Swordfish Fishing Out of Sebastian Inlet: Run, Depth, Lead

Swordfish fishing out of Sebastian Inlet is a daytime deep drop. Boats run 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian to fish about 1600 ft of water near the Gulf Stream. The Sebastian Inlet port guide covers the inlet itself, and the swordfish species guide has the general biology and tactics. Below are the run, the grounds along the way, the depth and lead used locally, and who fishes it.

When swordfish are around Sebastian Inlet

The local fishery is a daytime deep drop, and the trip listings don’t tie it to a named season.

Daytime trips

Nauti Girl lists daytime swordfish trips without naming a season. The method is a deep drop held near bottom and fished by day.

The wider season

The regional and seasonal picture is in the Atlantic Southeast swordfish guide (see also the Atlantic Southeast fishing guide), which covers how the fishery shifts along the coast.

Where boats run from Sebastian Inlet

Every run starts at the inlet and heads east, past the reefs and into deep water near the Gulf Stream.

• Start: the inlet, between the north and south jetties.
• Reefs: 65 ft artificial reefs, 11 to 12 miles east.
• Drop grounds: 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian.
• Target water: near the Gulf Stream edge.

Leaving the inlet: jetties and T-dock

Runs start at the inlet between the north and south jetties. The T-dock is the inlet’s dock area. If you trailer in from elsewhere, those are your landmarks.

35 to 45 miles off Melbourne and Sebastian

Boats run 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian to reach the drop grounds. The 65 ft Indian River County reefs sit 11 to 12 miles out, so the drop grounds are roughly three to four times that distance. Before committing to the run, check wind, wave height and period on the official marine forecast.

Toward the Gulf Stream edge

The deep dropping happens near the Gulf Stream, and the Gulf Stream edge is the water the boats are running toward.

Grounds and structure on the way out

In travel order, the water between the inlet and the drop grounds holds bottom at 100 ft, then reefs at 65, 85 and 90 ft, then the Gulf Stream edge and the deep ground beyond it.

Inshore bottom and reefs

An unnamed bottom ground at 100 ft sits just north of Sebastian Inlet. The Indian River County offshore artificial reefs are 8 reefs at 65 ft, 11 to 12 miles east of the inlet. The Big Easy reef complex has named reefs at 85 and 90 ft. Monster Hole is a shoal on the same stretch of coast.

The 1600 ft drop grounds

The Nauti Girl swordfish drop grounds sit in about 1600 ft, 35 to 45 miles offshore of Melbourne and Sebastian. Breakpoint’s Chart Contours layer shows the 1500 to 1950 ft band. Chart layers are not for navigation.

How swordfish are fished out of Sebastian Inlet

The local method is a bait drop on an electric reel, held near bottom with 8 to 15 lb of lead in 1500 to 1950 ft of water.

Depth: 1500 to 1950 ft

Local boats fish 1500 to 1950 ft of water, with the grounds centered near 1600 ft.

Electric reels

Electric reels are the local standard. Dropping to and retrieving from 1500 to 1950 ft means a lot of line.

8 to 15 lb of lead

Lead of 8 to 15 lb holds the bait near bottom at that depth and keeps it down against Gulf Stream current.

Bait drops

The method is bait-based drops held near bottom.

Who fishes swordfish out of Sebastian

Charter options for swordfish out of this port are few. One is a small-boat operation that shows what the local setup looks like.

Nauti Girl Sportfishing

Nauti Girl Sportfishing in Sebastian is run by Capt. Scott Wigal on a 22 ft Sea Chaser center console named Nauti Girl. It lists daytime swordfish trips. For other billfish options, see the billfish fishing guides.

FAQ: swordfish out of Sebastian Inlet