S
ebastianInletisa ruralplacewhereoceanmeetsbeach,witha man-madecut.Fishcomeandgo,
speciesappearanddisappear,predictablyandsometimesinexplicably.Bigkingsandamberjack
usedtoswimintotheinletandfishermensawsomemajorupheavalsundertheirfree-linedmullet.
Onedaytheymayreturn.Iffishestrackedourwhereaboutsaswedotheirs,wemightfindthem
equallyproficientandmystified.
StillwalkingamongusarehumanswhodrovedunebuggiestotheinletfromMelbourneBeach
andhorsestherefromVero.Nostateparkbefore1971,norules,justa primebitofplanetEarthas
elementalasitgets;wherewestillclearourbrainswiththepowerandbeautyourancestorslived
withandforgedourgeneson.
Inmyownyoungerdays,perchedonthetippyendrock,thebravestofustookthebruntofthe
crashingwavesforthejoysofoccupyingthatspotwithrodandreel.Whostoodthereoftenwas
flankedbysoakedfishermencovetinghisposition,wishingsomecallofnaturewouldforcehim
awaysotheycouldmoveup.Theonesolid
gaugeofchangeisthedefining,highnorthjetty.It’sstill
allrocksoutthere,butblockedoffwherethepavement
endswithparkrangerstoenforceit.
Between 1872 and 1905 atleastsixtriesweremade
atjoiningtheintracoastalwiththeAtlantic.In 1965 the
A1Abridgeopened,crossingtheinletandin 1968 the
elevatednorthjettywalkwayanda 500-footextension
wereincorporated.Overrockswhichanglersoncerisked
lifeandlimbtoreachthetip,cartsfulloftackle,baby
strollersandwheelchairsnoweasilyroll.Screened
openingsinthewalkwaywillgeta pedestrianwetona
roughday,butthewaveswon’twashherovertherocks
andintotheAtlanticanymore.
Inshort,theplacenowaccommodateseverybody–ex-
ceptperhapskids,whomaybefrustratedbythetoo-tallsafetybarrierrunningthelengthonbothsides.
Whathasn’tchangedintheslightestiseverythingimportant,andthathaseverythingtodowiththesens-
es:theexhilarationofbeingatSebastianInletduringa wind-blowndayofocean,sandandlight;ora breezy,
autumnnightblastedbythecoldlightofa fullmoonplacingspookyshadowseverywhere.
Thesouthsidestillislinedwithrockstonegotiateandfishfrom.Thesouthjettyistheuser-friendlyone,
bestfornovices,low,closetothewatercalmedbythenorthjetty,sportinga frequentlyoverlooked,easily
fishedpocketwherebasemeetsbeach.Beachsidefromthesouthjetty,newbiescaneasilyslidetheircatch
ontothebeach.Oneitherjetty,beachside,lackingcurrent,isbestforbeginners.Orjustfishoffthebeach.
Whateveryoudowhileyou’rethere,besuretocatchsomeofthemagicandmakeitpartofyou.There’s
plentytogoaround.FS
A riteofpassagefortheFloridaangler. ByTomLevine
FLORIDA
WAYPOINTS
Sebastian Magic
27° 51.7 1' N
80° 26.74' W
SteveClarkphoto
Tarpon airs it out through fall mullet
school. Scenes like this? Pretty much
every day in September.
Anglers fish north jetty, state
park. Kingfish below caught by
kayaker Justin Colton.
Sebastian Inlet
State Park
IF YOU GO
WHERE Sebastian Inlet State Park
Open 24 hrs. a day, 365 days a year.
$8 per vehicle admission; 321-984-
W H AT Jetty and surf fishing for basi-
cally every species that swims temper-
ate and subtropical Atlantic shores.
Opening of snook season in early Sep-
tember may get perilously
crowded; let a few weeks
go by and go for flounder,
reds and snapper. Mackerel
and bluefish will arrive with
the first north winds of a
cold front. Riverside action
great for spotted seatrout,
reds, snook, black drum
and more. Big king mackerel and tarpon
lurk just off the breakers through the fall
mullet run. Sharks? You bet.
SURF CHECK
http://www.Sebastianinletcam.com
Easy to select different views to spot
bait pods, assess crowds, check tides
and other details.
CAMPING The state park has 51 sites
with water and electric. Reserve a
spot through Reserve America online.
Also primitive sites now available at
the bayside marina. Long Point Park,
a mile north of Sebastian, is a good
alternative.
WHAT ELSE Excellent surf fishing north
and south of the inlet. Great wading and
kayaking on the Indian River Lagoon.
Fishing Museum at the McLarty Treasure
Museum at south end of the park. Epic
seaplane overview out of Vero Beach
Regional Airport: http://www.flytcs.com
Treasure Coast
Seaplane view of
inlet and A1A bridge.
10 SEPTEMBER 2019 http://www.FLORIDASPORTSMAN.com
