Sebastian Inlet to Eau Gallie Cswy. – December 2022
December can be a month with a lot of action around Sebastian. It may not be all big snook and redfish in the inlet, but if the weather holds out, the reds and snook bite will continue to be pretty good from boat and from the shoreline. The big black drum may even move into the inlet and provide another species for the anglers to target. If the fronts are strong, anglers will be targeting pompano, bluefish, mackerel and flounder in and around the inlet. (Anglers targeting flounder usually start around the first front in November which really cools down the water, however, our start to November 2022 wasn’t so cool.) If the seas are calm, the weather warms and the winds are down, the bait can come in nearshore and the action with sharks, blues, jacks and pompano can be strong.
Anglers fishing from shore will target the shoreline rocks with live finger mullet, mud minnows and small menhaden rigged on a short 12-18”, 20 pound fluorocarbon leader rigged on a 3/0-5/0 hook with an egg sinker just above the swivel. Anglers fishing from boats will anchor in areas where the rocks meet the sand with the same rigs. The key to catching the bigger fish is waiting till the tide is slowing and not missing the bite.
I like to jig the inlet for pompano, blues and mackerel in the month of December. Targeting pompano and blues, I rig a 1/4-ounce to 3/8-ounce jighead with a soft plastic from D.O.A. or I use a Doc’s Goofy jig. If I am targeting flounder, I like to use 1/2-ounce or 3/4-ounce jigs with D.O.A. paddletails or 4” jerkbaits on the bottom using either Pro-Cure or strips of mullet or pinfish as an attractant. We catch a lot of flounder jigging, but not as many bigger fish with that technique.
Fishing the spoil islands as the sun comes up will reward anglers with trout, ladyfish and bluefish, along with the occasional flounder and maybe a snook if the temps are up. Fish soft plastics slow along the dropoffs around the islands for the best success.
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.