Today’s (November 24) forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, a high of 79 degrees, ENE winds of 10 mph, and flat (zero to one foot) seas.

Our fishing guide, “Snookman” Wayne Landry, says water quality is improving and so is the bite:

“Good morning, Sebastian Inlet friends and fans! I hope everyone enjoyed the fabulous weekend weather; it was wonderful! AND, the fishing has picked back up, as I knew it would when the water cleared up some more. The water temperatures are good, but we just needed a tad better quality, and we got it! All last week and through the weekend, fish were biting just about everywhere in the inlet — many species, as well, were caught. Most of the action was during the early morning and late evening high tides. The outgoing tide produced some fish, but not in the numbers and quality of the incoming high tide. Here are your action spots: 

North jetty:  Here, the incoming tide was the time to be fishing. Several different species were caught, and a couple of surprise catches over the weekend. The first surprise was a nice 50 to 60-pound cobia that a lucky angler caught on Saturday morning using an artificial lure. He caught the fish before I arrived, but I did hear it from some of my regulars that saw it caught. I would have loved to have that pic! The second surprise fish was something that you would NEVER see on the jetty, especially in the ocean/ salt water on the incoming tide,  as the fish pictured above is a freshwater fish: the longnose gar! I personally have caught many of these in my early days back in the freshwater creeks and canals around where I live. I have never seen anything like that out there in all my years of fishing at the inlet. Like I have mentioned before, you never know what you might catch at the inlet. I digress. Back to the action. At the tip over the rock pile, the snook fishing has been fairly good early in the morning, live shrimp has been the ticket for them. Many were undersized, but quite a few slot fish were caught as well, and some over slots went back. Some redfish, black drum and pompano were caught in good numbers as well — live shrimp for them, too, or cut dead shrimp will work as well. On the same tide, beach side of the jetty there were snook, drum, reds and pompano. Same baits, live shrimp for the snook, dead cut shrimp for the drum and pompano. Also on that side of the jetty were some nice Spanish mackerel caught on small jigs, silver spoons and gotcha lures. On the outgoing tide at the tip — the first part of it before it got a little dirty — anglers were catching black drum, pompano and sheepshead on cut dead shrimp. The snook vacated the area and weren't around. Small bluefish and jack crevalle rounded out the species being caught at the tip, inlet side on just about anything you tossed out there. On the north side, along the rocks between the bait shop and the bridge, one of my friends was catching small undersized mutton snappers, (they must be 18 inches to keep) along with a couple of  mangrove snappers, one he said was 17 inches! That's a good one! Some sheepshead are being caught here as well. Live shrimp or cut shrimp was the baits of choice. That's it for this side.

South Jetty: Here, the fishing has been a bit slower due to the water not being as clean and deep as the north side, but some fish were caught. At the tip, on the incoming tide, the guys were catching snook, but they said most were undersized. A couple slots were caught. Live shrimp again was the bait of choice. Also caught along the rocks were small sheepshead, mangrove snapper, and a couple of black drum. Live or dead shrimp for them. Outgoing tide at the tip there were some nice pompano being caught on the goofy jigs, one of my friends caught his limit. Also caught on dead shrimp were black margates, jacks, blue runners, sheepshead and some small mangrove snappers, along with the ever-present puffers and kitty fish. Oh, and some small bluefish on spoons and jigs. 

T-Dock Area: The T-Dock is closed to the public due to the Sebastian Inlet District’s dredging project. The area around the dock has been slow because a lot of people don't know how to fish it. One angler I talked to was catching small undersized mangrove snappers around the tide pool rocks and having fun just with those! Pretty slow. 

Surf area, both sides: The north side of the park in the surf around the jetty and just north of it has been producing quite a few nice whiting, black drum, sheepshead, pompano, and decent bluefish, all on cut dead shrimp and live sand fleas. That's a good assortment of fish! The south side has been the same, with the water calm and much cleaner than it has been. The fish have been around. The only good thing about this side is that they have been catching more pompano just south of the jetty in the pompano hole, more than the north side, but the sting rays are around over here. 

Well, folks, that's all for this week. Fishing is much better than it has been, but I knew it would pick up when the water cleaned up, it always does, but it just takes a bit of time. This week looks like it will continue to be another nice week all the way through Thursday, then the winds are supposed to pick back up. Get out to your favorite spot and catch some dinner or a trophy!” — Snookman.