Recent severe weather has significantly impacted fishing activities at Sebastian Inlet. Due to storm damage, the North Jetty is closed on December 14 and reopened this morning.
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Fishing activity in the Indian River Lagoon in Sebastian has been minimal recently. Reports from anglers fishing off the docks or by boat indicate a noticeable decrease in catches due to bad weather.
Snookman
Wayne Landry, known as “Snookman,” reported extreme conditions at the North Jetty, with winds and waves reaching 10 to 12 feet, making fishing hazardous. The inlet’s back shoreline and the T-dock area were the only safe fishing spots. He said the inlet was dangerous on both sides.
Landry noted the catch of sheepshead and spot tail pins using sandfleas and cut shrimp. Before the weather worsened, early morning tides at the south jetty yielded small snook, spotted weakfish, and sheepshead.
Landry expresses holiday greetings and cautions that fishing prospects remain low until weather conditions improve.
“I hope everyone has a great week! Also, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe holiday,” said Landry.
Kirby Kitchener
Meanwhile, Kirby Kitchener, a real estate agent, recounted his recent fishing experience. Facing cold temperatures and strong currents, Kitchener used a 4-oz pyramid sinker, a St. Croix Musky Rod, a spinning reel with 12 lb test line, and a 20-inch 20 lb Floral Carbon leader with a number 3 hook.
He stopped at a nearby fishing supply store where he purchased 24 large live shrimp, hand-picked, for approximately $20. Additionally, he had a supply of dead shrimp, which are effective for Florida snook fishing due to their strong odor.
Despite aiming for snook, he successfully caught a 26″ Black Drum and three smaller snook, which were released. A 28″ snook was later caught off the south side of the jetty. Kitchener’s strategy involved drift fishing with a small split shot and his St. Croix rod.
Weather and Boating Outlook
The weather is already improving since the rain cleared out of Sebastian. But the temperatures have been chilly, with a high of only 65 degrees on Tuesday. The temperatures will slowly warm up this week to 73 degrees by Thursday. The overnight temperatures will be in the 60s.
We can expect partly cloudy skies all week with strong winds out of the northeast at 10 to 15 mph, with 20 mph gusts. There’s a 20 percent chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday. However, we might not get it if the easterly winds remain strong.
For boaters, the seas are 7 to 9 feet, with occasional seas to 11 feet. We’ll provide any updates in our Sebastian weather report.
