The Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River

September 1st. heralds the re-opening of Snook season throughout East Central Florida, which means that we can again harvest keep some of our catch for the table.

Although Sebastian Inlet is noted for the abundance of Snook in the Inlet and around the jetties, good numbers of Snook are starting to stack up around the inlets and jetties at Ponce Inlet and Port Canaveral.  

Right now the mullet are still north of us in the North East region, but we're starting to see good numbers of Menhaden, Croakers, and Pinfish coming in around our inlets.

Once the mullet hit our area, the Snook bite will really blow up in Ponce, Canaveral, and Sebastian. 

Most of the guys fishing the inlets are using 50# fluorocarbon leaders and 30# to 50# Sufix 832 braided line because it casts farther and holds up better along the rocks and pilings.

The bridge fenders along the north and south causeway bridge in New Smyrna, and the fenders along the A1A bridge that goes over Sebastian Inlet are also great places to catch Snook throughout the year, but in the next couple of weeks there will be some fantastic Snook fishing in these and the Canaveral area.

This past month, the local guides have been targeting the Snook and sea trout in the Mosquito Lagoon early in the mornings around the bait schools on the shallow grass flats with plugs and twitch baits.  

Although the north Indian River in our area is not known for Snook, night fishing along the lighted docks, bridge fenders, pilings, and mangrove shorelines is especially productive during September. 

Rapala has a new X-Rap in the Mullet color which should work great when the mullet run gets down here, and another in the Pinfish color that looks fantastic in the water.   Later on in the day, fish the deeper water areas with soft plastic or live baits.

Most of the Snook that are being caught right now are running from 28" to 44" in length.

For all of you fly fishermen who are looking to score a heavyweight redfish on the fly; the north Indian River in late August and September is the place to be.

Big brooding females along with the smaller males gang up into tight schools this time of the year and seek out the deeper water flats of the northernmost Indian River, north of Titusville past the raised railroad bridge that supplies the Kennedy Space Center.   

The fish in the Mosquito Lagoon and north Indian River spend their lives in the lagoon system and unlike other populations, do not migrate offshore to spawn.   Instead, they travel through Haulover Canal to seek out deeper waters of the north Indian River to spawn.

The 5 to 8 foot depths of the river are prime areas to target these fish which average 20 pounds, but frequently reach 30 to 35 pounds.

Several IGFA fly rod records have been made with Indian River redfish, among them a 32 pounder on a 12 pound tippet by Christine Perez.

If you're going after one of these bull redfish on the fly; a 9 weight outfit with floating or sinking line is recommended as the bare minimum.  

Large 3 1/2"" to 5" flies like the "Indian River Redfish Fly" (left) or any other large silhouette body fly, will get you a hookup if they're eating.

At certain times, especially a during full moon phase, you can see dozens to hundreds of spawning redfish concentrated in tight schools.  Quite a sight!

For fishermen using conventional gear, a large fresh cut chunk of ladyfish, half of a fresh crab, a live pigfish, or a jumbo live shrimp on a 5/0 to 7/0 VMC hook will get you a hookup if the fish are in the area. 

Gold spoons, large jerkbaits, and at times top water baits smeared up with some Pro-Cure Inshore formula also work well for you artificial bait fishermen.

In the Mosquito Lagoon, live bait fishermen using fresh cut ladyfish have been catching slot size redfish in the potholes between Widgeon Bay and Galliniper Point.

A few gator size sea trout are also being caught in the Mosquito Lagoon near the mullet schools on Skitterwalks and other top water baits early in the morning at dawn and later in the evening at dusk.   During the rest of the day, try chasing  after redfish,  ladyfish and tarpon, or better yet, get yourself a brew.

 

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Nearshore And Offshore Fishing

The King Mackerel that have been closer to the beach during the summer are now in their spawning mode and have moved off into the deeper 80 to 120 foot wrecks and reefs.

Pelican Flats, Bethel Shoals, Chris Benson, The Party Grounds, and East Eleven are all good places to slow troll live baits right now.  Strip baits, spoons, and lipped diving plugs like the Rapala CD-14 or the new X-Rap Magnum 15 are all working well.  The Rapala Magnum series XRap and the CD14 in the black and silver pattern, are solid "catchers" for king mackerel out of Port Canaveral.   The plugs work best first thing in the morning, and on overcast days.

Most of the Kingfish that are being caught right now aren't real big "smokers",  but they are averaging 12 to 16 pounds.    Slow trolling stinger rigs between 1 and 1.5 knots seems to be producing the best results.  Don't be surprised if a sailfish, blackfin tuna, mahi or an occasional cobia comes into your spread.

Most of the bigger kingfish have been taken on downriggers by guys trolling ribbonfish.

Mangrove Snapper, which are usually considered an offshore species, have been coming in following the mullet and baitfish along the oyster bars, pilings, and rocky areas along the bridges.  

Fish for them using smaller or cut baits with a small lake shot or enough weight to just hold bottom on a little VMC circle hook.  The little fish will start to pick away at the bait until a bigger fish comes along and hammers it. 

Some good areas to fish right now are around the sea walls and bridge pilings throughout the Ponce Inlet area, and all along the Halifax River.    Also check out the areas around the bridge pilings on the 528 bridge, the Pineda Causeway bridge in the Indian and Banana Rivers, and any of the Inlets in our area.

Most of the Mangrove Snapper that are being caught right now are running 1 to 3 pounds.

If you like to catch flounder, this is the time of the year you have been waiting for.  They have finally started showing up in the 35 to 90 foot depths out of Ponce Inlet and out of Port Canaveral.

Flounder generally strike small baits like fingerling mullet, mud minnows, etc. and the best way to catch them is to put them on a jig head, knocker rig, or a sliding sinker rig with a very short leader to keep the bait right on the bottom.  They will usually not come up for a bait which is why a lot of guys fishing sliding sinker rigs with longer leaders don't do well with them.

Tarpon and Shark have been following the shrimp boats outside of Ponce Inlet vacuuming up the by-catch.  A bunch of guys are having a ball fishing with freshly culled shrimp by-catch from the shrimp boats, on large VMC circle hooks.   Some of the tarpon are in the 100 pound plus range.

 

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