Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, October 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
As the fall bait run continues, hordes of black and silver mullet, Atlantic menhaden (pogies), thread fin herring (greenies), and bay anchovies (glass minnows) flee for their live as they move south in search of a warmer climate. This migration signals the end of summer, and the beginning of some of the best fishing experienced on the Indian River Lagoon coast of Florida.
Weather permitting, near-shore opportunities are the best you will see all year. Along the beaches, target areas of concentrated bait schools for a mixed bag of snook, tarpon, kingfish, cobia, jack crevalle, oversized redfish, and sharks. Additionally, snook fishing in the surf will continue to improve as the baitfish move south along the beach. Also look for schools of glass minnows to increase bringing larger Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and tarpon with them.
In and around the inlets of Ponce, Port Canaveral, and Sebastian look for flounder, snook, jack crevalle, and oversized redfish feeding on migrating baitfish along the jetties and just outside the inlets. My preferred method of targeting the inlet redfish is to drift the inlet bouncing live mullet or pinfish on the bottom on a falling tide. Easterly swells, falling tides, and aggressive anglers can make conditions dangerous, so please pay attention, be patient, and catch-um-up.
Inshore, look for slot redfish in close to the grassy edges along the shoreline shadowing pods of finger mullet, and for the larger redfish staged in deeper water ambush sites where migrating mullet are forced to venture out from the safety of the shallow flats. Also watch for snook to be tucked in close to the shoreline, ambushing pods of finger mullet as they pass by.
In deeper water areas, look for ladyfish, spotted sea trout, jacks, and tarpon feeding on schools of glass minnows. These schools of fish are easily located by watching for bird and fish activity. Once located, these schools will produce explosive action on small top water plugs, or popping bug flies. Also, if you locate a school of the larger black mullet, try fishing spoons or soft plastic baits deep under the school. Even though, mullet are vegetarians, redfish and sea trout will often mingle in feeding on shrimp and crabs kicked up from the bottom by larger mullet.
Seminars and Events
October 13th, Braided Line Applications, Andy Thornal Company Fly Fishing Expo located under the Water Tower in Winter Haven, Florida. Call 863-299-9999 for more details.
October 23rd, Orlando Kayak Club meets at 7pm Gander Mountain in Lake Mary, and Captain Rodney Smith is the guest speaker.
November 16th, 17th, and 18th, Coastal Angler Magazines Boating and Fishing Expo at the Volusia County Fairgrounds with a full program of speakers and seminars.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
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