| Fishing Guide / Author |
Fishing Reports for Local Area - Location |
    
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 57
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 5:39 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, 1/26/2006
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Despite windy conditions, this weeks fishing expeditions have produced respectable results, and a sore back from paddling in the wind. The long range forecast has blustery conditions through the upcoming weekend, so we will just have to live with a bit of breeze if we want to fish.
My first day on the water was scouting trip in the Mosquito Lagoon with my good friend Captain John Kumiski, and we found happy fish on the first flat we checked. The wind was from the east at 10 to 15 knots with overcast skies, so we started on the east shore and drifted the flat blindly throwing DOA Cals, RipTide Flats Chubs, and Stanley Wedge Tail Jigs combined with Woodie’s Rattles and we ended up with 10 slot redfish within the first hour. Next, we fished our way to the north end of Mosquito Lagoon only to catch a dozen or so small sea trout. We ended the day with a blast by watching the launch of the New Horizons space mission to Pluto.
My second adventure was a trip to the No-Motor Zone on Friday the 20th accompanied again by my good friend Captain John Kumiski. The weatherman missed the mark once more, and a northeast 5 to 10 turned into a 15 to 20 with overcast skies, not a nice day for fly fishing from kayaks. In spite of the tough conditions John still managed 6 redfish, with 2 pushing the 20-pound mark, all caught on black clouser minnow. As for me, I spent most of my efforts keeping my kayak from spinning in circles as the wind blow me across the lagoon.
On Monday the 23rd, I returned to the No-Motor Zone, this time in my Old Town canoe joined by Captain Chris Myers. Again, we faced a stiff 15-knot south wind, but through hard work and determination we managed to locate a school of large black drum. Due to the windy conditions, cloudy skies, and dirty water, we decided use spin tackle, and Chris was the first to hook-up throwing a green Exude crab, only to pull hook on the fish after a short skirmish. It was my turn next when a huge black drum picked up a Gulp Crab I had chunked out from my stern position as Chris stood in the front trying to spot the school. I knew this was a big fish by the way it pulled drag, so my thoughts were, even pressure, take your time, and don’t palm the spool, but after about 10 minutes of not turning the fish, impatiens got the best of me, and I began to palm the spool. Well, you know the end to that story. My 20-pound fluorocarbon leader separated from the hook, right where my loop knot was tied. With the wind beginning to howl, we lost the battle to stay with the fish, and we started working our way back. Soon Chris spotted a large redfish less than 10 feet from the boat. He flipped his green Exude Crab out and let it flutter to the bottom, and to our surprise, the big fish ate. Chris ended up landing and releasing a nice 30-pound plus redfish, which would be our only fish for the day.
Today, due to the windy conditions, I decided to head to the St. Johns River and see if the American shad had arriver, and to my delight, I can tell you they have. I launched at Hwy 46 south of Lake Harney, and from there I headed south towards Puzzle Lake. I ended the day catching 7 shad. Five of the shad were caught on a pink Crazy Charlie fly, and the others were caught on a green Hal Fly jig. I also managed six other species of fish, including at least twenty 3 to 8 inch largemouth bass, all caught on a pink Crazy Charlie fly. By no means where the shad jumping into the boat, but they are there.
As always, if you need more information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 56
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 30, 2005 - 6:10 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, January 2006
As we ring in the New Year, it is once again time to reflect back on the events and accomplishments of 2005, and to count our many blessings. We are truly fortunate to live on the east central coast of Florida where enjoying the lagoon and angling are year round endeavors. I am also thankful for another great year of fishing with my clients and friends on the precious waters of the Indian River Lagoon estuary. Thank you all for a year filled with adventure on the water.
In preparation for this forecast, I first reviewed last year fishing photos, and I was taken back by the number of quality fish caught and the enjoyment expressed on the faces of the victorious anglers. While seeking input for this report, my good friend Captain Rodney Smith suggested that I begin with the end in mind, and the end in this case is conserving and protecting the resource we all love and cherish, the IRL. This report is not only an expression of my thoughts and experience, but also those of many within my circle of influence, and together we will make a difference in promoting the use, and not the abuse of resources we love and respect.
With these thoughts in mind, I would like to inform every one of some changes in the Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Reports format. I realize that change is not always a good thing, but do not fret. Instead, this report will be the first of many to come as I step into the arena of senior editor and moderator of the new Coastal Angler Magazine.com Fishing Report Page. Those of you on my mailing list will still receive my reports as you have in the past, with detailed fishing reports from throughout Florida as an added resource by visiting www.coastalanglermagazine.com. For the past 8 years, Coastal Angler’s in print magazine has served as the only magazine exclusively covering fishing, boating, and the conservation of the IRL, and I’m very excited to be part of their new online expansion. Scheduled to be activated on January 1, 2006, the new CAM website will be loaded with detailed information about the resource.
Winter on the east central coast of Florida cannot be defined by any specific dates, but rather by the temperature differences generated by passing cold fronts as they swing south across the state. These variations are subject to change from year to year, and they are impossible to predict. On the average, daytime temperatures usually range from the 50’s in the morning to around the 70’s by afternoon. Likewise, water temperatures average in the upper 60’s, but they can drop as low as the 50’s during extended cold periods. On warm sunny days, water temperatures can increase as much as four degrees on the shallow flats and sandbars. All of these factors greatly affect species targeted and methods used. Last January as an example, a two-week warm-up brought ocean water temperatures up to the 70 degree mark, and a number of large tripletail and cobia moved inshore off the bight of the Cape resulting in some of the best fishing experienced all year.
Inlet fishing has been good this past month weather permitting, with Sebastian and Ponce De Leon Inlets proving to be the most productive. There are still some reports of flounder moving through the inlets, but the bite has slowed considerably. On the inside of Sebastian Inlet, look for good numbers of pompano, ladyfish, and jacks to be located on the flats both north and south of the inlet cut and in the area of the monument. Also, January is the month when the jumbo reds move in and feed in the mouth of the inlets during the last part of the falling tide. These monsters are brood stock, so please handle and release them with care.
Along the beaches, pompano will remain the staple for the majority of surf anglers, with a mixed bag of whiting, slot size black drum, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish added in. Try fishing with sand fleas (mole crabs) if you can catch them, cut fresh clams, or freshly peeled live shrimp.
Near-shore, January is the month when the tripletails become consistent on the Port Canaveral buoy line, and their numbers will increase as the month progresses. The other hot item near-shore is king mackerel holding along the 70 to 90 foot reefs of North Pelican and 8A. Also, bottom fishing on deep structure should remain consistent as long as the weather holds. Look for snapper, cobia and sea bass in depths of 80 to 140 feet, and grouper and amberjack along the 22-fathom ridge and deeper.
On the flats during the winter, redfish and sea trout will seek the warmest water they can find. Start out working the deeper edges of the flats in the morning and then move into the warmer wind protected flats around mid-day to late afternoon. An early morning start is not necessary this time of year. Additionally, both redfish and sea trout love to warm themselves in the shallow water sand pockets “potholes” within the grassy flats. On colder days, focus your attention on the deeper holes using a very slow presentation. When targeting redfish and trout in these deeper holes, I prefer using shrimp imitation baits like RipTide, DOA, or GULP shrimp in the clear or nightglow colors fished extremely slow. I also like to add the element of sound to the bait by inserting a Woodie’s Rattle into the soft plastic bait. Other species encountered in January are black drum, flounder, sheepshead, jacks, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish. Also, January is one of the best months to target tailing black drum on the flats, especially in the Banana River “ No Motor Zone”. Both live shrimp and clams are the preferred bait for black drum, but they will eat both artificial and fly when presented properly.
Last but definitely not least, January marks the beginning of the American Shad run up the Saint Johns River. Last year, I started catching shad on January 13th, and the run remained heavy through February. Start watching for the shad to arrive in the Marina Isle and Lemmon Bluff areas first, and than moving upstream past Lake Harney and the Little Big Econ later on in the month. Currently, the water levels are still a little higher the last year, but if this year’s run is anything close to last year, look out.
Seminar Schedule:
January 13th, Daytona Boat Show 7pm, Braided Lines for Light Tackle Applications
January 14th, Daytona Boat Show, 12pm, Spring Cobia and Tripletail
4pm, Braided Lines for Light Tackle Applications
February 11th and 12th, Bass Pro Shop’s Spring Classic Orlando
February 18th and 19th, Bass Pro Shops Spring Classic Orlando
In closing, I wish you a happy, prosperous, and fishfull New Year. As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my e-mail list, contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 55
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 2:37 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Passion for the sport of angling and the outdoors is what drives many diehard anglers like myself towards the ultimate goal of the perfect day on the water. Many of us only dream of such a day, and in my life, I’ve been blessed by more than my share. This was the case once more on Monday, as my good friend and lagoon mentor Captain John Kumiski joined me on a venture into the backwaters of the Banana River No-Motor Zone.
With the goal of catching my first respectable redfish on fly, and hopefully taking a shot at the mystical black drum, John and I have been talking about this expedition all summer. You see, my specialty has always been light tackle spin fishing, and for years, my good friends and expert fly guides Captains John, and Rodney Smith have challenge me to take the next step up into the saltwater fly fishing arena.
We started our endeavor at around 0930, as the cool 50-degree morning air deterred an early start. The skis were crystal clear with a 10-knot northwest wind, which is very manageable for winter’s day on the lagoon. As we paddled into the zone, I had one of those feelings you get in the pit of my stomach. I knew the catching was going to be good, and in this case, and my intuition was dead on as my fly-fishing lesson soon began.
Paddling into our first stop, we spooked a substantial school of large black drum and decided to stake out the canoe and wade with the hopes the school would settle down. The fish were still present as we waded back into the area, but the hip deep muddy water made site fishing tricky, and we soon gave up hopes of a clean shot. As we worked our way back to the canoe, John initiated my fishing lesson by scoring the first of what he called stupid redfish. I was next to have a good shot at a nice redfish, but I planted my fly squarely between his eyes, and as it bolted in the direction of John, John presented the perfect cast and the waking fish slammed on the brakes and devoured John’s fly. Fish number two was on, and before we departed stop number one, Johns score was three respectable redfish and two hefty sea trout to my squat.
Next, John polled me along the shore and we quickly spotted another stupid fish swimming straight at us, and I missed the strike four times before finally sticking the fat redfish. As I worked my redfish to the boat, three more redfish approached, and John hooked one for what would be the first of our four double hookups.
The hot bite continued for the remainder of the trip, and at one point John asked me when I was planning on calling it a day. Together we agreed that this day would only end when the fish wised up or the sun set. We quickly lost count of the number of quality fish caught, but a conservative estimate would be about 30 redfish up to 20 pounds, and at least 25 sea trout up to 7 pounds. All with the exception of four fish were taken on clouser minnows, chartreuse and black, orange and black, and purple and black. Oh by the way, John ended the day catching another hefty redfish on his last cast only a couple hundred yards from the ramp, as the sun settled into the lagoon.
Now, you may think this was the most unbelievable fishing story you’ve ever heard before, but today I returned to the Zone with both of my mentors, Captain John and Captain Rodney Smith, and the catching greatly improved over Monday.
We pushed away from our launch site at about 0830 facing a gentle north breeze, and clear sunny skis. As the day grew longer, the air warmed up, the breeze lay down, and our catching bonanza commenced. Combined, we each caught double the amount of fish taken on Monday, with a number of triple hook-ups, and we each caught a slam, redfish, sea trout, and snook. Top hook for the day was Captain John, with a fat 30-pound plus redfish. The majority of the fish caught were top of the slot or larger, and again taken on various flies. Yes, I am convinced there are fish gods, and this week, they have been grinning from ear to ear.
On a side note, only a few black drum were seen on the flat with none taken, so I still have a big black drum on fly on my list for later.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and great fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 office
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 54
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 4:51 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
We are very fortunate to live in Central Florida and to fish on the waters along Indian River Lagoon Coast, for our angling adventures carry on year round. December on the lagoon coast marks a transitional period influenced greatly by changing water temperatures resulting from shorter days and passing cold fronts. The strength and duration of passing fronts are unpredictable, but both of these factors determine changes in water temperature, the number of fishable day between fronts, and fishing tactics.
The comfort zones of many species of fish shift as the lagoon and coastal waters cool, and understanding how these changes influence specific species will help you locate and catch fish. A good reference for the temperature range for saltwater fish species is located on the Central Florida East Coast Fishing website and can be reviewed at http://home.cfl.rr.com/floridafishing/temp.htm.
Many references suggest that fish are a cold-blooded animals, which is true to some degree, but realistically their body temperature is the same as the water surrounding them. As the water temperature nears the lower ranges of their comfort zone they become sluggish and require a lesser degree of energy to maintain their bodily functions; as a result they feed less. When this happens, most pelagic species will migrate to warmer waters, others species will seek warmer depths, and some species will succumb if extreme thermal changes occur quickly. Therefore, it is important to consider the temporal conditions when developing your fishing plan of attack.
Inlet Fishing
In and around the inlets of Ponce De Leon and Sebastian, I prefer to fish the incoming tide because the water in the ocean is typically a degree or two warmer than that of the Lagoon. Remember, as the water temperature increases, the fish will become more active and need more food. Also, our prevailing seas in the winter are from the northeast, so on the rising tide the seas are following to the current, and they are less threatening and safer.
In December all of the inlets hold resident schools of large breeder redfish, and if the conditions are right, bright warm sunny afternoons and a slack to incoming tide, they will form up on the surface outside the inlets and actively feed on bait schools or anything else they can catch. When targeting these breeders, watch for heavy bird activity, and remember these are large brood redfish, so use medium heavy tackle to lessen the duration of the battle, circle hooks to reduce hook trauma, and practice CPR (catch-photo-release).
Additionally, December is a prime month for snook fishing in the Sebastian Inlet as long as the water temperatures stay warm. The best snook action cranks up after dark around the slack periods of the tide, with the warmer incoming tide being the best. Also on the first and third quarters of the moon, the tidal flow is less, providing a larger window of slack currents to fish. A lot of anglers fish from the shoreline, jetties, and catwalks with bucktail jigs and large swimming hard baits like Wind Cheaters and Bombers. Others favor fishing from boats and drifting live pigfish or pinfish through the bridge channel. These styles of angling can be quite rewarding if your timing is right, but they can also be very challenging due to the large numbers of anglers competing for the same action. Also, as a reminder, snook season ends on December 15th, so if you enjoy those yummy linesider filets, your time is limited.
Another notable species passing through the inlet on their way to deeper warmer water are the flounder. Good reports of flounder have surfaced from all of the inlets, but the current bite has slowed down a bit. As the water is cooled by passing fronts, waves of southern and gulf flounder will continue to migrate through the pass into deeper coastal waters. Currently the surf temperatures are in the lower 70’s, with 68 degrees being the key indicator for the migration. So, flounder pounders get ready, because the bulk of the flounder run has yet to come.
Along the Beaches
As the waters cool, look for the schools of inshore pompano to begin to move off of the shallow flats through the passes into the deeper warmer troughs along the beach. Good numbers of pompano have begun to show up, and the bite will improve as winter progresses. Besides clean water, pompano prefer deep water with easy access to sand fleas (mole crabs) small crabs and other crustaceans. Also, some locations traditionally hold greater numbers of fish due to deeper troughs, and some of these hotspots are: beaches north and south of the Sebastian Inlet, Indialantic and Melbourne Beach, Playalinda Beach, the Canaveral National Seashore south of New Smyrna Beach, and beaches north of Ponce Inlet. Pompano seem to feed best on the warmer incoming tide, but they often bite well at first light and dusk. To locate prime pompano hotspots, simply look for the hoards of local surf fisherman, and squeeze in.
Other significant species along the beach in December are bluefish and Spanish mackerel. These two species will be aggressively feeding on schools of glass minnows, so look for diving birds and slicks on the water, and through small jigs and spoons with a fast retrieval to avoid cutoffs.
Last but not least, let’s not forget the tasty whiting. Whiting (southern kingfish) love cold water, and a freshly peeled shrimp or piece of squid, fished on a double dropper bottom rig (pompano rig) and both will do the trick. Whiting seem to prefer a heavy rolling surf, so they are a great species to target during rough days, if you are tough enough.
Near-shore
If the water stays warm and the seas permit it, look for kingfish, tarpon, and sharks to be cruising in the shallow water along the beaches working the remaining bait schools heading south. Also, solid concentrations of kings will be holding in 60 to 100 feet of water on the near-shore reefs and wrecks like 8A reef, north Pelican Flats. The kingfish bite should remain steady as long as the water temperatures stay above 74 degrees. To target kingfish, try slow trolling live bait if you can find them, or troll dead Spanish sardines or cigar minnows (spinning minnows) dressed with skirts. When the near-shore waters approach the 70-degree mark, look for tripletail and cobia to begin showing up on the Port Canaveral buoy line and the near-shore waters off of the beaches and the bight of the Cape. These fish normally hold on floating structure and weeds, but on bright sunny warm days you will find them free swimming on the surface searching for an easy meal.
Offshore
December is one of the best months to target grouper, snapper, and amberjacks. Again, if the seas allow it, target live bottom in the 21 to 27 fathom range with either live bait, dead bait, or deep jigging. Additionally, wahoo, dolphin and an occasional sailfish are still quality targets in areas of color change, rips, and weed lines.
Inshore Flats
Both redfish and sea trout will remain in the skinny water as long as the water temperatures stay in the 70-degree range. Fish in protected areas on windy days, sunny spots where the water is warmer, and look for fish to be holding in sand pockets (potholes) until the sun gets overhead. In the fall the water levels begin to drop and clear up making winter one of the best times to sight fish, but when venturing into the skinny water, you better respect the limits of your boat. These extremely skinny waters hold fish, but it is best to hire a guide who specializes in backwater fishing, and save the wear and tear on your boat and the grass flats. If you need a skinny water backcountry guide, I can recommend several, just give me a call. Now, if the water cools off, look for the fish to find the warmest water possible. In this case, sea trout will move to deeper areas with soft muddy bottom, which hold heat, like dredge canals and hard structures, but I’m hoping I can save this information until next months forecast. Also, if it does get cold, it’s not necessary to get an early start, so stay in bed, let the sun warm the water, and fish in the afternoon. Also, remember spotted sea trout are out of season in December on Florida’s east central coast, so please handle them with care and return them to the water as quickly as possible.
Now is also the time of year when the tailing black drum to begin to show up on the flats of the Banana River No-Motor Zone. These fish will eat live shrimp, clams, and secret bait, and they are also a favorite target fly anglers flipping small black clousers and other shrimp imitations. If you have never seen a 30-pound black drum tailing, it is worth the paddle, and the secret bait, well you will have to book me to learn the answer to that question.
I understand this is an extremely long winded forecast, but in closing, I would like to mention that I have been selected to serve as the senior editor of the new Coastal Angler Magazine website scheduled to go on line soon, so stay tuned for more details as the become available. I will also be speaking at the Daytona Boat Show on the 13th and 14th of January, and the Bass Pro Shop Spring Classic on February 11th and 12th.
Also, I would like to remind everyone that the ultimate holiday gift for the angler close to your heart is a relaxing guided day on the water in his or her favorite angling location, and Florida Guidelines offers gift certificates available with any one of our 27 affiliated inshore, near-shore and off shore charter guides. For more information on Florida Guidelines, visit our website at www.flguidelines.com or contact me.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Happy Holidays, and good luck and goof fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-355-8085 office
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 53
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 7:29 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, November 22, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
For starters, I would like to say happy Thanksgiving, and I wish the best for you and your family during the holiday season. Thanksgiving is a time for all of us to spend some time with family and friends, count our many blessings, and then go fishing.
As many of you know, angling on the lagoon coast this past few weeks has been difficult to say the least. Small craft advisory has been the dominant theme over the weather radio, and for the first time in 24 years straight, I was reluctantly forced to cut my annual Thanksgiving Sebastian fishing vacation short. Each time we pushed the envelope, high winds, heavy seas, or driving rain frustrated us, or we were driven ashore by threatening conditions. To add insult to injury, a strong cold front finally managed to push in on Monday night bringing us clear skies, only to slap us around with gale force winds. All in all, it still beat the heck out of a week of work and was enjoyable nonetheless.
When we first started going to the city of Sebastian, it was a quite little fishing village rolling up its streets at sundown. Sebastian has evolved into a booming island style seaside resort, loaded with after hour entertainment and fine seafood dining. As usual, we rented a boat slip from Captain Hiram’s resort, which features a beach bar, restaurant, lodging, and marina with boat rentals. The weather was so bad, Three Quarter Time stayed on the trailer most of the time, and the resort dock master refunded my weeks stall rent after being blown out weather wise for the week. The City of Sebastian is located on the mainland directly across from the Sebastian Inlet, and is also home to the Sebastian River and the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge.
November is the prime time, weather permitting, for the flounder migration. Good catches of flounder were reported in advance of the bad weather, but we only managed a few, fishing the wrong tides under adverse conditions. Once this cold weather settles in and the water cools, another heavy wave of flatfish should pass through the inlet. We also manage to catch a good number of ladyfish, jacks, and large sailcats while targeting flatfish, so we did have some fun. All fish were caught by drifting the inlet bouncing RipTide’s new Mud Minnow Jig on the bottom, tipped with a tiny chunk of fresh shrimp for flavor.
On Saturday I had the pleasure of fishing with Captain Rodney Smith, my good friend and Lagoon mentor, and we did manage to locate some respectable sea trout in the area of the clam lease near Black Point, south of the inlet. In spite of 15 to 20 knot winds, we caught some respectable trout drifting across the flat jigging with RipTide Realistic Shrimp on a ¼ ounce jig, season with shrimp flavored Lunker Sauce. Remember, sea trout are out of season in November and December, so all trout must be released, but they are still fun to catch.
Additionally, the inlet has been loaded with snook, but again the weather prohibited us from any attempts during the proper conditions. Good reports of snook were received from shore anglers I talked to, but we selected not to push the envelope of a nighttime lagoon crossing during difficult weather. If the current weather conditions settle down, the moon is right for an excellent snook bite this weekend. I like to target inlet snook at night, starting about an hour before tide change, and than fish through the slack tide until an hour or so after the change. This window of opportunity is wider during the first quarter moon, because the tidal flow is weaker. For bait selections, I like using large artificial hard baits like Bombers and Wind cheaters, one ounce bucktail jigs, and best of all, live pigfish and pinfish. Snook are ambush feeders, so you want to cast up current and let the bait swim natural with the tide just bumping the bottom every now and then. There is an art to catching snook at Sebastian Inlet, so if you chose to undertake this venture, watch the locals closely and be safe, because it’s an intense style of fishing.
As always, if you need more information or have any questions, please contact me.
Happy Holidays and good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 office
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 52
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 09, 2005 - 2:44 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, November 7, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Fishing conditions on the IRL coast have shown significant improvement since the passing of Hurricane Wilma, with the bite improving as well. Water levels are still high and higher levels of tannic stained runoff (brown water) are still present, but in most areas of the lagoon, the water clarity is improving nicely.
This past week a high-pressure system dominated our weather bringing magnificently sunny days, gentle northeast breezes, and mild temperatures, but the high pressure and turbid water made catching tough early in the week. As the week progressed, the bite improved.
On Friday, I fish with a group of 40 guides supporting the Ring Power convention organized by Captain Tom Carver. The event was set up as a mini slot redfish tournament, and out of all those boats, Captain Mark Wright took top hook with five slot redfish. Our only slot fish was caught by working a green weed less Ribbit Frog made by Stanley Jigs early in the day on the edge of the mangroves.
On Saturday, I fished a two-boat charter with Captain Kevin Mulligan. My anglers were John Kroger and his fishing buddy Mike from Denver. We started the day fly-fishing at the south power plant in Port Saint John, and we worked over the ladyfish for a good hour before John and Mike had enough. While on the subject of the power plants, they are currently loaded with ladyfish and jacks, but the manatee restrictions go in effect on November 15th, so if you enjoy the continues action of fishing the outflows, you only have a few days left. After we departed the power plant, we headed to the east shore where we ended up catching eight slot redfish and several nice sea trout between us. Sight fishing was tough due to the water conditions, so we opted to soaking ladyfish chunks in areas of bait schools in about two feet of water.
On Sunday, I fished a four hour charter with Steve Smith and his good friend Jim, and we started the morning working jigs with RipTide 4” Swimming Mullet at the power plant, and they warmed up on the fast and furious action of the ladyfish. Once Jim and Steve grew tired of the slaughter, we moved to the east shore for some top-water trout action. While polling into the flat, I spotted school of sizable reds in deeper water, but before we could poll into position, a lagoonoramus in a johnboat blew across the school sounding them. For the next hour we quietly waited for their return, but again before we could get within casting range another boat buzzed the area. We finally staked out in the vicinity and chunked out ladyfish, and we ended the day with one break off, 15 hard heads, several sizable sea trout, and one nice 20-pound redfish.
On a side note, remember that spotted sea trout are out of season in November and December, and you should have seen the look on the face of the unacquainted angler cleaning trout at the dock at Port Saint John, when the FWC Officer walked up and informed him of the regulations with a ticket.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 51
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 2:54 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, November 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
It’s hard to fathom the thought of how quickly fall has arrived, delivering cooler weather and exceptional fishing to the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. As I sit down to write this forecast, countless memories of outstanding fishing adventures in November come to mind. We are truly blessed to live in a location where angling is a year-round activity, and fall prevails as one of the most productive times to fish along Florida’s east central coast. This November marks the twentieth year of my family’s annual Thanksgiving pilgrimage to the city of Sebastian Florida were we celebrate our thankfulness for the many blessing we’ve received, and fish for an entire week straight. This year, I’m just as excited about our odyssey as I was the first time I laid eyes on Sebastian Inlet.
