August is the beginning of our tropical storm season and it can be a great time to fish the IRL as well as the beaches from Melbourne down to Sebastian Inlet as long as the ocean is calm and the tropical storms aren’t wreaking havoc on us. I like to focus on bait pods along the beaches for tarpon, jacks and sharks, but if the winds are up I will put in time on the flats, spoil islands or mangrove shorelines loaded with bait in the Indian River Lagoon from Palm Bay to Sebastian. Try to get out early and use topwater baits such as Rapala’s Skitterwalk. The bite will stay solid if you switch to live bait as the sun comes up and the water warms. If the fish won’t hit topwater early, go subsurface with the Rapala Twitchin’ Mullet and Twitchin’ Minnow. If soft baits are your preference, D.O.A. Shrimp and C.A.L. 4” jerkbaits in the mullet pattern or rainbow trout work well.
Look for bait pods along the beaches from Melbourne down to Sebastian to target tarpon, cobia, snook, kingfish and sharks. If anglers have live bait, fish the trough for snook and redfish, as well as tarpon looking for a meal. Looking for snook and redfish in the inlet, use live bait along the jetties in the day and fish Rapala Long Cast 14 lures, bucktails and D.O.A. Swimmin’ Mullet at night off the jetties for consistent action.
Focus on the creeks from Melbourne down to Sebastian for snook, tarpon, sharks and big jacks. After the heavy rains, fish the spillways with live baits or fish the D.O.A. C.A.L. paddle tails and the TerrorEyz in the deeper waters. For a hard bait, use the Rapala Twitchin’ Mullet and Minnow for good success on snook and juvenile tarpon. Anglers can also target the shorelines, docks and oyster bars for snook—and may even find a few flounder too.
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.