drum hook rig, which you can buy pre-made at the tackle shop or Walmart. I had been watching other fishermen in the past few weeks catching Drums on this type of rig, so I purchased some to try them out. I was using dead shrimp and putting two on each hook, with a 4 once-pyramid sinker. I have seen others use live shrimp as well,” he told Sebastian Daily.

Kitchener observed other anglers catching bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and jack crevalle around him, including one legally-sized Snook. He was fishing during the outgoing tide at the end of the North Jetty, using his PENN reel equipped with a 30-pound monofilament line.

The following day, he returned to the inlet, arriving at 7 a.m. at the end of the North Jetty. The weather had warmed up, and the seas were more tranquil. Before heading out, he stopped at Whities Bait and Tackle to get some large shrimp. Though he found the fishing to be sluggish and was prepared to leave by 9:30 a.m., he decided to stay a bit longer as the situation started to improve.

“I placed a live shrimp on my rig, zinged it out on the end of the pier, and hooked this 40′ redfish, which changed my mind about leaving early. I then started to catch fish, and shortly after that, I hooked this 24″ black drum. I had three other nice fish on but never got a chance to see them; one took me into the rocks, and the others managed to get off the hook before I saw them,” he said.

Weather and Boating Outlook

As Landry said, the weather is expected to deteriorate this week. Daytime temperatures will be relatively warm, around 75 degrees, with lows around 66 degrees. Winds will intensify, and the likelihood of rain will rise to 40% from Wednesday to Friday. Over the weekend, the chance of rain increases to 50% on Saturday and Sunday.

The winds will predominantly come from the northeast, reaching speeds of 15 to 20 mph starting Wednesday and with gusts as high as 25 and 35 mph through Sunday.

For those who plan to go boating, be advised that sea conditions will be challenging. Seas are expected to be 5 to 7 feet through Tuesday, escalating to 7 to 9 feet on Wednesday and increasing to a significant 11 to 13 feet by Thursday. Please stay alert for any boating advisories. 

Anyone planning to visit the inlet this week should exercise extreme caution. With the high winds and rough seas, it’s essential to prioritize safety and avoid taking unnecessary risks.