It’s the season of the mullet On the Space Coast, with waves of black and silver mullet working their way south through the lagoon and along the beach. This year’s bait run started early, and in some locations finger mullet schools have thinned out a bit, but good reports of heavy bait concentrations to the north around Ponce Inlet indicate more is yet to come. Along with the seasonal migration of bait come cooler temperatures and an influx of predator species seeking warmer waters and an easy meal. Large tarpon along the beach, snook, sharks, jumbo jack carvalle, and breeder redfish will all be present as the feeding frenzy commences.
As water temperatures cool, look for cobia and tripletail to begin showing up on the Port Canaveral Buoy line and on flotsam, both near-shore and offshore. When you find weeds and other debris, look for tripletail to be hanging just below the floating structure. Live shrimp and small jigs tipped with shrimp work well when targeting these brim on steroids. It is also important to keep the sun to your back to improve your range of sight, and to keep a medium heavy rod rigged with a one-ounce chartreuse or white buck tail jig ready to throw to any cruising cobia. In some cases migrating manta rays swing in close to the beach, each shadow harboring small pods of fish. Also, look for the fall kingfish run to commence as well as an occasional sailfish or black fin tuna on the near-shore reefs and wrecks like 8A and Pelican Flats.
November is one of the best months to target snook at Sebastian Inlet. In addition; large flounder and oversized redfish should begin to show up on the Port Canaveral buoy line and in the inlets and their numbers will increase as the flounder begin their seaward migration out of the lagoon near the end of the month. Also, let’s not forget the influx of Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and black tip sharks shadowing schools of finger mullet and glass minnows along the beach.
On the lagoon, look for schools of pompano to begin to form up and move off of the flats thought the inlets, and invade the beach in search of mole crabs (sand fleas) their favorite winter food. Currently, reports of skipping pompano have been coming from anglers working the flats in the north Indian River Lagoon, and the flats on the east shore of the Indian River Lagoon south of Titusville. Also, look for large schools of ladyfish, jacks, Spanish mackerel, and small sea trout working the migrating schools of glass minnows as they move south through the lagoon in deeper water and along the beach. When looking for schools of glass minnows, watch for terns swooping down and touching the water. Terns prefer to eat live baitfish, and their activity is a sure sign to the presents of feeding fish. Another sign to look for are pelicans holding their bills in the water after diving on bait. With the small glass minnows, pelicans must take the time to separate the tiny bait from the water before tilting their head back to swallow.
Last but not least, weather is always the determining factor in November. Passing cold fronts create a cycle of blustery winds, heavy seas offshore, and dirty water, and they can change a great day of fishing into a tough day of catching, So watch the weather, plan your trips accordingly, catch-um-up, and be safe.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me,
Good fishing to all,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 50
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 4:19 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, October, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Shorter days and cooler nights, acorns dropping from my live oak trees and the love bug hatch are all signs of fall on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. Another sure sign of fall on the Lagoon Coast is the waves of baitfish working their way south on their fall migration through the lagoon and along the beach. We are currently in the middle of the fall bait run consisting primarily of silver mullet, a tropical species, with some Atlantic menhaden (pogies), bay anchovies (glass minnows) and black mullet mixed in. These tasty little baitfish create a smorgasbord for a large array of hungry predators looking to fatten up for the winter. As the water cools, waves of bait move in pulses heading south, and locating bait concentrations is the key to catching fish. Also, October and November are notorious for blustery breezes and nasty weather, but they’re also one of the best times of year for angling on the Lagoon coast, so watch the weather, pick your days on the water, and catch-em up.
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, smoker kingfish, cobia, jack crevalle, oversized redfish, and sharks, lots of them. Also look for schools of glass minnows to begin showing up near the latter part of the month bringing larger Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and tarpon with them.
In and around the inlets of Ponce, Port Canaveral, and Sebastian look for flounder, snook, tarpon, jack crevelle, and oversized redfish feeding on migrating baitfish along the jetties. Easterly swells and falling tides can make for sporty sea conditions when operating your boat in these inlets, so pay attention, stay focused, and enjoy the rewards. Currently, shore anglers working from the beach are catching some nice snook and redfish by pitching live finger mullet along edge of the surf, even in the dirty water.
In the north Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons, higher water levels will allow anglers to venture into areas that were inaccessible during the summer. Look for slot redfish in close to grassy edges along the shoreline shadowing pods of finger mullet and the larger breeder reds staging in deeper water ambush sites where migrating fingers are forced to venture out away from the safety of the shallow flats. In deeper water, look for ladyfish and sea trout feeding on schools of glass minnows. These schools are easily located by watching for bird and fish activity. When fishing conditions are favorable, these schools will produce explosive action on top water plugs and popping flies. Another productive method is to target these fish by jigging with Rip-tide’s Realistic Shrimp on a ¼ to ½ ounce jig with a Woodie’s Rattle inserted. Also look for pompano skipping on the lagoon flats around the Titusville area, and black drum around the IRL Bridges.
In closing, I would like to inform everyone of Coastal Angler Magazine’s Third Annual Indian River Lagoon Fall Classic Catch-Photograph-Release Tournament to be held at Chowder’s Restaurant in Melbourne on the 28th and 29th of October. With an entry fee of only 50 dollars, this tournament is open to all anglers regardless of where and how you fish, and the angler’s bags presented to the first 200 anglers registered are worth at least that. Features eight different species of fish, this is a fun event intended to promote the use, not the abuse of the IRL, with proceeds donated to Lagoon projects. To register, pick up a copy of Coastal Angler Magazine or call CAM at 321-777-2773.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 49
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 18, 2005 - 9:13 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, September 17, 2005
Mosquito Coast fishing Charters
Shorter days, westerly breezes , and cooler than normal nights were the weather theme this past week, and together they provided ideal conditions for venturing back into the pristine waters of the Banana River Lagoon No-Motor Zone. Combine this superlative situation with a heavy concentration of fleeing mullet and aggressively feeding fish, and you have the recipe for some of the best catching you will see all year.
This scenario proved accurate this past week as my angling adventures carried me into the zone on two occasions. On Tuesday, I was accompanied by my good friend Captain Pat Murphy, and our plan was to spend the day enjoying fishing instead of guiding for a change. We were on the fish by 0730, and the bite remained consistent into the afternoon. We started and ended the day working top-water plugs, and with the exception of several fish taken on fly, we never changed our tactics. When it was all said and done, we ended up catching 20 sea trout up to 30 inches, including 16 over slot fish, 12 snook up to 28 inched, one fat 25 inch redfish, and several 15 to 20-pound class jacks, and Pat also completed his slam with the 30 inch sea trout, 28 inch snook, and a fat 7.5 pound 25 inch redfish.
On Wednesday and Thursday, my focus was diverted away from the water to the Henry’s fishing tackle show in Orlando, and as usual, I was highly impressed by the many new and innovative products on the market, and happy to see many of my old friends. I was also fortunate to gain the support of Lipper Tools and Evolution GT Fishing Rods as a sponsor of Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters. The Evolution Rods features solid graphite construction, and they are specifically designed to meet the demands of serious saltwater anglers. They will be a great addition for my anglers.
On Friday, it was back to the Zone with my good friends Captain Pat and Lyle Roll. The weather was even nicer that Tuesday, but the bite had slowed a bit. There was still a ton of bait everywhere, and we still managed a good number of respectable fish, but not comparable to the frenzy experienced earlier in the week. Some of my highlights for the day were the completion of a baby grand slam, 3 slot redfish, 2 slot sea trout, 1 short snook, and 1 baby tarpon, and the extrication of the front set of hooks from my Chug Bug by a monster redfish. Most of the fish were taken on top-water Skitterwalks and Chug Bugs fished in areas of concentrated bait.
Currently, the long-term Atlantic forecast is lined up with summer squalls moving east, so now is the time to take advantage of our pleasant weather and sea conditions before they blow up again. Also, Captain John Kumiski is still in need of a few Captains and Anglers with boats willing to support the Tenth Annual Kids Fishing Day in Titusville on Saturday September 24th. So if you are available and would like to become involved in a great event, contact Captain John at 407-977-5207 or me.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 48
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2005 - 12:18 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, September 6, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Fishing Eases a Tired Mind, Especially During Trying Times.
Once again, Mother Nature has revealed her enormous power as Hurricane Katrina rolled into the Gulf States this past week, and once again, humanity was brought to their knees by her merciless fury. In her wake, her rage has confirmed the resolve of mankind, and together we will roll up our sleeves to assist those in need. With that said, in the name of the Mustard Seed of Florida, (www.mustardseedfla.org) I have donated a fishing charter to be auctioned off at the Charity for Charities event ( www.charityforcharities.org ) held at the Orlando Convention Center next Saturday, September 11, 2005. Please check out the links above, and help those in need, and let’s go fishing. Additionally, many of you know me as a fishing guide and outdoor writer, but I’m also privileged and honored to serve as a fire fighter with the Kennedy Space Center. Last week, I was notified by NASA that I was one of the first on the list to be dispatched to assist in Slidel Louisiana, but that assignment is pending. I will keep you informed.
In many fisheries around the world, it is important to match the hatch. On the Lagoon Coast, the dredged fall hatch of the Plecia nearctica, better know as the love bug, serves only one useful purpose, it signals the beginning of the mullet run. This past week on the lagoon and along the beach, hordes of finger mullet have formed up and started moving south, and in spite of the blustery northeast wind, fishing in the areas on mullet schools produced outstanding catches.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to fish both Saturday and Sunday on the Banana River Lagoon, and on both days, the bite was outstanding. On Saturday, I prefished a creek mouth on the west shore, and I found that the northeast wind had pushed thousands of finger mullet in close to the shoreline where a number of snook and tarpon were pounding them. Using a blue/silver Chug Bug, I caught ten shook up to 25 inches and one 20lb tarpon in a period of two hours.
On Sunday, I returned to the same creek mouth accompanied by David Hopkins from Ohio, and the bite had settle down a bit, but David still managed to catch a Banana River grand slam. We started throwing Chug Bugs at first light catching several sea trout up to 26 inches. As daylight filled the sky and the northeast wind began to howl, we moved into the creek mouth to finish the slam catching a rat redfish, numerous snook up to 25 inches, and a few small tarpon in the 15 to 20 pound range. Although the fish were not all keepers, it was a fun day nonetheless.
During the week, other notable reports of both snook and tarpon in the surf were received. Captain Rodney Smith reported large tarpon working bait pods in the Satelite Beach area, and my good friend Lyle Roles reported catching a 30-inch snook off the beach near the Cocoa Beach Pier on a Wind Cheater. It looks like we are in for a run of nasty weather, but once it passes and the sea settle the bite should fire up again.
In closing, be generous and kind with donations of both money and time, and ease your mind by going fishing. As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck, and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 47
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 28, 2005 - 5:56 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, September 2005
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 shift signals the beginning of the fall migration of all critters preferring warmer climates. This transition also marks the beginning of the fall fishing season as hordes of baitfish, primarily silver and black mullet, bay anchovies (glass minnows) and greenies, and predatory species begin their southerly migration along the beach and through the Indian River Lagoon. Rather than a continuous flow, baitfish move south in pulses or waves, 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 trends continue, this years run will start early, and like last year, progress 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 Ponce De Leon Inlet, Port Canaveral and along the beaches south to the Sebastian Inlet 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.
September 1st also marks the beginning of snook season and the beach snook run has already started with a few fish being reported. This action will pick up substantially as the bait run progresses When fishing from the beach, I prefer using live finger mullet as bait, (match the hatch). The technique I like to use starts by treading a ½ ounce barrel sinker onto your line. Next, attach a small swivel to the tag end of your line serving two purposes. The swivel acts as a stop keeping your weight from sliding down on the hook, and it also reduces line twisting as your sinker rolls with the tide and wave action. Next, I attach about 24” of fluorocarbon leader, 40 to 50 pound test, and a large circle hook. You will need to step up your tackle, rig, and bait size if tarpon are targeted. Another tip is to use 20-pound test braided line, I like Stren Super Braid, which greatly increases your spoon capacity over standard monofilament line. Once you’re rigged and acquired bait, you want to hook your finger mullet through the lips. Fish the very edge of the beach, just beyond the whitewater, and walk along the beach letting your bait roll 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. Also, if you are in to full contact fishing, Sebastian Inlet features some of the best snook action on Florida’s Indian River Coast, but its popularity attracts anglers from across the state.
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 bring cobia with them. In Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet look for flounder, mangrove snapper, redfish and snook around the jetties and other structure, and tripletail, barracuda, and cobia under the Canveral 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, slot redfish, and jacks to be mixed in. When targeting these fish, work top water plugs for explosive action, or try working ¼ ounce jigs with a white or rootbeer colored RipTide Realistic Shrimp combined with a Woodies Rattle capsule insert. Additionally, late summer is the time of year when the breeder redfish schools have formed up for the spawn in the northern reaches of the IRL. 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 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
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water |
Capt. Rob Blake (Capt_rob_blake)
New member
Username: Capt_rob_blake
Post Number: 9
Registered: 6-2005
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 25, 2005 - 12:31 pm: | |
This week I had a few fly anglers that scored quality reds on Mosquito Lagoon. Calm conditions prevailed thru mid-week, but Tropical Storm Katrina is bearing down on Southeast Florida and will blow out Mosquito Lagoon for a few days. Congratulations to Robert Dempsey and Scott Newman for getting their first big redfish on fly...and I can't forget Michelle Dempsey for catching her first Mosquito Lagoon monster pictured below...
What we in Florida now have to deal with the next few days...Tropical Storm Katrina:
Mosquito Lagoon Fishing just 45 minutes from Orlando! Catch Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon Redfish, Seatrout and more with Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide Capt. Rob Blake. Premier Orlando Fishing destination...Multiple Boat and Corporate Fishing Charters available. Call 1-866-RED-DRUM toll free or 321-544-5041 cell.
Capt. Rob Blake
www.redfishonfly.com
www.fishingorlandoflorida.com
1-866-RED-DRUM |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 46
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - 3:59 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, August 15, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
For the past week, the early morning sunrise has reflected off of the lagoon’s halcyon surface like a mirrored piece of glass, as the summertime doldrums maintain their grip on the east coast of Florida. These slick calm conditions are perfect for sight fishing and for the early morning top-water plug bite, but as the sun clears the horizon and the heat quickly intensifies, the magnificent view quickly becomes distorted by the sting of sunscreen and sweat ablaze in your eyes.
On the lagoon, the smaller top-water plugs retrieved using a light presentation have produced consistent strikes from sea trout and ladyfish in deeper water around bait pods (2 to 3 feet) and slot size redfish in the skinny flats (1 foot). Chug Bugs (blue/silver), Skitter Walks (redfish and sea trout colors), Super Spook Jr. and Top Dog Jr. (bone and red/white colors) have all produced. As the sun grows higher in the sky and the top-water bite slows, darker color soft plastic baits like the Rip/Tide Flats Chub and Exude RT Slug (golden brim) have fashioned the best results. Additionally, medium size tarpon (60 to 80 pounds) have started to show up in the deeper areas of the North IRL like the dredge holes along the NASA Causeway, and channel leading into the Titusville Municipal Marina. With the extreme heat, most of the action has diminished by noon, so arrive early, fish early, and leave early.
This past week, four different trips into the north IRL had inconsistent results ranging for stinking like a skunk to outstanding, with the latter trips showing the most improved.
On Sunday, I had the pleasure to fish a three boat charter with Captains Jim Ross and Kevin Mulligan in the north IRL. The trip was organized and financed by David Lawrence from Akzo Nobel Coating Inc. as a reward to some of his clients, and all three boats had respectable catches of redfish and sea trout. Aboard the Three Quarter Time, my anglers were David and Bob Collins, President of Wheel Coach Ambulance in Orlando. We departed Parish Park at 6am, and we headed north into the IRL. We began throwing top-water plugs in the area of the bomb target, and Bob scored a respectable sea trout on his first cast. Moving to the north, we soon located a large school on mullet in deeper water, and David hooked up a nice ladyfish weighing 4 pounds on the Boga.
The top-water action continued as I poled us in close to the shoreline. Soon tails started popping up, and we ended the day with seven redfish up to 26 inches, 9 sea trout, and a couple fat ladyfish. All of the redfish were taken on the dark color soft plastics in less than one foot of water.
In closing, next weekend Titusville host the FLW Redfish Tournament with over 150 boats, so if you plan on fishing the lagoon, do it during the week, and plan on fishing near-shore out of Ponce Inlet or the Port next weekend.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free |
Capt. Rob Blake (Capt_rob_blake)
New member
Username: Capt_rob_blake
Post Number: 4
Registered: 6-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 6:33 am: | |
Mosquito Lagoon – Indian River Fishing Report
Although we have been targeting slot-sized redfish over the past few days, the patient angler can be rewarded with a monster redfish up to 40 pounds from the Lagoon. Water levels have been on the rise the past 2 days, up from extremely low levels earlier in the week.
This week’s outstanding catch was made by Mr. Kent Anderson from Geneseo, Illinois as pictured below:
Those looking for constant action should target drop-offs for aggressive seatrout. Topwater plugs have been very productive the first 2 hours, switching to dark colored jigs as the heat of the day sets in. Look for off-colored water and glass-minnows for the biggest concentrations of seatrout.
Tarpon, Jacks, and BIG Ladyfish are also providing some opportunities. The Tarpon have been located around large schools of pogies in six to ten feet of water.
The bull redfish action should be picking up in the near future. At times it won’t matter what you throw at them, whether it be live bait, plugs, or the kitchen sink.
Mosquito Lagoon Fishing just 45 minutes from Orlando! Catch Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon Redfish, Seatrout and more with Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide Capt. Rob Blake. Premier Orlando Fishing destination...Multiple Boat and Corporate Fishing Charters available. Call 1-866-RED-DRUM toll free or 321-544-5041 cell.
Capt. Rob Blake
www.redfishonfly.com
1-866-RED-DRUM |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 45
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 30, 2005 - 8:07 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, August 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
August is the time of year when the cold water upwelling known as the Labrador Currents move in cooling off bottom temperatures on the offshore reefs along the Indian River Lagoon Coast. The arrival of summertime cobia along the beach and mutton snapper in Sebastian Inlet are indicators of cooler bottom conditions moving in. Thus far, the cold water has begun to push in, but the current has not shown the same intensity as the same time last year. Look for the blue water bite to improve along the inshore reefs and wrecks of Chris Benson, 8A Reef, and Pelican Flats, with kingfish, dolphin, and cobia serving as the primary species, along with an occasional wahoo or sailfish. This is also the time of year when cooler waters sometimes push the giant manta rays in close to the shoals off the Cape, bringing cobia with them. Further off shore, the Gulf Stream typically moves in closer making tuna a possibility for smaller boats working in the areas of anchored shrimp boats and thermals, and as long as the summer squalls stay away, running to the other side of the Gulf Stream isn’t out of the question.
Along the beach, look for the silver kings (tarpon), smoker kings, blacktip sharks, jack crevalle, and redfish to be shadowing pods of Atlantic menhaden (pogies), thread fin herring (greenies), Spanish sardines, and bay anchovy (glass minnows) in close to the beach. So far, the bait concentrations have been slim, but these conditions should start to show some improvement any day now. Currently, there is a hot kingfish bite occurring off of the Cocoa Beach Pier in 30 to 40 feet of water, with some tarpon and small sailfish mixed in. Also look for snook fishing in the surf and inlets to improve, as we get closer to the commencement of the fall bait run. Remember snook are out of season, so if you target them, handle and release them with care. In and around the inlets, look for Spanish mackerel, tarpon, jack cervalle, and bonita to be working schools of glass minnows on the outside, and snook, redfish, mangrove snapper, and flounder in the area of jetties and other structure.
Angling on the in-shore lagoons will continue to show improvement, with fishing in the predawn and late evening hours being most productive. Look for schools of redfish in the skinny water holding in the vicinity of bait concentration, and target them utilizing smaller top-water plugs. Once the sun starts to grow hot, the top-water bite will shut down, and bait becomes your better option. For larger trout, fish live pigfish in close to docks and other structure adjacent to deeper water. In deeper water, look for large schools of ladyfish, small trout, and tarpon pushing schools of glass minnows near the surface. These schools are easy to locate by watching for concentrations of birds, terns and cormorants, joining in on the frenzy, and they are perfect for fly anglers who are interested in the continuous fast and furious action provided by these speedsters. Last but not least, look for pompano schools holding in the shadows of the causeway bridges. Fish small yellow and chartreuse jigs tipped with shrimp or sand fleas (mole crabs) along the deeper edges and drop-offs and in areas of skipping fish. Lagoon water levels are low, so please use caution when accessing skinny water.
In closing, I would like to thank all of you who enjoy angling on Florida’s east central coast for your courteous and respectful treatment of the resource, other anglers, and the sport, and as always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my fishing report mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 44
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 09, 2005 - 9:32 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, July 9, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As I stood on the shoreline of the lagoon this morning before sunrise, I was once again captivated by the twilight’s illumination of the high tropical cloud tops rolling ashore. The sky overhead remained clear, but the sense of the heavy-laden tropical air was invigorating, and it energized my soul. After 50 seasons of summer squalls, you would think one would grow accustom to the feeling of warm tropical air on your skin as it pushes across the lagoon, but each year as the storms begin to roll in, I fine myself on the shoreline foreseeing their arrival. Soon, the feeder band squalls feeding Hurricane Dennis will push through, and hopefully bring fair skies, calm seas, and hungry fish for the week to come. We should also take a moment to extend our thoughts and prayers for those facing the wrath of Dennis on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
This past week on the Lagoon Coast the fishing was great, but the catching varied. As usual for this time of year, the focus of my adventures was near-shore out of Port Canaveral. Currently, you do not have to travel far to find fish. On the buoy line just outside of the Port, large schools of large jack cravelle are common. If you go a little farther out, small 10 to 15 pound kingfish have been widespread seaward of the buoy line and south off the Cocoa Beach Pier in about 40 feet of water. Other opportunities prevalent last week were giant tarpon, sharks, barracuda, and big jacks along the beach, and a good number of nice flounder inside the Port around structure. Also, anglers working the near-shore reefs of 8A and north Pelican flat reported good catches of kingfish, dolphin, a few cobias, and a ton of sharks and barracudas.
As for myself, both trips from the Port last week yielded a decent kingfish up to 20 pounds, a bunch of barracudas and sharks, and a few hefty school buses (jack cervalle) in the 30 pound range. The bite was slow but steady, and my high-spirited anglers made up for the sluggish bite. All fish were taken slow trolling live pogies, and the heaviest concentration of bait was just inside the Port between the submarine basin and the Sterling dock.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-417-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 office
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 43
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 6:21 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, July 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
The mid summer doldrums are currently upon us and there is no mistaking, summer has arrived on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. July is also the time of year when summer squalls (tropical weather systems) and offshore water temperatures are unpredictable. Just when the bite is on and you think you’ve got things figured out, a summer squall will blow in and kick up the seas, or the cold water Labrador Current will move in and shut down the seaward bite. Setting all these possibilities aside, many opportunities for angling adventures exist for us both inshore and offshore on the lagoon coast in July.
For those who are equipped and willing to venture offshore into the Gulf Stream and beyond, the yellow fin tuna bite has been and will continue be exceptional trolling with cider plugs. These expeditions require dependable equipment, a sea worthy vessel, and a knowledgeable and skillful skipper, and it’s prudent to make sure all of your safety equipment is in order before even considering a tuna trip.
Near-shore, kingfish will be the staple on the reefs and wrecks in 70 to 90 feet of water, with a mixed bag of three, wahoo, dolphin, and an occasional sailfish, thrown in. My preferred method for targeting these species is slow trolling live bait (pogies) on steel stinger rigs.
On the Port Canaveral buoy line and along the beaches, an assorted beach bag is available with smoker kings (large king mackerel), silver kings (tarpon), cobia, sharks, barracuda, and colossal jacks (school busses) all available at any given time. To target these species, focus your attention in areas of bait concentrations. This past week, pods of large tarpon and sharks were located between Patrick AFB and Satellite Beach, and some nice fish were taken on the Port Canaveral buoy line. As the month progresses, these fish should begin moving north along the beach to their favorite summertime haunt in the forbidden zone off the bight of the Cape.
In the Port and inlets, Spanish mackerel, summer flounder and mangrove snapper numbers should remain steady. To target the flounder and snapper, try using Rip Tide’s new realistic shrimp on a ¼ to ½ ounce jig head in the areas of structure and along sandy drop-offs. Cast the jig as close to the structure as possible without getting snagged, and let it sink to the bottom. Once it’s reached the bottom, slowly drag it back letting it rest every foot or so.
Inshore, July is the best time of the year to catch redfish in shallow water. Large redfish schools have already started forming up for their late summer spawn, and the sight of 200 feeding redfish is incredible. Also, look for snook and mangrove snapper along shoreline edges, docks, and other structure, and juvenile tarpon in the creeks, canals and backwaters where water is flowing out of impoundments and creeks. In deeper water, look for ladyfish and small trout to be shadowing schools of bay anchovies (glass minnows) under clouds of feeding terns, and let us not forget the early morning and late evening sea trout bite on top-water.
In fresh water, largemouth bass fishing has been going off the scale, fishing around the spillways and flood control structures in the Stick Marsh and Farm 13. On a bass charter this past week, my clients Tommy Djernic and Jimmi Gottsch from Denmark boated over 50 bass, with 7 over 6 pounds and the largest reaching 91/2 pounds, on live shiners and artificial.
