From the Water — 30 September 2026
Sebastian Inlet Fishing Report: October 2026
Trout, redfish and snook stacked on the mangrove edges — and three season changes inside one month.
What Captain Richard Is Seeing
Strong seatrout, redfish and snook bite along the deeper mangrove edges, with greenies and pogies doing the work. The pattern that matters right now is current: Captain Richard Ladrew is finding the fish concentrated on points that act as funnels, where the water is forced between two land masses and the bait has nowhere to hide.
That is a classic late-season setup and it is worth understanding if you are booking a trip this month. Trout, redfish and snook are all ambush feeders. None of them chases bait across open water if it can avoid it. When a point pinches the flow between two shorelines, everything moving with the tide has to pass through one narrow lane, and the predators sit on the downcurrent side of it and wait. Find that geometry and you have found fish.
The deeper mangrove edges are holding them because the water is still warm — 82°F as of the end of September, against an October average nearer 81°F. Fish are using the depth and the shade rather than sitting up on open flats in the middle of the day.
Bait
Greenies and pogies, live. Captain Richard Ladrew matches bait to what the fish are already eating rather than to whatever is easiest to catch, and at the moment that means live baitfish fished on the edges rather than artificials worked over open bottom.
Three Season Changes in October
October is an unusually busy month for regulation changes on this coast, and they affect what you can take home. Worth knowing before you book.
Snook are open. Harvest in the Indian River Lagoon region runs 1 September to 14 December. Slot is 28″ to 32″ total length, one fish per person per day. This is one of only two windows in the year when you can keep one — and it is the better of the two.
Seatrout close on 1 November. October is the last month of open harvest before the 1 November to 31 December closure. Slot is 15″ to 19″, two per person per day. If you want trout in the cooler, this month is when.
Flounder close on 15 October. The annual flounder closure runs 15 October to 30 November, so only the first half of the month is open.
Redfish stay catch and release. Red drum are catch-and-release only throughout the Indian River Lagoon region, all year. They are biting well and you can catch plenty — none of them come home.
Tides and Moon
Given that the bite is keyed to current funnels, tide matters more than usual this month. The strongest water moves around the new moon on 10 October and the full moon on 26 October, and those spring tides push hard through the inlet and across the points. If you have flexibility in your dates, either side of those two is worth aiming at.
The flip side is that the biggest tides also bring the dirtiest water. Captain Richard fishes the stage of the tide he has on the day rather than the one on paper, which is why no two of these trips look alike.
Trips Fishing This Pattern
- Half Day Inshore Fishing — Half Day, $600. The trip that fishes these mangrove edges directly.
- Full Day Inshore / Nearshore — Full Day, $975. Same water, plus the reefs outside the inlet.
- Night Fishing — Half Day, $600. Snook around the lights while the season is open. Minimum age 16.
- Kids Fishing Adventure — 3 Hour, $495. Short trip, calm water, steady action.
Species Guides
More detail on the three fish driving this month's bite: spotted seatrout, redfish and snook at Sebastian Inlet.
Book This Month
Every trip is private — just your group on the boat. Tell Captain Richard Ladrew the dates you have in mind and roughly what time of day suits you. He is on the water most days and gets back to you the same day. A $100 deposit holds the date and comes off the total.
Call 321-412-2440 Send your dates Deposit & detailsConditions noted 30 September 2026. Water temperature and moon phases from public marine data; regulations checked against the FWC saltwater regulations site on the same date. Seasons and limits change — Captain Richard Ladrew fishes to current regulations and will tell you on the day what you can keep.
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