Your April 2010 Mosquito Lagoon & Indian River Fishing Report
Published: Thu, 04/01/10
| Newsletter Issue #8 Fishing Forecast |
April 1, 2010 | |||||||
Mosquito Lagoon & Indian River Fishing | ||||||||
he Indian River Lagoon
The Indian River Lagoon has produced as many world-record sea trout as any other place on our planet and if catching a big Gator Trout is on your agenda, you should definitely consider fishing the flats North of Mims to Scotsmoor, Fl. at first light during this entire month. Shiloh Road finally opened up this month for vehicle traffic, however the reports of bull redfish and large gator trout that we normally get this time of year in this area have been sporadic.
As the water warms up during April, the fish will become more aggressive as the breeding activity commences. April is probably the best time of the year to fish top water lures at first light, and again in the evening, for a possible record sow gator trout.
I personally prefer using lures for sea trout, and April is a prime time for top water plugs getting blasted out of the water by a prowling sow gator trout.  Fly fishermen using clouser minnows, or any other minnow imitations will do well in the mornings, and later on in the evening, anywhere that the night lights bring in bait fish. The shallow waters around the residential docks and resturants in Titusville, are virtually never fished; and some huge sea trout have been caught in these areas by both fly fishermen and wade fishermen throwing topwater plugs.
The East side of the Indian River at Titusville, for some unknown reason is erroneously considered "fishless", but gator seatrout and slot sized redfish can usually be found in this area, along with an occasional snook when the waters warm up a bit. I've been picking up slot sized trout using a variety of soft baits and gold spoons, but the large female gator trout that inhabit this area have evidently not yet started the spawn. Although Sea Trout will be the predominant species as they begin their spawn this month, for now, the redfish and black drum remain the primary targets.
Local fishermen are still catching big Black Drum under the bridges along the Indian River.
These 60 to 80 pound females are still in their spawning cycle and can be found in the deep waters around the bridges.
The best bridges in this area to fish, are the railroad bridge going to the Cape just south of Mims, Fl. and the Pineda Causeway bridges that cross the Indian and Banana rivers (SR 404).
The biggest fish are found in the deep water along these and other bridges, and will remain in the area well into early summer.
Heavy tackle, large hooks, and fresh blue crabs on sliding sinker rigs that are used for offshore grouper fishing, and a minimum of 50# Power Pro braid, with 30 to 50 feet of 80# to 100# leader, attached to a heavy swivel with a 1/2 to 1 oz. barrel sinker and a 6/0 circle hook should be stout enough to finish off a big black drum.
The Mosquito Lagoon fishing will pick up as the waters warm. The Redfish are getting easier to find, but still require a stealth approach because of the crystal clear waters.
At the north end of the Indian River Lagoon system around Oak Hill, you can fish in both Indian River Lagoon and the Mosquito Lagoons.
Many of the charter Captains successfully fish this area all year long. Normally when May comes around, the water is usually warm enough for the fish to start spawning; however this season the cold snaps have been longer and more severe.
As a result, the water has not yet warmed up enough for the fish to become aggressive. But don't worry, the big female gator trout will again start killing surface lures this April as aggressively as ever. The best places to fish the Northern Mosquito Lagoon is everywhere! The favorite places I usually fish when I get the boat out on the water, are the dropoffs around the sand bars in the Tiger Shoals area, or the oyster bars like those found in the numerous creeks in the Edgewater-New Smyrna Beach area.
In the South Lagoon, I like to fish the Whale's Tail area and several locations I won't mention along the shallow eastern shore.
There are usually plenty of schools of finger mullet against the oyster bars, and early in the morning, from first light to perhaps an hour after sunrise, is always the best time to fish. An overcast day can extend your good fishing time well into the day.
I always prefer using artificial lures for large gator trout, especially top water plugs. I guess it's the explosive hits that keep me chucking the lures. Anyway, some of my favorite topwater lures are the SkitterWalk and the Top Dog Jr., which I use to "walk the dog", and my Chug Bug. I also use DOA CAL jerkbaits, Creme paddletails, the Flats Candy Minnow, and the DOA shrimp fished free lined or under a Cajun Thunder bobber.