In closing, let us be respectfully of the resource, the fishery, and each other while on the water over the holiday, and be thankful for those who have served this great country of ours in the name of freedom.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
866-790-8081 toll free
407-416-1187 on the water
If you would like to be added or removed from my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 42
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 23, 2005 - 5:54 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, June 23, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
With the summer solstice behind us, it is time to take advantage of some short-lived summertime angling opportunities experienced on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. The summer solstice arrives each year on June 21st, marking the point of the sun’s northern most reach, and the longest day and the shortest night of the year in the northern hemisphere. The solstice typically marks the beginning of the summer doldrums resulting in calm sea conditions allowing those of us with shallow water boats to venture seaward in search of near-shore kingfish, dolphin, tarpon, and large jack crevalle. Also, it’s only a matter of time before the silver kings (tarpon) and smoker kings (large kingfish) invade the Port Canaveral buoy line and beaches. These favorable sea conditions will only last as long as the tropical summer squalls allow, and Labrador currents stay well offshore. Also, summer is the best time to fish at night where some species (sea trout and snook) prefer to feed, as they have a shorter window of opportunity increasing their aggressiveness.
Fishing this past week started out slow, and showed some improvement as the week progressed, but considerable work was required at times to get the fish to eat.
My week started on June 15th, where I was privileged to fish with Captain Rodney Smith and Captain Dan Kipnis from the Miami area. We started the day in the Banana River Lagoon in the Cocoa Beach area, and when the bite wasn’t happening there, we loaded Three Quarter Time and trailered to Port Canaveral to no avail. It was an extremely tough day, and between three Captains, we only boated a few small sea trout in the Lagoon and had one brief shot at a decent tripletail. The water was dirty in the Port, and there was no bait on the beach. We did receive some live pogies from Captain Tony Weatherman of Champion Pro Guide Service, for which he netted in the back turning basin, thank you Captain Tony.
My next charter was on June 17th, where I spent the day with Terry Pollard from Oklahoma, again looking instead of catching. We launched at Ramp Road in Cocoa Beach at around 0800, and we worked the Thousand Island area and the west shore managing only small trout and small redfish. Near the end of the charter, we finally located a significant school of breeder redfish, but we only had a few good shots at them before they departed the flat at a high rate of speed, and a thunderstorm ran us off of the water.
On the next day, Saturday June 18, I guided a charter into the Banana River No-Motor-Zone with Larry Carter and his grandson Taylor, both excellent anglers from Jupiter Florida. Our day started around 0630, we were immediately on the fish, and the bite was on for a change. We started catching short snook on Chug-Bugs in the area of a small point, and we soon lost count of the short linesiders landed. Shortly after landing the first few snook, large redfish tails started popping up all around us, but before we could get a rise out of them, another canoe pushed in on us and spooked the school out of the area. At that point, I made the decision to continue to work the snook, and once the bite slowed down, we would head out onto the flat and try to relocate the school of reds. With the big reds on our minds, we began catching small blue crabs for bait, and we retrieved a 6-inch redfish, regurgitated by a 24” snook, and decided to save it for cut bait. After my anglers grew bored with the under size snook bite, remembering these guys are from Jupiter where real snook live, we headed out looking for the big redfish. Both Taylor and Larry were rewarded by two jumbo redfish each, with Taylor’s two, both nearing the 50-pound mark, and oddly enough, both of Taylor’s big reds were caught on two puked up redfish chunks.
On Monday June 20th, brothers Adam and Keith Cross from Oak Hill joined me for a half a day on the Mosquito Lagoon. Our goal was to target some slot redfish and sea trout, but with a slow bite, we were forced to settle for three 20-pound class redfish caught out of a small school located off of the Turtle Pen bar using live pinfish for bait. After boating three significant fish, we returned to our quest to catch Adam and Keith some dinner, and as it turned out, a stop at the fish house on the way home was the requisite.
On Tuesday June 21st, I returned to the Mosquito Lagoon and was joined by B. J. Garrison, and his father Jack from Port Orange for a day of redfish and sea trout, and we departed the Haulover ramp at 0530. Like day before, our goal was dinner size sea trout and redfish, but for some mystical reason, we could not get a solid hook-up on any keeper size fish. B.J. was working a Top Dog Jr., and Jack a Chug Bug, and both received considerable strikes, but the fish weren’t serious about eating, and the one’s they did hook escaped before reaching the release well. We did manage to successfully boat one undersize redfish, and about forty undersize sea trout, but the one legal trout we did catch was released out of sympathy. Oh yes by the way, both B.J. and Jack did manage to catch one 20-pound class redfish each out the same school fished the day before, again on live pinfish. Other baits of choice this past week were Cotee jigs red/white, and Gulp Shrimp on ¼ ounce jigs, any color.
As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 41
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 11, 2005 - 8:03 am: | |
Indian River lagoon Coast Fishing Report, June 10, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As the rainy season progresses, the dynamics of the estuary will begin to shift and this transformation was evident this past week on the Indian River Lagoon. Increased rainfall has elevated water levels allowing anglers and fish to move deeper into the backwaters. Water has begun to flow from the impoundments through the culverts, and as rainfall increases, the volume of flow will expand drawing feeding fish in closer. Tannic acid from decaying organic mater has chanced the water color in the areas of runoff to a tea color brown, and the increase freshwater influx will change salinity and PH in those areas. Also, longer and hotter days will lessen the amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water stressing fish to a greater degree, especially at first light, and more so, in the area of the power plants where discharge temperatures can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do these changes affect the fishing you ask? As water levels increase in the backwaters, redfish will begin feeding on fiddler crabs along in the newly flooded mud flats and marshes, and anglers fishing from fat boats can venture into areas inaccessible by most during low water periods. Flowing water from the culverts will draw snook, ladyfish, tarpon, redfish and other species to the discharges where pray is flushed out of the marshes into the ambush zone and the (DO) levels are elevated a bit by the moving water. In tannic stained waters, you may want to switch to a darker color lure where the darker silhouette is more visible to fish. The warmer the water, the less (DO), and at night, the lack of photosynthesis will lower oxygen levels even more, so it is very important to step up the size of your tackle when targeting larger fish to lessen the degree of stress a long battle will have on the them. All of this change will alter feeding and behavior patterns of fish, so what was a hot spot all spring long, may now be void of fish, and a new honey hole will become a requisite.
Angling this past week was good, but it didn’t hold a candle to quality of the company I shared my week on the lagoon with.
On Sunday June 5th, I ventured into the Banana River No-Motor-Zone with Kelly and Mike Olsen from the Tampa area. The wind was a bit brisk for the Zone, but the adventure of the excursion drew us anyway. We were on the water by 0630, and catching fish by 0700. The chop on the water and cloudy skies made sight fishing tough, but we still managed to entice a good number of quality sea trout to the Boga Grip. Both Kelly and Mike were experienced and entraining Florida anglers who didn’t hesitate jumping in and wading the sandbars, and they made the already enjoyable experience even better. Most of the sea trout taken were within the slot or over, and they were caught on top-water blue/silver Chug Bugs, red/white Skitter Walks, and red /white Cottee jigs. There was also a noticeable change in water conditions, and the number of large blue crabs experienced the week before on the flat had decreased significantly.
On Monday June 6th, the deck of Three Quarter Time was graced by the presents of 82 year old Jack Aley and his 15 year old grandson Philip, both experienced fly anglers from south Florida. Jack, who has fished the backwaters of the Florida Everglades all his life, was hoping for a shot at one of our legendary redfish, and he was determined to catch her on his 15 year old G-Loomis rod and bait casting reel on artificial bait or on fly. With this request in mind, we targeted a school of large copper queens, and he not only caught sight of the largest school of redfish in his life, he also caught the largest redfish in his life, a 52” beauty on a new penny Gulp Shrimp. Although my goal was for each angler to catch one quality fish, getting these larger redfish to eat artificial can be challenging at times, so Philip was unsuccessful in catching his trophy. Besides the one big redfish, we did manage to catch a good number of schooling size sea trout, again on a one ¼ ounce DOA jig head with a new penny Gulp Shrimp.
My next trip was on Wednesday June 8th, with Thomas Cannon from Ormond Beach, and his longtime fishing buddy Bob Vogelsang from the southwest Texas coast. Again my goal was to put each of them on a large redfish, and by 8am, they both had caught a 20 pound class redfish using chunks of fresh blue crab. With our primary goal accomplished, we spent the remainder of the charter exploring the magnificently slick calm conditions, and catching sea trout on top-water chug Bugs, Skitter Walks and RipTide Realistic shrimp on jigs with Woodies Rattles inserted in areas of concentrated schools of baitfish.
Although the numbers of fish taken was less the previous week, we still managed some significant catches by quality anglers from completely different fisheries who were draw in by the diversity and beauty of our IRL. We are so lucky to live and fish in paradise.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
886-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 40
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 6:10 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, June 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
With temperatures and humidity levels rising, it’s wise to concentrate your angling efforts during cool hours of early morning, late afternoon, and night. Fishing in June, July, and August requires some adjustments in your fishing routine, but it doesn’t mean the fish aren’t biting. June will provide some of the best opportunities for shallow water anglers along the Lagoon coast.
Near-shore prospects are typically the best you will see all year for skinny water boats along the beach. June is the time of year when the kingfish move in close, shadowing the schools of Atlantic menhaden (pogies) along the beach and in the Port Canaveral buoy line. When the summer doldrums set in, the water clears, and the seas lay down, the window of opportunity opens for skinny water boats. Also along the beach, look for the tarpon and shark number to increase, and let’s not forget the large schools of jack carvalle (school buses) and the tripletail fishery will be cranking up. Also, remember, snook season closes this week, so let’s give them a chance to relax and get jiggie.
Offshore, look for the dolphin bite to slow as the schools begin to spread out. The kingfish concentration will remain good along the inshore reefs and wrecks of 8A Reef and Pelican Flats slow trolling with live pogies will produce the most action. Also, the yellow fin tuna bite should remain steady for those willing to venture to the other side. Bottom fishing will continue to be good for snapper and grouper, at least until the first summer squall blows in and muddies up the water or the Labrador Current moves in and chills bottom temperatures bottom.
On the flats, focus your efforts during early morning hours and in the late afternoon after the thunderstorms dissipate. Night fishing will also produce descent catches of redfish and trout. If you can only fish during the heat of the day, target docks with deepwater access. In the early morning look for trout and redfish up in the skinny water around concentration of bait, and toss them your favorite top water plug. Also look for schools of bay anchovies (glass minnows) in deeper waters. These schools can be located by watching for small terns and other sea birds working, and they usually are shadowed by concentrations of small trout and ladyfish.
Also remember as the day’s heat up, long battles will kill the larger fish, and if you plan on targeting them, you may want to step up your tackle to shorten the battle. Also leave them in the water as much as possible, and revive them completely before releasing them.
As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added or removed from Captain Tom’s mailing list, please contact him at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 39
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 2:34 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, May 27, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Fishing on the Indian River Lagoon Coast this past week is best described as extreme, filled with adventure, intrigue, quality fish, and yes, one tough day.
As a lifelong Florida resident and angler, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to take a great number of anglers fishing for their first time, but on Thursday May 19, I was once again set apart by the opportunity to take a lifelong Florida resident and angler fishing for what for could very well be his last time. You see Quent Rister is in the latter stage of terminal melanoma, and when his good friend Mike Norton contacted me with the request to put Quent on a quality redfish, I was humbled by the challenge.
We launched out of the Haulover Canal, and headed west into the North IRL, and before the sun crested the horizon, we had located a school of large redfish. As we approached the school we were obliged by the generosity of three other guides who let us squeeze in for a shot at the fish. My Goal was to let Mike and Quent catch one trophy fish each, and then move on and target slot redfish and trout. Even though the fish were plentiful, getting them to eat was a difficult task. Mike was the first to strike catching a nice 30-pound red on a live shrimp. After about an hour of excellent shots at the big fish, the lagoon gods blessed Quent with a solid hook-up on a quality redfish. For the next 45 minutes, the battle raged and just near the end, the big red managed to wrap the line around my port trim tab and break off. I took one look at Quent, and I could see by his expression, he was deeply saddened by the lost opportunity, and that’s when I realized the magnificent copper queen was still swimming beneath the boat. Determined to land Quent’s fish, I entered the water, and with Mikes assistance, we managed to noodle the tired 48-inch redfish into the boat for a quick photo. With our primary goal accomplished, we spent the remainder of the charted catching sea trout on white Rip-Tide Swimming Mullet with a Woodies Rattle Capsule inserted.
My next adventure was on Saturday May 21st, where my good friend and fishing mentor Captain Rodney Smith joined me for a day on the No-Motor-Zone. We launched about 6:30am, and caught numerous sea trout up to 6 pounds on fly, Cottee Jigs, and top-water Chug-Bugs. We also had a good shot at a fast moving school of large redfish, where I managed to hook-up on a Chug-Bug, only to have the big fish straighten out one of the hooks after a 5-minute battle. It was a great day on the water, loaded with continuous action and some really nice fish.
On Sunday May 22nd, I was joined by Steve Gates and Harold Smith in the area of Titusville, where we managed to find another school of big redfish just as the sun cleared the horizon. Within the first hour, we landing three trophy redfish in the 20-pound range with one double hook-up, again using live shrimp. Once the trophy reds were landed and photographed, we left the school tailing on the flat in search of table fare. We spent the remainder of the charter jigging the deeper flats in 2 to 4 feet of water, and we returned to the dock with four slot sea trout and one fat pompano caught on red and white and rootbeer glitter curly tail Cottee Jigs with rattles inserted.
My next charter was on Wednesday the 25th, where I was joined by Art Caffo and his cousin Larry from southern California. Again we targeted the same big fish, but we were challenged by a stiff west wind making finding and staying with the school difficult. After about an hour of searching, we finally located the school, and again managed a two trophy redfish, before losing the school in the two-foot chop. With our goal of two big fish accomplished, we moved to the leeward shoreline in search of fish to no avail, and we ended the day jumping three nice tarpon in the 50-pound range on live mullet before returning to the dock.
On the following day, I again was joined by Art and his wife Mary for what turned out to be an extreme canoe adventure on the Econ Creek. We found that low water conditions and hurricane debris make for a challenging 8-mile run with at least 40 portages. Thankfully, I had adventurous clients, and we managed some really nice bass on top-water Chug-Bugs.
Today Richard Kabus, his father Richey, and his good friend Kevin from New Jersey joined me for a day on the IRL, and a stronger than predicted east wind made locating the big redfish tough. We covered both flats that produced fish earlier in the week, but there were no reds to be found. We did manage a good number of sea trout on the deeper edge of the flat in 2 to 3 feet of water on blue and silver Chug-Bugs, but no quality fish were caught.
All in all, it was an excellent stretch of good fishing combined with good company. As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8082 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 38
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 5:08 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, May 18, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As summer approaches and water temperatures increase, fishing strategies begin to shift from spring to summer patterns. This transition was evident this past week in the north IRL as the following observations were made:
Sea Trout: The top-water sea trout bite in the shallow flats slow down considerably, with the best bite occurring at first light in areas where bait was present. Most of the trout taken on surface baits this week were slot size or smaller, with the largest trout taken on a soft plastic salt & pepper Exude RT slug.
Redfish: Slot redfish remained scattered in the skinny water close to the shoreline with the larger breeders schooled up the deeper water pockets of 3 to 4 feet.
On Tuesday May 10th, I was honored by the opportunity to fish with my good friends Captain Rodney Smith and Melissa Marianetti for a mid-day tripletail adventure out of Port Canaveral. We left the dock about 10am, and we work our way out fishing the buoys with hand picked live shrimp. Once outside the buoy line in about 50 feet of water, we found a heavy weed line, but dirty water conditions resulted to very few fish on the weeds. We did manage three nice buoy bass (tripletail) taken on live shrimp fishing under the buoys, with Melissa catching her first respectable tripletail and the largest of the three tipping the scale at 15 pounds. If you enjoy fresh fish, it’s tough to beat tripletail.
My next opportunity was on Friday May 13, when I joined veteran lagoon canoe angler Lyle Roles for a fishing lesson. We launched his decked out American Eagle Canoe before daybreak in a sea of fleeing finger mullet, but like I mentioned above, the top-water bite was non-existent. After about an hour throwing top-water plugs, we switched to soft plastics, and Lyle beat me 5 to 1 on slot redfish throwing his salt and pepper exude against my 3” Gulp Shrimp. Lyle also caught a ladyfish and the largest sea trout for the week at 23 inches. After working the slot fish over, we moved out into deeper water where we found a school of larger redfish. I was the first to strike, catching a nice 15-pound copper queen on a chunk of Lyle’s ladyfish. We spent the next hour trying to get the larger fish to eat, when Lyle hooked up a monster red on a small homemade gold spinner bait with a chartreuse shad tail. Lyle spent the next 45 minutes working the fish to the boat when his line became tangled with one of my rods sticking out the bow and broke, as we tried to land huge fish. Not counting the one Lyle lost; we ended the day catching 7 redfish up to 36 inches, one 23-inch sea trout and a ladyfish.
On Saturday May 15th, I honored a ½ day charter awarded to Kent Roberts of Orlando, the winner of the Coastal Angler Magazine Reader’s Survey giveaway. Joined by his twin brother Mark, we again covered a lot of water with top-water plugs, only managing a few small sea trout. It was a gorgeous morning on the water, but the fishing was tough. We finally managed to put Kent on to a respectable 38” 20 pound redfish on live shrimp, just before heavy rains ran us off of the lagoon.
On May 16th, I ventured out on my own for what I refer to as a mental health day. In preparation for my favorite summertime fishing style, I left the house at 0300, and launched my skiff in nearly calm conditions from Kennedy Point around 0400. In about 20 minutes, I was poling quietly along the east shore in an area of concentrated bait, when I started catching slot size sea trout and ladyfish on a nite-glow riptide realistic shrimp and a Woodies Rattling Hook. Just as civil twilight set in, I found a small group of tailing redfish who were willing to play, and I had my skiff on the trailer heading for the house at 0730. All together, I boated six sea trout and three slot redfish all before 0700. Fishing at night and early morning has its advantages during the summer, but you need to cover the same ground in the daytime, and mark your route with your GPS to avoid dangerous obstacles, and operate with caution during hours of darkness.
All in all, it was a great week of fishing and enjoying great weather and friends on the magnificent waters of the Indian River Lagoon Coast.
As always, if you have any question or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
886-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 37
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 09, 2005 - 6:38 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, May 8, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
For the past week, fishing conditions on the Lagoon coast of Florida have remained tough. Blustery breezes and overcast rainy skies have prevailed, making inshore sight fishing difficult. Although my lead into this report may sound ominous, four of my five charters this past week produced quality fish.
On Saturday April 30th, I had the pleasure of fishing with Ed Baldind and his fishing buddy Walt from Deland. Faced with a 15 to 20 knot south wind we departing the ramp before sunrise with hopes of beating the weekend crowd to the fish. As civil twilight appeared, we found a tight ball of large tailing reds on the leeward side of the causeway, but we managed only a few good shots before the school was dispersed by seven different boats motoring in on us. We spent the remainder of the charter looking for fish, and ended the day with one 24” redfish caught on the new Red- Red Ripper Spoon, and a 20” sea trout on live finger mullet.
On Sunday May 1st, I was scheduled to fish the Mosquito Lagoon with Quilhan Spearman from Ormond Beach, but we elected to reschedule due to adverse weather in the area.
On Wednesday May 4th, I honored a half-day charter donated to CCA Florida, and was privileged to fish with David Scudder of Winter Springs, Florida. Again we were faced with overcast skies and a strong northeast winds, and we found locating fish difficult. With a little luck and a lot of work, we were granted a brief shot at a school of large reds, and David managed to pull nice 38” copper queen from the school on live shrimp for a brief photo. With David’s trophy to the boat, we opted leave the school and target sea trout. As we drifted off of the flat into deeper water, we found an abundance of small trout willing to play with ¼ ounce Rip-Tide Jigs with Riptide Realistic Shrimp with Woodies Rattle inserts.
On Friday May 6th, I spent the morning scouting fish, and again conditions were windy and rainy. I never found any significant fish, but I did manage 5 sea trout up to 3 pounds on a red and white Skitter Walk. Later in the afternoon, Doc Thurston and his cameraman Pat from Dream Factory Productions Joined me for a few hours of reality fishing, and it was as real as it gets. We started out in late afternoon facing extreme northeast winds and heavy overcast skies, and we never but a fish in the boat.
On Saturday May 7th, I had the pleasure of fishing with Roger Mowray and his son Jay from Longwood, and although the wind was still blowing hard, the sun was shining. Our charter started slow, but we ended the day on a significant school of redfish. Roger was the first to strike with a nice 39” copper queen, and Jay soon followed with two nice 38” reds. All fish were taken on live shrimp and cut ladyfish.
In closing, I would like to invite you to a free seminar on the “Top Ten Soft Plastic for Inshore Saltwater Applications”, to be held at Boaters World in Altamonte on May 12th at 6:30 PM. If you recall, many of you responded to a survey I conducted on the topic, and the results were published in Coastal Angler Magazine last January. Also, free samples of soft plastic baits will be available while they last.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 36
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 03, 2005 - 1:45 am: | |
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, May 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As days grow longer and the water temperatures increase, so do the fishing opportunities along the Lagoon Coast of Florida. May is one of the better fishing months on Florida’s coastal waters, so make sure your lunch is packed, mental health days are scheduled, and I will see you on the water.
Near-shore along the beaches, concentrate your efforts in the areas of active bait pods (pogies). Typically, when you see concentrated areas of bait with birds feeding on the surface, big fish are just as active underneath. Species feeding on these pods include tarpon, jack cervalle, redfish, cobia, and sharks. Near the end of the month, you can add kingfish into the mix. Also, tripletail and flounder numbers should be improving around the Port Canaveral buoys. At the inlets and beaches, Spanish mackerel, snook, redfish, jack crevalle, bluefish, flounder, sheepshead, and black drum are just some of the species available this month.
Blue water trolling should be excellent in May, with the larger dolphin being the focus of most anglers. Also in the mix are tuna, wahoo, kingfish, sailfish, and an occasional marlin. When targeting these species, work areas of color and water temperature changes (lines) in 120 feet of water or deeper, and in areas of concentrated floating weeds and debris. In addition, don’t forget that kingfish and cobia are present on the near-shore reefs and wrecks like Bethel Shoals, Pelican Flats, Chris Benson, and 8A reefs.
On the lagoon flats, redfish and spotted sea trout will provide the majority of the action for light tackle and fly anglers. For sea trout, fish your favorite top-water plugs at first light in about two feet of water concentrating in areas were bait is present. After the morning top-water bite fades, switch to your favorite soft plastic jig fished in three to five feet of water alone the edges of flats or spoil islands. The water has warmed to the point where the jack crevalle, ladyfish, snook, and tarpon will begin to show up in good numbers. May also marks the last month of snook season on Florida’s east coast, so don’t miss out on your last chance at putting a linesider in the boat.
As always, if you need information, or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Ton Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fiwshing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 office
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 35
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 23, 2005 - 2:47 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, April 23, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Render inoperative by my resent medical situation, I persuaded my physician into allowing me limited permission to fish as long as I stayed dry, and reframed from strenuous activity. I’m sure glad he understands and appreciates the importance of angling therapy, because I was real close to going anyway.
My original plan was to take my newly refurbished skiff, “Three Quarter Time” out for a spin to familiarize myself with my newly installed trolling motor and power pole, but after receiving a call from Scott Bradford, my longtime fishing friend and veteran lagoon angler, I opted to oblige his offer to pole my puny butt around the lagoon instead.
We departed the Haulover Ramp just before sunrise facing near calm conditions with a slight west wind, and we were keyed up about our day on the water together. You see, for some mysterious reason, Scott and I have never experienced a day on the lagoon where we were unsuccessful in finding and catching quality fish. Our plan was to head out into the north lagoon and drift an east west flat working top-water for sea trout and redfish. We arrived at our fishing location just before sunrise, greeted by perfect conditions and a flat loaded with jumping baitfish. Scott was throwing a clear Top-Dog Pup, and I decide on a blue and silver Chug Bug, and within an hour we had each boated several fat trout and slot redfish. Although we were only successful in boating four fish, we both experienced numerous explosions on our baits where the fish either missed the plug or we pulled hook.
After several hours of continuous action, the top-water bite slowed, so we decided to take advantage on the slick conditions and scout the lagoon for the larger redfish schools, and before you could shake a stick, we were on a school of about a hundred breeder reds in the 30 to 40 pound range. After missing my first two shots, Scott hooked up on a respectable fish from the platform, and we switched places to pursue the fish. At one point, you could clearly see the bottom of Scott’s spool, but by working together, we soon managed to land the fish. Once CPR was established, we quickly returned the 40 inch copper queen back into the lagoon, and call it a day.
These larger redfish schools are resident breeders who begin to aggregate this time of year for their late summer spawn, and in this case, two guide boats with clients and two anglers boats where in the area working the school. Working fish together is quickly becoming the norm on the lagoon due increased numbers of anglers, so it’s important to quietly move in and position yourself, and once you’ve hooked up, try to ease the fish out of the school and away from the other anglers. Also, do not crank up your outboard until you’ve polled or trolled your boat at least 100 yards away. This same pole and troll rule also applies to approaching the school. Additionally, try not to hammer the school by chasing them around all day. Catch yourself a respectable fish, take a photo, revive and release it, and than leave the school in search of fish on another flat.
During our day on the water, several interesting observations were made. First, if you need to burn a flat to locate redfish schools, it is respectful not to run between anglers fishing and the shoreline. It is just as easy to swing outside wide of the anglers boat, leaving the flat between the anglers and the shoreline undisturbed. Second, I was grateful to the other anglers and guides for allowing us the opportunity to move in and work the schooling redfish, and thank you Steve for sharing your direction and extra shrimp.
