I spoke with Don at Fishin Cove Bait & Tackle in New Smyrna today. He was telling me that fishing is great inshore and offshore, with a large variety of fish being caught.
Inshore - Look for redfish in the inlet, especially on an out going tide. Live shrimp and finger mullet are the best baits along with clams. Flounder are in the intercoastal on sand and shell bottom. Bounce a shrimp, mud minnow, or clam across the bottom to find flounder. Lots of speckled trout re being caught on grass flats and drop offs in the intercoastal. Finger mullet and shrimp are the best baits. Tarpon are heavy in the river. Pinfish, mullet, and crabs will jump many tarpon. Snook are biting in the inlet and on the beach. Pinfish and mullet are good baits. Snook season is closed so bend down the barbs on your hooks, land the fish as quickly as is possible, and spend extra time reviving your snook before releasing it.
Offshore - King mackerel are thick near shore. Slow troll live bait, frozen ballyhoo, or large spoons for kings. Dolphin fishing is good around weed lines and floating debris inside of the Gulf Stream. Troll the weeds with live bait, ballyhoo, and skirted lures until you locate the dolphin, then drift and cast live bait or cut bait on medium action spinning gear. Sailfish and wahoo are in the same areas as the dolphin. Troll your baits deeper in the water column to catch sails and wahoo. Snapper fishing is excellent and grouper are biting well on near shore wrecks and drop offs. Pinfish, and sardines fished on the bottom will produce lots of grouper, red snapper and mangrove snapper. Yellowtail snapper are on wrecks in the Gulf Stream. Shrimp are the best bait for yellowtails. For more information contact;
Fishin Cove Bait & Tackle
386-428-6781
129 N Riverside Dr
New Smyrna, FL 32168
