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Week of January 30: North jetty producing jacks, blues, Spanish mackerel; Get ready for snook season

 

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On a blustery day, a good jacket protects an angler from the wind and the sun.

Today’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies, a high of 79 degrees, SE winds at 9 mph and two-foot seas.

And now for the latest fishing report from our own “Snookman” Wayne Landry:

“Good morning all my fishing fanatics. I hope everyone had a great weekend! At the beginning of last week the fishing was pretty good throughout the entire inlet, with plenty of fish being caught: snook, reds, blues, drum, sheepshead, pompano and some nice seatrout. Then came the big winds on Thursday that made a mess of things and slowed down the action for the most part. The water got rough and very dirty. This past Sunday, however, it had calmed down considerably, the water cleaned up slightly and some fish started biting again. Here's what I saw:

North jetty: Here, the catches were mostly jack crevalles, bluefish and some nice Spanish mackerel - on silver spoons on the outgoing tide, inlet side of the jetty. Beachside, hampered by shallow water caused by a moving sandbar, it has been slow, with only some jack crevalles being caught, along with a few stingrays. If you can cast far enough to the tip, you might get a few black drum, sheepshead or some catch and release snook. Boaters have been doing well out there before it roughed up. Snook are still closed, but the season opens Tuesday at midnight (February 1). The bag limit is one per person per day ‘harvested,’ and a size limit of 28 inches minimum overall, tail pinched, and a maximum of 32 inches overall, tail pinched. Redfish are STILL closed. The incoming tide has been somewhat better with the higher/cleaner water, nice snook, black drum, sheepshead, seatrout, some Spanish mackerel, and I saw a boater catch a nice tarpon on Sunday, about 30 or so pounds. Live shrimp is the best bait for all those fish for this time of the year. Along the rock seawall between the catwalk and the jetty on the incoming tide has also been producing snook and a few seatrout as well, live shrimp being the bait for them. 

South jetty: Here, it has been all about the juvenile snook. Anglers are catching many on the incoming tide on live baits, small rubber shrimp lures and swim baits. Most are too small to keep, but there have been some keepers caught. Black drum and some small redfish are possible on the incoming as well. Before it got roughed up and the water was cleaner, there was a rather good flounder bite on the beach side of the jetty, with some nice fish being caught on finger mullet. Also, there were a good number of pompano caught on sand fleas and goofy jigs. Look for the same cast of characters on the outgoing tide at the tip: black margates, blue runners, bluefish, jack crevalles and a few Spanish mackerel. 

Catwalk, south side: On the incoming tide, the sheepshead bite has picked up again! Plenty of nice fish being caught on live fiddler crabs and sandfleas. Fish them around the pilings. Also, they can be caught on the beginning of the outgoing before the current gets moving. Not much heard on the flounder here. 

T-Dock area: It has been pretty slow due to the dirty water. Before it got dirty, anglers were catching some nice pompano on the incoming tide on goofy jigs. Also, there were some Spanish mackerel and small bluefish for those tossing small jigs. Not much on flounder back here either, but the snook have been active on the incoming on live shrimp. Sheepshead are still a possibility around the dock pilings if you use fiddler crabs, sandfleas and cut shrimp. 

Surf area both sides: It has been mostly blown out by the aforementioned winds and dirty water. If you can find some clean calmer water there may be some pompano, whiting, black drum and bluefish around. You just have to find an area and fish it and see what is there. 

 That's it in a nutshell for the fishing. The weather is supposed to be nice until Friday when wind and rain move in. Get out there when you can, wet a line and see what comes up. Good luck everyone and stay safe.” – Snookman.