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The Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River

Anglers who managed to brave the windy conditions and wet a line last month had some pretty great fishing throughout most of the Mosquito Lagoon and northern Indian River for big redfish, black drum, and a few gator trout in the 5 to 8 pound category. 

The western flats along Bio Lab Road in the southern section of the lagoon has been providing some good fishing opportunities for both fly fishing purists and topwater fishermen, especially in the very early morning hours and towards dusk.  The guys that have been targeting those flats have been catching redfish and sea trout on live fingerling mullet or topwater plugs fished around the mullet schools.

These flats are scattered with slot size redfish and sea trout of all sizes with schools showing up on occasion.   The weeds, wind, and dingy water conditions present the biggest challenge to anglers wade fishing this area right now.  You usually wind up spooking a lot of fish that are holding around the potholes before you can sight cast them.

There has been another algae bloom in the Mosquito Lagoon which has colored the water in the shallows, but no fish kills have been reported as of this date.

Starting this month, the fishing pressure in the lagoons will start to decrease and as the water temperatures continue to drop, the schools of redfish will settle into their usual winter feeding patterns.  This is when you should be able to find redfish schools tailing on the dark bottom flats and on the back sides of the flats in very shallow water.

Normally during the winter months, the water in the lagoons will start to clear up.  Starting this month and throughout the winter, you will see more fly fishermen breaking out their 8 or 9 wt. fly rods and heading out to the warmer water flats in search of trophy bull redfish "on the fly".     Almost any crab fly will work for tailing reds, and small baitfish patterns like those below are good for scattered reds and sea trout.
 

 

                                 
                                                             

In the Indian and Banana Rivers right now, the sea trout, redfish, and black drum are scattered all over the place.     Look for finger mullet cruising along the shorelines mixed in with big mullet. When you can find them, you will also find the redfish and the sea trout.

Some snook and juvenile tarpon are still hanging around the creek mouths, creeks, ditches, overhanging mangroves, and residential canals chasing glass minnows.   Locate the glass minnows and you can bet a snook or tarpon will be in the area.

On a fly rod, any minnow pattern will get you a hookup.  On a light spinning outfit, try a small jerkbait or a Creme type paddletail soft bait scented with some Pro-Cure.  Anything that resembles a glass minnow will catch fish if they are in the area.

If you're after big black drum, target the deep water bridges along the ICW and Haulover Canal.  The guys have been catching some nice black drum on cut shrimp, cut crab, and jigs smeared up with some Pro-Cure or Bang scent.

Although Peacocks Pocket road is closed and overgrown with weeds, the reds and sea trout don't seem to care.    If you're up to the task and want to get in some cardio, pack a couple of rods with soft baits, a gold spoon or two, and a Chug Bug or other topwater bait and take a hike up the road.   The fishing is really tough but you can hunt out feeding fish along the banks and hook into some decent sea trout and reds.

East Gator Creek, Patillo Creek, and the creeks at north Shiloh Road are also producing sea trout, snook, reds, and juvenile tarpon if you hit it right.  The bite changes day by day, but when the water is up in the creeks and a slight breeze is on the water, the odds of a hookup increase dramatically.   Topwater baits and plastic paddletail baits smeared with Pro-Cure are my baits of choice.

The live bait guys in the northern part of the Indian River have been catching some nice oversize redfish on cut baits, cut crab, and live mullet.  A lot of guys walk in past the barrier at Shiloh Road and bank fish the area, usually in the late afternoon.

                                                          
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Offshore  and Nearshore Fishing

Offshore fishing during November outside of Port Canaveral is always dependent on weather conditions.

For the past weeks the ocean has been "bumpy" offshore and there hasn't been much offshore activity to report however,  the guys that have been getting out there in the bigger boats between Ponce and Canaveral have been chasing dolphin, wahoo, kingfish, and sailfish with some success.

Last week the water has been pretty dirty all the way out to 27, and the bite for Mahi has been pretty slow compared to previous weeks.   Although live bait has been scarce this past week, possibly because of the Red Tide, a few hefty blackfins and decent sized kingfish in the 30 pound range were caught on spinning minnows.   

Anglers slow trolling the deeper water along the color changes and floating debris have been reporting catches of smoker kings, mahi, wahoo, sailfish, and Blackfin tuna.

The forecasts out of Port Canaveral are for better weather, so hopefully during the upcoming weeks the seas will calm down and the water will clean up for some better fishing this month.
 

When there is a window to get offshore this week, Tilefish should be a good target for deep droppers out of the Port.  Anglers fishing cut baits in 500 to 800 feet of water had been limiting out on Tilefish.

Bottom fishermen on the 70 to 125 foot wrecks and reefs out of Ponce Inlet have been catching snapper and triggers on cut baits when they can make it out.

The 15 to 30 foot depths in the Canaveral Bight is always good fishing and this month should be productive for oversize redfish and shark.    Although most anglers use live or cut baits on sliding sinker rigs with just enough weight to hold bottom, a few guys like to bounce big Cobia jigs along the bottom tipped with belly strip or live bait . 

 

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Surf Fishing

During November there may still be scattered pods of baitfish along our beaches, but the heavy surf makes surf fishing a challenge.  One thing is certain, you can have the beach all to yourself if you choose to brave the elements.

Until the Pompano start to show up, whiting, black drum, Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel, Snook, and jacks will be the main targets for surf fishermen.  

When the water temperatures drop, the Pompano bite should perk up and as the cold fronts pass by, more and more anglers will start to hit our beaches after Pompano.

Along Playalinda Beach, the fish usually begin to show up in good numbers during November or December.   The best way to tell if the bite is on, is to check out the local bait shops or take a drive along the beach to see which areas have the most vehicles.  

Since the last hurricane, the beach at Playalinda has changed drastically and the area Lots that were holding good numbers of Pompano last year will need to be reassessed.
When the Pomps do arrive, look for the deeper troughs and pitch live sand fleas, cut clams, Fishbites, or small pieces of shrimp to them on an 8' or 9' spinning rod, a reel loaded with 10 to 20 lb test monofilament line, and a 2 or 3 hook dropper rig with a pyramid sinker heavy enough to hold bottom. 

If you're targeting bluefish or Spanish mackerel, put a chunk of mullet or a live finger mullet on a long shank hook with a heavy fluorocarbon leader to prevent cutoffs. 

If the bluefish are running along the beache in good numbers, it's easier to catch them with silver Krocodile spoons or shallow lipped diving plugs with short wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader.
 

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Haulover Canal

Haulover Canal fishermen have recently been catching big black drum and bull redfish into the 30 pound category.
 
A fresh section of blue crab right on the bottom on a knocker or a sliding sinker rig, or large select shrimp is beyond a doubt the best way to hook into a big black drum at Haulover. 

A lot of guys are using Power Pro braid, heavy fluorocarbon leaders, and 4/0 to 6/0  VMC circle hooks as terminal tackle when targeting these guys to minimize breakoffs on the coquina outcroppings.

Night fishing from the bank is not permitted at Haulover, but boaters night fishing the canal regularly catch black drum, oversize bull redfish, big sea trout, and snook along the shorelines.
 
Starting this month and into the winter months, Haulover Canal and the deeper waters around our area bridges will be especially productive for big black drum.   
 
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Till Next Month, Good Fishing & Tight Lines To You All