Today’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, a high of 73 degrees, East winds of 7 mph and two to three-foot seas. Look for partly cloudy skies on Tuesday and Wednesday, and mostly sunny skies through Sunday.

Our fishing guide, "Snookman" Wayne Landry is kicking off 2026  with a few reminders before delving into the "chilly water" fishing report :

“Good morning, Sebastian Inlet fans and fanatics! I hope you had an enjoyable New Year’s holiday. Here we go with our FIRST report of the new year. First, a few jetty safety reminders and rules that are posted on the big sign on the way out to the jetty:

1.  The black drum are starting to bite,  and one of their favorite baits to catch them on are live clams. The sign states that live clams in the shell ARE NOT PERMITTED out on the jetty. You must shuck them at the cleaning station and place them in a container before going out on the jetty to fish. The reason is that people crack them open on the deck, leave the shells laying everywhere and cause a tripping hazard. Discarded clam shells make the jetty look a mess, and the dried-up juices smell terrible. Please help keep your jetty clean! Thank you.

2.  You are only allowed to fish with TWO rods in the water at any time — it is a PARK rule, not an FWC rule. For safety purposes, you ARE NOT ALLOWED TO STRAP THEM TO THE RAILING. The reason: If you must move them quickly, you can do so without delay. So, please, keep it safe.

3.  Obnoxious and rude/vulgar behavior WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Under this rule, you could lose your jetty fishing privileges and possible park expulsion.  Please, be courteous to your fellow anglers. This is a family-friendly park. Thank you for your attention to these matters. Keep it clean and safe for everyone.

Now for the fishing report:

North jetty: Here, the action has largely occurred during the early morning high tide phase with the black drum,       (aka ‘big uglies’), biting at the tip on clams and dead and live shrimp. Another attractive bait for them are pieces of live blue crabs — they love crabs! I also saw small snook on live shrimp — few because the water is so cold, 65 to 67 degrees. They prefer warmer water. Also caught were small, but keeper-sized, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on silver spoons and jigs, both tides. Nice sheepshead were caught around the pilings at the jetty, on the inlet side using live fiddler crabs and shrimp. On the beach side of the jetty, use dead shrimp for small whiting, and an occasional pompano or two. Back towards the bridge, between the bait shop and the bridge on the incoming tide, a few sheepshead were caught on shrimp and sandfleas. Not too many flounder on this side.

South jetty: During the incoming tide at the tip of the south jetty, the beachside has been producing a few nice pompano on goofy jigs since the water is pretty clean and the right temperature. On the inlet side, same tide has been producing small snook on live baits, (but you can't keep them as the season is closed until February 1. Closer to the bridge on the seawall, during the incoming tide, there have been nice flounder caught on live finger mullet. Fish in the three to four-pound range have been noted. On the outgoing tide at the tip, there have been an abundance of small to medium-sized bluefish caught on jigs, bait, and silver spoons. Also, anglers fishing with dead shrimp have caught some black margates, whiting, sheepshead, and a pompano of two. The surf pocket area is finally producing decent flounder on small rubber swimbaits, small live finger mullet and mud minnows. Most of the fish have been in the 14 to 16-inch range, but they are keepers! 

 T-Dock area: Back here, all the fuss is about the flounder bite that has picked up between the cleaning station and the bridge. Flounder in the 3 to 5-pound range have been caught on live finger mullet; either tide will work, you just need to be there when they decide to move. Fishing on the dock itself has been producing small Spanish mackerel and bluefish on small swim baits and silver spoons. Either tide will produce fish, with the incoming being the better tide as it moves slowly. 

 Surf Area, both sides: The south side surf has been producing flounder, as I have mentioned. Between the jetty and the sandbar where it hits the beach has been good, live shrimp, finger mullet are the baits of choice. Also, for those using shrimp and sandfleas, there have been a few nice pompano caught as well, along with a few whiting. The north side is similar, except no flounder on this side, but add in black drum. The good fishing has been north of the jetty at the northernmost parking lot, as there is a big sandbar adjacent to the jetty which keeps the water shallow, so north of that is best. 

Well folks, that's it for this week; not too bad, but still relatively slow from what we should be seeing of our "cold water" species. Expect a great week weatherwise, so if you fish, I hope you catch something! Have a prosperous New Year!” — Snookman.