Today's forecast (January 13) calls for partly cloudy skies, a high of 73 degrees, ESE winds at 8 mph and one to two-foot seas. 

Good morning, Sebastian Inlet lovers. This week’s report will be brief due to the cold weather and water temps. There isn’t much happening at the inlet. First, I would like to begin with a courteous reminder that the jetties and walkways are for everyone: NOBODY has the right-of-way on them; everyone is permitted to be there, including the bird watchers. During my last trip to the inlet, I saw anglers asking the bird watchers to ‘move out of the way’, and physically force them out of the way so they could fish. THAT'S NOT GOING TO FLY! These people have just as much right to the jetties as you anglers. Please be courteous and respectful. Birders are there to enjoy what they love, and this is the  high season to see migrating seabirds at the inlet.  Now, for the fishing report: 

The south side has been slow again; the bite has been largely off-and-on. Black drum,  pompano, whiting and a few small flounder are being caught, but you need to be there when it turns on. Oh, and the bluefish are back for those using big silver spoons, jigs and cut bait, on the incoming tide at the tip. At the beachside of the south jetty, pompano, whiting and most of the black drum are being caught, live or dead shrimp, along with sandfleas are the baits. Outgoing, or incoming tide, doesn't matter. The water has calmed down and cleaned up, but it’s still cold at 62 degrees, and anglers are catching whiting and pompano on the beach as well just south of the jetty. Also, the beach pocket area is where most of the have been being caught as well. Live finger mullet and mud minnows, or live shrimp are the baits of choice for them.

Incoming tide all along the shoreline from the jetty to the T-dock is producing sheepshead on live sandfleas, you just need to find where they are. Black drum are also being caught along with them; most are small under the legal 15-inch minimum, but some are keepers. The flounder bite back here around the shoreline and T-dock is slow, but this spot is producing Spanish mackerel and bluefish for those tossing spoons and small jigs. Not much else back here except for a few whiting and tiny snappers on dead shrimp. 

That's it for this week. The water needs to warm up a bit more, but I don't think it will. Last week, Wednesday and Thursday, it was 60 degrees — that's cold for us! With all the cold weather we had, and are still going to get, and the cold winds blowing down the intercoastal and the beach, it cold quite possibly make the water go down into the high to mid 50s, not good!! Reminds me of back in 2010 when the water got down in the 50's for an extended time and we had a fish kill that was pretty bad on the snook. I hope that doesn't happen again.

On another note, it is our "whale-watching" season, when the right whales travel down the coast to the calving grounds off our coastline. November to March is the time to watch for them. Since the north jetty is closed, look for them from  the upper deck of the grille/gift shop. They are an amazing spectacle to witness. When they surface, they are the only whales that do NOT have a dorsal fin. Also, when they spout, you’ll see two plumes of spray, not just one like all the other whales' blow. Telltale signs of right whale. Anyway, stay safe and warm out there. Expect another coolish week. I keep reminding myself, ‘It's January, and winter!’ Cheers, everyone!” — Snookman.