Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast,
September 2008
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As hurricane season progresses and the summer squalls move north in the Atlantic, the prevailing summer breezes will begin to switch from the southeast to the northeast. This transition signals the beginning of the fall migration of all critters preferring warmer climates. These gradual shifts also marks the beginning of the fall fishing season as hordes of baitfish, primarily silver mullet, and predatory species begin their southerly migration along the beach and through the Indian River Lagoon.
In my experience, baitfish move south in pulses or waves, rather than a continuous flow, so finding the bait is the key to catching fish. One day a particular location will be loaded with bait, and the next day they will be gone. It's hard to predict the magnitude and duration of the run, but it recent indications prove true, this years run will start early, and like last year, progressing into October and November. Currently bait pods are forming up in all areas of the lagoon, and small concentration of baitfish have already made their presence known around the Port Canaveral jetty and along the beach in the Sebastian area.
Look for snook, tarpon, redfish, bluefish, jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel, sharks, and large kingfish crushing and shadowing bait pods all along the beach. The bait pods are easily located by watching for birds diving and fish working the bait on the surface. Once you've located the bait concentration, simply determine its direction of movement, usually south, and set up in front of it and let them come to you. This is also my preferred time of year to target tarpon and snook along the beach.
The beach snook run has already started with a few fish being reported, and it will begin to pick up substantially, just in time for the opening of snook season on September 1st. When fishing from the beach, I prefer using live finger mullet as bait, match the hatch. Fish the very edge of the beach, just beyond the whitewater, and walk along the beach letting your bait drift along in the direction of tidal flow. This technique will allow bait to cover more ground and help keep your bait in the strike zone.
Near-shore, good numbers of kingfish will continue to work the beaches, Port Canaveral buoy line, and the inshore reefs and wrecks in 70 to 120 feet of water. When targeting kingfish, slow trolling live pogies (Atlantic menhaden) on stainless steel stinger rigs is the preferred method. Also as the water temperatures cool, look for the large rays to move into shallower water bringing cobia with them. In Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet look for flounder, mangrove snapper, redfish and snook around the jetties and other structures, and tripletail, barracuda, and cobia under the Canaveral buoy cans.
Inshore, sea trout are still plentiful on the deeper edges of the grass flats, with the best bite happening at first light and sunset. Also look for ladyfish, tarpon, and jacks to be mixed in. When targeting these fish, work top water plugs for explosive action. Near the end of the month, start looking for the pompano and flounder to begin moving out of the lagoon through the inlets into the near shore waters along the beach. Also watch for the larger redfish to begin forming up just outside Sebastian Inlet feeding on small baitfish and small blue crabs washing out with the tide.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
No comments:
Post a Comment