In closing, today is the day I finish my regiment of medication and the PIC line is removed from my arm. Being off the water for almost a month has been tough, but I’ve utilized the time to refurbish my skiff and tackle, and rest up. Also, your never realize how many friends you have until your down on your back, and to all of you who helped me through this ordeal, my many thanks.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 34
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 15, 2005 - 12:01 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, April 14, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As many of you know, my sea legs have been shackled due to a resent illness, and I have learned first hand what cabin fever is all about. I am feeling much better now, but the only thing keeping me from losing my wits is the thought of returning to the lagoon. Nine days and counting until cast off, I can’t wait.
With time on my hands away from fishing, I made the decision to move forward with several long desired projects on my trusty skiff “Three Quarter Time”, and no I did not change the color”. Today, Don at Chain of Lakes Marine in Sanford completed installation of a new Minn Kota Riptide Bow Mount 360 trolling motor system and a Power Pole, and I must say these guys do quality work. Adding these two systems to my 1995 Maverick Master Angle was not a simple task, and their attention to detail and creative engineering were indispensable in completing these projects. Also, for those clients and fishing friends whose backsides were aching at the end of our last adventure, new seat cushions should be complete any day now.
Although I have not been on the water, I am fortunate to be affiliated with a network of quality fishing guides and outstanding lagoon anglers, who freely facilitate my need for information, and from what I learned from them this week, I haven’t missed much.
Offshore, with the exception of a few brief periods, windy conditions have shut down the offshore bite. There still were a few cobias taken off of rays in the areas of Buoy 2 and 4, and some nice tripletail south of the buoy line, but overall, the heavy seas have kept most anglers at the dock. Additionally, 20 to 25 knot easterly winds are predicted for this weekend, so it my be a good weekend for honey-dos and boat maintenance projects. Once this current weather system passes, look for the cobia and tripletail bite to improve as well as the dolphin run to commence.
Inshore on the lagoon flats, windy conditions have and will continue to make sight fishing tough through the weekend. Most of the anglers I’ve talked with this week have been successful in catching a few nice fish, but they had to work hard for them. Sea trout continue to provide the best action working soft plastics like RipTides Flats Chub, DOA Shrimp, or Berkley Gulp Shrimp while drifting the deeper edges of the flats in 3 to 4 feet of water. Redfish reports this week have been limited, with most being taken by anglers chunking cut bait in known redfish haunts. Although this technique is not the most glamorous, it is the most productive on nasty days.
On the St Johns River, the shad hatch is on, but for some reason, the schooling large mouth bass have yet to materialize. One theory is that cooler than normal water temperatures have extended the bass spawn, and once the spawn is complete the feeding frenzy will commence. It this theory holds true, the look for the hungry bass to come off of the beds after the full moon.
In closing, if you plan on fishing this weekend, please be careful in the rough water conditions, and enjoy your weekend. Also, I would like to thank those who provide their knowledge and insight to my readers through this report. See you on the water soon.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 office
866-790-8081 toll free |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 33
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 5:42 pm: | |
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, April 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As I sit here and ponder my forecast for April, I’m thankful for the opportunity to live, breath, and fish on the waters of the Indian Lagoon coast of Florida. We are truly blessed by what Mother Nature has provided for our enjoyment.
Once on the water, fishing eases our mind’s troubles by forcing us to focus on the task at hand. Fresh air in our lungs, sunshine on our skin, and screaming drags, all serve as an escape from reality, as April symbolizes the commencement of some of the hottest fishing experienced on Florida’s Indian Lagoon coast.
Offshore, April marks the beginning of the fishing season for most blue water anglers. It represents the start of the April/May northern migration of dolphin in deeper water, 120 feet and beyond, and usually brings in some of the largest bulls taken all year. April also marks the beginning of the spring kingfish run on the near-shore reef outside Port Canaveral. It’s the time of year when most of the larger kings, 30 to 50 pounds, are taken off 8A Reef, and Pelican Flats.
As we move in near-shore, tripletail should become more dependable, and look for a late season cobia run. The cobia run thus far has been slow due to cloudy skies, strong winds, and shifting water temperatures. Also look for the bait pods (pogies) to begin showing up bringing Spanish mackerel, blues, redfish, school buses (large jacks), smoker kings (large kingfish), and silver kings (tarpon) with them.
In the inlets, look for good numbers of sheepshead, black drum around structure such as jetties and docks, and Spanish mackerel, blues, and large jacks in open water. Also look for the nighttime snook and tarpon action to heat up in the Sebastian Inlet.
On the lagoon flats, fish early morning and late evening with your favorite top water plugs for extreme trout and redfish action, and try using soft plastics and jigs in deeper water, 2 to 3 feet, after the morning bite settles down. April is one of the months when sea trout are egg laden for the spawn, which happens just before and after the new and full moon, so it is very important to handle and release the larger females with great care. Each female represents the release of millions of eggs, and their survival is essential for proliferation of the species.
Last but not least, freshwater largemouth and striper bass action should be picking up on the St Johns River. Look for schooling bass at first light feeding on menhaden from the Osteen Bridge to Lake Harney. My favorite locations are in the river bends near the power lines at Lemmon Bluff, and at the south end of Lake Harney were the River dumps in. A good way to locate these schooling fish is to look for white pelicans and other wading birds congregating along the shore. When in the feeding mode, these fish will take most swim plugs, and small live shiners. Also down south in the Stick Marsh and Farm 13, the largemouth bass fishing has been extremely hot.
As always, if you have questions or need information please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 32
Registered: 8-2003
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 7:12 am: | |
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, March 11, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Spring has finally arrived here in the sunshine state and the fish are starting to show signs of rejuvenation. This morning as I stepped outside before dawn, the first thing that hit me was the sweet fragrance of orange blossoms. My good friend and fishing mentor Captain Rodney Smith enlightened me to the connection between orange blossoms and redfish. When the west wind carries this delicate scent across the lagoon water, look for redfish to begin schooling up on the flats. It is also the time of year when the wind begins to settle and the trout and reds start working top-water plugs again. Additionally, good numbers of finger mullet have started to show up on the flats of the north IRL, so the bait has started its return.
For the most part, the weather conditions have been difficult. The water temperature has been cooler than normal, so we are patiently waiting for the sun to warm our spirits and the water. This weekend, look for windy conditions Saturday, with calmer seas, 2 too 3 feet, and sunny skies predicted for Sunday through Tuesday.
The hot ticket in the weeks to come will be the cobia and tripletail bite outside of Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet. Today, the surf temperature is 63.3 degrees in Port Canaveral, and we need at least another 5-degree warm-up before the bait, fish, and rays move in. A good number of cob’s are present on the near-shore reefs and wrecks in 60 to 80 feet of water, and they will soon move into the Port Canaveral buoy line and along the beach once near-shore water warm up. Remember, everybody and their brother will be on the water in search of the big mouth striped brown logs. I’m not complaining, because I know how much I love to target these fish, and they’re only here for a short time. Most anglers spend all winter chomping at the bit, waiting for the cob’s to show up, and then they only have the weekend available to fish. It’s a big ocean, and there’s plenty of water and fish, so please be patient and pleasant at the ramps.
This past week, there were good reports of sea trout holding around the docks on the west shore of the Indian lagoon from Titusville to Rockledge, and also alone the deeper edges of the flats. In the skinny water, the redfish were actively tailing, but they were difficult to sight cast due to breeze conditions and cloudy skies. With a bit of luck, improving weather conditions will also eliminate this problem.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 office
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 31
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 3:50 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, March 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As the days grow longer and the ocean begins its gradual warming phase, the spring fishing bonanza on the Indian Lagoon Coast commences. As always, weather will serve as the determining factor in establishing the magnitude and progression of the bite.
Water temperature increases will facilitate the progression of bait pods (menhaden and mullet) from the deeper water into the near-shore waters bringing the predator fish with them. Sea conditions will determine the number of fishable days we’ll experience in March. This is especially true for those of us who target deep-water species in shallow water boats.
Good catches of cobia have been reported offshore of Stuart, and these fish should be moving into our area soon. Both the bait pods and cobia have begun to show up outside Port Canaveral and Sebastian in deeper water. Once the water warms, look for the large manta rays and bait pods to move inshore bringing cobia with them. When site fishing for cobia, keep the sun to your back and consider fishing in the latter part of the day when the sun is high. Also always keep a chartreuse colored buck tail in the ready position to cast towards any white-banded big mouth brown logs you see.
Other near-shore options consist of tripletail hanging on floating structure weeds and buoys, and giant redfish, jumbo jack carvalle and sharks shadowing bait pods near the beaches and inlets. The window of opportunity for cobia can be short, so plan your trip, and pray for calm seas and hungry fish.
Inshore on the lagoon flats, look for redfish schools to continue to form up in the skinny water flats. For the slot size redfish, focus on areas of flipping and jumping baitfish (mullet) in water depths of 12 to 18 inches, and look for the larger redfish along deeper edges of the flats and sandbars in 2 to 3 feet of water. Also, larger sea trout will continue to hold in the skinny water potholes, and the top-water sea trout bite will improve as the warmer water draws returning finger mullet back into the central IRL. Additionally, schools of black drum will continue to inhabit the shallow water flats of the Mosquito Lagoon, North IRL, and particularly the sandbars in the Banana River No-Motor-Zone.
Last but not least, the American shad run is in full swing in the upper St John’s River between the areas of Lake Harney and the SR 50 Bridge. Also, March is the month to start targeting schooling large mouth bass in the deeper bends of the river at first light feeding on schools of baitfish (menhaden). The signal I us to locate these schooling bass, is to look for large numbers of white pelicans, herons, and egrets working the banks. Once you’ve located the schooling fish, try throwing a rattle-trap or other small subsurface swim bait.
Spring is one of the best times of year to fish the Indian River Lagoon coast of Florida. So if you are planning to visit the area for a fishing adventure, make sure you book your hotel and fishing guide early. Also, when the bite is on, the ramps fill up quickly, so arrive early, and be courteous and considerate with other anglers, because we are all on the water for the same reasons.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 30
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - 6:07 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, February 15, 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Although much of my angling adventures over last several weeks were limited to manning the Coastal Angler Magazine Traveling Lagoon Booth at the Bass Pro Shop Spring Classic, I still managed to sneak away and stretch a line on a several occasions. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy spending time on the water more than anything, well almost anything, but my time spent conducting seminars and meeting new and old friends was both rewarding and enlightening. As a lifelong lagoon angler, I feel it’s important to communicate ethics and values when the opportunity arises, so everyone enjoys their experiences on the water.
Inshore, the north Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon have been the hot ticket, with schools of slot and rat redfish abundant on just about ever flat explored. Most of the schools have been in the range of 30 to 50 fish, but I have heard reports of some larger schools reaching the two to three hundred fish mark. For the past several years, I have seen a significant increase in the number of small spring redfish (rats) in the 10 to 17 inch sizes. Redfish are fast growers, increasing in size at a rate of 1 inch a month, and if you do the math, next spring these fish will be in the upper slot. This increase also supports the fact that our lagoon system serves as one of the only inshore spawning areas for redfish.
In addition, a large number of sea trout have been holding up in the skinny water sand pockets (pot holes) up close to the shoreline. Although these trout are sizeable and plentiful, they have had lockjaw on the all on the opportunities I had last week. The water is extremely clear, and the trout start pushing off as soon as the bait hits the water. Clearly, the best way to target these fish is on foot, and not in the skiff.
Another area I fish last week was power plants and canales around Port St John. It seems the ladyfish and trout have moved out into the flats. There are still loads of small ladyfish and whiteing in the outflows, but the larger fish were few and far between. We did manage a large number of small trout working the deeper flats both north and south of the power plants.
Near-shore these past several weeks, the seas have been a little much for my flat bottom skiff “Three Quarter Time”. With the weather and the seas beginning to settle some, all we need now is a little warm spell, and the tripletail and cobia will be back in the near-shore waters out of Port Canaveral.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 29
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 10:29 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, February 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
This time of year, passing cold fronts swing through Florida on a routine basis, bringing blustery northeasterly winds, higher barometric pressure, and cooler temperatures with them. These shifting conditions complicate angling by kicking up the seas, reducing water clarity in some locations, and dropping water temperatures. When the front passes, offshore waters become unfishable, and inshore anglers are forced to seek out protected shorelines and backwater canals.
Once the front pushes into the Atlantic and high pressure settles in, fishing conditions can shift from meager to magnificent overnight. One sign I watch for is the development of fog in the early morning hours. As high-pressure system moves off to the northeast, southeasterly wind shifts carry humid air off the Atlantic. Rising humidly levels are an indication of warmer temperatures, and a falling barometer. These factors provide ideal weather for fishing the flats and running offshore once the seas settle and the fog burns off. When the next approaching front moves closer, the winds will begin to back down to the south and eventually shift to the west just before the new front hits. As a general rule, the stronger the front, the more intense wind speed and shifts will be. All of this information falls in the nice to know category if you are one of the lucky people who can pick their days on the water, but for most of us, the best day to fish is whenever you have a chance.
Another important point to remember when fishing inshore is, falling water temperatures force most fish, bait included, to seek deeper locations in search the warmest water they can find, and they become very sluggish. As the sun warms the water, all it takes is a degree or two change, the fish will begin to move into the shallow flats to feed. Warming water temperatures combined with sunny spring days, and crystal clear water, make February one of the best months to site fish for redfish, large sea trout, and black drum on the lagoon flats. Also, now is the time to target tailing black drum in the Banana River Lagoon “No Motor Zone”. For larger sea trout, fish at first light sunset, or at night with natural baits, and target areas where mangrove edges, docks, and other structure are adjacent to deep water dredge holes, sloughs, or canals. These same areas will also hold concentrations of small trout, which can be caught throughout the day on small jigs and shrimp imitation baits like Riptide’s Realistic Shrimp, DOA Shrimp, or Berkley’s new Gulp Shrimp fished very slowly along the bottom. On the sunny afternoons, it is not uncommon to find redfish and trout holding in the sand pockets within the shallow flats where water temperatures raise quickly.
Offshore, kingfish are still present along the inshore reefs and wrecks, and they will remain there as long as the water temperature stays above 68 degrees. When targeting kings, focus on the areas of 8A reef, Pelican Flats, and Bethel Shoals to the south. Also look for cobia and amberjack to be present on the inshore wrecks like the Carol Lee, Dutch, and Sub Wreck out of Port Canaveral. Additionally, live bait is tough to find this time of year, so always carry a box of frozen Spanish sardines with you as backup.
Near-shore, look for tripletail concentrations to improve greatly along the Port Canaveral buoy line and under floating weeds and structures, and for cobia to move in shadowing manta rays if the surface water temperatures reach the upper sixties. Now is also the time for shore fisherman to target pompano, bluefish, weakfish, small black drum, sheepshead, Spanish mackerel and whiting in the surf and larger redfish and flounder around the inlets and jetties.
Last but not least, February is a great time to check out those freshwater fishing holes on the St Johns River, and inshore lakes. Currently good catches of American shad, speckled perch, and largemouth bass are being reported.
Remember when planning a fishing trip in February, keep a close eye on the cycle of weather, and fish whenever you have a chance.
As always, if you have questions on need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
If you would like to be added to Captain Tom’s mailing list reply to captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 28
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 11:01 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, 01-24-2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
In my last report we discussed how great fishing has been here on the Lagoon coast of Florida, and how the unusually warm weather had provided us with exceptional catches in all areas fished. Well, all good things must come to an end, and end it did, with the arrival of back-to-back artic fronts. As of the post, frost warnings are posted, but at least we’re not up to our stripping baskets in the white stuff.
On Thursday 13th of January, the last nice day before the arrival of the first front, I fished with my good friend Mike Murray. It was a real time decision to scout the upper St Johns River for American shad. As we approached our first spot, the mouth of the Econ Creek, the shad were so thick, they were flipping on the surface in 8 to 10 feet of water like a pod of pogies, and Mike and I boated over 20 fish in two hours throwing Hal Fly jigs on ultra light spinning gear. We then finished of the morning off with a nice lunch and a few barley pops at the Jolly Gator Fish Camp just north of the HWY 46 Bridge near Geneva. Add this trip to the great days of fishing before the front column.
My next adventure took me to the same location with Jerry Goldsmith, a hardcore veteran Florida fly angler. The reason I say hardcore is, only hardcore anglers and fools would have ventured out on a Sunday morning facing a 25-knot north wind and freezing cold drizzly rain. Although we were hardcore, the fish were wiser, choosing to lay low and stay warm. After about an hour of casting and shivering, we also wised up and returned to the ramp without seeing a fish. Clearly the fish had either moved up-stream or into deeper water, but with the numbers we experienced Thursday, I feel it’s safe to say we have an outstanding shad run ahead of us this year.
On January 19th, I fished a double boat charter with Captain Kevin Mulligan of Mully Charters. Our anglers were a business group who were hoping to fish Offshore, but their charter was blown out by snotty conditions. Our plan was to fish in wind protected deep-water locations, and we were rewarded with a good catch of sea trout, ladyfish, and small snook, all caught on live shrimp and DOA ½ ounce red shrimp.
On Friday the 21st, I was privileged to fish with Dan Bowden of Madison Wisconsin, and we were blessed with a beautiful warm sunny day with light west winds. Although it was a stunning day weather wise, the catching was non-existent. We covered the entire eastern shore of the IRL from the Max Brewer Bridge to the Rinker Canal, and we only had decent shots at a few redfish. We ended the boat ride with a grand total of three small trout, not a good day of catching.
My final day of fishing this week was on Saturday, where Bill Christian of Sanford North Carolina and his son Will joined me for a ¾ day trip on the Mosquito Lagoon. My plan was to fish the southwest shore of the lagoon to take advantage of the westerly winds of the approaching cold front. With the combination of cold air and warm lagoon water, we were greeted by some of the thickest fog I seen in years. I usually enjoy foggy conditions in the winter because they typically represent calm conditions, but our second major cold front was quickly approaching and our placid west wind would soon begin to scream. As we motored out of the Haulover Canal, our visibility was less than a 1000 feet, so we eased over to the western shoreline and fished as we waited for the fog to lift. Eventually we worked our way to the south end of the lagoon, but as soon as the fog lifted, the winds picked up, making sight fishing almost unfeasible. Again, we ended the day having only a few decent shots at quality fish, and we boating only five rat reds.
In a lot of ways, fishing conditions were tough this past week, but considering the fact we are still fishing, and not shoveling snow, we are truly blessed to live along the shores of the Indian River Lagoon.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck, think warm thoughts, and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 Office
407-417-1187 On the water
866-790-8081 Toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 27
Registered: 8-2003
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2005 - 5:37 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, January 12, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Although the majority of the states have been pounded by strong winter storms, we on the Lagoon Coast of Florida have been blessed with some of the nicest January weather and fishing I can remember. Thanks to a northerly swing in the jet stream, all of the adverse winter weather has stayed well away, leaving us with sunny, windless 80-degree days, cool 50-degree nights, water temperatures in the upper 60’s, and hungry and happy fish. So far, January has been loaded with outstanding fishing opportunities summarized within this long-winded report.
On Tuesday the forth, I was privileged to share a day on the Mosquito Lagoon with my good friend and veteran lagoon angler Scott Bradford. Under Scott’s guidance we headed out at first light in search of the large sea trout known to assemble in the skinny water potholes on warm sunny winter days, and we were thrilled by our findings. The Lagoon water levels are still on the low side, and the skinny water potholes were loaded with chubby sea trout. As usual, the fish were on the spooky side, and catching them required a stealthy approach and a skilful presentation, but our persistence was rewarded with some hefty trout and slot size reds. Another positive observation made during the day was a large number of schooling redfish fry scattered throughout the flats. Everywhere we looked, these schools 1 to 2 inch redfish were abundant, and if they can survive the wrath on the speckled sea trout, the lagoon should be full of rat reds by the end of summer.
My next adventure took me on a short road trip to the Greenville, South Carolina for the Henry’s Fishing Tackle and Outdoor Show. Captain Rodney Smith and I departed Central Florida Wednesday afternoon for a brief two-day look at what’s new in the tackle industry. It always nice to see first hand, all of the innovations new to the market, and to meet the tackle industry experts up front and personal.
On Sunday, I was privileged to join Captain Pat Murphy of Lucky Strike II Charters for a day of angling in the near-shore waters of Port Canaveral. Again, it was a beautiful day, and Captain Pat and I both scored 30-pound cobias just south of the port in about 40 feet of water. It seems that the warmer than normal water temperatures, 68 to 70 degrees, have drawn pods of pogies (Atlantic menhaden) from the deeper waters into the shallows bringing the cobia and other predators with them. Additionally, the kingfish are going off on the near-shore reef of Pelican Flats, with all who ventured out, scoring their limits. Most of the kingfish were snakes, but I did see some in the range of 20 to 30 pounds at the cleaning tables. Pat and I also sighted a number of tripletail hanging on flotsam, catching one in the 15-pound range. All fish were taken using 14 pound test tackle fishing with shrimp tipped jigs.
Monday was pay back time for me, as I was again honored by the presence of Captains Pat Murphy and Bryan Pahmeier aboard Three Quarter Time for another magnificent day out of Port Canaveral. Our plan was to start the day with a run out to 8A Reef for some kingfish action, and then return inshore for cobia and tripletail around noon. As we cut across the bight of the Cape, we spotted a really nice weed line with scattered tripletail, but the early morning light made them difficult to see and catch. After chasing them around for about 20 minutes, we decided to return to plan A, and revisit the weed line later when the sun was higher in the sky.
Shortly after passing “D” Can buoy, I spotted a small floating log off of to port, and we circled back for a closer look. As we idled into position, we witness a tripletail jump completely out of the water. Moving into casting range, you could clearly see a mass of large fish suspended below the log at about 8 to 10 feet. Bryan was the first to strike, and then Captain Pat chimed in with a double hook-up. Both anglers were connected to substantial fish, when Pat’s fish pulled hook. At this point, large trips were swimming all around the boat, and within seconds, Pat was hooked up to a second fish. When the battle waned, Pat landed a hefty tripletail in the 20-pound range, and that’s when we got a good look at Brian’s fish. Clearly, Brian’s fish was a monster as his battle continued for another 15 minutes, and once landed, we celebrated the capture of the largest tripletail ever landed from the deck of Three Quarter Time, maxing out my 30-pound Boga Grip. Once we safely stashed the fish and pulled ourselves together, we returned to the floating log scoring several more substantial fish before they moved off.
Again we reverted back to plan A, and headed east towards 8A Reef, only to find the place void of any immediate action. Impatience soon got the best of us, as the thought of more tripletail action compelled us to return inshore where we finished the day with at least 20 tripletail. All of the above fish were taken on 14-pound test tackle, and jigs tipped with live shrimp.
Today, I returned to the Mosquito Lagoon on a half-day charter with Jay and Ruth Barnhart and their grandson Ben. I decided to concentrate on the south end of the lagoon, and we were on actively tailing fish right off the bat. Although the calm conditions made locating fish easy, they were spooky and difficult to approach. After stocking then for an hour, Jay finally managed to get a nice 33” red to eat. Shortly after, the winds picked up out of the south, and we lost the school. The only other significant fish taken was a 25” black drum caught on a live shrimp by Ben.
On a final note, Jay and Ben caught a mess of American shad yesterday in the area of the Econ Creek, so the shad are in. So, let’s hope this approaching cold front doesn’t disrupt what’s been an outstanding two weeks of catching.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 Office
407-416-1187 On the water
866-790-8081 Toll Free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 26
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 31, 2004 - 5:52 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, January 2005
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Reflecting back through my past angling chronicles is routine procedure in preparation of my fishing forecast, and it’s a practice I truly enjoy. Within these squirreled away files, I’m reminded of outstanding adventures shared with fishing friends on the open waters of Indian River Lagoon coast. Sunny days, calm seas, tight lines, screaming drags, and happy fish, are all terms that make me smile. I’m also taken back to less favorable journeys, best described as character builders, lessens learned, or true adventures. Either way, it’s all fishing, and it’s usually the unpleasant stories, which yield the most humor when it’s all said and done, becoming the tales we love to tell the most.
In reviewing my archives for 2004, I see both of these scenarios played out to their full extent. We experienced an outstanding year of angling mixed in with some trying times and personal losses, but our mortality compels us to move forward, learning from our experiences and our mistakes, and appreciating the many blessings bestowed upon us. With that said, I believe a celebration of the New Year is justified, and I’m looking forward to our adventures on the water together next year.
Winter on the Indian River Lagoon system is not defined by any specific dates, but rather by the temperature differences generated by passing cold fronts. These variations are subject to change from year to year, and they are impossible to predict. Average daytime temperatures usually range from the 50’s in the morning to around the 70’s by afternoon. Likewise, water temperatures average in the upper 60’s, but they can drop as low as the 50’s during extended periods of cold weather. On warm sunny days, water temperatures can increase as much as four degrees on the shallow flats and sandbars. All of these factors greatly affect species targeted and methods used.
Redfish and sea trout will seek the warmest water they can find. Start out working the deeper edges of the flats in the morning and then move into the warmer wind protected flats around mid-day to late afternoon. An early start is not prudent this time of year. Additionally, both redfish and sea trout love to warm themselves in the shallow water sand pockets “potholes” within the grassy flats. On colder days, focus your attention on the deeper holes using a very slow presentation. When targeting redfish and trout in these deeper holes, I prefer using shrimp imitation baits like RipTide, DOA, or GULP shrimp in the clear or nightglow colors fish extremely slow. Other species encountered in January are black drum, flounder, sheepshead, jacks, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish. Also, January is one of the best months to target tailing black drum on the flats, especially in the Banana River “ No Motor Zone”. Both live shrimp and clams are the preferred bait for black drum, but they will eat both artificial and fly when presented properly.
