Today’s forecast calls for cloudy skies followed by scattered afternoon thunderstorms, a high of 85 degrees, NNE winds of 11-13 mph and three to four-foot seas. Scattered thunderstorms are expected throughout the rest of the week.

It’s time for this week’s fishing report from our own “Snookman” Wayne Landry, who has fished these waters for more than a half century (we’re not kidding):

“Good morning, inlet fishing fanatics. I hope everyone had a great weekend! This report "not so good" again, mainly due to the water conditions at the inlet courtesy of Hurricane Lee’s six to eight-foot swells. The winds weren’t bad, but the swell dirtied the Atlantic and our inlet. When I was there last weekend, the action was pretty slow for the most part, but there were fish of all varieties caught throughout the inlet.  There were no hot spots, though. Midweek the mullet around the inlet had disappeared, as they sometimes do, but Sunday afternoon they returned in large numbers all around the jetty and surf. It's still early in the fall run as the ‘hot’ time is usually October and November when the water starts to cool down. It remains unusually warm for this time of year — 85 along the coast when I checked this morning. When it drops to between 78 and 80 degrees, the action should heat up. 

North jetty: Here the action has been about the cubera snappers that have been biting at the tip on the outgoing tide. Many are hooking them, but only a few were caught. The fish love to get back into the rocks; if you don't have the heavy tackle to manage them, you will lose them. Also, there have been a few caught on the boats. They are easier to land because you don’t have to contend with the rocks. An angler I know landed one last week measuring 28 inches! That's a nice fish! Kudos to you sir. The cuberas have been biting live baits, big mullet, pins and pigs. Another species that was playing well were the large jack crevalle, and they are biting just about anything you toss out — they are not picky eaters. On the incoming tide it has been pretty slow due to the sandy/muddy water. Anglers are still catching decent-sized mangrove snappers around the pilings, along with decent sheepshead. The snappers are biting live and dead greenies, which are getting harder to find; the sheepshead on shrimp, live and dead.

I did see a few nice catch-and-release redfish caught on the jetty and along the rock shoreline between the catwalk and jetty. The snook bite has been absent except for a few smaller ones who don't mind the rough and dirty water. I saw quite a few mutton snappers caught at the tip over the weekend, but none of them made the 18-inch minimum to be kept. One gal I was talking to caught three or four of them while we were chatting. Not much else going on over here. 

South jetty: The water has been extremely dirty from the roughed up Atlantic. Incoming and both the outgoing tides are affected. Catfish, puffers and stingrays are everywhere. On Saturday, on the outgoing tide at the tip of the jetty, I saw a couple black margates and blue runners caught. One angler caught a redfish on a live finger mullet. Incoming tide has also been slow due to the water conditions, but if you do find some cleaner water, you might catch a snook. Live baits of any kind could produce a bite, also medium sized paddle tail baits will work this time of year when the mullet are around. Redfish are a possibility also on this tide as they don't mind the dirty water as much as the snook do. Same baits for them as the snook. 

T-Dock area:. Back here has been a bit better than the jetties due to the calmer waters, but it can still be muddy. The middle of the incoming tide and the first of the outgoing tide are the best times to fish because you get the cleaner water from the north side tide flow. Small mangroves and keepers were caught around the dock pilings on live and cut dead greenies. I saw undersized mutton snappers back here as well. Remember, they must be 18 inches to keep. Snook and redfish are also being caught back here in the early and late high tide phases all along the shoreline. Live baits of pinfish, pigfish, mullet and shrimp doing the trick. Nighttime snookin’ back here has been pretty good as well. Small to medium swim baits and live baits are producing fish on the high, and first of the outgoing tide. 

Surf area, both sides: The surf has been largely washed out due to the high surf remaining from Hurricane Lee. The winds weren’t bad, though.  The absence of the mullet has slowed the fishing. The seas have calmed, but expect it to pick back up midweek as we again will get wave action from Tropical Storm Nigel who is out there now. They are calling for seas to build to six or seven feet by Thursday into the weekend. If you find a spot on the high tide with a good trough and mullet, you could possibly find some predators feeding on them. 

That's all I have for you guys and gals this week! It's going to be an on-and-off weeks weatherwise, but get your gear, catch some bait and go fishing! Everyone have a great week, and catch some fish!´— Snookman.