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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)
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Post Number: 50
Registered: 8-2003
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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)
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Post Number: 49
Registered: 8-2003
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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)
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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)
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Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 47
Registered: 8-2003
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Username: Capt_rob_blake
Post Number: 4
Registered: 6-2005
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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)
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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)
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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. |
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