When bigeye show up out of Sebastian Inlet
Bigeye tuna fishing out of Sebastian Inlet happens on the deep grounds, 35 to 45 miles out, on deep-drop and swordfish trips. Bigeye turn up when boats fish those grounds, and no month or season belongs to them here. For inlet, ramp and conditions detail, see Sebastian Inlet.
By-catch, not a target
Bigeye here are listed as deep-drop or swordfish by-catch, and Nauti Girl lists them on its swordfish trips. No local method is built around them. They come up on sword trips.
What this page covers
This page covers the run, the grounds, who fishes them and where the rules live. For biology, depth behavior and methods, read the bigeye tuna species guide.
Where boats run for bigeye
The deep grounds sit 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian, in 1,600 ft of water. That is the far end of your waypoint plan.
Three places matter on that run:
- Melbourne Canyon: listed as a ground where bigeye are encountered.
- Vero Beach Canyon: listed the same way.
- The 1,600 ft drop grounds: the Nauti Girl swordfish drop grounds, 35 to 45 miles out.
Melbourne and Vero Beach Canyons
Bigeye are listed among the species encountered in the Melbourne and Vero Beach Canyons. For the wider picture, see the Atlantic Southeast bigeye guide (see also the Atlantic Southeast fishing guide).
The 1,600 ft drop grounds
The Nauti Girl swordfish drop grounds sit in 1,600 ft, 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian. Nauti Girl lists bigeye as swordfish by-catch there.
The Gulf Stream edge
The Gulf Stream edge is a named feature on the run offshore.
Grounds and structure off Sebastian Inlet
The table below lists the run from the jetties outward.
| Ground | Depth (ft) | Distance/location |
|---|---|---|
| Sebastian Inlet north and south jetties, T-dock | n/a | At the inlet |
| Monster Hole (shoal) | n/a | n/a |
| Bottom ground north of the inlet | 100 | Just north of Sebastian Inlet |
| Indian River County artificial reefs (8 reefs) | 65 | 11 to 12 miles east of Sebastian Inlet |
| Big Easy reef complex | 85 and 90 | n/a |
| Gulf Stream edge | n/a | n/a |
| Nauti Girl swordfish drop grounds | 1,600 | 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian |
Chart layers are not for navigation.
Jetties and T-dock
Boats leave between the north and south jetties. The T-dock is the inlet’s dock area.
Monster Hole
Monster Hole is a shoal at the inlet’s doorstep.
Reefs and bottom inside 100 ft
Three sets of waypoints sit on the way out:
- The 100 ft bottom just north of the inlet.
- The 8 Indian River County reefs at 65 ft, 11 to 12 miles east.
- The Big Easy 85 and 90 ft reefs.
How bigeye are fished here and who fishes them
Bigeye are listed as a deep-drop or swordfish by-catch, and that is the whole local picture. For the other tunas you may meet on the same run, see our tuna fishing guides.
Deep-drop and swordfish by-catch
Bigeye turn up locally in two ways:
- Deep-drop trips: bigeye are listed as by-catch.
- Swordfish trips: Nauti Girl lists bigeye as swordfish by-catch.
Nauti Girl Sportfishing
Captain Scott Wigal runs the 22 ft Sea Chaser center console named Nauti Girl, which lists bigeye as swordfish by-catch. See Nauti Girl Sportfishing’s own site for the operator.
FAQ: bigeye tuna fishing out of Sebastian Inlet
How far out are the bigeye grounds?
Bigeye tuna fishing out of Sebastian Inlet centers on the drop grounds 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian. The Melbourne and Vero Beach Canyons are the other listed grounds where bigeye are encountered.
What depth are the drop grounds?
1,600 ft. These are the Nauti Girl swordfish drop grounds, 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian.
Are bigeye a target or by-catch here?
By-catch on deep-drop and swordfish trips. No local method is built around them.
Who runs bigeye trips from Sebastian?
Nauti Girl Sportfishing, run by Captain Scott Wigal, lists bigeye as swordfish by-catch.
What boat does Nauti Girl use?
A 22 ft Sea Chaser center console named Nauti Girl.
What structure sits inside 100 ft?
Four named pieces of structure sit inside 100 ft:
- The 100 ft bottom just north of the inlet.
- The 8 Indian River County reefs at 65 ft, 11 to 12 miles east.
- The Big Easy 85 and 90 ft reefs.
- Monster Hole shoal.
