Week of January 10: Expect better conditions following a blustery weeked of high winds and messy water
Today’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, a high of 78 degrees, north-northwest winds at 8 mph, and 2 to 4-foot waves.
Our charismatic fishing guide, “Snookman” Wayne Landry says high winds and churned water blew out the fishing over the weekend, but he expects the weather will calm down once again and fishing will pick up.
At the North jetty last week, Wayne says, anglers were catching black drum, sheepshead, whiting, snook, large redfish, small palmettos and even pompano on high tide, all being caught on either live or cut shrimp.
“The outgoing tide was producing plenty of bluefish, jack crevalles and also large redfish on silver spoons, cut and live baits fished in the channel on the tip of the jetty,” Wayne reports. “Also, there are still plenty of the large roe mullet in the entire inlet for the cast netters to catch. Flounder over here have been slow, with a few still being caught on live finger mullet and mud minnows along the rock shorelines.”
There was also action at the South jetty last week, with small snook, redfish and flounder being caught on live baits along the jetty and shoreline, Wayne says.
“I did see one flounder caught that was about three pounds or so, nice fish,” he says. “Also, on the high tide, I saw another species being caught that usually shows up this time of year: Weakfish were being caught on live baits, shrimp and small finger mullet. Most are about 10 to 12 inches, which is about average for these fish.”
Waynes says there are limits on spotted weakfish (15-19 inches), with a bag limit of two per person per day.. Anglers were also catching sand perch, whiting and bluefish.
At the T-dock, it’s still the same: bluefish, jacks and Spanish mackerel on spoons and small jigs on both tides. Floundering is still slow as well.
Prior to the rough and turbid water arriving, the pompano bite was decent along the surf, Wayne says.
“Along with whiting, anglers were catching small palmettos on sand fleas and cut shrimp,” Wayne says. “Bluefish, Spanish mackerel and jacks were being caught on spoons and jigs on the high tide for folks targeting them.”
“The weather for the week calls for some cooling down again, along with north-northeasterly winds, so I'm hoping it will clean the water back up like it was,” Wayne says. “If it does, expect the fishing to ramp back up like it was. Get out there, wet a line and you just might catch the fish of a lifetime. Tight lines everyone!”