The month of March is here and spring is upon us. As cold temperatures begin fade, many anglers will welcome the opportunity to soak up some warm Florida sunshine. With an average high of nearly 70 degrees, anglers from all over central Florida will not be able to resist the chance to get out there and wet a line.
As spring like conditions returns, water levels will begin to rise slightly in the both the Indian and Banana Rivers as well as the No Motor Zone. The rising water will help bring schools of slot size redfish to the flats. On bright sunny days, fishermen will need to pay close attention to the sandy pot holes on the flats. It is here where tailing redfish will be most active and love to hide. Scented jerk baits such as Good Penny 5" BLURP Saltwater Shad will work well when rigged weedless and fished slowly. In addition, Nemire's Spin Ripper Lure-Spinner Bait-24Kt Gold Single Blade attached to ten inches of fifteen pound test mono leader and ten pound test Power Pro should work equally as well. If you are in search of larger reds, a fresh chunk of ladyfish, mullet or blue crab will be just the ticket when fished near drop-offs in two to three feet of water.
For anglers who fish inside Port Canaveral or near the port, get ready to hold on tight. Here you should be able to find several types of game fish that are willing to put up a fight. To begin with, cobia fishing should be in full swing along the beach as well as the buoy line just east of the port. As water temperatures begin to rise, cobia will be in search of all types of bait fish such as mullet, pinfish, and even shrimp. Sight casting for cobia will be relatively easy, particularly during clam conditions and bright sunny days near schools of manta rays. If using artificial lures, a oz bucktail jig tipped with a live eel or squid will not be refused by any cobia in sight. These jigs should always be bright in color. Pink, white, and chartreuse will work the best. When targeting these fish, be sure to cast your lures in front of them and work it as natural as possible. Once the cobia has spotted your lure, hold on tight! Cobia are known to fight like the big fish. The average weight of these cobia are nearly 25 to 30 pounds.
In addition, black drum can be caught near the jetties and channel drop offs throughout the port. Cut bait such as lady fish or mullet rigged on a circle hook and fished on the bottom will be the right combination to bring these fish boat side. Eight to ten pounds will be the average weight of these black drum. However, don't be surprised if you catch one weighing nearly forty plus pounds.
For those of you who enjoy the outdoors as much as I do, be sure to use Ocean Potion Skin Care lotion to help protect you from the suns harmful rays while on the water.