Sebastian Inlet to Eau Gallie Cswy. – March 2026

Through early February, we experienced some of the coldest temperatures in the past 20 years. We’ve lost some snook, along with some trout, tarpon and baitfish, but most of the fish survived in the south end of the county and around the inlet where the water temps stayed warm due to the inlet. Despite the cold conditions, the fishing has remained fairly good. Water temperatures should begin rising in March, which should improve fishing in both the lagoon and the inlet. A dredging project has also begun in the inlet to remove sand from the channel, which will stir up the water and should help keep the bite active.

Inshore fishing should stay productive as the spring mullet run gets underway and the water temps rise. When schools of mullet fill the lagoon and the creeks from Sebastian to Palm Bay and Melbourne, snook, redfish, jacks and trout will be right behind them. I like fishing Rapala’s Skitter Walk topwater baits and their Twitchin’ Minnow suspending baits early in the morning around bait pods, then moving deeper with a Rapala Crush CIty Mooch Minnow, jerkbait or paddletail as the sun rises. Live bait will also be effective around the bait pods, since predatory fish are usually holding beneath them.

Warmer weather will also push bait along the beaches, with the opportunity to catch sharks, tarpon, and large jack crevalle following close behind. There are also plenty of  bluefish and mackerel along the beaches when conditions allow for ocean fishing. Throw large topwater plugs for jacks and sharks, and scale down your lures for bluefish. For tarpon and big jacks, the Rapala Long Cast 14, Hogy Protail Eels, and D.O.A. Baitbusters have all produced consistent success.

The snook and redfish bite in the inlet will be solid, with artificials working best at night and live bait producing during the day, and it should only improve as temperatures rise. Live shrimp and threadfins are the top choices during daylight hours. At night, artificials are very effective—Rapala X-Rap 14 and Long Cast 14 are great options from the jetties and the rocks along the west side of the bridge, while Hogy Protail 2- and 3-ounce baits and bucktails are excellent for nighttime fishing.