Week of April 10: Rough seas and heavy winds have slowed the action down
It’s rough out there! Today’s forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies, ENE winds reaching 24 mph, a high of 76 degrees and seven to 11-foot waves.
Good morning, fishing fanatics! I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend. This is going to be another one of those ‘off’ reports due to the wicked winds making the water dirty and rough. I don't like posting them, but it is what it is. Early last week, when the water was clean, the fishing in the entire inlet was rather good. Several different species were being caught with the pompano being the bulk of the catch around the inlet. Monday and Tuesday were impressive, then Wednesday came the wind shift to S/SE at 15 to 20 mph and dirtied up the water and just shut it down. Everywhere!
North Jetty: Monday and Tuesday were decent for the pompano bite while the water was clean and the winds were NE and not so strong. Lots of fish in the two to four-pound range and some bigger were caught on the beachside on live sand fleas. Cut shrimp worked, too, but the better catches were on the fleas. Also, there were nice whiting caught as well, same baits. Early morning at the tip there were some snook being caught on live mojarras and shrimp. Then came Wednesday, winds shifted to the S/SE and messed it up with the dirty water. Happens just that quickly anymore.
South Jetty: Same over here. Monday and Tuesday were fairly good with the bite. Incoming tide brought snook and small redfish on live baits; outgoing, black margates, sand perch and blue runners at the tip. Pompano were caught on the beach side until the winds switched and dirtied it all up. Then it was catfish, puffers and stingrays.
South catwalk: Not much here either. A few lingering sheepshead and black margates around the pilings on cut shrimp and live fiddler crabs.
T-Dock Area: Not much back here either since the water dirtied up on Wednesday. Earlier in the week they were catching snook on live baits on the incoming tide. Also, I saw some small Spanish caught on small white jigs and live greenies.
Surf area, both sides: This has been a blown-out mess all last week, and will remain so this week due to the blustery winds.
That's all I have for this report. Like I always say, things change here very quickly from good to bad in the fishing department. The winds are supposed to be brisk most of the week, but if you have a spot out of the wind, you might find some fish wanting to play. Good luck, be safe and enjoy the Florida outdoors and beaches!” — Snookman.