Whiteys Fishing Report
February 2011
Sebastian Inlet, Beaches & Offshore
Surf fishing has finally started to show some signs of a turn around. Pompano are back on the catch list along with the arrival of some much missed sand fleas. The fleas are spotty and not showing in huge numbers but there are a few there. This has brought the pompano, whiting and blues through the surf and many anglers are finally starting to catch a few fish.
Some of the pompano are small, so keep a ruler handy. The legal size is 11” to the fork, keep measuring them and soon you will notice a little silvery shine in your bucket, as a few measure out to be legal size. There is not a daily limit on the whiting, but the bluefish are 10 per person. So grab a cup of coffee hit the beach with your surf gear and watch a beautiful sunrise. Hopefully, you will be taking home some fresh fish for lunch!
One big surprise at the Sebastian Inlet right now is how good the trout fishing is. It has been several years since the trout have really moved into the inlet. Many, many years ago it was a regular cycle, but over time the trout have just have not shown up in any good numbers. It has just been a hand full fish here and there for just a few days.
The best way to fish for the trout in the cooler water is to slowly work shallow diving plugs along the rocks and close to the piers. They are cold and sluggish due to the cold water. If you work the lure too fast they do not have the energy for an attack. Live bait is also easy to use in the currents with a lightweight rod, just like snook fishing. Oh no, I said the “S” word. Well do not even think it! Snook season will not open on Feb.1.
The FWC is still keeping the spring season shut due to extreme cold weather last year and stock loss by cold-water temperatures. I think I am going to step on my soap box for a minute and vent on all the strict fishing regulations that are being placed on the Florida anglers. The real solution to all the over fishing that they say is going on, is to get some federal grant money and start setting up some fish hatcheries for the depleting stocks of species like snook and snapper. Most of the other good fishing states do this for salmon, reds, trout and their native species. Florida has taken the sit back and lets hammer the anglers with the burden of making the populations come back around. All the work is being placed on us to abide by the rules, release the banned fish in a healthy condition and still buy fishing licenses to support the state. Florida needs to step up and get out of their chair and start building some hatcheries, put some of the biologist to work that are just sitting around with nothing to do but impose stricter regulations. Enough said, my blood pressure is rising and this is supposed to be a fishing report to get you excited about going fishing, not depressed about the rules. So on a much more positive note read on….
The Rays and Cobia are here and offshore Sebastian Inlet. Look for the rays up on the surface after 9am or whenever the sun breaks high from the clouds, this will warm up the surface water and pull the rays up to feed. High sun also helps to give you good spotting light to see the ripples causes by the feeding action on the surface. If the rays are not showing, head out to the offshore reefs, do some bottom fishing or live baiting and keep an eye out for a free swimming cobia to come off the reef and take a look at your boat. There have been good numbers of cobia caught both on rays and on the 60ft and 90ft reefs.
Another key element to finding some cobia offshore is to fish the bait pods that are on the surface. Huge schools of pogies have been offshore about 8-10 miles out. The cobia and manta rays have also been mixed in with the schools of bait. The only recent down fall to all the huge bait pods on the surface, is that the cobia have not been interested in taking a bait, jig, plug or anything you throw at them. There are stuffed like a turkey on Thanksgiving with pogies in their bellies. The best way to get a hook up is to get several fish interested in your bait and let the element of competition work for you.
A good trick for finicky cobia when all else is fails is to pitch a live blue crab, an eel or just jump in and spear one! Cobias are the one fish that will tear your boat apart when you bring them aboard. Make sure when you go to gaff the fish, that you have a clean shot and the other crew members are ready to jump out of the way so you can stuff him in the fish box quickly. For the smaller fish, say less than 20 lbs, it sure makes things much easier to have a nice size landing net on board to scoop them up. It makes removing the hook and releasing the fish so much easier. Also, you can rest assured that the boat will be safer two.
Whiteys will be hosting its Annual Cobia Tournament starting March 1st. So stop in some time this month and sign up. You can also check the website for rules and a daily updated leader board. Good luck out on the water this month……
Whitey's Bait & Tackle
321-724-14409030 S Highway A1a
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
captstovall@whiteysonline.comwww.whiteysonline.com/
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