Inlet fishing has been good this past month weather permitting, with Sebastian proving to be the most productive. There are still some reports of flounder moving through the inlet. On the inside of the inlet, look for good numbers of pompano, ladyfish, and jacks to be present on the flats both north and south of the cut and in the area of the monument. Also, January is the month when the jumbo reds move in and feed in the mouth of the inlet during the last part of the falling tide. These monsters are brood stock, so please handle and release them with care.
Near-shore, January is the month when the tripletail become consistent on the Port Canaveral buoy line, and their numbers will increase as the month progresses. The other hot ticket near-shore is the presents king mackerel holding along the 70 to 90 foot reefs of North Pelican and 8A. Weather permitting; bottom fishing on deep structure should remain consistent. Look for snapper, cobia and sea bass in depths of 80 t0 140 feet, and grouper and amberjack along the 22 fathom ridge and deeper.
Again, the primary factor in catching fish along the Lagoon coast in January is temperature, so keep an eye on the weather and plan your trip accordingly.
In closing, I would like to thank each and every one of you for friendship, guidance, and support this past year, and I wish you a happy, prosperous, and fishfull New Year. As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my e-mail list, contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 25
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 4:10 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, December 14, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Ever notice how the days seem to go by quicker as we approach the end of the year. This is especially true when the weather’s nice and your tossing baits. Unfortunately, the cold blast we’re receiving today has forced me exchange my long-sleeved T-shirts and my winter shorts for a long sleeve sweat shirt, blue jeans, and shoes. Fishing this week has been great in some areas of the lagoon coast, and with any luck, once these brisk breezes move off, conditions will settle. Hopefully, this report will provide useful insight into determining your fishing adventures over the weekend. Listed below are some of last week’s hot & not spots:
Sebastian: The combination of cold weather and the passing of the new moon should get the flounder moving towards the inlet. Good reports of roe laden flatfish have been coming from areas close to the inlets, so they’re on the move. A good overall artificial bait is a simple jig with a Cotee 3”curly tail grub, in white, white /red tail, rootbeer/gold glitter tail, or green. Every inshore game fish swimming in lagoon waters will take this bait. For flounder, grouper, and snapper, I prefer to drift through productive areas bouncing the jig slowly across the bottom. For bluefish and Spanish mackerel, retrieve the jig quickly just below the surface of the water. This technique will help you avoid cut offs by these toothy critters. For trout, redfish, ladyfish, pompano, and jacks, retrieve this bait with an even steady speed, giving it a twitch every three to four seconds. It is also important to adjust the weight based on the depth of the water and the strike zone of the desired species. The weights I utilize most are 1/8 ounce in skinny water; ¼ ounce in 2 to 4 feet of water, and ½ ounce in deeper situations. Also, there have been excellent catches of pompano reported inside the Sebastian Inlet cut in the vicinity of the monument and on the flats to the north and south. Remember, snook goes out of season on the 15th, so if you catch one, please handle and release it with due care.
Port Canaveral: Near-shore fishing in the Port is producing quality tripletail, flounder, and redfish. The flounder bite is slow due to heavy dredging operations and the closing of the locks for repair, but fish are showing up along the sandbars and drop-offs inside the Port. Good numbers of tripletail have begun to show up on the buoy line around structure. Catching this brim on steroids around the buoys requires a little luck and considerable skill in first getting them to bite, and then working them away from the structure is a story in itself.
Near-shore: When the seas allow it, the kingfish were hammering anglers on the near-shore reefs and wrecks along the lagoon coast, and this bite should remain productive. Around Canaveral, try slow trolling Spanish sardines (spinning minnows) over 8A, Pelican Flats, or Chris Benson reefs. The kingfish have been running small, but there are a lot of them. Most anglers last week returned to Port with there limits of kings.
Inshore: Last week I spent one of the most gorgeous days of the year fishing the No-Motor-Zone with Captain John Kumiski, but someone most have warned the fish of our menacing plans. Despite the glassy conditions, the only shots we had were at a couple tailing sheepshead, which showed no interests in our offerings.
In closing, I would like to thank all of those who have fished with me this year, my loyal readers, and my family and friends, for providing me with the opportunities I’ve experienced in 2004. God bless you, and have a happy and safe holiday. As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me. Also, gift certificates are currently available for 2005.
Good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187
866-790-8081
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 24
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 29, 2004 - 11:08 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Well folks, old man winter is once again knocking at our door with passing of our first set of cool fronts for the season. Just yesterday, I was forced to dig out my winter shorts from the bottom of the closet in preparation for my day on the water. Like November, December is loaded with outstanding fishing opportunities, with the only difference being the impact of cold fronts on water temperatures and fishing conditions. Currently, surf and lagoon temperatures are in the mid seventies, and offshore water temperatures remain near the eighty-degree mark. As these fronts approach and pass, gusty breezes kick up the sea conditions shutting down most offshore and site fishing opportunities, and cooler air temperatures chill the waters affecting fish behavior.
In and around the inlets, look for oversized redfish feeding on surface baits during periods of slack tide. At both Sebastian and Ponce inlets, target these fish outside the inlets near the end of the falling tide in the areas of bird and bait activity. These fish will hit artificial swim baits, but I find live pinfish, pigfish, and finger mullet to be the most productive bait. At Port Canaveral, dredging operations continue to muddy the water, and I haven’t heard of any significant redfish reports thus far.
Snook fishing will also remain steady as long as the water temperatures stay warm, with Sebastian Inlet proving to be the prime location. It is best to target inlet linesiders during periods of slack tide drift fishing live pigfish or pinfish at night in the channel under the inlet bridge. This style of angling can be quite rewarding when the bite is on, but it can also be challenging due to the number of anglers competing for the same action. Snook season ends December 15th, so if you enjoy those yummy filets, your time is limited.
Flounder is another notable species worth mentioning when speaking of inlet fishing in December. Warmer than normal weather and water temperatures have delayed the traditional flounder migration from the lagoon to the warmer coastal waters. Normally the run begins in mid November and lasts through mid December, but as of this writing, the doormat size southern flounder have not arrived in quantities.
Along the beaches, look for pompano to begin moving off the inshore flats to the deeper troughs along the beach is search of sand fleas (mole crabs) their favorite food. Also look for schools of bluefish and Spanish mackerel shadowing pods of glass minnows and other bait is the surf. To target both blues and Spanish, watch for birds working bait pods, and through small jigs and spoons with a fast retrieval to avoid cutoffs.
Near-shore, when the seas permit it, look for kingfish, tarpon, and sharks to be cruising the beaches working remaining bait schools as they move south. Also, solid concentrations of kings will be holding on the near-shore reefs and wrecks in 60 to 100 feet of water. Several prime locations to target kings are the north end of Pelican Flats and 8A Reef. The kingfish bite should remain steady as long as the water temperature stays above 74 degrees. To target these fish, slow troll live bait if you can find it, or troll dead Spanish sardines or cigar minnows (spinning minnows) dressed with skirts. When near-shore water temperatures approach the 70-degree mark, look for tripletail and cobia to begin to show up on the Port Canaveral buoy line and the near-shore water off the beaches and the bight of the Cape. These fish normally hold to structure such as floating weeds and other debris, but they also have a tendency to free swim on the surface once the sun warms the surface water.
Offshore, December is one of the best times to target grouper, snapper, and amberjacks. Again if sea conditions allow it, target bottom in the 21 to 27 fathom range. Additionally, dolphin, wahoo, and an occasional sailfish are still quality targets in areas of color changes, rips, and weed lines.
Inshore, both redfish and sea trout will remain in the skinny water as long as the water temperatures stay in the 70-degree range. Fish in protected areas and sunny spots, and look for fish to be holding in sand pockets (potholes) until the sun gets overhead. Now is also the time of year to begin looking for tailing black drum in the Banana River Lagoon No Motor Zone. Try fishing early in the day, and preferably with a west wind, and if you’ve never seen black drum tailing before, it’s worth the paddle.
In closing, I would like to thank all who fished and worked with me this past year for your business and friendship, man this job is great!
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Happy Holidays,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407.366.8085
407.416.1187 on the water
866.790.8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 23
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 6:03 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, October 25, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Tattered and torn best describes the emotional state of many Floridians as we recover from the torrent of summer squalls nature delivered this past season. As the adage goes, “if it doesn’t kill you, it will only make you stronger”, and although frayed, I’ve truly enjoyed the chamber of commerce weather we’ve experienced these past few weeks, combined with some memorable fishing adventures.
As fishing adventures go, this account marks my third year of writing and posting fishing reports and fishing forecast on the Internet, and the dividends were evident this past week as I was honored to served on the rules committee for the Second Annual Indian River Lagoon Fall Classic Fishing Tournament. The Fall Classic is a CPR, (catch, photograph, and release) event hosted and promoted by Coastal Angler Magazine and Chowders Restaurant, with the goal of promoting the use, not the abuse of the IRL through education and conservation. During the event, I had the opportunity to meet and speak with many anglers and their families, who not only read my reports, but also share my profound attachment to the natural side of Florida and my fondness and passion for angling. I was also highly impressed by the abundance of enthusiastic anglers and their kids, many of which, caught exceptional fish and walked away with some really nice prizes and fantastic memories.
In regards to angling, these past couple weeks have hosted both extraordinary and ordinary fishing excursion.
On the ordinary side, I ventured into the Banana River “No Motor Zone”, accompanied by veteran lagoon guide, Captain John Kumiski with hopes of encountering some tailing black drum which normally begin to show up on the flats this time of year. The weather conditions were favorable with a slight northwest breeze, but someone must have forewarned the fish of our plan, because we didn’t sight a single red or black tail or significant push during our fourteen-mile canoe odyssey. We did manage to stretch line on some healthy sea trout using chug-bugs, but that was it. Although the water level has fallen some, it is still higher than normal, and the turbidity left over from the storms and cloudy skies made sight fishing arduous.
On the extraordinary side, I enjoyed some exceptional trips shared by both clients and friends. The first was a trip to the north end of the Indian River Lagoon where we managed some nice trout up to five pounds working chug-bugs on top in areas large schooling black mullet. We also managed several upper slot redfish, and straightened the hook on one monster tailing redfish. All fish were taken using the chug-bug on top.
The remainder of my outstanding adventures consisted of targeting the concentrations of black drum, which gather together in the shadows of all of the lagoon bridges this time of year. On several trips, quality fish up to 38 inches were taken using live shrimp. The technique I like to use is to fish with heavy tackle, (20 pound class). Start by attaching about 30 inches of 40-pound test leader to the tag end of the line. Next, I slide a ¾ ounce barrel sinker onto the leader and attach a #5 circle hook. Once this is accomplished, I crimp two split-shot sinkers to the leader with the first located about 18 inches from the hook. The second shot is attached about 8 inches above the first, with the barrel sinker between the two. The purpose of the split-shot is two fold. First, it keeps the barrel sinker from sliding up the line when you cast. Second, when the fish picks up the bait, the weight of the sinker stopped by the split-shot helps pull the circle hook to the corner of the mouth before the hook is set.
Another tip is to fish with live crab or the largest live shrimp you can find. Anchor up away from the bridge and cast your bait up close to the bridge fenders or supports, and then close your bail. It’s important to keep a tight drag and limit the slack in you line. These fish are brutes, so once your feel the strike, lift the rod and reel hard to turn the fish away from structure. If you allow the fish to turn and pull drag, there is a good chance you will be cut off.
Now for the good part, if you like to eat fresh fish, black drum makes excellent table fare, and you are allowed to keep one over the slot of 14 to 24 inches. So far this month, with the exception of a few slot fish taken off the north jetty of Port Canaveral, all drum taken on Three Quarter Time have been over the slot, but we’ve still managed to put at least one over slot fish on the table each day.
In closing, this type of angling is what I refer to as full contact as most fish are concentrated near the fenders of the bridges, so it’s prudent to allow other anglers to squeeze into the better spots to share in the thrill, plus watching other anglers battle monster fish is almost as exciting as catching them yourself, so be courteous to other anglers, and kind enough to share your spot with others.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 22
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 5:54 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, October, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Squally Weather Has Passed, Let Fishing Tales Prevail
Charley was gnarly, Frances was expansive, Ivan wasn’t jivin, and Jeanne was just plain mean; but together their destruction serves merely as a disruption, fish on!
Forty-nine summers of Florida living and the 2004 hurricane season have once again taught me to never underestimate the forces of nature and the patence, tolerance, and kindness of Floridians. It’s true these squalls changed the face of the entire state of Florida, and the lives of many of us, but nature has a way of taking care of herself, and we are only along for a short ride. Hopefully, our lives will soon be back in order, the angry seas will subside, the waters will clear, and we will not take our lives and time on the water for granted.
In the meantime, the squalls have damaged or destroyed much of the infrastructure supporting anglers, so you might consider focusing your attention on shore fishing in the areas of flowing drainage culverts and from the beach until the ramps reopen. Also, sight fishing will be tough due to deeper and dirtier water, so consider switching from artificial baits to live finger mullet until the bait shops reopen and the waters clear. Like us, these fish still have to eat, so a change in tactics may be required until some sense of normalcy is restored.
The love bug hatch, shorted days, and cooler nights are sure signs fall is in the air on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. Another sure sign is the waves of baitfish working their way south through the lagoon and along the beaches. We are currently in the middle of a heavy fall bait run consisting of schools black and silver mullet, greenies, and pogies. These tasty little baitfish create a smorgasbord for a large array of hungry predators looking to fatten up for the winter. October and November are notorious for blustery breezes and nasty weather, but they’re also one of the best times of year for anglering on the Lagoon coast, so pick your days on the water, and catch some fish.
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, smoker kingfish, cobia, jack crevalle, oversized redfish, and sharks. Also look for schools of glass minnows to begin showing near the latter part of the month 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 crevelle, and oversized redfish feeding on migrating baitfish along the jetties. Easterly swells and falling tides can make for sporty sea conditions when operating in these inlets, so pay attention, be patient, and enjoy the rewards. Currently, shore anglers working from the beach are catching some nice snook and redfish working live finger mullet along edge of the surf, even in the dirty water.
In the north Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons, higher water levels will allow anglers to venture into areas that were inaccessible during the summer. Look for slot redfish in close to grassy edges along the shoreline shadowing pods of finger mullet and the larger reds staging in deeper water ambush sites where migrating fingers are forced to venture out away from the safety of the shallow flats. In deeper water, look for ladyfish and trout feeding on schools of glass minnows. These schools are easily located by watching for bird and fish activity. When fishing conditions are favorable, these schools will produce explosive action on top water plugs and popping flies. Another productive method is to target these fish with Rip-tide’s Realistic Shrimp on a ¼ to ½ ounce jig with a Woodie’s Rattle in it.
In closing, I would like to inform everyone of Coastal Angler Magazine’s Second Annual Indian River Lagoon Fall Classic Catch-Photograph-Release Tournament to be held at Chowder’s Restaurant in Melbourne on the 22nd and 23rd of October. With an entry fee of only 35 dollars, this tournament is open to all anglers regardless of where and how you fish, and the angler’s bags presented to the first 200 anglers registered are worth at least that. Features eight different species of fish, this is a fun event intended to promote the use, not the abuse of the IRL, with proceeds donated to Port Canaveral’s Kids Fishing Day, and Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation. To register, pick up a copy of Coastal Angler Magazine or call CAM at 321-777-2773.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 21
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 5:10 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, September 13, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Stormy weather placed a damper on fishing along the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida this past month. First, hurricane Charley came to visit us on Friday the 13th of August, followed by Frances who relentlessly hammered the east coast on September 5th, and if these two summer squalls aren’t enough, we’re now faced with the threat of Ivan, who is working his way through the Gulf of Mexico as of this post. These squalls produced considerable damage to the beaches, marinas, tackle shops, docks, and ramps, complicating both life and sports fishing. Additionally, many of the public ramps remain closed, including Port Canaveral, and the lagoon is loaded with floating and submerged debris, so be extra careful when navigating these waters.
On the positive side, the heavy rains have cooled the lagoon waters by about five degrees and it seems to have improved the low dissolved oxygen condition we experienced before the storm. Also, excess water is draining from the mosquito control impoundment into the lagoon, and fishing these discharges has been hot. This past week I had the privilege of fishing with Captain John Kumiski with the intent of working from my canoe, but our plan was detoured when we stopped to check a set of culverts. John worked magic with his is fly rod, managing a fish on almost every cast, as I work a small spinning outfit. Together we caught four different species of fish, and we never put the canoe in the water. Currently, the majority of the dike roads within the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge are closed due to storm damage and washouts, so access from boats or on foot are your best options.
On the beach, steady streams of finger mullet have drawn the snook, redfish and tarpon in close to the beach, and some quality snook were taken between the Cocoa Beach pier and Patrick AFB. Clearly, the mullet run is on, and once the weather settles, the fall fishing season will commence. Now is the time to target predator species ambushing schools of migrating baitfish in the lagoons, inlets, and on the beaches. On the inshore waters, focus on areas were the bait is funneled off of the protected shallow flats into deeper water were the larger fish have easer access. These areas include; points, cannel mouths, edges of dredge holes, and causeway bridge abutments. On the beach, watch for pelicans and terns working nervous mullet schools in close, and toss live fingers into the mix. At the inlets, focus your attention on the jetty points and rocky edges where bait is forced to venture into the deeper water. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, don’t hesitate, because before you know it, you will miss some of the best fishing experienced all year.
In closing, Charley destroyed around 40 trees from my homestead in Taintsville, Frances took additional 5, and it appears that Ivan will pass well to the west, so I can hopefully say that I am almost out of the woods now.
As always, if you need more information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 20
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 6:28 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, September 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Although I’m a lifelong Florida native and a student of nature, I was once again taken aback by the swiftness and destructive power of nature’s wrath, as hurricane Charley rumbled through Central Florida on Friday the 13th. Like many, I assumed Charley was a simple summer squall, and his winds would subside as he pushed his way across the mountains of Cuba, but conversely he strengthened, turned to port, and splintered Florida from stem to stern. While the damage we occurred in Chuluota was moderate, we were blessed compared to many. The forest, which once surrounded our home will grow back with time, our roof was damaged but failed to leak, and no injuries were encounter, with exception to a few splinters, some sore backs, and loads of chigger bites. On a positive note, it’s been many years since I’ve seen such starry skies from my front porch, made possible by the absents of city lights, I’ve lost some weight under my new chain saw and log lugging exercise program, and I was once again humbled the kindness and compassion of my friends and family who came to my assistance after the storm.
Due to the fore mentioned event, my time on the water this past two weeks has been limited, and my lose of power, phone, and web services had rendered me incommunicado, therefore; I will skip my fishing report and get right to my forecast for September.
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, signaling the beginning of the fall migration of all critters preferring warmer climates. This transition 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. It’s been 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 if recent indications prove true, this years run will start early, and like last year, progress 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. The technique I like to use starts by treading a ½ ounce barrel sinker onto your line. Next, attach a small swivel to the tag end of your line serving two purposes. The swivel acts as a stop keeping your weight from sliding down on the hook, and it also reduces line twisting as your sinker rolls with the tide and wave action. Next, I attach about 24” of fluorocarbon leader, 30 to 50 pound test, and a large circle hook. You will need to step up your tackle, rig, and bait size if tarpon are targeted. Another tip is to use 20-pound test braided line, I like Stren Super Braid, which greatly increases your spoon capacity over standard monofilament line, it is resistant to line twisting, and its lack of stretch gives you a better feel and hook set. Once you’re rigged and acquired bait, I like to hook my finger mullet through the lips so it swims naturally in the current. Fish the very edge of the beach, just beyond the whitewater, and walk along the beach letting your bait roll alone 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 bring cobia with them. In Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet look for flounder, mangrove snapper, redfish, and snook around the jetties and other structure, and tripletail, barracuda, and cobia under the Canveral 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, slot redfish, and jacks to be mixed in. When targeting these fish, work top water plugs for explosive action, or in deeper water, try working ¼ ounce jigs with a white or rootbeer colored RipTide Realistic Shrimp combined with a Woodies Rattle capsule insert. 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.
In closing, it difficult to reason with hurricane season, so lets pray that Frances will keep her destructive forces well out on harms way.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
886-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 19
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 12, 2004 - 10:04 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, August 12, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Summer rains have dampened catching along the Indian River Lagoon coast, which is nothing new for hurricane season in central Florida. These passed few weeks; moderate rains have elevated water levels in the lagoon, and they’ve stirred up water conditions both inside and outside, making sight fishing difficult. As we speak, two different summer squalls, Bonnie and Charley, are blowing in from the west and south, which well pretty much shut down any fishing opportunities this weekend.
All of this talk of bad weather sounds ominous, but these squalls are simply a force of nature designed to facilitate the changing seasons to come. As mentioned in my last fishing forecast, these light to moderate storms are just the ticket for pushing the cold water Labrador currents away from the coast, and the elevated water levels in the lagoon will simplify the migration of finger mullet out of the backwater creeks and impoundments in preparation for their fall bait migration.
This passed week, we had some incredible fishing adventures, but the catching side of the equation was limited. Yesterday for example, I stared my day on the water at 5am, and I happened into an unbelievable star shower at dawns first light. I usually keep tabs on celestial activity, but the magnitude of shooting stars was an unexpected pleasure. At one point, I forgot about fishing and pulled my boat up onto a sandbar, and I simply laid back on the deck and watch the stars shoot across the sky, complemented by the presents of a sliver lit moon just before new. I was actually disappointed when dawn’s light robbed the sky of its darkness.
Once the light show was no longer visible, I returned to my original intentions, and I began to hammer the smaller sea trout on top-water plugs. The sea trout bite has always been the staple for summertime anglers on the lagoon. After working the trout over, I returned to the dock to pick up a good friend, and our focus was diverted by the presents of busting fish and showers of fleeing finger mullet off in the distance along the deeper edges of the flat. As we moved in to investigate, the presents of large rolling tarpon, sixty to one hundred pound, captured our attention. For the remainder of the morning, we chased these feeding fish, but every time we would move into the area of activity, you guessed it, the activity would move to a distant place, and we never jumped a single fish. We also found a combination of jacks and ladyfish working schooling finger mullet in the deeper water and some decent redfish chasseing bait on the flats, but these fish were in hot pursuit of a mullet breakfast, making them difficult to corner. We ended the day with one really nice twenty-two pound redfish taken by Mully while fishing for black drum under a bridge.
Out of Port Canaveral this last week, again there were good and bad days. On one day, the bait pods were concentrated on the beach between the pier and the steeple, and some large kingfish, tarpon, and sharks were taken just offshore of the bait, but the very next day, the bait and larger fish were gone. Also, some good reports of schooly size kings came from the near-shore reefs of 8A and Pelican Flats, but again the catching was hit and miss. On a positive note, flounder catches have improver inside the Port, fishing live finger mullet on the bottom around structure.
In closing. I would like to remind everyone of the public meeting concerning the draft permit for the Florida Power and Light’s Cape Canaveral Power Plant is scheduled for August 18th, 4pm at the Brevard Public Library in Titusville. The discharge of heated effluent from this power plant applies tremendous presser on the estuary, and now we have an opportunity to voice our concerns and desire for change.
As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 Office
407-416-1187 On the water
866-790-8081 Toll Free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 18
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 4:34 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, August 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Doing an accurate fishing forecast for August requires years of experience, a good network of professional charter captains and quality lagoon anglers, and considerable psychic ability. As a lifetime barefoot lagoon angler and professional fishing guide, I’ve got a good start on the experience issue. I’m also blessed with an outstanding network of experienced fishing charter captains and outstanding lagoon anglers who are willing to share their knowledge (remember these are fisherman I’m referring to) with me, so information isn’t a problem either, but my ability to foresee the influences of nature on our fishery is as limited as the forecast of those silly weather reporters on the tube, and this is especially true in August. The information provided within these forecast is facilitated through my personal archives of logged fishing experiences, and the vast knowledge and experiences of those who share information with me.
For the past two weeks, catching off of the Lagoon coast of Florida has been tough. An earlier and colder than normal Labrador Current has moved in with bottom water temperatures on the near-shore reef out of Port Canaveral reported in the 50 degree range. The cooler water is normal for August, but this year, its influence was felt in the second week of July. I hate to say it, but it will most likely take the tropical fetch of a summer squall to push the cold water out, and then we’ll be faced with stirred up sea conditions.
The cooler than normal water temperatures has pretty much shut down the bottom fishing bite out of Port Canaveral, and with average bottom temperatures in the 60’s, finding warmer water is the key to finding fish. Many of the Port Canaveral party boats have been heading south and working bottom structure outside of Sebastian. Additionally, bait concentration in the Port and along the beach are almost nonexistent. Captain Mully of Mully Charters suggest catching live silver mullet out of the Lagoon before heading to the Port. Also, like last year, the colder than normal water temperatures turned out to be a blessing when we experienced a mid season cobia run, and the largest school of giant redfish I’ve ever seen seeking the warmer waters of the inshore shoals off of the Cape.
Along the beach, look for the silver kings (tarpon), smoker kings, blacktip sharks, jack crevalle, and redfish to be shadowing pods of Atlantic menhaden (pogies), thread fin herring (greenies), Spanish sardines, and bay anchovy (glass minnows) in close to the beach. Also look for snook fishing in the surf to improve, as we get closer to the commencement of the fall bait run. Remember snook are out of season, so if you target them, handle and release them with care. In and around the inlets, look for Spanish mackerel, tarpon, jack cervalle, and bonita to be working schools of glass minnows on the outside, and snook, redfish, mangrove snapper, and flounder in the area of jetties and other structure.