The single-hook Flats Candy Minnow lure has neutral buoyancy, and when it's worked along bars where baitfish are present, it's deadly. I occasionally use Mirrorlures and other minnow imitations when the fishing slows down. You never know what a lure can do until the fishing gets tough and the MirrorLure has been a proven fish slayer for decades. I seldom use live baits, but live croaker, grunt, pinfish, and large shrimp all work extremely well on trophy sow gator trout and redfish. A live grunt fished under a bobber near a dropoff, is a gator trout killer. The largest trout I have ever caught on live bait was a sow gator trout, over 30 inches, that  must have weighed in at 12 pounds at least. That one was caught on a freelined juvenile croaker that I netted in the North end of the Mosquito Lagoon, and my second largest was caught on a gold spoon. The windy conditions this month made for tough fishing on the Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River for just about everything this month.
The Haulover Canal area is still the best bet for huge Bull Redfish almost any time of year.
Shrimping has been getting a bit better on the Indian River but the locals are still coming up with reasons why the shrimp aren't running like they should.
The drawbridge on the Max Brewer Memorial Parkway Bridge that had been closed for construction is now open to traffic and the shrimpers are taking advantage of it.
Saturday evening I visited the local shrimpers, to see if they were doing any better than last week, and the place was loaded. It looked like a block party.
 Guy and Cathy are Titusville locals who go shrimping at least two times a week, told me that they haven't been getting any limits lately, but the shrimp they are netting are huge jumbos. I was hoping to catch a few of the large,that slot sized sea trout for dinner that were competing for the shrimp the shrimpers were trying to net, but being the dimwit that I am, I forgot to bring my rod.
Work on the new fishing pier has been progressing nicely and should be completed by this summer. Playalinda Beach fishing is good for Pompano and whiting. When the bait pods start
 running, the Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel will also be in the surf. All this month, the surf fishing has been challenging to say the least and unless you own a stout surf rod than can hurl a 6 oz. sinker past the sand bars, you won't hold bottom long enough to catch anything.The whiting should be hitting better as the waters warm up to the magic 68 degree number.
The St. John's River and Harris Chain Crappie are bedding, and limits are being caught regularly close to the banks, around the cattails and lily pads.
The baits of choice seem to be Ron's Zip Jigs tipped with a small minnow, fished at varying depths under a cork bobber. Orange, pink, and gold are reported to be the best colors.
The American Shad in the St. John's River were supposed to be running this month, but I have no reliable information from anyone to report. If they're running, no one is telling me about it!
________________________ Near Offshore Fishing out of Port Canaveral should be great when water temperatures hit 68 to 70 degrees.
The clean water and calmer seas expected for April will mean better fishing for King Mackerel and Cobia.
Cobia have been arriving throughout March, and when the large Manta Rays start moving a little closer inshore, they will be here in greater numbers. The Cobia generally shadow the large Manta Rays in singles,. and small pods where they can be sight cast to.
The Kingfish, Tarpon, and Tripletail have been coming in this month, and will continue increasing in numbers throughout the month of April.
Kingfish and Tarpon follow the bait pods migrations of pogies, mullet, and herring that move up and down the coast just offshore, where small boat owners have a good chance to hook up with one on light tackle.
Port Canaveral is a world class Tripletail hot spot. The tasty "leaf fish" are very popular
 with small boaters because of their habit of hanging around debris, seaweed, and marker buoys along the ship channel. They can be found throughout the month of April in these locations, just outside the Port.You can catch them with live or dead shrimp, small jigs, D.O.A. shrimp, and Creme soft plastic baits fished on light 8 to 10# line.
They are one of the best eating fish in the ocean, and are one the fish I will seldom release. As I come up with additional information about fishing conditions, changing regulations, or anything requested by my readers, I will pass it on to you all.
Till Next Month, Good Fishing & Tight Lines To You All! | ||||||||
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