The Sebastian area has plenty to offer in the winter season which I consider to be between Thanksgiving and Easter. Seatrout harvest is closed until January 1st and redfish are catch and release only for the foreseeable future, but pompano, flounder and sheepshead are open to harvest. Add in rodbenders like ladyfish, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and jacks, and December has the potential to be an action-packed month to fish the inshore waters of the Sebastian area.
Indian River Lagoon – Redfish and seatrout are the most available gamefish in the lagoon in December. Fishing shallow backwater flats and shorelines with D.O.A. C.A.L. jerkbaits and jigs is a great way to cover ground and get strikes from both redfish and trout. If the lush grassbeds seen this summer make it through the high and off-colored water of the very wet 2025 Fall season, they will be sure bets for reds and trout as well. After sharp December cold fronts kill the algae and clear the lagoon waters, flyfishermen and light tackle anglers can stalk along mangrove shorelines looking for cruising and laid up reds, snook and trout. Some of the best inshore pompano fishing of the year consistently coincides with the Christmas break. Bouncing pink or yellow “Goofy Jigs” around spoil island drop-offs, flats edges and in Sebastian Inlet is a fun way to catch hard fighting, tasty gamefish.
Sebastian Inlet – Flounder will be back in season December 1, and will be the target of most inlet anglers in the last month of the year. Land-bound and boating anglers both find soaking live finger mullet and mud minnows in areas of broken rocky/sandy bottom is the best way to put a doormat in the cooler. Flatties up to 15 pounds are an annual catch at Sebastian Inlet. Bouncing bucktails with a strip of cutbait trailer is also a great flounder technique. Snook season will close December 15th and depending on ocean water temps legal fish can be caught right up to the deadline. Bluefish are usually abundant in and around the inlet and some of the biggest reds of the year can show up with the cold fronts. Sheepshead and black drum numbers increase at the inlet in December as well.
NearShore Atlantic – The beaches all along the treasure coast begin to fill up with surf fishermen in December, and for good reason. Schools of pompano cruise the troughs and sandbars along the coast feeding on sand fleas, crabs, clams, and glass minnows. Pompano, a favorite eating fish, is also an excellent gamefish on light tackle. Ten plus foot surf rods with three hook pompano rigs is the standard technique for both pompano and the tasty whiting that share the surf with them, but casting goofy jigs on light spinning gear can be very productive when the surf is calm and clean. Live sand fleas are the top bait followed by cut clams and pieces of fresh shrimp.
The best holiday gift you can give your family is time together catching fish and making memories.
Merry Christmas!
Capt. Gus Brugger
Pattern Setter Charters
(772) 360-6787
www.WelcomeToSebastian.com
