Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 9-2012

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report


Hurricane Isaac swung well to the west of us but still brought plenty of rain and high winds to the area. The water levels in the Lagoons rose nearly one foot but have since receded and are holding about six inches higher than they were pre-storm.

The question on may people's minds is what effect, if any, it had on the algae bloom that has been plaguing our region. I travelled over 70 miles through both the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon this week and saw a wide range of conditions. Some areas are so cloudy you can barely see six inches while others have crystal clear water. The stained water still has fish in some areas but they are certainly harder to see unless they are tailing. The good news is that all the fish I found were happy to eat a variety of lures and flies even with a full moon overhead.

Trout fishing last month was especially productive. Large trout could be found both on the shallow flats and along sandbars. DOA 5.5" CAL tails with a Woodies Rattle landed the most fish.



Bill sight cast to this big trout with a DOA CAL

Average size trout could be hooked by the dozens using jigs and bucktails. Michael and his father enjoyed over an hour of non-stop catching using a 1/4 ounce jighead and a DOA curly tail. Barbless hooks made for quick catch and release action.



One of Michael's many seatrout

If the pinfish or puffers get too thick, switch to bucktails or a castmaster type spoon.

Unfortunately, the big tarpon that had been so prevalent before the storm seem to have moved on. Small tarpon can still be found in the creeks and canals and we have been catching quite a few on regular and tiny TerrorEyz.

The redfish bite this week was excellent. DOA shrimp, Baitbusters, Aqua Dreams pinfish spoon, bendback flies, and crab flies all caught fish. There is a huge variety of baitfish on the flats and the fish are feeding on anything they can get.



This big redfish ate a Baitbuster

During the next two months, the redfish will be very aggressive as they feast in anticipation of winter. This is one of the best times to catch them on topwater lures. Try to avoid using multiple treble hooks, especially on the trophy sized fish that must be released. These hooks can cause lots of damage to the fish. Use a DOA Baitbuster or refit your existing plugs with a single circle hook.

Schools of glass minnows can still be found by looking for diving terns. The ladyfish, jacks, trout, and sailcats can provide some great light tackle and fly fishing fun.


Upcoming Seminars

Saturday September 22, 2012 - 10:00 to Noon (Free Seminar) "Successful Saltwater Flats Angling Tactics" Instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn and Chris Myers. Located at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave. Apopka

Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Fishing Fishing Report,
July 9, 2012
By Captain Tom Van Horn


Upcoming Seminars and Events, July 2012
Saturday July 21st , 10:00 to 12 Noon "Free Seminar" Class 6 of Fundamentals of Flats Fishing series, "Catching and Using Natural Baits on the Flats" instructed by Captain Chris Myers, located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com.

Thursday July 26th - 6:30 P.m. to 8:30 p.m. "Free Seminars" "Summertime Inshore Tactics for Redfish and Sea Trout" instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers, located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com.


This Weeks Fishing Report
Fishing on the Indian River Lagoon Coast this past week has been hot, hot, and very hot. The summer heat is on, so an early start has been producing some excellent catches this week both inshore and offshore.

On the lagoon, the key has been an early start and finding clean water. The alga bloom has started, turning some areas of the Lagoon green, so keep looking until you find clean water and bait schools.



Kyle's Respectable IRL Redfish

Yesterday I had the privilege of fishing with John Lapotaire and his sons Kyle and Cory, a father and sons team in celebration and a belated Father's Day together. We started fishing at first light and quickly located a school of large tailing redfish. We also caught seven large sea trout on DOA Baitbusters.

Nearshore, the tarpon have arrived along the beach feeding on pogy schools just outside the surf line. Most of the fish were taken south of Patrick AFB, and some kingfish were caught on the buoy line.

As always, if you need more information or have questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water

Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, it's Where my adventures begins!

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 6-23-2012

Central Florida Sight Fishing
June 23, 2012
by Capt. Chris Myers

While the fishing has been quite good as we officially enter the beginning of summer, the weather has been anything but. Another subtropical system is currently engulfing the state bring more clouds and rain, the enemy of the sight fisherman. It seems like the past month has brought a higher than average amount of wind and clouds to central Florida. Hopefully, we will return to a more normal pattern soon.