Angling on the in-shore lagoons will continue to show improvement, with fishing in the predawn and late evening hours being most productive. Look for schools of redfish in the skinny water holding in the vicinity of bait concentration, and target them utilizing smaller top-water plugs. A stealth approach and presentation is a must to get these fish to eat. Once the sun starts to grow hot, the top-water bite will shut down, and bait becomes your better option. For larger trout, fish live pigfish in close to docks and other structure adjacent to deeper water. In deeper water, look for large schools of ladyfish, small trout, and tarpon pushing schools of glass minnows near the surface. These schools are easy to locate by watching for concentrations of birds, terns and cormorants, joining in on the frenzy, and they are perfect for fly anglers who are interested in the continuous fast and furious action provided by these speedsters. Last but not least, look for pompano schools holding in the shadows of the causeway bridges. Fish jigs tipped with shrimp or sand fleas (mole crabs) along the deeper edges and drop-offs.
In closing, I would like to thank all of you who enjoy angling on Florida’s east central coast for your courteous and respectful treatment of the resource, other anglers, and the sport, and as always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me. Also, do not forget the public meeting regarding the draft permit for effluent discharge by the Florida Power and Light Power Plant will be held at the Brevard Public Library in Titusville at 4pm to 8pm on August 18th.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 17
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 5:28 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, July 23, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
I must confess, it’s been two weeks since my last report. As many of you know, I’ve been off the water on vacation up the eastern seaboard with my wife Sandi, and my granddaughter Rae Lynn. Our quest carried us through Charleston, Savannah, and St. Marys, with the highlight of the trip being our exploration of Cumberland Island National Seashore. It was an adventure rich in American history, lots of walking, and lots of wonderful low country seafood.
Although I gained about ten pounds while away, I immediately resumed my push pole diet, spending numerous hours last week sweating in pursuit of Mr. Redfish from the platform of Three Quarter Time. Catching this past week has been tough for me on the Lagoon, and from what I’ve heard from others, it was a difficult week all around, both inshore and offshore of the Lagoon Coast.
On the Lagoon this week, the sea trout bite is still your best opportunity for stretching line on the Lagoon. On several occasions, we hammered the trout fishing the deeper flats during the predawn hours with top-water plugs (chugbugs, skitterwalks, and Johnny Ratlers), and this bite should improve greatly as we move into the full moon phase.
As for redfish, the flats at first light have been loaded with tailing fish, but getting them to eat has been a real challenge. On Thursday, I fished with Max and his son Andy from Orlando, and we were on the most awesome school of tailing reds right off the bat. The school consisted of about forty fish in the 20 to 30 pound range, and they were pushing up into a tight group with all of their tails waving. Max hooked up immediately using a live pigfish, and we boated a nice 34 inch red before the fog lifted. It was one of those days when you think, there I go thinking again, this is going to be one of those lifetime catching experience, only to learn the tough lessen that fishing is fishing. For the remainder of the charter, I kept a steady bow in my push pole pursuing restless redfish around the flats. If you plan on pursuing redfish this weekend, I think it would be prudent to catch some live finger mullet and just settle into an area where you find tailing reds, and just quietly chunk live baits.
Near and offshore, the picture hasn’t been any brighter with a moderate influx from the coldwater upwelling of the Labrador Current. The water along the beach has been cold, and you really have to work to find bait and fish. The best information I’ve been hearing is there are some scattered bait pods, tarpon and kingfish along the beach starting around Patrick AFB, working south to Sebastian Inlet, and that the water is currently warming up some. If you plan on fishing this weekend, you might consider targeting whiting, drum, and sheepshead along the beach, and be ready for the tarpon and kingfish bite to fire up once the water begins to warm up.
In Closing, I would like to thank all of the members of the Internet Shrimpers and Anglers Association (ISAA) for inviting me the to speak at their July BBQ last Saturday. For those of you who are not familiar with this outstanding organization, you should check out their website at http://www.isaa.cc. This group is unique, because they are the only family oriented shrimping and fishing club in the world who’s focus is the educate anglers, and the throw a great BBQ too.
As Always, if you have questions or need information, Please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 16
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 12:32 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, July 8, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
With the summer heat upon us, an early morning or late evening start has been an essential requirement for catching fish. This past week we’ve experienced exceptional conditions in regards to wind and seas, but the scorching summer sun has shut down the bite early, and it will put blister you shinny nose in a heartbeat.
Inshore, the hot ticket has been the early morning trout bite, 5am to sunrise on most of the major flats on the north Indian River, Banana River, and Mosquito Lagoons. Last week I fished the north IRL with my good friend Captain Billy Bright on the flat north of the ICW spoil islands west of Haulover, and we boated over 20 sea trout up to 5 pounds before 8am, throwing Mann’s new Tail Dragger, Storm’s Chug Bug, and Rapala’s Skitterwalk plugs. Once the sun grew bright, the bite shut down. Another hotspot has been the nighttime redfish and black drum bite around the Titusville Railroad and the NASA Causeway bridges. Rich from Skeeter Lagoon’s bait and tackle in Titusville reported one of his regular customers catching eight black drum in one day with the smallest being 30 pounds, on shrimp heads of all things.
Offshore, the cold-water upwelling produced by the Labrador Current has moved inshore and sent the bottom fish into a state of aestivation, shutting down the seaward bite. Additionally, offshore anglers are reporting the dolphin and wahoo bite to be sluggish.
Near-shore along the beach, the bait pods have completely disappeared, along with all of our other scaly friends; so if your looking for live baits this weekend, focus your attention inside the Port. I’m not sure if it’s cold water moving in, or just the full moon phase, but many hours and gallons of fuel were wasted last week running the beach in search of bait and fish. As far as the kingfish bite, several nice fish were taken on the buoy line, but the better bite has been north of Canaveral and outside Ponce Inlet in 70 to 80 feet of water.
In closing, the Haulover Canal Ramp closed July 6th for renovations, and it should remain closed through August; so alternate ramps must be utilized if you plan on fishing the Mosquito Lagoon. Also, I will be off the water and out of my office on a short family vacation up the eastern seaboard through July 16th, so please direct any charter request to Captain Rodney Smith at 321-777-2773.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 15
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 4:36 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, July 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Well folks, summertime has officially arrived on the Indian River Lagoon coast, as the mid summer doldrums are currently upon us. It’s also the time of year when tropical weather systems and offshore water temperatures are as predictable as Wall Street. Just when you think you’ve got things figured out, a summer squall will blow in and kick up the seas, or the cold water Labrador Current will move in and shut down the seaward bite. Setting all these possibilities aside, many opportunities for angling adventures exist for us both inshore and offshore of the lagoon coast in July.
Offshore, the yellowfin tuna have been going off, for those who are willing to make the long run east (70 to 140 miles). Last week, Chris Lee set a Port Canaveral record boating a 121-pound yellowfin while fishing aboard the Stream Hunter using cider plugs.
Near-shore, kingfish will be the staple on the reefs and wrecks in 70 to 90 feet of water, with a mixed bag of three, wahoo, dolphin, and an occasional sailfish, thrown in. My preferred method for targeting these species is slow trolling live bait (pogies) on steel stinger rigs dresses with King Duster skirts.
On the Port Canaveral buoy line and along the beaches, an assorted beach bag is available with smoker kings (large king mackerel), silver kings (tarpon), cobia, sharks, and colossal jacks (school busses) all available at any given time. To target these species, focus your attention in areas of bait concentrations. This past week, pods of large tarpon and sharks were located between Patrick AFB and Satellite Beach. As the month progresses, these fish should begin moving north along the beach to their favorite summertime haunt in the forbidden zone off the bight of the Cape.
Out of Ponce Inlet; look for mangrove snappers to be aggregating for the spawn on any hard bottom from 90 to 165 feet of water. The best bite is at night, 3 to 4 days before and after the full moon. Your best bet is to anchor up current and chum these fish up into the water column. Also look for grouper, and amberjacks in the same areas. Thus far, the cold water has not shut down the bite in this area.
In the Port and inlets, Spanish mackerel, summer flounder and mangrove snapper number should remain steady. To target the flounder and snapper, try using Rip Tide’s new realistic shrimp on a ¼ to ½ ounce jig head in the areas of structure and along sandy drop-offs. Cast the jig as close to the structure as possible without getting snagged, and let it sink to the bottom. Once its reached the bottom, slowly drag it back letting it rest every foot or so.
Inshore, July is the best time of the year to catch redfish in shallow water. Large schools have already started forming up, and the sight of 200 feeding redfish is mind-boggling. Once you’ve finished drooling over redfish, look for snook, and top water snapper along mangrove edges, and juvenile tarpon in the creeks, canals and backwaters. In deeper water, look for ladyfish and small trout to be shadowing schools of bay anchovies (glass minnows) under clouds of feeding terns.
In closing, lets remember to be patient and respectful to our fellow anglers while enjoying time on the water during our Nation’s birthday, and lets not forget those overseas fighting for our freedom.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please reply to captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 14
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 12:06 pm: | |
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, May, 22, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
For the last few weeks, a high-pressure ridge has planted itself firmly offshore of the Indian River Lagoon coast producing clear sunny skies, warm rain free days, and steady easterly breezes between 5 to 15 knots. To many this sounds like a wonderful weather pattern, especially for those who live in the central states, but for anglers on the lagoon coast, it represents a change in fish patterns, fishing plans, and angling strategies. Summer is clearly here, but the typical sea breeze fronts that normally develop over the mainland during the day and cool us off in the afternoon are absent. Hopefully, this weather pattern will break soon, because the lack of precipitation has dropped lagoon water levels to the point where some sea grass beds are exposed, and low water has made navigation of skinny areas difficult.
On the lagoon last week, the early morning trout bite was good working top water plugs in the areas of sandbars and spoil islands, with the bite slowing down once the winds picked up. Redfish schools are abundant throughout the lagoon flats, but again, an early morning calm conditions will improve you odds in locating them. We have also seen a good number of ladyfish and jacks moving north up the IRL shadowing pods of glass minnows and finger mullet. The fast and furious action of these ladyfish schools are always great fun, especially on ultra light tackle or fly.
Out of Port Canaveral and Sebastian, the bait schools along the beach were tough to find, but once located, good catches of tarpon, large jacks, and sharks were reported. Also, good numbers of bluefish and Spanish mackerel have been located just outside the inlets. At Port Canaveral, the pogies, Atlantic menhaden, have been concentrated inside the port near the back basin, but clear water conditions make a fast sinking cast net with a long rope essential for catching them. If linesiders (snook) are of your liking, remember, this is the last week you will be able to put one on the dinner plate, because snook season ends on June 1st.. Additionally, I’ve seen a good number of large southern flounder showing up showing up at the cleaning table, but when asked the question, “ where’d you catch them”? , I’m getting the same answer every time, “right in the mouth”.
Near-shore, clean water conditions and fair seas have rewarded many anglers fishing the reefs and wrecks like 8A, and Pelican Flats with limits of kingfish. Most fish were taken slow trolling live and dead bait. With baitfish (pogies) difficult to locate, it is prudent to include a box of frozen sardines in you bait arsenal as back up. Also, good numbers of tripletail have been taken off of flotsam, and there are still some cobia shadowing manta rays in the area.
Offshore, dolphin have been the hot ticket for most blue water anglers outside Port Canaveral. I’ve also heard reports from more than one source, of quality fish being taken in as shallow as 60 feet of water, well within the range of skinny water boats.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-808
886-790-8081 toll free
If you would like my reports sent directly to you, just drop me a line, and I will add you to my mailing list.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 13
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 09, 2004 - 4:56 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, April 9, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Fishing on the Indian River Lagoon Coast has shown significant improvement since my last report. For the past several weeks, windy conditions have frustrated anglers both offshore and inshore, providing only a few intermittent periods of decent weather and catches mixed in. With the full moon behind us and the seas showing some signs of settling down, it’s time to take advantage of what the IRL coast has to offer.
Considering the sea conditions we experienced in March, the cobia run was one of the best we’ve had in years with many quality catches reported, and the run isn’t quite over yet. If the seas allow it, there is still a decent shot of finding cobia shadowing rays in deeper water to the north of the cape as these fish continue their northerly migration. Additionally, good catches of tripletail have been experienced off of flotsam in 40 to 50 feet of water, so it’s prudent to keep a smaller rod and some hand picked shrimp ready when site fishing cobia. Further off shore, kingfish in the twenty-pound range were abundant on the north end of Pelican Flats this past week, but in early April this bite is typically hit or miss until consistent schools move in near the end of the month.
Offshore, the snapper bite has been heavy. Captain Mully of Mully Charters reported heavy concentrations of smaller fish on every piece of bottom he checked from about 80 feet of water on out. Also, some good reports of dolphin have been filtering in, especially from Sebastian south with a few big fish reported.
On the inside, solid schools of both redfish and sea trout have been forming up on the edges of the flats in two to three feet of water. To target these fish, work the deeper edges using soft plastic jigs like the Riptide Realistic Shrimp with a Woodie’s Rattle Insert or Woodie’s Rattling Hook. These fish are aggregated for the spawn, and they should be handled and released with extreme care to help maintain future populations. A positive sign for the fishery is the number of rat reds being caught and released in the Mosquito Lagoon this year. With a rapid growth rate, redfish reach the minimum slot size in just two years (18 inches), and the maximum slot size (27 inches) at three years when they become sexually mature. With this in mind, we should see a banner year for redfish in 2005.
In closing, I would like to wish everyone a happy Easter, and I hope to see you on the water soon. As always, if you have any questions on need further information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to Captain Tom’s mailing list, please reply to captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 12
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 27, 2004 - 4:27 pm: | |
Indian River lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, March 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Believe it or not, spring is just around the corner, and fishing opportunities on the Lagoon coast have begun to heat up. Spring in Florida is not defined by any specific dates, but more so by temperature and weather patterns. I have also learned over the years to watch for subtle changes in the local flora which signal spring’s arrival. These changes can be slight or quite dramatic, they’re easy to recognize, and they correspond with the activities and migration patterns of fish. As an example, I always watch for the bloom of my lavender Formosa azaleas as a signal of the beginning of the spring cobia run along the beaches and near-shore waters of the Space Coast. Another example is the fragrance of orange blossoms drifting across the Lagoon, which hint to the formation of redfish schools on the flats and beginning of the spring bait migration northward.
As the days grow longer and the ocean begins its gradual warming phase, 67 to 68 degrees, the spring fishing bonanza on the Indian River Lagoon coast commences. Increasing water temperatures will facilitate the progression of bait pods (menhaden and mullet) from the deeper waters into the near-shore waters bringing predators we love so much with them. Additionally, warmer waters will draw manta rays near-shore with cobia shadowing them. As always, weather, water clarity, and sea conditions will determine the number of fishable days we will experience in March. This is especially true for those of us who target deep-water species in skinny water boats.
By the way, my azaleas are loaded buds, and good catches of cobia have been reported offshore of Stuart and Sebastian. It won’t be long before these fish arrive in the Port Canaveral area as long as the warmer weather pattern holds. Also look for tripletail hanging on flotsam, weeds, and around buoys, and for heavy weight jacks, oversized redfish, tarpon, and sharks shadowing bait pods near the beaches and inlets close to the end of the month.
Moving out into deeper water, the spring kingfish run is just around the corner, and it should hold solid for the next six months. Look for the kingfish to begin showing up on the near-shore reefs and wrecks around the middle of the month, and then move in close to shore following bait pods. Most anglers, including myself, prefer slow trolling live pogies, but spoons and frozen Spanish sardines dressed with king buster skirts will also work if live bait is hard to find.
Inshore, the water levels are on the rise, and schools of slot size redfish have formed up ahead of schedule on the shallow flats, with schools of larger redfish holding along the deeper edges of bars. Also look for the larger sea trout to be holding in sand pockets on the skinny flats.
Last but not least, now is the time to target American shad in the upper waters of the St Johns River. Good reports of shad have been coming from the area south of the Highway 46 bridge near Geneva and areas south of Hatbill Park.
As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to Captain Tom’s mailing list, please contact him at captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 11
Registered: 8-2003
Rating:
Votes: 3 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 3:15 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, February 24, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As spring thunderstorms roll through central Florida, I’m forced off of the Lagoon and into the comfort of my lazy-boy where in between dreamful naps, I composed this report. Clearly spring has arrived early here on the lagoon coast, and an early spring means angling opportunities will continue to heat up as we leap into our prime fishing season early.
On Friday, I had the privilege of fishing with Scott Bradford, a veteran Lagoon angler with many years of experience targeting redfish and sea trout in the backwaters of the IRL. The morning was cool, clear, and calm, with a slight fog lifting off the water as we motored out of the Haulover canal and headed north. As we shut down on the edge of our first flat, it was evident this would be a day to remember, as a large school of reds pushed up in front of us. Soon, the flats became alive with at least ten visible schools of fish pushing in all directions, and we ended up catching seven nice reds up to 27 inches before the wind picked up and the fish laid down.
On Saturday, I met my party, Anthony Tedeschi and his son Anthony from Hammonton, New Jersey, at the ramp at Front Street Park in Melbourne. Our plan was to run north into the Banana River Lagoon and work the west shore with hopes of locating a school of reds, but our search only netted us a few small trout, and a mess of hardhead catfish and blowfish. The water was dirty, and the boat traffic was heavy. Not a productive day, but a fun day, nonetheless.
Yesterday I returned to the Mosquito Lagoon to prefish a charter with veteran Lagoon guide John Lulay, and we were on the fish right off the bat. Again, it was a perfect day with glassy waters and sunny skies, and the schools were easy to find and willing to play. After locating a school of about 100 large reds, John and I took turns tossing Rip-tide Realistic Shrimp and Captain Mike’s Flats Candy tube baits with a Woodie’s Rattles in them, and again we hammering the big boys on ultra lite tackle. The highlight of the expedition was a 16 pound black drum taken by John while casting to the big reds in deeper water.
The rain has begun to fall harder now, and my eyelids are growing heavy once again, so it’s off to dream land with pleasant thoughts of spring days, tight lines, and screaming drags.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to Captain Tom’s mailing list, contact Tom at captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 10
Registered: 8-2003
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 10:52 am: | |
Indian River lagoon Coast Fishing Report, February 18, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
For the past few weeks my time on the water has been limited due to my obligation to support Coastal Angler Magazine’s Traveling Lagoon Booth and my sponsors at Outdoor World’s Spring Classic fishing show in Orlando. Although these shows take me off the water, I truly enjoy seeing old friends, making new ones, and learning about what’s new in the fishing industry. The range of anglers fishing the Lagoon coast is as diverse as the fishery itself, and these shows provide us with opportunities to teach those new to the sport about the importance of conservation, angling ethics, and becoming good stewards of the Lagoon and the fishery, and lets face it, angling is a perpetual learning experiences for all who truly love the sport.
Although I was land locked working shows, I did manage to hit the lagoon on several occasions, but each time I was limited to foul weather days, and the charter I fished yesterday was no different. I met my party, Doug Dupont from Oviedo and his father-in-law Joe from Buzzard’s Bay, at Parish Park in Titusville at first light and we faced chilly northwest winds of 10 to 15 knots accompanied by overcast drizzly skies.
Aware of the conditions facing us, I knew sight fishing would be tough, so my strategy was to launch at Haulover Canal and work protected flats with hopes of seeing some tails. We started poling the flats east of Turtlepen Point, and we promptly spotted both redfish and black drum tailing in the distance. Unfortunately, as I worked to enter the casting zone, the choppy conditions alerted the fish of our presents and they disappeared with us even getting a shot at them. As the winds increased and light rain began to fall, I decided it was time to move closer to the shelter of Haulover Canal. The remainder of the charter was spent targeting trout and reds in the vicinity of the canal, with the highlight of the trip being a 30-pound plus redfish caught by Joe on a blue crab soaked on the bottom.
Fishing the lagoon during adverse weather conditions is always tough, but as Joe reminded me, at least we are privilege to fish year round and spring is just around the bend. One other observation made during the trip was the abundance of sheepshead present in the canal. These fish are excellent table fare, and they are a blast to catch on light tackle.
As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
If you would like to be added to Captain Tom’s mailing list, please respond to captain@irl-fishing.com .
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 9
Registered: 8-2003
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 11:44 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, February 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Arduous is the best way to describe fishing conditions on the Indian River Lagoon Coast in January and February. Passing cold fronts swing through Florida on a routine basis, bringing blustery northeasterly winds, higher barometric pressure, and cooler temperatures with them. These shifting conditions complicate angling by kicking up the seas, reducing water clarity in some locations, and dropping water temperatures. When the front passes, offshore waters become unfishable, and inshore anglers are forced to seek out protected shorelines and backwater canals.
As this cycle of weather progresses and high pressure settles in, fishing conditions can shift from meager to magnificent a mater of days. One sign I watch for is the development of fog in the early morning hours. Rising humidly levels are an indication of warmer temperatures, falling barometer, and a southeasterly wind shift. These factors provide ideal weather for fishing the flats and running offshore once the fog burns off. When the next approaching front moves closer, the winds will begin to back down to the south and eventually shift to the west just before the front hits. As a general rule, the stronger the front, the more intense wind speed and shifts will be and always anticipate the worst if you planning on being on the water when the front pusses through. All of this information falls in the nice to know category if you are one of the lucky people who can pick their days on the water, but for most of us, the best day to fish is whenever you have a chance.
Another interesting point to remember when fishing inshore is, falling water temperatures force most fish, bait included, to seek deeper locations in search the warmest water they can find, and they become very sluggish. As the sun warms the water, all it takes is a degree or two change, the fish will begin to move into the shallow flats to feed. Warming water temperatures combined with sunny spring days, and crystal clear water, make February one of the best months to site fish for tailing redfish, large sea trout, and black drum on the lagoon flats. Also, now is the time to target tailing black drum in the Banana River Lagoon “No Motor Zone”. For larger sea trout, fish at first light, sunset, or at night with natural baits, and target areas where mangrove edges, docks, and other structure are adjacent to deep water dredge holes or canals. These same areas will also hold concentrations of small trout, which can be caught throughout the day on small jigs and shrimp imitation baits like Rip-tides Realistic Shrimp fished very slowly along the bottom. On the sunny afternoons, it is not uncommon to find redfish and trout holding in the sand pockets within the shallow flats where water temperatures raise quickly and the wind lay down just before dark.
Offshore, kingfish are still present along the inshore reefs and wrecks, and they will remain there as long as the water temperature stays above 68 degrees. When targeting kings, focus on the areas of 8A reef, Pelican Flats, and Bethel Shoals to the south. Also look for cobia and amberjack to be present on the inshore wrecks like the Carol Lee, Dutch, and Sub Wreck out of Port Canaveral. Additionally, live bait is tough to find this time of year, so always carry a box of frozen Spanish sardines with you as backup.
Near-shore, look for tripletail concentrations to improve greatly along the Port Canaveral buoy line and under floating weeds and debris, and for cobia to move in shadowing manta rays if the surface water temperatures reach the upper sixties. Now is also the time for shore fisherman to target pompano, bluefish, weakfish, small black drum, sheepshead, Spanish mackerel and whiting in the surf and larger redfish and flounder around the inlets and jetties.
Remember when planning a fishing trip in February, keep a close eye on the cycle of weather, and fishing on our worst days is better than chipping a hole in the ice and worrying about snow snakes crawling up your backside when you sit down.
As always, if you have any questions on need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
If you would like to be added to Captain Tom’s mailing list reply to captain@irl-fishing.com
|
testing (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 10:18 am: | |
testing the post |
Ron (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 12:59 pm: | |
Did a little shrimping at halover Canal. Only caught 21 that night(saturdaynight) but the thursday evening before was a bit better with 150=+ shrimp of medium to large shrimp. Watched a few people fishing just across from me on the indian river side of the canal and they seemed to be slamming the fish... Both Reds and Drum. I've never caught nor fished for either of those but after seeing the size of these fish they were landing i think it's time for me to start! (I'm a catch and release fisherman because I don't eat much fish). Thinking about going shrimping tonight with this cold front passing through and stir'en up the wind and water.Thinking it might just make for a good night... I'll be back with a report soon....... " I don't fish for the sport, I fish for the pleasure" |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 7
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 4:24 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, January 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
This past Friday at first light, I found myself skipping across the Lagoon’s surface alone in my trusted flats skiff, “Three Quarter Time”, on a mission to scout fish for an up coming charter. The brisk salt air robbed the warmth from my face, as the vast splendor of the lagoon before me soothed my soul. Easing into the shallows of Tiger Shoals, I reached down and turned off the engine. At that instant, the sun’s fingers of light reached out from below the horizon across the surreal water and touched the western shore.
As I reflected on the moment, I pulled a crumpled paper from my wallet. Written in faded type was my last year’s resolution, which simply read “ spend more time on the water, watch more sunrises, and catch more fish”. It’s hard to fathom how quickly last year passed, but with reflection, I can truly say I kept my resolve by moving forward in life and my livelihood, with the help and guidance of good friends and a loving family. Although this past year was a tough one for fishing charter industry, I still managed to broaden my horizons, reaching out like the finger of the sun across the Lagoon, to enlighten those within my circle of influence. It’s with these thoughts in mind, that I resolve to continue to spend more time on the water, watch more sunrises, catch more fish, and to expand my influence on others by my actions and my words. Fishing to me is not just a recreational activity, but also a way of life, and the IRL is much more than a reusable resource, it’s a force that compels me to become one with nature. With that said, I will get off of my soapbox, and get on with my fishing forecast for January.
