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Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 95
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 1:25 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, May 2008
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
As the days grow longer, angling enthusiasts along Florida’s Space Coast take pleasure in spending their afternoons after work relaxing on the water. Warming coastal waters draw streams of baitfish north followed by warm water predators, as our prevailing easterly winds give way to summers genially shifting sea breezes.
Offshore, dolphin fishing will be the focus of blue water anglers this month. April and May are the time of year when the larger bulls are taken off the Florida Space Coast. The early season dolphin bite has already yielded fish in excess of 60 pounds. Also, as a bonus, the potential of taking a blue marlin or sailfish are good. Near-shore, the kingfish bite has heated up on the near-shore reefs and wrecks and some cobia are around. As the seas settle down and the bait schools move in close to the beach, look for the kingfish action to move in also.
Spanish mackerel, snook, redfish, jack crevalle, bluefish, flounder, sheepshead and black drum are just some of the species available in the Lagoon inlets and beaches this month. As the baitfish migration moves north, this type of fishing will only get better.
Inshore, the bait pods, Atlantic menhaden (pogies), have shown up along the beach, and now is the best time to target the ocean predator shadowing these schools. It’s not uncommon to catch large redfish, large jack crevalle, blacktip sharks, cobia, and tarpon from within these pods of bait. To locate bait pods, simply look for feeding birds, flipping and jumping bait, muddy water along the beach, and busting fish.
On the Lagoon flats, redfish and spotted sea trout will provide the majority of action for light tackle and fly anglers. The water has warmed up to the point where jack crevalle, ladyfish, snook, and tarpon are showing up in good numbers. I like to target redfish and sea trout at first light or at dusk, with top water plugs like the High Roller Florida Special, Rapala Skitterwalk, or Storm Chug Bug. As the day heats up, change your focus to the deeper edges of the flats (2 to 3 feet deep) jigging with a RipTide 4” mullet on a ¼ ounce RipTide Screw Jig.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Book a charter, and let’s go fishing.
Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins! |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 94
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 29, 2008 - 3:46 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, April 2008
Compliments of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
Reflecting back on past fishing adventures, April stand out as one of the finest months to experience the true diversity of the fishery existing along the Indian River Lagoon coast of Florida. April serves as a transitional period where the winds of March give way to the heat and humidity of summer. As spring progresses and water temperatures rise, fishing opportunities abound with the influx of bait moving north within the lagoon and closer to the shoreline along the beaches.
April marks the beginning of the fishing season for many blue water anglers, representing the start of the northern migration of dolphin in deeper water, 120’ and beyond. This first wave of dolphin is usually credited with some of the largest bulls taken all year. It also marks the beginning of the spring kingfish run on the near-shore reefs and wrecks off of Port Canaveral. Traditionally, April is the time of year when the larger kingfish, 30 to 50 pounds, are caught off of 8A Reef, and Pelican Flats.
As we move into the near-shore waters, we can only hope the cobia are still around. The cobia run was going on last month with some great catches reported in between passing fronts. On flotsam and along the Canaveral buoy line, tripletail should become more dependable throughout the month. Along the beaches, pods of Atlantic menhaden (pogies) have been showing up south of the Cocoa Beach Pier, and the arrival of these bait pods is a sure sign of predators lurking in their shadows. Look for tarpon, jumbo redfish and jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, blacktip sharks, cobia, and smoker kingfish to begin showing up in the vicinity of these bait pods.
Inside Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet, look for a good number of sheepshead and black drum to be holding around structure such as jetties and docks and look for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and jack crevalle in deeper water areas. Also look for nighttime snook and tarpon action to begin heating up in both the Port and in Sebastian Inlet as we move deeper into the month.
On the Lagoon flats, it’s time to start fishing the early morning and late evening bite with your favorite top water plugs for extreme sea trout and redfish action. During midday periods, work the deeper areas, 2 to 3 feet, with your favorite soft plastics, jerk baits, or jigs. Remember, April is one of the months where the larger sea trout (all females) become egg laden for the spawn, so it’s very important to handle and release these larger fish with extreme care. Sea trout have one of the highest mortality rates of catch and release game fish on the Lagoon.
Last but not least, look for the large mouth bass action to heat up on the St. Johns River. Look for schooling bass at first light feeding on menhaden from the Osteen Bridge to the Econ Creek. Some of my favorite places to look are the river bends between Lemmon Bluff and Lake Harney, and the south end of Lake Harney where the river dumps in. To locate the areas of schooling fish, I simply look for congregations of white pelicans and other wading birds lined up along the riverbanks waiting for an easy meal when the hungry bass push the bait to the surface along the shore. When in the feeding mood, these fish will eat just about anything, but the heavy bite usually only last from first light to the point where the sun crosses the eastern horizon, so an early start is essential.
Seminars and Events
April 18th, 19th, 20th, Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo, Melbourne, Florida, Angler’s Improvement Clinics Sponsored by Mosquito Creek Outdoors, RipTide Soft Plastics, Woodie’s Rattles, TTI-Blakemore Fishing Group, and D.O.A. Lures
Future Hook Kids on Fishing! Program Dates
April 19 - Melbourne: To register contact the Melbourne Leisure Services 321-255-4608.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Book a charter, and let’s go fishing.