When the weather has cooperated, the fishing has been quite good. The water level in the Lagoon system is nearly one foot higher than it usually is this time of year. This gives the fish more places to roam and you are likely to find them in some unusual and unexpected places. Fortunately, we have not experienced the heavy algae bloom that invaded our waters last year. Most of the flats are clear. When the sun is out, sight fishing is excellent.

On one of the nicer weather days, Jay and Marc joined me for an outstanding day on the flats. Numerous redfish and trout were landed on a variety of baits and flies including DOA Baitbusters and CALs and some of Jay's secret baitfish pattern flies.





Last week, I made my annual trip to the DOA Outdoor Writers Event in Stuart. On the first day, I fished with Homosassa Guide and writer Capt. William Toney. We used the Holographic 1/4 ounce shrimp to catch a variety of trout, flounder, snapper, lookdowns, jacks, and snook. The following day I fished with Cheryl and Polly. We stayed around the St. Lucie Inlet hoping for a giant snook. We found some huge fish hugging the bottom and tied on some 1/4 jigheads with a 3 inch holographic paddle tail CAL. Ceryl hooked up first but the huge fish cut through the 30lb leader. A few minutes later, Polly stuck a 37 inch snook and landed it using 10 pound braid. It was her largest snook to date.



Back in Mosquito Lagoon, I teamed up with Capt. Drew Cavanaugh for a day of scouting and fun fishing. We found some hungry redfish and had a blast watching them crush the Baitbuster on the surface. Check out my Youtube page for a short video of a topwater redfish bite. I also hooked several large fish using the BFL 5.5 lure.





On my charter the following day, the conditions were not quite as good and sight fishing was difficult. George managed to land several nice trout and a half dozen redfish casting a 5.5 inch CAL with a Woodies Rattle in areas where the fish were holding.



Despite a forecast of clouds and high winds, David elected to keep his charter date for Thursday. It turned out to be an excellent decision. The morning started out clear and calm. We started off looking for tarpon. There were none to be found. The redfish, however, were happy to play. David landed three reds over 34 inches on the Baitbuster before the clouds moved in and we lost our visibility.The rest of the morning was spent blind casting which produced several more redfish and a nice trout.





Yesterday's trip, along with next Monday's had to be rescheduled due to bad weather. When this current system passes through, look for the steady redfish and trout action to continue. With the high water, many of the flats are too deep to see tailing fish. The high water is allowing fish to get close to the shore and into the back bays and coves which are usually too shallow for both boats and fish during the summer. Finding the redfish can take some time and effort on some days. The easiest fishing can be had on the deeper edges of the flats around mullet schools. Topwater baits, as well as jigs with soft plastics can produce some fast action for trout and ladyfish. Pinching off the barbs will make it easier on the fish and the person doing the dehooking. Fly anglers can use weighted flies such as a clouser minnow pattern in the same areas.


Upcoming Seminars
July 2 - Fly Casting - This 4 hour class from 9-1 covers the basics needed to start fly casting. It is also helpful in tuning up and improving your existing cast. Pre-registration is required. Class is $75 and limited to 6 students. Call 321-229-2848. Held at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka


July 21 - Fishing with Live Baits - Capt. Tom Van Horn and I continue our flats fishing series with a free seminar on catching and fishing with live baits. Mosquito Creek outdoors, Apopka, 10am


Captain Chris Myers
321-229-2848
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
cmyers@floridafishinglessons.com

Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, June 14, 2012
By Captain Tom Van Horn




Up Coming Events and Seminars

Saturday July 21st , 10:00 to 12 Noon "Free Seminar" Class 6 of Fundamentals of Flats Fishing series , "Catching and Using Natural Baits on the Flats" instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers, located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com.

Thursday July 26th - 6:30 P.m. to 8:30 p.m. "Free Seminars" "Summertime Inshore Tactics for Redfish and Sea Trout" instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers, located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com.