Winter on the Indian River Lagoon system is not defined by any specific dates, but rather by the temperature differences generated by passing cold fronts. These variations are subject to change from year to year, and they are difficult to predict. Average daytime temperatures usually range from the 50’s in the morning to around the 70’s by afternoon. Likewise, water temperatures average in the upper 60’s, but they can drop as low as the 50’s during extended periods of cold weather. On warm sunny days, water temperatures can increase as much as four degrees on the shallow flats and sandbars. All of these factors greatly affect species targeted and methods used.
Redfish and sea trout will seek the warmest water they can find. Start out working the deeper edges of the flats in the morning and then move into the warmer wind protected flats around mid-day to late afternoon. An early start is not a requirement this time of year. Additionally, both redfish and sea trout love to warm themselves in the shallow water sand pockets within grassy flats. On colder days, focus your attention on the deeper holes using a very slow presentation. Other species encountered in January are black drum, flounder, sheepshead, jacks, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish. Also, January is the best time of year to find black drum tailing on the flats, especially in the Banana River “ No Motor Zone”. Both shrimp and clams are the preferred bait for black drum, but they will eat both artificial and fly when presented properly.
Inlet fishing has been good this past month weather permitting, with Sebastian proving to be the most productive. There are still some reports of flounder moving through the inlet, but the bite has slowed. On the inside of the inlet, look for good numbers of pompano, ladyfish, and jacks to be present on the flats both north and south of the cut. Also, January is the month when the jumbo reds move in and feed in the mouth of the inlet.
Near-shore, January is the month when the tripletail begin to show up on the Port Canaveral buoy line, and their numbers will increase as the month progresses. The other hot ticket near-shore is the presents king mackerel holding along the 70 to 90 foot reefs of North Pelican and 8A. Weather permitting; bottom fishing on deep structure should remain consistent. Look for snapper, cobia and sea bass in depths of 80 t0 140 feet, and grouper and amberjack along the 22 fathom ridge and deeper.
Again, the primary factor in catching fish along the Lagoon coast in January is temperature, so keep an eye on the weather and plan your trip accordingly. Also, be sure to visit Coastal Angler Magazine’s Traveling Lagoon Booth at both the Stuart Boat Show, January 9th-11th, and the Central Florida Boat Show in Orlando, January 22nd-25th. As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
To be added to my e-mail list, contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com.
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 6
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 30, 2003 - 6:37 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Once again, the holiday season is upon us, and it’s time for us to reflect back on the many blessing we’ve received this past year and look forward to December’s offerings. Living on the lagoon coast of Florida definitely has its advantages, warm weather, year round angling, quality fish, and oh yes, quality time on the water with family and friends enjoying life.
Like November, December is a month filled with outstanding fishing opportunities, with the only difference being the impact of passing cold fronts on water temperature and fishing conditions. Currently, the lagoon and surf water temperatures are in the upper 70’s, but soon we’ll be forced to break out our winter shorts as passing cold fronts chill the air and water a bit.
In and around the inlets, look for concentrations of oversized redfish to remain steady feeding on surface bait during periods of slack tide. At both Sebastian and Ponce inlets, target these fish outside the inlets near the end of the falling tide in areas of bird and bait activity. At Port Canaveral, work the edges of the buoy line bouncing bait off the bottom. These fish will hit on artifical baits like ¾ to 1-ounce Cootee jigs or bucktails, but I find live pinfish, pigfish or finger mullet to be a more productive. Remember, these oversized reds are exciting to catch, but they are breeders, so handle and release them with care.
Snook fishing will also remain steady as long as the water temperatures stay warm, with Sebastian Inlet proving to be the prime location. It is best to target inlet linesiders during periods of slack tide drift fishing live pigfish or pinfish at night in the channel under the inlet bridge. This style of angling can be quite rewarding when the bite is on, but it can also be challenging due to the number of anglers competing for the same action. Snook season ends December 15th, so if you enjoy those yummy filets, your time is limited.
Flounder is another notable species worth mentioning when speaking of inlet fishing in December. Warmer than normal weather and water temperatures have delayed the traditional flounder migration from the lagoon to the warmer coastal waters. Normally the run begins in mid November and last through mid December, but as of this writing, the doormat size southern flounder have not arrived in quantities. So flounder pounders standby, once a cold front passes, these flatties should begin to move through.
Along the beaches, look for pompano to begin moving off the inshore flats to the deeper troughs along the beach is search of sand fleas (mole crabs) their favorite food. Also look for schools of bluefish and Spanish mackerel shadowing pods of glass minnows and other bait is the surf. To target both blues and Spanish, watch for birds working bait pods, and through small jigs and spoons with a fast retrieval to avoid cutoffs.
Near-shore, when the seas permit it, look for kingfish, large tarpon, and sharks to be cursing the beaches working remaining bait schools as they move south, and for solid concentrations of kings holding on the near-shore reefs and wrecks in 60 to 100 feet of water. Several prime locations to target kings in December according to Captain Billy Bright of Snake Eyes Charters, are the north end of Pelican Flats and 8A reef. The kingfish bite should remain steady as long as the water temperature stays above 74 degrees. To target these fish, slow troll live bait if you can find it, or troll dead Spanish sardines or cigar minnows dressed in King Buster skirts. When near-shore water temperatures approach the 70-degree mark, look for tripletail and cobia to begin to show up on the Port Canaveral buoy line and the near-shore water off the beaches and the bight of the Cape. These fish normally hold to structure such as floating weeds and other debris, but they also have a tendency to free swim on the surface once the sun warms the surface water.
Offshore, December is one of the best times to target grouper, snapper, and amberjacks. Again Captain Billy suggests fishing beyond the party grounds, and target bottom in the 21 to 27 fathom range. Additionally, dolphin, wahoo, and an occasional sailfish are quality targets in areas of color changes, rips, and weed lines.
Inshore, both redfish and sea trout will remain in the skinny water as long as the water temperatures stay in the 70-degree range. Fish in protected areas and sunny spots, and look for fish to be holding in sand pockets until the sun gets overhead. Now is also the time of year to target tailing black drum in the Banana River Lagoon No Motor Zone. Try fishing early in the day, and preferably with a west wind, and if you’ve never seen black drum tailing before, it worth the paddle.
In closing, I would like to remind everyone that once the air temperature drops below 50-degrees, manatee begin to move towards their winter warm water retreats, so keep a sharp eye out for them in areas where they are not normally encountered. Additionally, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who fished and worked with me year for your business and friendship, man I love this job!
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Happy Holidays and God Bless,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407.366.8085
407.416.1187 on the water
866.790.8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 5
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 23, 2003 - 12:59 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, November 22, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
The fact you are reading this report is proof I’ve once again survived my annual quest to put the brakes on life and escape to the confines of the Sebastian area of the Indian River Lagoon. For over 20 years, I’ve taken a week off in November to do nothing but fish. My only dilemma was a whole week of seaside fishing adventure, cool salty breezes, magnificent starry nights, spectacular sunrises, and good friends, passed by in the wink of an eye. The old adage is certainly true, time flies when you’re fishing and having fun.
Although life is Sebastian was great, typical blustery November weather conditions kicked up the seas and muddied the water making fishing a challenge and passage through the inlet unthinkable. As we all know, fishing is fishing and all hardcore anglers never let the little stuff bother them. So we sucked it up and made the best of it, and we still manager to catch a ton of fish. Each day on the water was an adventure, and I even had to break out my winter shorts on a couple of the cooler mornings. Listed below are some observation made on our quest:
Snook: The snook bite was going off while drift fishing the inlet at night during periods of tidal change. Many of the local anglers returned to the dock with limits of snook caught on a single drift through the gauntlet of boats and shore anglers using live pigfish, and pinfish. This is full contact fishing, so stay alert and be patient with other anglers.
Mullet Run: There are still heavy concentrations of finger mullet present in all areas of the central lagoon. When conditions settled down, bait showering the water’s surface to escape predators was a common site. Bait schools have begun to thin out in the Canaveral area, and they will begin to diminish in Sebastian as the water cools.
Flounder Run: Flounder concentrations at the inlet have been limited to a few small gulf flounder. This week we targeted flounder each day managing only small undersize fish. The run should intensify as soon as the water cools down a bit, so be prepared to hit the inlet at a moment notice if you are a flounder pounder.
Pompano: Pompano have begun to show up in the inlet cuts and on the flats of Long Point, Honest John’s, and Black Point. We managed to catch several nice pompano while jigging for flounder. We also observed a good number of pompano skipping as we ventured across the flats. These fish are forming up for their annual migration seaward, so their numbers will improve as the cold fronts pass.
Spotted Sea Trout: Although out of season, we did manage to catch some really nice sea trout up to six pounds, using Cootee root-beer curly tail jigs on the channel side of the spoil islands.
Tarpon: Although we didn’t catch any, we did observe a large number of poons rolling in the north fork of the Sebastian River. We worked these fish hard, but our timing was wrong and we couldn’t get them to eat. These fish eat best at first light and sunset, and our assault on them was at midday.
Bluefish: Our best action was an aggressive school of large bluefish located off of Black Point between the clam leases and the shoreline. All of these fish were between five to eight pounds, and they were taken on cut ladyfish and live finger mullet while chunking for redfish. We were cut off by many of these bruisers, so we stepped up our leader size to 60lb test, before putting one in the boat.
All in all, it was a fantastic week of adventure, and I’m already dreaming of next year’s November Sebastian fishing odyssey.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 Toll Free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 4
Registered: 8-2003
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2003 - 7:38 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, November 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As a Florida native, I can’t even begin to count all of the outstanding fishing adventures I’ve had on the Indian River Lagoon Coast in November. We are truly blessed for the opportunity to experience the natural side of such a magnificent resource, and blessed am I to have a loving and considerate wife who understands and tolerates my passion for stretching line. For the majority of our twenty-three years together, I’ve taken a week off of work in November to do nothing but fish the Sebastian Inlet area, and this month I will test her forbearance once again.
For a host of reason, November prevails as one of the most productive months to fish Florida’s east coast. It’s the season of the mullet, with waves of baitfish (black and silver mullet) migrating south through the lagoon and along the beaches. Currently the inlets are jam-packed with bait increasing the diversity of species one can expect to catch. Along with this seasonal migration come the cooler temperatures and an influx of predators on a quest for warmer waters and an easy meal.
As the water temperatures cool, look for the near-shore bite out of Port Canaveral and Sebastian to heat up. When the seas allow it, look for cobia and tripletail along the Port Canaveral buoy line, and on weed lines both inshore and offshore. Also, the cooler waters will trigger the snook and tarpon bite both along the beaches and in the inlets. November is one of the best months to target snook at Sebastian Inlet. In addition, ocean flounder and oversized redfish have already begun to show up on the Port Canaveral buoy line and in the inlets, and their numbers will only improve as the month progresses. Other notable predators shadowing finger mullet and glass minnow pods are Spanish mackerel, blue fish, and blacktip sharks.
On the inside, schools of pompano will soon begin to move off the lagoon flats through the inlets and invade the beaches in search of sand fleas (mole crabs), their favorite winter food. Also, look for large schools of ladyfish, small trout, jack crevalle, and Spanish mackerel busting pods of glass minnows in deeper water, and finger mullet near the shoreline and causeways. These schools are easy to locate by watching for bird activity, fish busting, and bait showering on the surface.
As the cold fronts pass, I will endeavor to keep my lines tight, and promise not to take nature’s blessing for granted. See you soon on the Lagoon.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
1-866-790-8081 Toll Free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 3
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2003 - 5:32 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, October, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Shorter days and cooler nights are sure signs fall is in the air on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. Another sure sign is the waves of baitfish working their way south through the lagoon and along the beaches. Currently we are in the middle of an extremely heavy fall bait run consisting of hordes of black and silver mullet, greenies, and pogies. These yummy little baitfish create a smorgasbord for a large array of hungry predators looking to fatten up for the winter. October and November are notorious for blustery breezes and nasty weather, but they’re also one of the best time of year for fishing on the Lagoon coast, so pick your days, hit the water, and catch-um-up.
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, smoker kingfish, cobia, jack crevalle, oversized redfish, and sharks. Also look for schools of glass minnows to begin showing up near the latter part of the month 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 crevelle, and oversized redfish feeding on migrating baitfish along the jetties and just outside the inlets. Easterly swells, falling tides, and aggressive anglers can make for a sporty situation when operating in these inlets, so pay attention, be patient, and enjoy the rewards.
In the north Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons, higher water levels will allow anglers to venture into areas that were inaccessible during the summer. Look for slot redfish in close to grassy edges along the shoreline shadowing pods of finger mullet and the larger reds staging in deeper water ambush sites where migrating fingers are forced to venture out away from the safety of the shallow flats. In deeper water, look for ladyfish and trout feeding on schools of glass minnows. These schools are easily located by watching for bird and fish activity. When fishing conditions are favorable, these schools will produce explosive action on top water plugs and popping flies. Another productive method is to target these fish with Rip-tide’s new realistic shrimp on a ¼ to ½ ounce jig with a Woodie’s Rattle in it.
In closing, I would like to inform everyone of Coastal Angler Magazine’s First Annual Indian River Lagoon Fall Classic Catch-Photograph-Release Tournament to be held at Chowder’s Restaurant in Melbourne on the 24th and 25th of October. With an entry fee of only 35.00, this tournament is open to all anglers regardless of where and how you fish, and the angler’s bags presented to the first 150 anglers registered are worth at least that. This will be a fun event intended to promote the use, not the abuse of the IRL, with proceeds donated to the Marine Resource Council, and it features eight different species of fish. To register, pick up a copy of Coastal Angler Magazine or call CAM at 321-777-2773.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 2
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 8:25 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, September 19, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Stormy weather placed a damper on fishing this past week with Isabel’s transit bringing her ever so close to the India River Lagoon Coast. Once again, we’ve dodged the bullet, but not without experiencing the wrath of her monster surf and churning seas on our coastal waters. As Isabel departs our area, the seas will quickly settle, and once the water cleans up, angling opportunities will improve.
This past week I only had one opportunity to fish with clients before stormy conditions and engine trouble forced me off the water. Early Monday morning around 2am I met with John Freemon at the Port Canaveral ramp, and we proceeded out to fish the Port mouth. Our plan was to net finger mullet and fish live bait for snook and redfish. After cast netting bait, we anchored off of buoy #14 and tossed out live fingers. The first line was weighted with a one-ounce barrel sinker, and the other was flat lined. Before long, the action was on, boating three reds up to 30 inches and breaking off several others before leaving for our 5:30 am rendezvous at the dock with John’s son Shawn and his friend Cassy. After returning to our previous location, we picked up were we left off ending up with eight different species. At one point just after daylight, the larger fish were busting schools of finger mullet all around the boat in a frenzy that ended about an hour after sunrise.
Clearly, the mullet run is on, and once the weather settles, the fall fishing season will commence. Now is the time to target predator species ambushing schools of migrating baitfish in the lagoons, inlets, and on the beaches. On the inshore waters, focus on areas where the bait schools are funneled off of the protected shallow flats into deeper water giving the larger fish easer access. These areas include points, cannel mouths, edges of dredge holes, and causeway bridge abutments. On the beach, watch for pelicans and terns working nervous mullet schools in close, and toss live fingers into the mix. At the inlets, focus your attention on the jetty points and rocky edges were bait is forced to venture into the deeper water. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, don’t hesitate, because before you know it, you will miss some of the best fishing experienced all year.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
|
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 1
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 5:15 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, September 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
It’s 4am and I find myself standing on my front deck, breeze in my face, I’m gazing off into the early morning sky. As I breathe in the moist tropical air, I’m once again overpowered by the sensation and influence the forces of nature convey upon us as the summer squalls build in the Atlantic. It’s that squally feeling which charges us with energy and intrigue, drawing us to the edge of the sea like a bug to a light. As the summer squalls move north, the prevailing summer breezes will begin to switch from the southeast to the northeast, and the fishing will begin to improve with the southerly migration of all critters that prefer warmer climates.
September marks the beginning of the fall bait migration, primarily silver mullet, which will increase as we progress into October and November. It is hard to predict precisely when and how strong the run will be, but along with the arrival of the bait, come the predatory species we love so much.
Look for snook, tarpon, jack crevalle, sharks, and large kingfish crushing bait pods along the beach. The pods are easily located by watching for fish and birds busting the bait. Once you’ve determined the direction of fish movement, simply set up in front, and let them come to you. This is my preferred time of year for targeting snook and tarpon along the beach.
The beach snook run started last month with a few fish already showing up, and it will began to pick up substantially, just in time for the opening of snook season on September 1st. The technique I like use for beach fishing is to simply slide a ½ to 1 once barrel sinker onto your line, next attach a swivel which will serve as a stop for the weight, and help keep your line from twisting as it rolls down the beach. I use about 24 inches of heavy leader, 30 to 50 pound test, and a large circle hook. You’ll need to step up both the hook and leader size if tarpon are present. My favorite bait is a live finger mullet, fishing the very edge of the surf, casting just beyond the white water. Walk slowly along with the direction of tidal flow, so your bait does not wash in with the waves. The same system will work for poons, just cast it out further, and make sure you have adequate tackle and line capacity to handle these mighty fish.
Near-shore, good numbers of kingfish will continue to work the beaches, wrecks and reefs. When fishing for kings, slow trolling live pogies is one of the most productive methods. Also, the cooler currents have chilled the bottom bringing the large rays and cobia closer to shore.
In-shore, seatrout are sill plentiful on the deeper edges of the grass flats, with the best bite happening at first light or sunset. Look for ladyfish, tarpon, slot size reds, and jack crevalle to be mixed in. Fish with top water plugs for explosive action, or work ¼ ounce jigs with white or rootbeer rip-tide shrimp tails for the subsurface strike. Near the end of the month, start looking for the pompano and flounder to begin moving out of the lagoon through the inlets and into the inshore waters along the beach. Also look for the larger redfish to begin to form up just outside the inlets, feeding on baitfish and small crabs carried out by the tide, and for Spanish mackerel and bluefish devouring schools of glass minnows (bay anchovies) in the same areas.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll Free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 7:12 pm: | |
Subject: Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, June 2
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, June 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
There’s no doubt summer has arrived on the Indian River Lagoon coast. With temperatures and humidity levels rising, it’s wise to concentrate your angling efforts during cool hours of early morning, late afternoon, and night. Fishing in June, July, and August requires some adjustments in your fishing routine, but it doesn’t mean the fish aren’t biting. July will provide some of the best opportunities for shallow water anglers to tackle major fish along the Lagoon coast.
Near-shore opportunities are typically the best you will see all year for skinny water boats along the beach. June is the time of year when the kingfish move in close shadowing schools of Atlantic menhaden (pogies) along the beach and in the Port Canaveral buoy line. When the summer doldrums set in, the waters clear, and the seas flatten out, the window of opportunity opens for flat bottom boats. Also along the beach, look for the tarpon and shark number to increase, and let’s not forget the large schools of jack carvalle and the tripletail fishery will be cranking up. Remember, snook season closes this week, so lets give them a chance to relax and get jiggie. I try not to target them, and if I do manage to catch one, I handle it gently and release it with care.
Offshore, look for the dolphin bite to slow as the schools begin to spread out. The kingfish concentration will remain good along the inshore reefs and wrecks of 8A Reef and Pelican Flats slow trolling with live pogies producing the most action. Bottom fishing will remain good for snapper and grouper until the first summer squall blows in and muddies up the water.
On the flats, focus your efforts between 5am and 9am, and in the late afternoon after the thunderstorms dissipate. Night fishing will also produce descent catches of redfish and trout. If you can only fish during the heat of the day, target docks with deepwater access. In the early morning look for trout and redfish up in the skinny water around concentration of bait, and toss they your favorite top water plug. Also look for schools of bay anchovies (glass minnows) in deeper waters. These schools can be located by watching for small terns and other sea birds working, and they usually are shadowed by concentrations of small trout and ladyfish.
Also remember as the days heat up, long battles will kill the larger fish, if you plan on targeting them, you may want to step up your tackle to shorten the battle. Also leave them in the water as much as possible, and revive them completely before releasing them.
As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 09, 2003 - 12:52 pm: | |
Subject: Indian River lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, May 9, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
For the pasted week, a high-pressure ridge has planted itself firmly over the Indian Lagoon coast producing clear skies, hot rain free days, and a steady south to southwest wind between 5 to 15 knots. To many this sounds like a wonderful weather pattern, especially for those who live in the central states, but for anglers on the lagoon coast, it represents a change in fish patterns, fishing plans, and strategies. Summer is clearly here, but the typical sea breeze fronts that normally develop over the mainland during the day and cool us off in the afternoons are absent.
As for me, don’t stand too close; I’ve had a black cloud following me around all week. While working a charter on Monday, I lost a seal in my hydraulic steering unit and had to call it a day early. Saturday while fishing the Redbone Celebrity Tournament on the north Mosquito Lagoon, my push pole escaped and is now floating freely somewhere on the lagoon or it’s found a new home. Sunday night, my neighbor’s son lost control of his car, and he made short work of my beautiful stone mailbox, and last night my lovable and loyal doberman Whinny broke her toe. I know it’s a long shot, but if anyone knows of an emerald green push pole found in the north end of Mosquito Lagoon last week, I could sure use it back.
On the bright side, David Justus of Stern called, and he’s sending me some of their new Stern Super-Braid line to try out, this line is scheduled for market introduction next month. I also received an endorsement from Woodies Rattlers, who makes Rattle inserts for plastic baits, rattle hooks, and versatile rattles which can be attached to any lure or bait. These rattles add the element of sound to your baits. Woodies has been in business for over twenty years, and my first largemouth bass over 12 pounds was caught on a Boon black worm with a rattle insert in it, twenty years ago.
On the lagoon last week, the early morning trout bite was good working in the areas of sand bars and spoil islands, but it seemed to turn off a couple hours after sunrise. Redfish were scattered on the flats, but those who managed to locate schools did well. There was also a good number of ladyfish and jacks moving north up the IRL.
Out of Port Canaveral and Sebastian, the bait schools along the beach were tough to find, but once located, good catches of tarpon, large jacks, and sharks were reported. There were also a good number of bluefish and Spanish mackerel located just outside the inlets.
Near-shore, most anglers fishing the reefs and wrecks like 8A, and Pelican Flats are returned to port with their limits of kingfish. Most fish were talked slow trolling live and dead bait. With baitfish (pogies) difficult to locate, it would be wise to take a box of frozen sardines with you for back up.
Offshore, dolphin will be the hot ticket for most blue water anglers outside Port Canaveral. I also heard reports from more than one source that the marlin bite was on in deep water out of Daytona Beach.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-808
886-790-8081 toll free
|
Capt. Tod Hagan
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 10:42 pm: | |
Subject: Indian River Report - Sebastian
Florida's Indian River - America's most diverse estuary
This past week we fished the many parts of the Indian River Lagoon. In the Indian River around Sebastian Inlet we took redfish, sea trout, flounder, ladyfish, and mangrove snapper. The redfish were caught on gold spoons while the sea trout and flounder were taken on jerk baits and live shrimp. Several sea trout were taken on the flyrod with a small surface popper fished early. The ladyfish and snapper were caught on a white bucktail tipped with a live shrimp.
The Sebastian area is holding a terrific number of hard fighting jack crevalle and spanish mackerel. Jack crevalle are truly an amazing fish. There stamina and power rival any inshore species. We took the jacks on a variety of lures including flys, jigs, and diving plugs. What an incredible sight to see a half dozen large jacks weaving behind the lure as its being retrieved as fast as possible back to the boat. We also took many jacks on pigfish and finger mullet. The spanish mackerel fell for white or yellow bucktails with a 2-3" trace of braided wire leader. We lost more than one spanish mackerel to shark and barracuda. With the calm water that Summer brings, I'll be fishing the near shore waters of Sebastian often over the next several months.
Fishing the brackish water creeks and bays which border the Indian River, we jumped several small tarpon using shad tail jigs. Once hooked, small tarpon are very acrobatic and frequently throw the hook immediately after taking the lure. We also used live and fresh finger mullet with good success. The larger tarpon are starting to show up in fish able numbers. With a new 22’ Pathfinder boat on the way, I'm really looking forward to this years tarpon season.
As on many trips, we saw an incredible amount of wildlife this past week. Dolphins, west indian manatee, sea turtles, manta and eagle rays, bald eagles, wood storks, and many types of beautiful wading birds.
Good Luck and Good Fishing,
Capt. Tod
http://www.fishingcaptain.com
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 4:45 pm: | |
Subject: Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, May
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, May 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As the water temperatures increase, so do the fishing opportunities along the Lagoon Coast of Florida. May is one of the best months to fish in central Florida, so don’t miss the boat.
On the lagoon flats, redfish and spotted sea trout will provide the majority of the action for light tackle and fly anglers. For sea trout, fish your favorite top water plugs at first light in about two feet of water concentrating in areas were bait is present. After the bite slows, get jiggie with them using your favorite soft plastic bait in three to five feet of water alone the edges of flats or spoil islands. The water has warmed to the point where the jack crevalle, ladyfish, snook, and tarpon will begin to show up in good numbers. May also marks the last month of snook season on Florida’s east coast, so don’t miss out on your last chance at putting a linesider in the boat.
At the inlets and beaches, Spanish mackerel, snook, redfish, jack crevalle, bluefish, flounder, sheepshead, and black drum are just some of the species available this month.
Near-shore along the beaches, concentrate your efforts in the areas of active bait pods (pogies). Typically, when you see concentrated areas of bait with birds feeding on the surface, big fish are just as active underneath. Species feeding on these pods include tarpon, jack cervalle, redfish, cobia, and sharks. Near the end of the month, you can add kingfish into the mix. Also, tripletail and flounder numbers should be improving around the Port Canaveral buoys.
