Whiteys Outfitters Fishing Report Dec. 1, 2008
Winter is finally here. This year we are having a change of season and I for one welcome it. The cooler weather patterns and drop in temperature has really spawned a change in the fishing. You might not be keeping the tan, and your short sleeves may be traded in for a sweatshirt, but the freezer should be filling up with fish.
Offshore
Offshore the bite is on fire! Large schools of king fish have been holding up on the offshore bars and are hungry. Most boats are limiting out early in the morning, which leaves the rest of the day open for bottom fishing or trolling the blue water for dolphin and sailfish.
Scattered weed lines and rips are forming around 130ft of water and further out into the Gulf Stream. Any concentration of floating Sargasso should hold schools of mahi, wahoo and sailfish. Troll rigged ballyhoo naked or skirted along the cleaner side of the weed line until the fish are located. When a strike happens let the other baits drop down into the water column and you might get a strike from a larger bull dolphin below or maybe even a wahoo. Wahoo like to swim below everything 30-40 ft down and wait for an opportunity up above.
Sebastian Inlet
Sebastian Inlet is definitely host to many shore bound anglers and boaters chasing flounder on their winter migration. The rocks west of the inlet bridge are laden with anglers and a spare rock is available on slack tide. The boaters are coming from all directions and securing a spot along the channel to work their baits along the sandy bottom. A good number of three spot flounder are being caught around 3-5 lbs. Several southern flounder doormats have been landed in the 10-12 lb range. The fingerling mullet are the most popular flounder baits, but becoming hard to find. Mud minnows and shrimp have been producing a good number of fish, but most of the larger fish have been coming on mullet. The old rule of thumb for the major run on the big southern flounder is the first big cold front in December, but regardless of when that is, every day still presents opportunities to land a big doormat. With cold fronts on the way Flounders will move through the inlet and larger fish will come to the scales. Flounder fishing can be one of the most relaxing fishing you can have at Sebastian Inlet. Just bait up a hook with a sliding weight, throw it out and wait for the bite. Remember don’t set the hook when you feel the bite, allow the flounder time to eat the bait before jerking back on that rod. It’s not too late to join the Whitey’s Flounder Derby. With the tournament running till the end of December and only a 9 ¾ pound fish for first place there is plenty of time to win a little cash. Check out the leaders at www.whiteysonline.com.
Snook are still biting at the Inlet. Live shrimp have been producing slot-sized fish during the day on the tips of the jetties. At night, pinfish have been the ticket on the outgoing tides. You better hurry if you want to put some Snook in the freezer before it closes on the 15th.
Surf
It’s time to break out the sand spikes and trade the dust on those surf rods for sand. Beach fishing can be fantastic this month. With the pompano bite in full swing there is no better time like the present to get out there and feel the sand between your toes. Live sandfleas have been producing most of the fish, but clams and fresh shrimp have also been working well. The fish have been fairly large with almost a two-pound average. Whiting and black drum are also being caught as part of the by-catch.
As usual stop by Whitey’s for all the latest action
Whitey's Bait & Tackle
321-724-1440
9030 S Highway A1a
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
captstovall@whiteysonline.com
www.whiteysonline.com/
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