This Week's Fishing Report

My angling adventures this past week carried me away from the central lagoon coast to an exotic location where I was privileged to attend the D.O.A. Outdoor Writers Conference held at the River Palms Cottages in Jensen Beach Florida. Hosted by Captain Mark Nichols and his DOA family, the event also included two days of fishing with members of the D.O.A. Pro Staff. This invitation only event provides an opportunity to rub shoulders with an exceptional group of outdoor journalist and industry experts while learning about and fished with D.O.A.'s newest product innovations.

The setting for the three day event was the River Palms Cottages in Jensen Beach. Staying at River Palms is just like stepping into a tropical paradise. This low-key resort presents the feel of a far away tropical island were the exotic flora and the lagoon beach draws all of the life's tension from your bones as soon as you step foot on the premises. The resorts owners have planted hundreds of exotic tropical fruit trees and shrubs on the property giving you the feeling of a coastal jungle paradise. Located just minutes from the St. Lucie Inlet the resort features a large outdoor pavilion, deep water access dock, swimming pool and white sandy beach. For those of you reading this report, there is no need to travel thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars to escape to a tropical paradise, simply book a few days at the River Palms instead (http://www.riverpalmcottages.com).


River Palms Cottages


River Palms looking east

On my first day of fishing, I had the pleasure of spending the day with Captain John Irwin form Charleston South Carolina and Captain John Young as our guide. Our plan was to start out fishing for big trout just south of Fort Pierce on the IRL but only landed several smaller trout and mangrove snapper on a 3 inch DOA Golden Glow shrimp. Next we ventured back to the St Lucie River and I caught a nice 30 inch snook fishing the bridges on the old reliable brown dog (rootbeer Terror Eyz). Although the bite was slow and we didn't catch a lot, we had great fun and there were some larger snook caught by other boats.


Captain John Young with a St Lucie Inlet Sunrise



Captain John Young with a St Lucie Inlet Snook

On my second day I fished again with Captain John Young and we targeted the south jetty of the St Lucie Inlet, catching several smaller male snook before sunrise, again on the Golden Glow 3 inch DOA Shrimp. The remainder of the morning was the same old story you hear from snook fisherman, missed two big fish, one came unbutton at the boat and the other cut me off on a dock.

Although my escape was quite and enjoyable, strong easterly winds made fishing conditions tough, but with the support of the DOA Pro Staff Guides and some hardcore anglers, we still managed to catch quite a few snook over 30 pounds. The big females were holding up in the inlet near the "Hole in the Wall", as they fell victim to the big Terror Eyz in the rootbeer/gold glitter color bounced on the bottom during the falling tide. For me, I managed to catch four snook from 18 to 30 inched fishing docks, jetties and bridges.

In closing, I would like to also thank Hobie Kayaks, Minn-Kota, seagar fishing line and Eagle Claw, for co-sponsoring the event and my guide, Captains John Young() for putting me on fish despite the blustery conditions.

As always, if you need more information or have any questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187

For all of your outdoor needs, check out www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begins!

Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
June 8, 2012
By Captain Tom Van Horn



Captain John's Respectable Sea Trout

This Week's Fishing Report
As many of you who live here in the sunshine state know, our sunshine this week has mostly been in the liquid form, with squally conditions dominating our forecast. Although it's been a little wet, the fishing has still been very good on the inshore flats and on the St Johns River for those willing to venture out into the rain, and God knows he's doing us a favor as we really need some relief from our extremely dry conditions.

My first adventure last week was a trip to the Banana River Lagoon No-Motor Zone with my good friend Captain John Kumiski. The winds were from the southwest at about 5 knots, so we selected to fish the area I refer to as the middle bar. John was throwing fly (popper bug) and I was fishing with a shallow running DOA Bait Buster, and we commenced to wear out the sea trout. Between us, we caught at least 30 trout with a good number surpassing the two foot mark. I know you have already heard me say this, but I'll say it again, this has been the best sea trout action I've experienced in years with not only good numbers coming to the boat, but also sizable fish as well. The trick is the same as always, find concentrated mullet schools and you'll find trout.

