Last week, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers led a cleanup event at the Sebastian Inlet. They recovered hundreds of pounds of lead sinkers, ragged cast nets, anchors, aluminum grates, miles of monofilament, lures, and rusty rods and reels.
With the cleanup out of the way, Anglers tell Sebastian Daily there’s been some pompano biting at the pier.
Catch anything? We would love to feature your catch! Let us know how you did by sending us your name, hometown, fish, bait used, and where you caught your fish, with photos to info@sebastiandaily.com.
Aaron Snyder
The fishing report is written by Aaron Snyder, who runs the Anglers Anonymous Podcast (Apple – iHeart). Listen to the podcast for regular reports and fishing tips.
Sebastian Inlet in Sebastian, Florida
The prime tides for fishing in Sebastian Inlet this week are expected to be the incoming tides in the morning and the outgoing tides in the evening. The moon phase is currently in the first quarter, which means that fish are likely to be more active during the day.
The areas in Sebastian Inlet producing quality fish include the jetty rocks, the channel edges, and the sandbar flats. In addition, anglers have been reporting redfish, snook, and black drum catches. Please be aware of the regulations for these fish species, as the bag limit and size limits may vary.
As for Atlantic red porgy, hogfish, blue line tilefish, and grouper season, it will be re-opening on May 1. To fish for these species, you need to sign up as a state reef fish angler. You can sign up online at myfwc.com or at a local tax collector’s office. Please be sure to follow all regulations and limits for these fish species.
Snook season in Sebastian Inlet is divided into two parts and is closed from June 1 through August 31. It is also closed from December 15 to January 31. During the open season, you can keep fish in the size range of 28 inches to 32 inches. The best bait to use for snook is live shrimp, mullet, croakers, or pinfish.
Headwaters Lake in Fellsmere, Florida
Bass anglers on Headwaters Lake have been successful in catching largemouth bass using shiners as their go-to bait. My X-Treme Bait Tank is the tank of choice. Anglers are also doing very well using chatter baits, spinner baits, topwater plugs, and creature baits. The best time of the day to fish for bass is early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
The lake areas producing large fish include the grassy areas, the points, and the deeper waters near the drop-offs. It is important to note that the ecosystem of Headwaters Lake is delicate, so please handle all fish with care and return them to the water as soon as possible.
Overall, both Sebastian Inlet and Headwaters Lake are great places for anglers to fish this week. However, remember to follow all regulations and limits for the different fish species and always practice catch and release to help preserve the ecosystem.
Listen to Aaron Snyder on the Anglers Anonymous Podcast via Apple Podcasts or iHeart.
Weather
The weather will improve this week, with highs near 86 degrees into the weekend. Mostly sunny skies with cooler nights with a low of 61 for Tuesday and Wednesday, and then 68 on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
