Today’s (January 26) forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies, a high of 78 degrees with temperatures dropping throughout the afternoon, SW winds of 7 mph turning to WNW 16, and two to three-foot seas. Temps will fluctuate between the 50s and 60s in the remainder of the week.

Our fishing guide, “Snookman” Wayne Landry says the action last week was during the incoming tide. Here’s the scoop:

“Hello, my Sebastian Inlet friends and family; I hope everyone enjoyed the wonderful weekend. The fishing wasn't too awful either — a bit slow, but there were decent fish caught throughout the inlet. So off we go! 

North jetty: Out here, most of the action was on the high incoming tide at the tip over the rock pile and further down the jetty towards the bridge. Live and dead shrimp have been the bait of choice. Over the weekend, I saw really nice black drum being caught; most were in the 24 to 28-inch range. You can only keep one in your bag limit of five per person per day. Some were in the smaller range, 15 to 20 inches, but there weren't a lot caught, so it was difficult to reach a bag limit. I also did see that several nice sheepshead were caught, as well, using sandfleas and fiddler crabs around the rocks and the pilings on the inside of the jetty.

In the early morning, at end of the outgoing tide, at the tip, there were  snook caught on live shrimp and thumper jigs; not a lot, but enough to keep you interested. Another species I like to target this time of year are the spotted seatrout on live shrimp. They are fun to catch if and when you can locate them. They will bite on either tide, incoming or outgoing if you locate them. I fished Tuesday and Friday and caught 12 of them in the two days. They ranged from 17 to 22 inches. You may only keep two fish per person per day, minimum 15 inches, and maximum 19 inches, and ONE of those 2 can be over the 19-inch maximum. The first day I caught 10, but they were ALL over the 19-inch max, so I could only keep one.  The second day I caught two (they were both in slot) and went home. Along with trout, I did manage to catch five small snook as well. Along the seawall between the bait shop and the bridge, anglers were catching catch-and-release redfish on live shrimp, incoming tide. The reds were in the 28 to 32 inch range, fun size. Some sheepshead were also caught on fiddler crabs, dead shrimp, and fleas. 

South jetty: Over here, again, most of the action was on the incoming tide with some pretty big black drum and decent sheepshead caught on dead shrimp and sandfleas. Sheepshead were present as well at the tip, and along the rock wall. I also saw a couple of nice pompano in the buckets as well. For those snook guys, the incoming tide floating live shrimp has been producing some barely slot fish, and a couple slots mixed in. Not too much on the flounder out here as the surf has been a little dirty, and just a few fishing for them. 

T-Dock: Back here fishing has been limited because the dock was closed over the weekend. The inlet channel is being dredged and the contractor is pulling and setting up pipes to pump to the south beach. The dock WILL BE CLOSED when they start pumping. Fishing back here has been slow, but last Friday I chatted with a couple of anglers that had caught two big flounder on live finger mullet. One was eight pounds, and one was 10 pound. I didn't see them, but my friend at Whitey’s Bait & Tackle confirmed that story. On Saturday, one of my friends showed me a nice 17-inch-to-the-fork pompano he caught near the cleaning table using sandfleas. Nice fat one too! Also, if you put in time around the area from the shore, there are sheepshead to be caught, as they come into the intercoastal to spawn. 

Surf Area, both sides: There isn’t much to say about the south side because the water was rough and dirty. No one was fishing in the area. It was a bit different on the north side as the water is deeper and a bit cleaner. Pompano and whiting were caught during the morning high tide phase, and a few black drum, too. Live and dead shrimp, sandfleas were the baits of choice. 

Well friends, that's all I have for this week. Temperatures will begin dropping this afternoon and winds will pick up, but from the westerly directions, so that shouldn't impact our current water clarity. Plus, the water has warmed up from 62 degrees to a decent 67. That's why the fish turned on a bit. Have a great week! Stay well and be safe!” — Snookman.