My next adventure was a trip on Sunday with Les and Denise who were one of the winners at the Orlando Predators/Fish on Fire giveaway, and we decided to fish in the North IRL near Titusville. We started early to beat the weekend crowed, but the bite was very flat because of the full moon. For some reason, flats fishing is always tough for me during the full moon. I think the fish are very active, feeding all night, and them they are fat and lazy during the day. Although the bite was tough in the morning, it turned on around 1 p.m., and we ended the day with some very respectable fish. Most of our fish were caught on top water Skitterwalks and Chug Bugs, and Denise also did well on 3 inch DOA CAL Paddle Tails.

My last adventure was on Wednesday, where I fished the First Annual Catfish Challenge on the St Johns River. The recent rain has the river water levels rising and the catfish moving. The challenge was between three boats to see who could catch the most largemouth bass and catfish, and I was teamed up with Mark Blyth, sports editor for the Orlando Sentinel. Well to make a long story short, we won the event catching 17 channel and blue catfish, with two over 10 pounds on fresh dead shrimp. I love catching the larger catfish on light tackle, and I look forward to the first significant rainfall of the year to get these fish moving.

As always, if you need more information or have any questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
(407) 416-1187
http://www.irl-fishing.com
mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com

Indian River Sight Fishing 4-19-2012

Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
April 19, 2012
by Capt. Chris Myers

There has been one word to describe the fishing that last couple months - Outstanding. The flats fishing for redfish and trout could not get much better here in Mosquito Lagoon. Many of the redfish are still in schools and it is not unusual to have well over 1,000 fish per day pass by the boat. Even on the "slower" days there have been hundreds of fish for anglers to cast at. Both the redfish and trout have been feeding aggressively.

For topwater action, the DOA shallow running Baitbuster lure reeled along the surface has produced some spectacular action. Both species will readily attack this lure. With lots of loose grass floating on the surface now, standard plugs with treble hooks can be difficult to use. In addition to the Baitbuster, the DOA CAL in the 3, 4, and 5.5 inch model have also been catching both redfish and trout every day. Add a Woodies Rattle to the bait if you are blind casting for more bites.

For fly fishing, use a soft landing bendback style fly when the winds are calm and the water is shallow. Later in the day, switch to lead eye crab or shrimp patterns to get down quickly. Lots of baitfish are on the flats so pinfish and mullet style flies will also work well. All must have a weedguard. Some days there are tailing fish in every direction and the next there are just as many fish but not one tail breaks the surface. Having sun is the most important factor when fly fishing.

Unlike the past couple years, this has been an excellent spring for seatrout. The younger and smaller fish have been plentiful in 2-4 feet of water and can be caught by the dozens. Ultralight spinning tackle provides added entertainment. The 1-2 foot depths with a mix of grass and sand have been holding the larger female trout. Unfortunately, some anglers have been putting these trophy breeding fish in the coolers. The bite is the best it has been, however, since the devastating freeze of 2010. On clear days, you can sight fish them in the white sand holes. An easier method is to blind cast likely spots using a 5.5 inch DOA CAL and long casts. Trout are much more delicate than redfish and must be handled with care if they are to survive release. I would encourage all anglers to release the big females to help ensure a healthy population for years to come. With an increased commercial trout limit and longer season this year, the big fish in our Lagoon have even less of a chance to survive.

Phil had shots at lots of redfish and trout on his first adventure to Mosquito Lagoon. He especially enjoyed battling this big black drum.




The following day my clients had shots as hundreds of redfish throughout the morning but only one cast came close enough to the fish to get a bite. Later, they had a chance at a school of 20-30 pound redfish and ended the day catching numerous seatrout.

Dave started out the day landing a redfish on the Baitbuster and continued catching them on the three inch paddle tail as well.




After dropping him off, I went out to check some other spots. It was a successful afternoon with 4 reds on the DOA shrimp and 4 more on a rootbeer colored redfish worm fly.




Some high winds moved in for the next several days changing the water level slightly and moving the fish around. Things settled down after a couple days and the fishing was hot. Trevor had never fished the flats but had a great morning catching redfish on Baitbusters and CALs.




Seven year old Chase wanted to catch a redfish for his birthday. He could handle a spinning rod as good as many adults and slayed the trout on the DOA Deadly Combo as well as a 1/4 ounce jig. The redfish were not as plentiful in the morning as I had hoped. We finally found them just when the wind started to pick up but Chase got his wish.







