Today’s (October 5) forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, a high of 87 degrees, ESE winds of 7 mph, and one to two-foot seas.

Our fishing guide, "Snookman" Wayne Landry shares good news about the weather and dismal news about the fishing:                   

Hello there, all my Sebastian Inlet fishing report followers! I hope everyone had a great weekend. The weather was pretty nice, but the fishing wasn't. With the brisk SSE winds we've had for the last three days and the kicked-up 2–3 ft surf, the water has become a muddy mess. Because of all the rain over the central and southern parts of the state, the C-54 Canal spillway has been opened, and all the fresh water draining into the ICW has also created some nasty black water that flows out of the inlet during the latter part of the outgoing tide. Our saltwater fish don't like all that fresh water! There isn't enough oxygen, and the salinity is too low for their comfort, so they move out to cleaner water. Things will get back to normal when we get more ENE winds to blow cleaner water back in and push all the nasty water south and out of here! The coming week looks good, with lighter winds and smaller surf, but the surf is expected to pick back up on Wednesday for two days before dropping again. The water temperature is still holding in the low 80s, which is good, and the baitfish, mullet, and greenies are still around throughout the inlet. So, without further ado, here we go with the action spots. 

North Jetty:  Out here, the fishing has still mostly been about Spanish mackerel, which are being caught on both tides along the ocean side of the jetty using live greenies, small jigs, and spoons. Not as many are being caught as in the last two weeks, but there are still enough to keep folks busy. The muddy water is the problem; when it cleans back up, the fishing for them will pick back up, too. The snook bite has also taken a turn for the worse because of the muddy water on the incoming tide and all the nasty, tannin-stained fresh water on the outgoing tide. Just a few fish have been caught at the tip on the outgoing tide, and only a few have been caught on the incoming tide as well. Pins, pigs, and mullet are the key baits. Other species being caught include some big jacks, catfish, and ladyfish. I did see a couple of nice redfish caught on live shrimp along the wall up by the bait shop on the incoming tide, but they are still catch-and-release only. That's it for over here. It will get better. 

South jetty: Over here, the fishing has taken a turn for the worse as well. Very dirty, muddy water is the culprit; it looks like coffee with cream in it. The fish don't like that, except for the catfish, stingrays, and puffers. Other fish being caught at the tip on the outgoing tide include  black margates, blue runners, and jack crevalle. Pretty slow. 

T-dock: Back here, it's the same deal: not much is going on. The folks fishing the open section of the dock have been catching small snappers, spot-tail pins, small sheepshead, and, of course, the puffers! The snookers I know who fish the area have only been able to find some undersized snook on live bait during the incoming tide. No keepers. Not much else is going on back here. 

Surf area, both sides: The south side is still completely blown out and very muddy, and nobody is fishing that area because of the continued lack of access from the parking lot. On the north side, since the winds have been SSE, the surf has been a bit calmer and less muddy. Some anglers have been fishing the area just north of the jetty and report catching small whiting and a couple of small pompano that weren't big enough to keep, along with plenty of kitty fish! A couple of decent snook have been taken by anglers fishing live mullet in the surf during the evening hours. 

Well, my friends, that's all I have for this week. It's sad that the fishing has gotten bad again, but this will soon pass! It always does; we just need some ENE breezes to clean up the water again. It's supposed to be an unsettled week, weather-wise, with the rain, but at least the winds and surf should be fishable all week. So, if you go out, good luck, and catch some dinner!” —Snookman.