Snook season is back ladies and gentlemen!!!!! It's time to get the croakers and the hand pick shrimp and catch us some drag screaming slot size line siders "snook". The last couple weeks have been beautiful out, mid 60's to 70's and the fish have been chewing. This last month of January has been one fantastic month for catching big snook, redfish, black drum, spanish mackerel and bluefish at Sebastian Inlet. The snook have been pretty picky though. All they've been wanting are those big jumbo shrimp that we've been cast netting. That being said, it has put the customers in a little bit of a dilemma. Do they want to eat the shrimp or use them for bait?
These cold fronts have done a number on us for fishing the lagoon. The fish in the shallower areas are a lot more lethargic than the inlet fish. Also with the water being so clear, if you see them, they for sure have already seen you. The key to fishing these shallower areas at this time of year is making long casts with cut bait and patience. If you're gonna catch fish during these low/air water temps you're gonna have to work for it. The nice thing about fishing the winter season is you don't have to get out so early. If you're going to be fishing the flats or mangrove shorelines you're most likely going to be more productive in the middle of the day. During the winter season we fish deeper areas early and shallow areas later.
With snook season opening February 1st, Sebastian Inlet North Jetty is going to be a mad house the first couple weeks. Depending on the weather conditions there will most likely be upwards of 15 to 20 boats all around the jetty, let alone all the jetty fishermen as well. I know it will be frustrating at times getting lines tangled with each other but I can't stress this enough to have respect for each other. We are all there for the same reason. With the cold fronts in and out, the inlet is going to be the go to spot for getting consistent bites. Whether it's snook, redfish, bluefish, jacks, sharks, or whatever else. The inlet is probably going to be the most productive place to fish right now.
Unfortunately I'm probably going to have to sit most of this month out. Last week we had an unfortunate mishap with the boat engine and we are still waiting to
get it in the shop. Hopefully it's nothing to serious but as anyone knows, ain't nothing cheap when it comes to boats. I can definitely refer some other awesome captains in the area though. For the time being I'm doing airboat tours at Camp Holly in West Melbourne and having a blast. I've been riding and driving airboats since I was about 7 years old. I grew up in the swamp, going hunting and fishing with my dad nearly all my life. Hopefully in the near future Whatever Turns U On Fishing Charters is going to be stepping into the freshwater division offering bass fishing and bow fishing trips along with the saltwater fishing as well. I hoping to have the new airboat up and running by the end of this summer if not earlier. Once we get the new airboat built it will be a whole new exciting adventure with Captain Shane.