Big schools of fish were roaming the flats this week. Anglers had varying levels of success catching them. The catching ratio had nothing to do with the fish not eating as every time a lure or fly landed properly, it got a bite. Mike and Matt had the most success and started off with this double header of redfish.


The fishing this weekend will be tough with wind, clouds, and rain in the forecast. After the front passes through, look for the excellent action to continue. Lots of lures, baits, and flies will work but they will only get bites if they are in the right spot. The number one thing you can do to catch more fish is practice your casting.

Captain Chris Myers
321-229-2848
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
cmyers@floridafishinglessons.com    

Indian River Fishing Report 2-14 2012

Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
April 14, 2012
By Captain Tom Van Horn

Upcoming Seminars and Events
Saturday April 21st , 10:00 to 12 Noon "Free Seminar", Fundamentals of Flats Fishing Seminar 3 "Lines, Leaders and Practical Knots" instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers, located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com.

Saturday April 28th- 9:39 a.m. Rod Crafters Meeting at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 S. Washington Ave., Apopka, Florida For more details on this event visit www.mosquitocreek.com.

Saturday April 28th - 4th Annual Kayak Swap Saturday at Wekiva Island, 1014 Miami Springs Drive  Longwood, FL 32779 This all day Orlando Kayak Fishing Club event starts at 9am and allows both members and guest to try out club members kayaks. For more details, visit http://www.orlandokayakfishingclub.com.

Saturday May 5th - 12 Noon - 4 p.m., Chevy Florida Insider Fishing Report Tour and Hook Kids on Fishing event. Held at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 S. Washington Ave. Apopka, Florida. For more details on this event visit www.mosquitocreek.com.

Saturday May 5th - Hook Kids on Fishing Program held in conjunction with the Chevy Insider Fishing Report Tour at Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka, www.mosquitocreek.com  Please call 407-464-2000 to register.


This Week's Fishing Report
Fishing on Florida's East Central Coast these past few weeks has been good in many respects and poor in others. In the early mornings, the sea trout bite has been as good as it gets with our best fish coming on top-water plugs at first light. This year, most of the trout coming to the boat are averaging 20 inches and we have been catching then in 12 inches of water or less. We have also been doing well blind casting 3-inch DOA CAL Paddle Tails on a ¼ ounce DOA Jig Hook in those same areas.

Redfish on the other hand have been a bit more challenging with only a few slot fish being caught on a typical charter.


Ernie's Top-water Sea Trout


Steve's early morning sea trout caught on a Hall-Um-In Lure

On the freshwater side, the bass fishing has been off the hook on the St Johns River. For the most part, bass are finished spawning and they are feeding up on menhaden schools. Look for bait schools being pressured in the early morning and late evening and fish with small fin fish imitation lures. Yesterday I bass fished with my good friend Steve Chapman, and between the two of us, we boated over 40 bass in three hours.



Captain Tom's St Johns River Bass


Steve Chapman, host of Florida Fishing Radio Show with a hefty largemouth.

Lastly, I've been hearing good reports of pogies (American menhaden) schools concentrated between the Cocoa Beach Pier and Sebastian Inlet, with some large tarpon mixed in. I know the weather (wind) has been challenging this weekend, but once it settles down, look for a green Maverick Master Angler pulling on tarpon along the beach.

We also have two different Hook Kids on Fishing Programs scheduled in the next few weeks, so if you are interested to helping introduce kids to fishing, please give me a call. The first is at the Conrad Academy on Thursday 8 am morning, and the second is at the Chevy Insider Fishing Report Road show at Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka on May 5th. Our plan on May 5th is to conduct two different clinics with 100 kids in each, so if you know anyone who would like to assist or kids would like to attend; either contact me of Mosquito Creek 407.886.1716directly to register.

As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
(407) 416-1187
http://www.irl-fishing.com
mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com

Let you adventure begin at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, www.mosquitocreek.com

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 4- 2012

Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
April 1, 2012
by Capt. Chris Myers




Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

The Mosquito Lagoon flats fishing has been about as good as it gets these past couple weeks. Except for a couple days of windy weather, both the conditions and the fishing have been outstanding. Anglers have been encountering from 500 to over 1000 fish per day. Our three springtime species, redfish, trout, and black drum, have all been cooperating. Both fly and light tackle anglers are having success on a variety of lures and fly patterns. Big schools of mullet have arrived in the lagoon and the fish are feasting on them.

