March 21 - Sunset Bay, Stuart, Florida to Sebastian Inlet State Park, Melbourne Beach, Florida

We were planning on getting up early and driving to Sebastian Inlet State Park to go fishing, but Kip let me sleep a bit longer since I was up during the night (again). We packed our chairs, fishing rods, backpacks, and bait bucket and left around 10 a.m.  I know you are already laughing, because we had to make a few Kip (pit) stops.  

Stop 1:  We stopped and got coffee and donuts at Dunkin Donuts.

Stop 2:  We stopped at Billy Bones Bait -N- Tackle to get live shrimp.  As Kip was in the store buying lures, five or six guys with their bait buckets went into the store and came out within 30 seconds.  When Kip came out, I asked him why and he said that Billy Bones didn't have any live shrimp available.

Stop 3:  We went to a bait store under the Sebastian Inlet State Park bridge to get live shrimp for fishing.

Stop 4:  We went to the Pier in the Inlet of the water (ocean side) and set up to fish.  Many people were already fishing, and most of them were gathered at the end of the Pier.  The water is beautiful here, and there are beaches, piers, docks, and bathrooms all over the place.  

How exciting, right!!  We dropped our lines and were ready to catch the fish.  But nothing was happening.  We didn't see anyone pulling in fish, not even one fish!  The wind was blowing water up the pier and the tide started to change.  Why does this matter, you ask?  Well, the water was being sucked out of the inlet instead of pushing the water and fish into the inlet.  Our hooks were catching on the pier and barnacles.  We decided to move.

Stop 5:  We packed up our stuff and drove the truck down a frontage road to the rocks next to the beach where others were fishing.  We set up, dropped our lines, and our lines flew past us (because of the tide) and tangled with all of the other lines.  No fish here either, plus I wasn't comfortable standing on big rocks.  We are moving.

Stop 6:  We spotted a pier underneath the bridge that was short and didn't have any obstacles line the big Pier had, so we set up there.  We had a few bites here, but it was cold in the shade, and we mostly caught weeds.  So...

Stop 7:  We saw a dock down a frontage road that had a couple of people on it fishing, so we moved there.  We dropped our lines, and two guys beside me on the dock took out a net and threw it into the water to catch small fish for bait!  They ended up netting two really big snook fish.  Really?  They can't net them, so they had to put them back into the water.  The people on the dock were stating that they hadn't seen anyone catch a fish all day, so it was frustrating for them (and us).  

Stop 8:  We left Sebastian Inlet State Park and started to drive home.  Kip had to get fuel for the truck at a gas station.  

Stop 9:  About 30 miles from where our boat is, Kip stopped at CVS because I wanted to try Tylenol PM at bedtime to see if that helps me sleep.  

Stop 10:  To the boat at Last!  Oh no, wait... Kip had to stop at the marina office to pick up a package.  

Stop 11:  We got back to the boat and Kip changed eight of the boat's halogen lights in the boat to LED bulbs.  We had chicken and salad for supper, and then....

Stop 12:  Kip had to go back to the marina in the dinghy for something.  

After he got back, we listened to the Minnesota Wild hockey game and relaxed until bed.  The sunset was very pretty as well.  We are tired, as I bet you are too from reading this blog!  😏