The nighttime is the right time for fishing along Florida's SpaceCoast, reports Captain Keith Mixon (www.mixinworkwithplay.com). With the full moon upon us, top water lures have worked exceptionally well along the flats in three feet of water or less. Large "gator" trout weighing up to five pounds have not been able to resist MirrOlures MR16 when fished with a slow retrieve. A seven foot medium action spinning combo rigged with ten pound Power Pro (moss green) and a ten pound mono leader has allowed my clients to win the tug of war battle with these awesome fighters. The Thousand Islands, which is located south of state road 520 in the Banana River, has been a good area where many of these fish have been caught.
Around Port Canaveral, the snook bite has slowed down a little around the jetties. Live bait such as select shrimp and pinfish have helped convince snook to bite on an out going tide. During this closed season, the average length of these snook has been up to 27 inches. In addition, flounder has had a steady bite near docks and channel drop-offs with a sandy bottom. Most of these flounder have been just over the legal limit with an occasional larger fish. Jerk baits hooked weedless using a 1/8 oz jig head has proven to be successful in these areas.