Blue water trolling should be excellent in May, with the larger dolphin being the focus of most anglers. Also in the mix are tuna, wahoo, kingfish, sailfish, and an occasional marlin. When targeting these species, work areas of color and water temperature changes (lines) in 120 feet of water or deeper, and in areas of concentrated floating weeds and debris. In addition, don’t forget that kingfish and cobia are present on the near-shore reefs and wrecks like Bethel Shoals, Pelican Flats, Chris Benson, and 8A reefs.
In closing, I would like to thank those of you who take the time to stand up for the environment and anglers/boaters rights, with out your support, we would certainly lose our little piece of paradise.
As always, if you need information, or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Ton Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
1-866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 6:20 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, April 18, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
My focus this past week was drawn to the near-shore waters outside Port Canaveral. It’s the time of year when the pogy (Atlantic menhaden) pods start showing up along the beach. I always get excited when these bait pods move in, because you never know what predators lurk in their shadows.
On Monday, I took my daughter Chelle and my granddaughter Rae Lynn out for a day of R&R, it was Chelle’s birthday, and we located a school of pogies just outside the south jetty. We gathered a net full of bait, and started hammering giant redfish. We ended up catching five reds in excess of twenty-five pounds within the first hour, with one double, and one forty pound plus fish. When the wind picked up and the seas became a little too sporty for my crew, we opted for smoother waters inside the Port and left the school for future endeavors. On my next trip, two days later, there wasn’t a pogy to be found anywhere near our previous location. As we ventured south along the beach, we finally located the pods about four miles south of the Cocoa Pier. Out of the three boats working these fish, I witnessed numerous black tip sharks, one thirty pound plus jack Crevalle, and a fifty-pound plus tarpon taken.
If you decide to target these bait pods, the sequence goes like this; locate, position your boat, stay with the school, and stand by for big fish.
To locate the bait, there are several things to look for; first look for diving birds working the bait. Have your ever heard the saying, “ a little birdie told me”? Well that’s the case here. Look for gannets and brown pelicans diving on the bait. Second, look for muds, patches of muddy water produced by fish activity. Third, look for pogies flipping on the surface, and larger predators actively feeding. Forth, use your bottom machine to mark the subsurface bait pods and larger fish.
Next, determine the direction the bait pod is moving by watching the bird activity, and stage your boat in front of it. These bait pods are constantly on the move with birds diving from above and jaws working them from below. The trick is to get ahead of the mud and to stay with the fish.
There are several techniques I use to catch these fish. Sometimes I toss jigs with plastic swim tails into the bait pods, let jig sink all the way to the bottom and than slowly work them back to the boat. Other times, I prefer to simply net some pogies and toss them back into the pod. Either way, make sure you use at least 50-pound leader and a #6 circle hook for live bait.
If you prefer to fish offshore this week, the bite has been slow with the better fish being taken on the south end of pelican flats. The kingfish bite has improved, with most being taken by slow trolling live pogies. I still haven’t herd any good reports on dolphin, but the water has warmed and cleaned up some so the bite should improve soon.
On the flats, the trout bite slowed some with the influx of cold weather last week, but it should improve as the water begins to warm up. The redfish have begun to show signs of schooling up, with most being taken in water of two feet and less. Look for the reds to be tailing early around first light, and then lying up during the day.
In closing, I would like to thank those of you who donated resources to welcome our serviceman home. Thanks to the Night Swan Bed & Breakfast in New Smyrna for the donation of a nights stay, and to Don Ray Studios for the donation of a fishing hat. John Mewhorter of Daytona Beach will receive these gifts as well as a full days fishing charter with Mosquito Coast Charters when he returns home from Kuwait in June.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
1-866-790-8081
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 10:54 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, April 4, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
There I go thinking again! You see, I thought the word “ cold” was out of my vocabulary for the rest of the year, not! On Sunday, Mother Nature slapped us with a stiff cold blast, which really turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Once the front pasted, we were blessed with a week of super fishing conditions, and the temperature change kicked the bite up a notch.
The weather for tomorrow looks great for both inshore and offshore. Inshore on the lagoon, look for super slick water conditions at first light, perfect for that early morning top-water trout action. Later on in the day, look for the wind to begin to pick up out of the south. Near-shore, seas will be less than 2 feet, and once the sun gets high in the sky, you may have a chance to sight fish tripletail and those late season cobes.
This morning on the Mosquito Lagoon, it was so flat; you could see fish pushing from a mile away. I had the privilege to fish a tag team charter with Captain Kent Gibbins and a group of respectable anglers from north central Florida. In Kent’s boat, he had Clete Turner and Dale Judy, and in mine I had John Taylor and Damon (the fish slamming) Land. Within 15 minutes, we were on our first school of happy reds that didn’t mine playing for a while. Kent and I managed to pinch the school between our boats, taking numerous reds up to thirty inches. Later, we located a second school, and we experienced similar results. All fish were taken using live shrimp and cut ladyfish with the exception of our first respectable trout caught by Damon on a Chug-bug. On the Banana River, Captain Rodney Smith stated that the trout bite was tremendous.
Near-shore and off shore, the catching today was also outstanding. Captain Billy Bright reported that the cobia were present near-shore off the Cocoa Beach, taking their limit, the cobia and kingfish were hungry on pelican flats, the bottom fish were going off, and the tuna bite was hot on the other side of the stream.
So, my best advice to you is to forget about mowing the lawn, or anything else you may have planned, and hit the water for one of the best fishing days of the year. There will be a lot of people on the water tomorrow, so please be patient, safe, and catch-um-up.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
866-790-8081
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 29, 2003 - 9:05 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, April 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As I sit here and ponder my forecast for April, I’m obliged for the opportunity to live, breath, and fish on the waters of the Indian Lagoon coast of Florida. I’m grateful for all the freedoms I enjoy, and I pray for those who have set their fears aside and exhibited the courage to step forth as defenders of liberty.
One of best things about fishing, is it provides us with a forced mind flush. Once on the water, fishing eases our mind’s troubles by forcing us to focus on the task at hand. Fresh air in our lungs, sunshine on our skin, and screaming drags, all serve as an escape from reality. The month of April is the commencement of some of the hottest fishing experienced on Florida’s Indian Lagoon coast.
Offshore, April marks the beginning of the fishing season for most blue water anglers. It represents the start of the April/May northern migration of dolphin in deeper water, 120 feet and beyond, and usually brings in some of the largest bulls taken all year. April also marks the beginning of the Easter kingfish run on the near-shore reef outside Port Canaveral. It’s the time of year when most of the larger kings, 30 to 50 pounds, are taken off 8A Reef, and Pelican Flats.
As we move in near-shore, tripletail should become more dependable, and look for a late season cobia run. The cobia run thus far has been slow due to cloudy skies, shifting water temperatures, and dark water, which is believed to be coming from the tannic stained St Johns River in Jacksonville. Also look for the bait pods (pogies) to begin showing up bringing Spanish mackerel, blues, reds, mongo jacks and smoker kings with them.
In the inlets, look for good numbers of sheepshead, black drum around structure such as jetties and docks, and Spanish mackerel, blues, and large jacks in open water. Also look for the nighttime snook and tarpon action to heat up in the Sebastian Inlet.
On the lagoon flats, fish the early morning and late evening with your favorite top water plugs for extreme trout and redfish action, and soft plastics and jigs in deeper water, 2 to 3 feet, midday. April is one of the months when trout are egg laden for the spawn, so it’s very important to handle and release the larger females with great care. If you are looking for snook and tarpon action inside, the Sebastian River will be the place to go. Last week, Captain Mike Peppe of Tarpon Dancer Charters reported catching twenty-four snook on one charter.
Last but not least, freshwater largemouth and striper bass action has been hot on the St Johns River. Look for schooling bass at first light feeding on menhaden from the Osteen Bridge to Lake Harney. My favorite locations are in the river bends near the power lines at Lemmon Bluff, and at the south end of Lake Harney were the River dumps in. A good way to locate these schooling fish is to look for white pelicans and other wading birds congregating along the shore. When in the feeding mode, these fish will take most swim plugs, and small live shiners. Also down south in the Stick Marsh and Farm 13, the largemouth bass fishing has been extremely hot, with one guide reporting catching over one hundred bass on a two-day charter.
In closing, I would like to thank those of you who facilitate my reports by providing me with current information and incite, and also the readers for your responses and inspiration.
As always, if you have questions or need information please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 15, 2003 - 12:06 am: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, March 14, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Well folks, it’s clear that spring has arrived in central Florida, and it wont be long before we’re dealing with our typical summertime weather pattern. Like the spring’s arrival and departure, it appears that the cobia have arrived and moved on. The cobia have been difficult to locate this past week, with most being taken in deeper waters north of the Cape. This doesn’t mean a second wake of Cobs wont swing through, but it appears the first wave has moved north. Captain John Kumiski reported taking a cobia in excess of 28 pounds today. If you out looking for cobia this weekend, cover as much ground as possible, and look for fish hanging on turtles, rays and other structure.
The good reports of cobia have been coming from the Ponce Inlet and Daytona area this week. There have also been some reports of small kingfish showing up on 8A reef, and a good number of hefty jack crevalle, tripletail, and bluefish working the buoy line at Port Canaveral. This past week a tripletail in excess of 28 pounds was taken.
The water temperatures on the inshore flats have warmed up above 70 degrees, improving top water action for trout and reds. Fish with top water plugs in water between two too three feet until the sun moves high and warms up the day.
On a side note, I am currently seeking anglers to fish the Mercury Redbone @ Large, Mosquito Lagoon Celebrity Fishing Tournament. This is a charity event used to raise funds to support research to cure cystic fibrosis. The tax-deductible fee of 2,000 dollars includes two days of fishing for two anglers on a guided boat with everything included. It also includes an evening of dinner and cocktails at Kelsey’s Riverview restaurant and a dockside celebrity seafood dinner at JB’s Fish Camp. The event will be held on May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, in New Smyrna Beach, and the deadline for registration is March 31st. It’s great fun, and it’s in support of a great cause. As an added bonus, I will throw in a full day of prefishing before the event to the anglers fishing my boat.
As always, if you have questions on need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
1-866-790-8081 toll free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 07, 2003 - 5:39 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, March 7, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Spring has finally arrived here in the sunshine state and the fish are starting to show signs of rejuvenation. This morning as I stepped outside before dawn, the first thing that hit me was the sweet fragrance of orange blossoms. My good friend and fishing mentor Captain Rodney Smith is the one who enlightened me on the connection between orange blossoms and redfish. When the west wind carries this delicate scent across the lagoon’s water, look for redfish to begin schooling up on the flats. It is also the time of year when the wind begins to settle and the trout and reds start working top water again.
For the most part, the weather conditions have showed some improvement. The temperature has been bordering on the 90-degree mark, warming our sprits and the waters. This weekend, look for rainy and cloudy conditions Saturday, with calmer seas, 2 too 3 feet, and sunny skies predicted for Sunday through Thursday.
The hot ticket this week is the cobia bite outside of Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet. The majority of the fish have been free swimming in the area of buoy 2, but a good number of cob’s have started showing up on the buoy line and along the beach in 30 too 40 feet of water. The only problem is everybody and their brother will be on the water in search of the big mouth striped brown logs this weekend. I’m not complaining, because I know how much I love to target these fish, and their only here for a short time. Most of us spend all winter chomping at the bit, waiting for the cob’s to show up, and then we only have the weekend available to fish. So look for a crowd at the ramp, and be patient and pleasant to others. It’s a big ocean, and there’s plenty of fish.
This past week, there were good reports of sea trout holding around the docks on the west shore of the Indian lagoon from Titusville to Rockledge, and also alone the deeper edges of the flats. In the skinny water, the redfish were actively tailing, but they were difficult to sight cast due to breeze conditions and cloudy skies. Hopefully, improving weather conditions will eliminate this problem.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
1-866-790-8081
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 6:54 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, March 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
For various reasons, I always look forward to the magnificent bloom of my lavender Formosa azaleas. Their vivid color is not only pleasing to the eye, but it also signals the end of winter and the beginning of the spring bait migration. As the days grow longer and the ocean begins it’s gradual warming phase, 67 to 68 degree range, the spring fishing bonanza on the Indian Lagoon Coast commences. As always, weather will serve as the determining factor in establishing the magnitude and progression of the bite. Also, like the bloom of the delicate azaleas, the bite will sometimes pass before you have a chance to really experience it.
Water temperature increases will facilitate the progression of bait pods (menhaden or pogies and mullet) from the deeper water into the near-shore waters bringing the predator fish with them. Water clarity and sea conditions will determine the number of fishable days we’ll experience in March. This is especially true for those of us who target deep-water species in shallow water boats.
Good catches of cobia have been reported offshore of Stuart, and these fish should be moving into our area soon. Both the bait pods and cobia have begun to show up outside Port Canaveral and Sebastian. Captain Muligan of Mully Charters reported taking a cobia in excess of fifty pounds this past week on floating structure in deeper water.
Other near-shore options consist of tripletail hanging on floating structure and weeds, heavy weight jacks, giant redfish, and sharks shadowing bait pods near the beaches and inlets. The window of opportunity can be short, so plan your trip, and pray for calm seas and hungry fish. When site fishing for cobia, keep the sun to your back and consider fishing in the latter part of the day when the sun is high. Also, always keep a chartreuse colored buck tail in the ready position to cast towards any white-striped big moth brown logs you see.
The spring run of kingfish is just around the corner, and should last for a solid six months. Look for the kingfish to begin to show up on the near-shore reefs around the middle of March, and then move in closer to shore following bait pods. Most anglers prefer slow trolling live pogies, but spoons and sardines dressed in king buster skirts work equally as well.
Inshore, look for the larger trout to start moving into the shallows and the grass flats. This usually occurs in conjunction with the influx of spring bait, (mullet). March is also a good time to target redfish in skinny water. The lagoon water levels are the lowest I ever seen, so be prepared to do the stingray shuffle in order to reach the tailing reds.
Last but not least, good reports of American Shad have finely started to come in. The best catches seem to be in the area south of SR 46 on the St Johns River. We are on the downside of the winter spawning migration, but anglers are reporting good numbers of fish in the deeper bends of the river as far south as Hatbill Park.
Also, if you interested in hearing more about angling opportunities on the Indian Lagoon Coast, come see me at Coastal Angler’s Traveling Lagoon Booth at the Central Florida Boat Show in Orlando, February 28th, thru March 3rd. If you’re interested in booking a charter, call early to reserve a spot.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
1-866-790-8081 toll free
|
Capt. Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 3:36 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, 2-21-2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Arduous and strenuous are the words I use to portray the catching on the Indian Lagoon coast this past week. Low water conditions, blustery winds, cold water, and the full moon phase all added up to making catching arduous. Strenuous describes the effort required to pole Three Quarter Time (my 17’ Master Angler) thru the extremely skinny water in pursuit of the elusive Mr. Spotted Tail. Backbreaking is the term, which describes the effort, required to float Three Quarter Time from the sand bottom after the realization that the initial attempt to reach those tails was in vain.
The good news is; my boat engine is fixed, I’m back on the water, the fishing conditions this week were magnificent, and soon the catching will improve. I had the opportunity this past week to fish with four different groups of individuals from around the country, and on each occasion, I thoroughly enjoyed the company and the experience. We fished hard, had some shots at decent fish, and we still managed to catch a good number of smaller trout and rat reds. We found some nice reds in extremely skinny water (6 inches), but we couldn’t reach them without getting our feet wet.
For the most part, coastal fishing this past week was blown out. The winter storm, which pounded the Northeast, created a high-pressure trough kicking up the winds and sea conditions. Some of the larger boats that manager to get out reported cobia on rays in about seventy feet of water off the beach, and small kingfish on the near-shore reefs. Hopefully, weather conditions will settle and once the water temperatures increase the cobia and tripletail will move in closer to shore.
Thus far, the weather for this weekend doesn’t look good. Another winter weather system is predicted to move in and kick up the seas once again. Look for reds in extremely skinny water, and sea trout in the deeper holes and the deeper edges of the flats. If the seas settle, look for cobia free swimming and on rays in about sixty to seventy feet of water.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 31, 2003 - 3:55 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, February 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Fishing on the lagoon coast of Florida last month was arduous to say the least. Consecutive cold fronts blasted the State with one wave of freezing air after another. Subfreezing temperatures and blustery winds complicated angling, pushing most fish into deeper water. At one point, water temperatures in the lagoon dropped into the forties, driving warm water species like snook, tarpon, and jacks south. On the bright side, some really nice days were mixed in between fronts and the subfreezing temperatures were short lived. There is no doubt this has been one of the coldest winters in years. Extended periods of water temperatures in the forties would devastate warm water species. If all indications are correct, our weather patterns have changed for the better and February should be an outstanding month for fishing and boating.
On the Indian, Mosquito, and Banana Lagoons, water levels are the lowest I’ve ever seen. The reason for this phenomenon is not clear, but the general consciences is the persistent westerly winds experiences this year have pushed lagoon waters out and disallowed ocean waters to return. This event has produces extremely skinny water conditions on the flats, so caution should be exercised when operating in these areas to prevent damage to the grass and your boat. Fishing opportunities on the lagoon flats this month will consist of good numbers of redfish, large sea trout, and black drum congregating in skinny water along the deeper edges. Combined with: sunny spring days, crystal clear water, and warming water temperatures, February is the prime time for site fishing. If your target is gator trout, check the docks that extend out into deeper water. Once the water temperatures begin to raise, the lager trout have a tendency to return to deeper water for the remainder of the year. Conditions are also prime for site fishing on the Banana Lagoon’s “No Motor Zone”. Good numbers of black drum are currently at hand tailing on the flats. Catching these fish can be challenging, but they will take live shrimp, clams, or fly if presented properly.
Offshore, kingfish are still present along inshore reefs, wrecks, and bars, and they will remain as long as water temperatures stay above 68 degrees. Target kings in the areas of 8A Reef, Pelican Flats, and Bethel Shoals. Also, look for cobia, and amberjack to be present on the inshore wrecks like the Carol Lee, Dutch, and Sub Wreck out of Port Canaveral.
Near-shore opportunities presented in February include: Tripletail along the Port Canaveral buoy line and under floating structure and weeds in deeper water, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, weakfish, small black drum, and whiting along the beaches, and pompano, flounder, sheepshead, and large redfish around the inlet jetties.
Hopefully, the pleasant weather conditions we are currently experiencing are a prelude to spring, and not and cruel hoax by Mother Nature. Either way, spring is around the corner, and now is the time to clean the rods, gas up the boat, and hit the water.
As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
1-866-790-8081 Toll Free
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 6:47 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, January 24, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
My obsession for fishing and the outdoors was overwhelming these past two weeks as my course drew me away from the water. Instead, my focus was diverted to my attachment with Coastal Angler Magazine at both the Stuart and Daytona Beach Boat Shows. These shows are essential to communicate the importance of conservation and stewardship of the Indian Lagoon system, and they proved to be an extremely successful endeavor.
I’m constantly amazed at the number of people visiting and living in central Florida who have never taken a close look at what the lagoon offers. Their lives take them over it’s waters on concrete causeways, they breath in it’s salty mist as they pass, yet in life’s haste, they haven’t a clue about it’s importance, or that the lagoon even exist. On the other hand, I meet many like myself who are passionate about their feelings for the lagoon, and they value and respect what nature has provided for our enjoyment. They can’t wait for the weekend to roll around, so they can return to its waters. These shows allow me to communicate with both, teaching some and learning from others. They also allow me an opportunity to see old friends and acquaintances, and make new ones, which is always my favorite part.
The weather here lately has not been conducive to angling or boating, and it looks like this week will not be any better. Saturday and Sunday were great days for a boat show, fore even the hardcore anglers weren’t about to venture out onto the water. Monday and Tuesday were nicer days with good reports of cold-water species taken. Today, an extreme cold weather system will be slamming the IRL with some of the coldest temperatures experienced in central Florida in many years. With temperatures predicted in the low to upper twenties, this system could devastate warm water species like snook, tarpon, jacks, and sea turtles, killing most. It will also send the remaining species deeper in search of warmer waters (deeper holes and residential canals). Some of the cold-water species worth targeting are pompano, sheepshead, whiting, black drum, blues, and Spanish mackerel.
Your best bet for trout and redfish is to work the residential canals using live shrimp, or slow trolling red and white DOA Terror Eyes. Pompano have been concentrated in the Port Canaveral turn basins, with schools moving along the deeper edges of the ship channel. Yellow and chartreuse pompano jigs tipped with clam have been producing well. For sheepshead and whiting, fish around structure with fiddler crabs and shrimp.
If you plan on fishing this week, bundle up. I think I’ll clean up my tackle and work on the boat. When it warms up and the wind settles, the fish will be hungry. As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
1-866-790-8081
407-366-8085
|
Captain Tom Van Horn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 12:06 pm: | |
Subject: Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, January 17, 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As a fishing guide, I love to spend my days on the water enjoying the outdoors, but I also realize there’s more to guiding then fishing. It’s imperative to expand our circle of influence by educating and guiding others on the importance and sensitivity of the lagoon. This past week, I spent my time off the water representing Coastal Angler Magazine at the Stuart Boat show. Coastal Angler is the only magazine that exclusively covers angling, boating, and environmental issues concerning the entire 156 miles of the Indian Lagoon system. I also have a commitment to support CAM at Daytona Beach Boat Show this week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Respectively, I still managed to keep my eyes and ears on the lagoon. This report consist of some of those observations.
While in Stuart, we stayed at the River Palm Cottages situated directly on the west shore of the lagoon. It’s botanical gardens and peaceful environs, make it the place to stay if you plan to fish the Jenson Beach and Stuart area. One of the many amenities River Palms provides is a long dock with deep-water boat slips and easy access to the inlet. Stuart and Jenson Beach are famous for their snook, and one walk down the dock at sunrise was all it took to convince me of that fact. Standing in one location, I could not count all of the snook within my site. Other action in the area consisted of a tremendous Spanish mackerel and bluefish bite in the inlet, and 126 sailfish caught and released in one day during a local tournament.
If pompano and giant redfish are to your liking, Sebastian Inlet is the place to go. The oversize reds have been concentrated just outside the jetties at slack tide feeding on school of silver mullet. Most anglers have been taking the reds utilizing live bait, but heavy jigs in the one-ounce range with plastic tails have experienced equal success. Also, the pompano have returned to the area of the monument on the inside. These fish have been taking jigs tipped with fresh shrimp or sand fleas (mole crabs). I prefer to drift through the area working my jig slowly near the bottom, and when you locate the fish, drop you anchor.
Other action reported to me this week consisted of a good redfish and trout bite in both the north Indian Lagoon, and the Mosquito Lagoon. Water conditions have cleared up considerable after the heavy pressure applied to the area during the Redfish Tour, and the fish have begun to return to the flats. One angler reported catching over fifty rat too slot size reds by himself in a period of four hours last weekend while his fishing partner stayed home to watch football. This weekend, the temperature is predicted to drop into the thirty’s, so your focus for trout will be the deep water holes, and target the reds in the afternoon once the flats heat up. If the weather’s too cold for fishing, come visit us at CAM’s Traveling Lagoon Booth at the Daytona Boat Show.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captaim@irl-fishing.com
1-866-790-8081
407-366-8085
|
Capt. Tod Hagan
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 13, 2003 - 10:59 pm: | |
Subject: Indian River Report - Sebastian!!!
Florida's Indian River Lagoon - America's most diverse estuary
Fishing in the Lagoon has been pretty good and especially good for Winter. The recent light west winds have made for very enjoyable conditions; calm near shore and mild temperatures. I just fished three days with Gary, a regular customer from Texas. Gary and I typically fish together several times a year. I always enjoy fishing with this guy because good things usually happen. From 40+ lb black drum to 30 lb redfish or classic sight fishing on the flats for slot sized reds. It is always a good time and this past trip was no exception.
On one of the days we fished, he caught a slot red right off and right after the red we found the snook chewing. We ended up catching 15 snook. Most were small fat snook and a few common snook mixed in. All these in water that was 57 degrees! These snook were caught on jigs and a green/white clouser minnow fly pattern. With a red and many snook caught, I suggested we go find a sea trout to complete the Indian River Slam. At the first stop, I caught two trout. We worked that area hard but still couldn’t produce a trout for Gary. I mentioned to him that if he caught a trout, I would call the boss and ask for a kitchen pass to stay out and try for a tarpon. Gary was all over that idea. We ran to another grass flat and came up empty on the trout. We moved to another area with dark soft bottom and Gary got his trout. With the cooler weather this bottom is typically more productive. I called the boss and secured the kitchen pass to stay out longer. It was time to think tarpon. Tarpon are not a common catch in the winter months on the Indian River. We rigged up for tarpon on the way closer to the Inlet. The rig for tarpon consisted of a 20# spinning outfit with 4’ of 80# leader and a break away style jig. After spending a lot of time experimenting with tarpon lures for this area, I found something that works fairly well. A break away jig similar to those used in Boca Grand only lighter. The jigs used for Boca Grand are required to be several ounces to make bottom in the deep pass and fast current. Take a 1-2 oz flair jig and cut the hook off. Tie the shank of a 12/0 circle hook to the eye the flair jig using 20# mono or very small tie wrap. Gary must be living right because just at sunset we found tarpon, nice sized tarpon too! The first hook up was with a large fish that threw the hook on the first jump. The second fish, equally as large also threw the hook. Third time is a charm. A nice tarpon slammed the jig and immediately took to the air only this time the hook stuck home. After the second, third and several more jumps, we were still attached to the fish. After a tough 40 minute battle the tarpon was at boat side with leader at the rod tip. The tarpon surged at the boat snapped the line. Never got a chance to touch the fish but we were close.
Thanks,
Capt. Tod Hagan
http://www.fishingcaptain.com
 |
|
