Sebastian Inlet, Beaches & Offshore
I don’t know about you guys, but that was an awesome March! We can only hope and pray for April to be the same. Maybe we are being rewarded for surviving that crappy winter we had last year? Whatever it is I will take it.
March was defiantly dominated by Cobia for the offshore gang. We just had one of the best Cobia runs in recent memory, and it should continue through part of April. I just heard of a report of another slug of fish heading up from south Florida, so it isn’t over yet. If we continue to be blessed with calm seas then get out there and catch some. Live baits have been producing a good number of the fish as well as bucktails and soft plastic eels. The fish are mostly right off the beach and out to 60’ of water. There has been a lot of free swimmers so take it slow to avoid running them over. Rays are also pretty active in the area, but are only really showing up on the surface late in the afternoon. At all costs try not to decorate the ray like a Christmas tree with your jigs. That is a sure fire way of putting the ray down for the day. Another trick is to check the bait pods; there have been a few fish caught there, so don’t overlook them.
We have had some heavyweights brought to the scales at our Cobia for Cash tournament this year. We still have a few weeks left, so there is still time to join up and get your name on the board.
If the Cobia shut down don’t forget about the offshore reefs. I am pretty sure if you went out there today you probably would have it all for yourself, because everyone else is inshore looking for Cobia. Bottom fisherman are going to have to wait another month before they can go after Grouper again, but that is quickly getting closer. The Kingfish are showing up on the reefs in good numbers and the occasional Dolphin. People who want to target Dolphin and Wahoo should look further offshore this month along the edge of the Stream and scattered weed lines. Several Sailfish have been caught along the Bethel ledges using trolled baits.
The bite at the Inlet has been pretty good recently and should remain strong for the month of April. Sheepshead is fairly consistent as well as Black Drum, Redfish and the ever-present Bluefish. Spanish Mackerel have been showing up when the water is calm and clean, small spoons and Gotcha’s are working well for these speed demon’s. The Snook bite is really hot right now at night, with a lot of fish being caught on artificial. Hand picked shrimp and Pinfish are also catching a good share of the fish for the guys who are trying to stay sharp for when Snook season opens in September. Remember to release these fish with care, because these are the fish you will want to keep once season opens.
The Pompano fishing has remained strong in the surf. Most of the fish are coming from the South side at Sebastian Inlet, but they are moving north. Sandfleas are trying to make a comeback along the beaches and are showing up mostly at night. The fleas have been consistently small for the most part, but at least they are here instead of none. Clams have been the bait of choice for the people fishing the surf due to the lack of Sandfleas, but they are working well. Whiting, Sheepshead and the occasional Black Drum have also been showing up in the surf and can be a great by catch.
The river is on fire right now! Trout, Redfish and Snook are hitting the flats hard with these warmer temperatures. Early morning bites have been red hot on top waters or jerk baits. As the sun rises you might want to switch over to live bait to stay on the action. Shrimp, Mullet, Pigs or Pins are a great choice when targeting the shallows. Free line them or drift them under a popping cork for some hard-hitting action. Some of the trout are ranging up towards 20+ inches.
As always check in at Whitey’s for the latest reports for some rod bending action. Don’t forget to sign up for our Cobia tournament and win some cash. Until next month….
Whitey's Bait & Tackle
321-724-14409030 S Highway A1a
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
captstovall@whiteysonline.comwww.whiteysonline.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment