Sebastian fishing has been inconsistent, with many anglers experiencing slow catch rates, largely attributed to fluctuating winds and temperatures.
The presence of strong winds, especially from cold fronts, tends to stir the waters near the inlet, resulting in murkiness that discourages fish activity. This pattern has persisted for about two weeks.
Last weekend, anglers had a modest success, with some landing snook and black drum during the incoming tide. The choice of bait was live shrimp off the North Jetty, although the murky water limited their catches.
There have been a few instances of pompano being caught in the surf areas on both the north and south sides of the inlet, but the water clarity remains an issue.
Conversations with local anglers reveal a growing weariness with predominantly catching catfish, currently active around the North and South Jetties.
Kirby Kitchener
Kirby Kitchener, a Sebastian-based realtor, was among the anglers at the North Jetty on Tuesday when temperatures hovered in the 60s. He arrived at the pier at 7 a.m. and initially reeled in mostly jacks in the morning, followed by a few bluefish and small Spanish mackerel.
“I was using live and dead shrimp with a single rig and a 5-oz pyramid sinker to hold it to the bottom. It was an outgoing tide, and at 8 a.m., it slacked and started coming in. Most of the fishermen on the end of the jetty were going for black drum. I saw 2-large redfish caught in the middle of the Jetty, on the North side,” Kitchener told Sebastian Daily.
At around 2 p.m., Kitchener said there were 3 black drum caught, and one was his. He also saw 2 snooks caught on the south side of the North jetty, which had to be released because they were still out of season.
“I was using a stiff 8′ rod, a PENN reel with 30-lb mono, an 18″ 30-lb fluorocarbon leader line, and a 5oz movable pyramid sinker because of the currents,” he said.
Kitchener noted that a common error among some anglers is not using adequate weight to anchor their bait to the ocean floor, causing it to be swept away by strong currents into the lines of others. He also observed that inattentiveness in casting often leads to lines overlapping. Such issues can aggravate local anglers, particularly when the area becomes overly congested with individuals inexperienced in fishing the Sebastian Inlet.
Fishing Weather
More favorable weather conditions are needed to improve fishing at the Sebastian Inlet, which we believe will occur from Thursday through Saturday. Here’s the upcoming week’s weather outlook.
Wind gusts reaching up to 25 mph are expected to persist until Wednesday, but conditions are forecasted to improve from Thursday, with winds reducing to 5 to 10 mph. Calmer winds are crucial as they reduce wave action, thereby clearing the water.
Daytime temperatures will hover around 70 degrees on Thursday and Friday, slightly increasing to 73 degrees by Saturday. Nighttime temperatures are expected to stay near 55 degrees for these days.
However, stronger wind gusts of 25 mph are predicted to return on Sunday, accompanied by a 70 percent likelihood of thunderstorms. Such conditions are unfavorable for fishing, and the windy, rainy weather is expected to last until Tuesday.
For those planning to fish, the best window appears to be from Thursday to Saturday, especially during the incoming tide.
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