How to fish Sebastian Inlet

How to fish Sebastian Inlet
The best catches of Sebastian Inlet. Numbers refer to locations on the map.
1. Snook: A favorite for its fight and table fare. A gamefish caught
throughout the inlet on live baits, including croaker, pinfish, pigfish,
mojarra and mullet, or artificials, such as flair jigs, bucktail jigs,
Bombers, Windcheaters, Mirrolures and Mavericks.
king
Par
2. Redfish: A gamefish usually taken from the two jetties
and by boaters around the mouth of the inlet, with a fall run
sometimes coordinating with the fall mullet run around
the north jetty. Will hit live baits, including shrimp,
on sliding-sinker bottom rigs and bucktail jigs.
Boardwalks
g
kin
Par
From catwalks
6
10
▲
N
MELBOURNE
BEACH
MELBOURNE
SHORES
PALM
BAY 95
GRANTVALKARIA
6. Flounder: Best numbers usually are
taken in December and January throughout
the inlet, but mostly west of the State Road
A1A bridge by shoreline fishermen and boaters.
Live finger mullet is the choice bait, but they’ll
also take live shrimp and other small baitfish.
sinker bottom rigs should be used. Slack tide
usually brings the better catches.
Boat ramp
Sebastian
Inlet
10
BREVARD CO.
INDIAN RIVER CO. SEBASTIAN
7
Par
kin
Restrooms
1
1
A1A
Coconut Point
Atlantic
Ocean
A1A
11 feet deep
Campground
4
▲
N
6
6
The Sand Trap
200 FEET
g
in
rk
a
P
Museum and
restrooms
1
the
7 11 From
L dock
8
6
1
For limits and regulations visit
www.myfwc.com
8
10 1
1
g
Lake
Washington
1
1
8
g
5
6
5
6
1
7
INDIALANTI
1
6
es
ov
gr
an
M
2
All species
can be caught
from the
north jetty
fishing pier
kin
Par
6
1
1
14 feet deep10
7 11 under the bridge
4. Bluefish: Always attracts a crowd
of casters, usually on the north
and south jetties, during the
early winter months. Will hit
silver spoons best, but also can be
taken on bottom rigs with cut bait.
192
1
1 10
1
15 feet deep 1
MELBOURNE
Concessions
Campbell’s
Cove
6
3. Spanish mackerel: Another late fall or early
winter migrant usually caught from the north
and south jetties. They’ll hit small spoons, like
the Diamond Jig, or small live baits
fished under floats.
5
5. Mangrove snapper: Sometimes taken in large
numbers around the pilings and rocks of the
north jetty on light tackle by those using pilchards
or live shrimp on a small hook.
Showers and
restrooms
7. Sheepshead: Usually taken around
the tips of the two jetties by those
using fiddler crabs or shrimp.
8. Tarpon: This game fish is sometimes hooked, but seldom landed, by anglers
in boats around the mouth of the inlet or by casters on the south jetty. Most of
the inlet tarpon are “jumped” at night by anglers casting artificials. Those in boats
sometimes target the fish outside the surf south of the inlet during the day, when the
fish are drawn in by schools of baitfish. The best numbers appear in spring and fall, in
conjunction with migrations of baitfish. As a special gamefish,
a $50 permit from the state is required to keep a tarpon.
A1A
95
60
91
9. Sharks: Special, heavy-duty
tackle required. Usually sought
by a small band of nighttime
anglers around the tip of the
north jetty. Spinner and blacktip
Graphic and research by FLORIDA TODAY staff
1
sharks are favorites. Chunks
of bleeding fish, such as bonito
and jack crevalle, used for bait.
10. Seatrout:
Once caught in great
numbers in the inlet, only
a few now are taken year-round, mostly in
the west side over sandbars, usually during
high-tide periods. Will hit live shrimp and
most artificials. During the winter months,
some ocean-going trout from 8 to 10 pounds
move inside the inlet and they’re caught on
live bait and artificials.
11. Black drum: Sometimes taken
in large numbers around the north
jetty on bottom rigs with crushed
blue crab. Also will hit cut clams
and pieces of baitfish.