Whiteys Fishing Report
March 2011
Sebastian Inlet, Beaches & Offshore
It is time to get out of the house and go fishing. We enjoyed some of the best weather we have seen in a long time in February and hopefully that will remain the same through March. With the warmer weather spring has surely sprung. The waters are turning on with fish so get out and go catch some.
March is definitely time to go running the beach looking for Manta Rays and free swimming Cobia. There has already been a lot of Cobia caught along the reefs and bait pods scattered outside the Inlet and along the beaches. If the weather holds, it could be one of the best Cobia runs we have had in a long time. Keep a watchful eye out around the boat and have a buck tail or live bait rigged and ready to pitch a surface wake or a dark shallow boat side. If you are too slow to present a bait/lure, the opportunity will be gone in a flash. There goes your chance at Cobia for dinner. Whitey’s is having its Annual Cobia tournament so stop in before you go and sign-up.
Dolphin should also start making there way back through in good numbers soon. It will be nice to put some color back in the box when they show. Also expect Kingfish and other migrants in tow.
In case you haven’t heard of the new ruling for Sea Bass from the oh so wise National Fishery scientists you might want to sit down before continuing to read……….O.K. are you sitting, ready? They have closed Sea Bass for recreational and commercial fishing. That’s like putting a ban on the harvest of Cockroaches. These people need to be stopped. With this latest ruling any credibility that they had left is gone. If anything Sea Bass numbers are on the rise. You can’t put a piece of squid on bottom without catching a pesky Sea Bass. This is more proof that their data collection is flawed and the population estimates are way off. Somebody please help them come to their senses before they shut down everything. What’s next a 30-year ban on Hardhead Catfish?
Sebastian Inlet has had some great fishing recently. Tons of Bluefish have been reported on out-going tides. Large spoons have been the lure of choice, cast into the inlet and retrieved just off bottom. Black drum and Pompano are being caught on both Jetties using Clams and Sand Fleas. The Flounder are making their way back into the river and have been a fairly consistent catch off the south jetty. Live Mud Minnows or Finger Mullet have accounted for most of the Flounder.
I am pretty sure you heard or smelt the bad fish kill that occurred at Sebastian Inlet a few weeks back. The rumor mill was churning with that one. I heard rumors of toxic waste out of the Sebastian River and C-54 canal to oil disbursements from the Deep Water Horizon spill in the Gulf. To set the record straight the reason why they all died was simple lack of oxygen. A large school of Pogies came into the Inlet filled up the channel with fish and simply sucked all of the oxygen out of the water. It is hard to believe that that could happen, but according to the FWC research people that responded that is what happened. If any of you have ever tried to keep Pogies alive in a bait well before you can attest they are hard to keep alive. You put more than a dozen in there and they all go belly-up. Hey, don’t let NOAA know that might close down the whole east coast due to too many fish in one area.
The Lagoon has been producing good numbers of trout and redfish on the flats. Warmer weather brings the fish back to the shallow water areas of the lagoon. Live shrimp, small baitfish or your favorite top water plug can bring some exciting fishing. Fire up that boat or put on the waders and go have some fun.
Surf fishing has been the best it has been for years recently. Good numbers of Pompano are being caught mostly around the Inlet. Clams have been the number one bait, mainly due to lack of Sand fleas. Whiting and the occasional Black Drum are also being reported as a tasty by-catch.
As usual stop into Whitey’s to get the latest scoop on what’s going on out there. While you are there don’t forget to sign up for the Cobia tournament. Winter is over so get out and enjoy this weather and have some fun.
Whitey's Bait & Tackle
321-724-14409030 S Highway A1a
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
captstovall@whiteysonline.comwww.whiteysonline.com/
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