Sebastian Inlet, Beaches & Offshore
Is that a taste of fall in the air that I am feeling? Well, here in Florida that is as close as we are going to get. November is upon us, and for people that fish it usually means eating too much at Thanksgiving and the Flounder run at Sebastian Inlet. That’s right this is the month to start fishing for the flatties. A good number of the smaller Gulf Flounder, AKA: Three Spots, have been moving in the Inlet over the past few weeks and are still going strong.
Each passing cold front should bring more flounder out of the river. There have already been reports of a few bruisers caught, and these reports should increase later in the month. One thing that is for certain when the doormats start biting the finger mullet becomes scarce. Finding the right sized mullet can be the hardest part of flounder fishing. If this is the case then try other baits like Mud Minnows or Shrimp.
The best flounder rigs consist of a short 10” mono leader, swivel on one end and a khale style hook on the other. Attach a sliding egg weight or split shot above the swivel on your main line and that is all the weight needed. The ideal rig is to use just enough weight to hold bottom. Key times to fish for Flounder, if you only have a few hours to kill, are the slack tides. Flounder like to get up and move around during periods of slower water. Being a flat fish they are not very streamlined swimmers and it is a bit of a challenge for them to swim into currents.
Whitey’s is holding their annual Flounder tournament again this year. Entrance fee is $10 per angler with a 100% payout of all entry fees. The winnings will be split 50%, 30% and 20% for places first through third. You can sing up at Whitey’s at any time between now and the close of business on December 31, 2010. All results through the tournament will be posted on the website at whiteysonline.com. So if you think you are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to catching Flounder, then it is time you put your money where your mouth is and sign up.
With Snook season in full swing there is a lot of Fisherman targeting the Linesiders at the Inlet. Bucktails, jigs and diving plugs have been producing a good number of fish at night. Live shrimp, pinfish and croakers have been the best bet recently. Boats drifting the fenders at night have been producing a lot of fish with the occasional whopper redfish as well. Fish should be moving in preparing for winter and fattening up. Get down there before it gets too cold for them.
Another prime species to target this month is the Pompano in the surf. The Pompano are migrating south for the winter and if you can intercept them it can be a heated morning on the beach. Use a double drop Pompano rig, with a pyramid sinker for weight and bait the hooks with sand fleas, clams or shrimp. Last year the Sand fleas were almost impossible to find and where they went no one knows. So far this year there have been a few pods showing up along the surf line, although they are small…. Which I guess is better than nothing!
With any good surf fishing comes the Bluefish. They can be a blast to catch throwing spoons or large poppers while waiting for the next Pompano to bite. Look for diving birds or fish busting the surface and target these areas. Bluefish can be pretty good table fare if handled correctly, bleed them out and clean them ASAP. If you like smoked fish they are the perfect candidates. Bluefish do not freeze well and are better fresh, so only take what you can consume immediately and leave the rest to fight another day.
The river can be productive this time of year. With the cooler water fish can remain active all day. Trout and redfish will remain on the flats and can make for a great day of sight fishing. Live shrimp are bits of choice along with pigs, pins and mullet. On the colder days try targeting deeper water or canals where fish lay up for warmth.
Offshore can produce some excellent Wahoo fishing this month. Trolling in the deeper water over the cones of the Oculina Bank is a great place to start. Drag a few heavy weighted lures at a speed just a few knots faster then normal to encourage an impulse reaction by this fast fish. Any floating structure is a good bet to troll by for dolphin and wahoo. Sometimes the morning bite can be the best so get up with the sun and hit the water early.
Fall is also the sailfish migration in the Florida Straits. Trolled ballyhoo is a great way to find these fish. If you can locate a good concentration of them, break out the spin tackle and drift back some live baits for light tackle action.
As usual, check in at Whitey’s for the latest reports of rod bending action. Don’t forget to sign up for the Flounder tournament while you are there. Until next month, tight lines!!!!
Whitey's Bait & Tackle
321-724-14409030 S Highway A1a
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
captstovall@whiteysonline.comwww.whiteysonline.com/
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