Richard spent a couple days on the front of my boat this month targeting fish on fly. He had lots of shots at fish and managed to catch all three species. The black redfish worm and bendback patterns were the most successful.





The third day Richard was to go with me, we arrived at the ramp to 20 knot winds. After some consideration, he decided he would rather not go out in the tough conditions. Since I was already there, I hopped in the boat for some fun fishing. The winds unexpectedly dropped and I was able to get in some decent sight fishing. The redfish were very aggressive and willing to eat anything I threw from Baitbusters to topwater to CAL jigs and flies.



The following day we found some large schools of redfish at first light. They would allow the anglers one shot before moving out of range. As the sun got higher, there were consistent shots at single fish on the clear flat. Several redfish were caught and released. They ended the day with some nonstop catching action for trout using a jig and CAL tail in 3-4 feet of water.

Friday was nearly a carbon copy with more schools of redfish. During the day we found a spot holding redfish, trout, and drum well off the beaten path and had shots at them for nearly 2 hours.

Last Monday I had the pleasure of fishing with John Machin and Paul Procter. They are both fly casting instructors in the UK and needed every bit of their skill as it was the only day last week the wind was blowing. As luck would have it, most of the schools were nowhere to be found. Both guys put on a top notch fly casting display, however, catching both black drum and redfish in sustained winds up to 24mph.



Tuesday there was no wind, clear skies, and redfish in every direction. Jon had an excellent day of sight fishing on the flats catching his first Mosquito Lagoon slam.





Tom got to experience some great redfish action using a DOA Baitbuster that he threw to tailing fish. Reeling the bait along the surface to mimic a small mullet, he caught some nice reds and lost a few as well. Later in the day, he finished with some nice seatrout.



The husband and wife team of Ray and Kim were on board for Thursday's trip. Ray landed the first red on a Baitbuster while Kim followed up with several nice drum and a redfish of her own. They then proceeded to catch a trout nearly every cast for the last half hour of the day.



On Friday, Bob and his son Joe made their first trip to Mosquito Lagoon. The action started off good with some nice schools of reds in the first half hour. After a brief lull in the action, we came across plenty of singles and small groups. The day ended with several large trout being caught and released on 5.5" DOA CALs with a Woodies Rattle.



The redfish have turned their focus to mullet and pinfish and have been very aggressive the past few weeks. Lures imitating mullet will be effective on both the redfish and trout. Watch for trophy sized trout to be lying on shallow sand holes. Once you see them moving the chance of getting a bite is significantly reduced. Get the lure or fly to them before they see you and your success rate will be much higher. Look for the outstanding sight fishing to continue through this month.

Captain Chris Myers
321-229-2848
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
cmyers@floridafishinglessons.com 

Indian River Fishing Report 3-16-2012

Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
March 16, 2012
by Capt. Chris Myers

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report
The first two weeks of March have been complete opposites. Last week we experienced high winds and lots of clouds every day except one. This week was a flats fisherman's paradise with calm winds, clear skies, and thousands of happy fish in shallow water. While we caught fish on every trip, even during the windy days, it was much easier and productive this week.


I stared last week with Dave. Despite a forecast of winds between 20 and 30mph, he still wanted to venture out for what would be his only chance to fish Mosquito Lagoon. Fortunately, my boat handles rough water quite well and we found ourselves the only anglers on the flat. We spotted a few fish and a couple schools but nothing like we were hoping for. Still Dave got his first few redfish.

The following day it was nearly as windy as I set out with Neal. Clouds were hampering our sight fishing and the school of large reds we were on kept managing to sneak out of our view. It was a tough day fishing but Neal's first and only redfish topped the 20 pound mark.



