Your July 2013 Mosquito Lagoon & Indian River Fishing Report
Published: Mon, 07/01/13
| Newsletter Issue # 47 Fishing Forecast |
July1, 2013 | ||||
Mosquito Lagoon & Indian River Fishing | |||||
Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River
Hope you all have a great Independence Day this July 4th. Although the Mosquito Lagoon has
suffered another algae bloom this year, it is nothing like the bloom we had last year.
The recent rains have actually helped to clean and clear up some of the algae
bloom's dirty brown water and even though the water levels are still lower then usual for
this time of year, it has helped tremendously to keep the algae bloom from
taking over.
Floating grass is everywhere but this is also helping in the locating of sand bars, Redfish, sea trout and baitfish.
As far as the fishing is concerned; big "bull" redfish in the 35 to 50 inch range are now schooling up in the mornings on the deeper edges of the shallow sand bars in the Mosquito Lagoon and the northern Indian River Lagoon system.
As air and water temperatures warm up later on in the afternoons, the schools have been moving into the deeper flats and into the deeper waters of Haulover Canal.  The easiest way to catch these "bull" redfish is with a live pinfish, mullet or blue crab rigged on a 5/0 vmc circle hooks
Oversize redfish are also hitting well on the outgoing tides of both the Sebastian and Ponce Inlets. Reports of 25 to 35 pound fish being caught on live blue crab in Sebastian Inlet are common.
Slot size redfish are taking topwater plugs like the STORM Rattlin Chug Bug You can expect this type activity to remain constant in our area throughout the month.  Right now sea trout are in the 3 to 5 foot depths on the deeper flats and around the spoil islands adjacent to the intracoastal waterway. Use small jigs, diving plugs or assassin sea shad tails. Smear a little Pro-Cure scent on the baits to keep cautious fish interested.
In the early mornings, during low light conditions and at dusk you can still try fishing topwater baits for gator sea trout. The fish are still following the bait pods in both lagoons. You can find the fish by looking for gulls or terns working over actively feeding fish. As the temperatures continue to rise this month, look for ladyfish and tarpon in the ICW and flats of both lagoons.
Juvenile tarpon are already in many of the shallow ponds in and around the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Catch them by tossing topwater plugs like the Heddon Zara Spook, the Rapala Skitter Walk or
a Storm Chug Bug in the heat of the day when they are most active.
If you don't like tossing topwater plugs, you can always catch them on a
D.O.A. Swimmin Mullet
Some nice size sheepshead are being caught around the bridge pilings and docks in and around the ICW.
Live fiddler
crabs or a small piece of fresh shrimp on small light hooks weighted with split shot are what most of the anglers are using to hook up with a "head". _______________________ Near Offshore Fishing This past week, the east central region has experienced another cold water upwelling that moved the grouper and king mackerel around and caused the bite to slow down a great deal. The King Mackerel (Kingfish) have moved closer inshore because the spawn on this last moon cycle and to get away from the colder water temperatures. As the waters warm up again and begin to stabilize, the king mackerel will return to their 70 and 90 foot reefs.  Right now the better catches of the larger "smoker" kingfish are coming closer inshore from the 30 to 60 foot depths by anglers slow trolling live pogies on wire stinger rigs.Pink and chartreuse colored C&H king busters In the near shore waters of the central east region, we are in for some great shark fishing throughout the month. Spinner sharks, black tips, golden duskies and sharpnose are just a few of the species you will run into if you are slow trolling or drifting in 20 to 50 foot depths, or even closer inshore. Use a single hook with wire leaders or 100 pound plus fluorocarbon leaders with a single hook to get them. The tandem stinger rigs you normally use for kingfish are too hard to remove from a shark's maw. Right now the majority of sharks offshore are running in the 10 to 40 pound range, but fish in the 80 pound plus category are also being caught on a regular basis. Anglers slow trolling live pogies in the 20 to 40 foot depths near the Coco beach pier right now are being treated to a mixed bag of shark, tarpon, bonito and jacks. Playalinda Beach & South Surf Fishing
July is when the whiting start getting thick in the surf along the beaches in most areas of Central Florida.
Sand fleas or small pieces of shrimp are the baits of choice.
Most surf fishermen using long surf rods, two or three dropper hook rigs. and 2 oz. to 5 oz. of lead who get out early in the morning, regardless of the tide, are the ones bringing home fish.
The best bite usually occurs early in the morning from the middle to the end of an incoming tide, however whiting continue to bite throughout the day.
In order to catch whiting, it's not necessary to make long casts like you do when surf fishing for pompano, blues
 or mackerel. Often making short casts to the deeper troughs just a few feet out, using conventional river tackle and a barrel sinker to keep your bait on the bottom, will load up your cooler with fish.
July is also a good time to fish for shark from the beach.
Bonnet heads (like the two to the right), black tips, and nurse sharks can be caught using a variety of fresh baits.
In any event, just don't do it around a crowded beach area. ________________________ Haulover Canal
Haulover Canal fishing is good all year but lately and as the temperatures continue to rise, you can expect some really great fishing for bull redfish, huge black drum, sea trout and an occasional tarpon.
 Last week they were pulling in some huge black drum one  after the other on shrimp and quarter crabs from the canal. This week the black drum bite is reportedly on fire with anglers who are using live shrimp for bait.
The canal is weedy and slightly off color but the fish are oblivious to it.
Some of the boat fishermen have been using single dropper rigs with pyramid sinkers to keep the baits just off the bottom instead of conventional barrel sinker rigs with good success.
Unfortunately, the bank fishermen will just have to put up with the weeds or use weedless paddletail baits.
Till Next Month, Good Fishing & Tight Lines To You All! | |||||
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