Capt. Glyn Austin
The winter/ Spring Snook bite has been the best we have seen in years. Both inshore and Inlet fishermen have been catching slot snook in good numbers. Live bait is best daytime and artificials work well early morning and early evening. The redfish bite hasn’t been as good as last year but there are still some around eating live baits at the tip of the jetty. Every few years we have the New Jersey Bluefish get out on our beaches and in the inlet and this year has been one. If they stick around for May, you can have a lot of fun with topwater plugs or live bait.
It has been a little slower than normal inshore around the flats and spoil islands this winter. However, there has been some mullet coming into the lagoon from the ocean which should turn on the bite. If you can find the schools concentrated, you should be able to find big Trout on Rapala Skitterwalk V and X Rap Pops around the bait pods as well as snook, reds and jacks. The mullet will be making their home along the mangrove shorelines in Honest Johns canals, Snag Harbor, Hog Point, and all the coves along the shorelines as well as most of the spoil islands and some of the few flats with grass along them and the gamefish wont be far behind.
The with our warmer than normal weather this winter, the bull sharks, Jack Crevalle,tarpon and snook are active in all of the Creeks from Sebastian to Melbourne already and should be there throughout the month of May. Rapala Skitterwalk V topwater baits or the Shadow Rap Shad are go to hard baits, the DOA Shrimp & Terror Eyz are go-to soft baits and live finger mullet are the go to baits for the live bait guys. Look for shorelines and or docks with mullet or other baits around and key in on those areas. The mullet can be either free lined or fished under a natural cork. Best bite is early morning and at dusk.