Sebastian Inlet to Eau Gallie Cswy. – April 2024
March was a good month, but the snook and redfish in Sebastian Inlet haven’t been around too much. Hopefully the April weather is consistent and warm so the snook and redfish will be a bit more active. We have been getting some bait moving into the lagoon, so I’m predicting the inshore fishing will be great in April for big trout, snook and reds.
The snook, tarpon and sharks will be plentiful in the Sebastian River, Turkey Creek in Palm Bay and Crane Creek and Ballard Park in Melbourne. I like to fish Rapala’s Subsurface baits as well as Storm GT360’s Coastal Shrimp, jerk baits and paddle tail baits. Live shrimp and mullet are great live baits to use. Fish the rolling tarpon in both forks of the river early in the moring and and pick apart the shorelines and docks for snook. The sharks will eat live and dead baits in the lower river between the railroad and U.S. 1 bridges and around the powerlines.
Fish the spoil islands in the lagoon from Palm Bay to Sebastian for snook, trout, redfish jacks and flounder. I like to fish the Rapala Skitter Walk early mornings for the topwater bite then move to subsurface baits as the sun comes up. Fish the edges of the bait pods along the mangrove shorelines for the same species.
The big jack crevalle that station themselves in the inlet’s swift current and along the beaches will be looking for a meal to float by. Live pigfish or pinfish are the best bait most days. I also have consistent success with big Storm Coastal paddle tail baits rigged on heavy jigheads. Nightime is when the snook and redfish are more active on artificial baits such as bucktails, jigs, soft plastics and diving plugs for anglers fishing from the rocks or jetties.
Tarpon, jacks, bonito, sharks, mackerel and cobia can be along the beaches from Sebastian to Melbourne in April and can be caught from a boat and from the beach as well. Rapala hard baits and soft baits from Storm, Hogy and D.O.A. all are very productive. Live mullet, greenies and pogies will also work well.
Capt. Glyn Austin
Going Coastal Charters
www.goingcoastalcharters.com
321-863-8085
Capt. Glyn Austin is a lifelong Brevard County Resident and full time inshore/nearshore fishing guide. Glyn runs a 23’ Shoalwater tunnel boat which is comfortable for up to 4 anglers and will let us get shallower than most flats boats for inshore fishing and offers a smooth dry ride when fishing the Inlet and nearshore waters of Brevard County.