The next three days I spent fishing with injured veterans from Afghanistan. Wounded Warrior Outdoors is a non-profit organization that provides therapeutic outdoor adventures to injured active duty personnel. The participating soldiers come directly from military hospitals and the activity is part of their ongoing rehab. If you want to thank a soldier for their sacrifice, I highly recommend supporting this program. I had the pleasure of fishing with Jacob and Seth, both Marines, for what was their first saltwater fishing trips. We did not get the best of weather and had to spend much of our time hiding in protected areas in the northern Lagoon. We were able to get some calmer weather the second day which allowed the guys to experience sight fishing for tailing drum. They caught a variety of fish over the days including redfish, black drum, trout, bluefish, ladyfish, jack crevalle, and more.









This Monday, the winds subsided, the skies cleared, and the sight fishing was red hot. Richard and his son Ryan landed double digit redfish on DOA CAL tails before finishing the day with some seatrout on the Deadly Combo.

Tuesday, Nick and I found ourselves surrounded by hundreds of tailing redfish throughout the morning. Every cast that landed on target resulted in a bite. The schools eventually moved off and we spend the remainder of the day with nonstop shots and single redfish.



Billy and Frank experienced similar conditions the following day. The three inch DOA CAL in the new Bloodworm color resulted in multiple bites. Later in the morning, we found some incredible seatrout action catching and releasing over 30 fish.



Irl was my final client this week. Tailing redfish again greeted us at first light. He used a silver and green bendback fly to fool several reds. Irl had some shots at black drum and 20-30 pound redfish during the day but could not convince them to eat.



Schools of finger mullet are pouring back into the Lagoon and the pinfish are making their appearance as well. Topwater baits will produce but most areas have lots of floating grass that lifted up off the shorelines as the water levels rose. For tailing reds, the 3 and 4 inch DOA CAL has been very effective along with the 3 inch shrimp. Fly anglers should use an unweighted fly that will land softly when casting to tailing fish on calm mornings.

Captain Chris Myers
321-229-2848
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
cmyers@floridafishinglessons.com   

Central Florida Sight Fishing 3- 2012

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report
The Mosquito Lagoon fishing has been excellent the past couple weeks. Clear water has allowed us to sight fish for redfish, drum, and seatrout on the shallow flats when the sun was out. The fish have been plentiful but will not stick around an approaching boat for long. They are eager to eat, however, and well placed casts have resulted in lots of hookups. A black redfish worm has been working well for fly anglers. The DOA Baitbuster, a 5.5 inch CAL in golden bream or the 3 inch CAL have all caught numerous large trout and redfish.

Dave and Mark got to fish on two of the best weather days during the past couple weeks. We didn't get as much sun as we hoped but we still saw multiple large schools of redfish. Fish were caught on both fly and spin gear.







Jason and Dave had to brave some high winds but enjoyed an excellent day of catching redfish and trout. The golden bream CAL with a Woodies Rattle accounted for most of the fish.







This week, I fished with Canadian angler Pascal on a cloudy and windy day. Sight fishing was tough but he did manage to land several drum along with some trout. He nearly had a redfish several times to complete his slam but each one got off before he landed them.



Thursday's anglers had shots at well over 1,000 fish in large schools. Unfortunately, they were never able to get a bait in front of a fish. After dropping them off, I went out to do some prospecting and discovered several spots holding large seatrout. I caught nearly a dozen using an ultralight rod, 5lb braid, and a DOA 5.5 inch CAL with a Woodies Rattle. I also caught some on a weedless soft plastic topwater bait that may be available later this year.

With water temperatures in the middle to upper 70's on most days, the pinfish and other baits are returning to the flats. Topwater baits are already producing good bites and will only get better during this month. This is a good time of year to catch a trophy sized seatrout in less than 2 feet of water. On bright sunny days, you can sight fish them in the shallow sand holes. When clouds are present, you will never see them until it is too late. If you must blind cast, make long casts targeting sandy areas. Many big trout will run directly at the boat after they strike. If you feel the slightest bump, reel quickly or you will miss lots of bites. Big trout are much more delicate than redfish and must be handled with care. Have you camera ready before taking them out of the water. Trout have large mouths and often are hooked inside the mouth. Using barbless hooks and having a dehooking tool will help ensure a successful release.

Captain Chris Myers
321-229-2848
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
cmyers@floridafishinglessons.com