Visit http://www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for all of your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
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: 93
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 28, 2008 - 12:20 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, March 2008
Compliments of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
In angling terms, March on the east central coast of Florida means, cobia, cobia, and more cobia. Yes, the brown clowns are the jesters of the sea on the Space Coast, and their court consist of the monster jacks (jack carvalle), smoker kings (large kingfish), and the silver kings (tarpon) to name just a few.
As spring progresses and the ocean begins its gradual warming phase, 67 to 68 degrees, the migration of baits schools bring, Atlantic menhaden (pogies), threadfin herring (greenies), bay anchovies (glass minnows) and black and silver mullet into the near-shore waters bringing the cobia and other predators with them. Warmer waters will also draw manta rays into the shallows as they migrate north shadowed by pods of cobia. Other distinguished species are tripletail around the buoys and under flotsam, and large redfish and blacktip sharks following bait schools along the beach. Currently, both the cobia and the manta rays have been showing up in our near-shore waters ahead of schedule. When targeting cobia out of Port Canaveral, my strategy is to concentrate on filling my bait well with live pogies in the morning, and then run south to a point off of Melbourne beach. Then I return slowly using a zigzag pattern (shallow to deep and back shallow) with the afternoon sun to my back until I locate fish, and then I mark and maintain the same depth and water temperature. Also, if I locate bait schools pushed to the surface, I stop and drop a live bait through the school targeting the predators below.
Moving out into deeper water, the spring kingfish run should begin with the smaller kings showing up around the middle of March, followed by the smokers, 30 to 50 pounds near the beginning of April on the near-shore reefs and wrecks like Pelican Flats and 8A reef, 60 to 90 feet of water. If the bait moves in close to the beach, look for the larger kingfish to follow them. Also, the beginning of April marks the start of the fishing season for many of the blue water anglers with the start of the April/May northern migration of dolphin in 120 feet of water and beyond, and the first part of the run usually includes some of the largest bulls taken all year. Again, good reports of dolphin have been coming in, also ahead of schedule.
Fishing in and around the inlets and along the beaches will produce, whiting, pompano, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel, with sheepshead and black drum holding on jetties and rock piles. As we move into April, watch for the snook and tarpon action to heat up in Sebastian Inlet, and then move north to Port Canaveral and Ponce De Leon Inlet following the bait progression.
On the lagoon, rising water levels will draw the slot size redfish schools up onto the shallow flats, with the larger breeder schools forming up and holding along the deeper edges and sandy shoals. On the cooler days, focus your attention on sand pockets or potholes, and once the afternoon sun warms the water, look for tailing fish on the shallow flats. Also, mid March signals the return of finger mullet into the estuary, and the beginning early morning and late evening top water sea trout and redfish action. Remember, spring is the season when sea trout become egg laden for the spawn, happening just before the full and new moons, so it is very important to handle and release the large females with extreme care; fore their survival is essential for the proliferation of the species.
Seminars and Events
Anyone who is interested in volunteering to assist in the March 8th Kids Fishing Day at Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka, please contact me. Thank You
March 8th, 9am-3pm, Woman in the Outdoors presents a Kids Fishing Day. Event includes a full day of activities and lunch, and the cost is $25 per child. To register, contact Mosquito Creek Outdoors at (407) 464-2000.
April 18th, 19th, 20th, Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo, Melbourne, Florida, Angler’s Improvement Clinics Sponsored by Mosquito Creek Outdoors, RipTide Soft Plastics, Woodie’s Rattles, TTI-Blakemore Fishing Group, and D.O.A. Lures
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Book a charter, and let’s go fishing.
Visit http://www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for all of your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins! |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 92
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 5:41 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, February 2008
Compliments of Mosquito Creek Outdoors Apopka, Florida
Well those Anglers not familiar to Florida may believe fishing opportunities in February are few but far between, but that thought could not be further from the truth. In reality, angling during the winter on the Indian River Lagoon Coast produces outstanding catches if the right tactics and strategies are employed.
As always, understanding the cycle of passing cold fronts is essential selecting the proper weather day and having the flexibility to get out on the water while the getting is good will add to one’s success. Passing cold fronts are notorious for delivering several days nasty windy conditions followed by a short window of gorgeous weather, and a prudent angler will focus there attention on boat and tackle maintenance and honey dos during periods on ugly weather and call in sick when conditions are right.
With sea trout, black drum, and redfish serving as the primary targets on the inshore flats, water temperature serves as the most critical element in locating and catching fish. On colder days, sea trout will search out and congregate in the warmest water they can find, so focus your attention in deeper holes and pockets adjacent to shallow flats. Another critical element is the fact fish are cold blooded, so during colder periods their metabolic rate slows way down and they eat less, so concentrate your efforts on dredge holes, troughs, depressions, and canals located next to expansive flats, and slow down your presentation to a crawl. My preferred lure in this situation is a Nite Glow Riptide realistic Shrimp rigged on a 1/16 ounce Screw Lock Jig. My tactic is to locate a deeper canal adjacent to an expanse of shallow flats and then cast to the edges and let the jig sink all the way to the bottom before retrieving it very slowly. After the cold snap passes and the weather starts warming up, focus your attention on sandy potholes where both sea trout and redfish like basking in the warming sun. Also, let us not forget the tailing black drum and redfish on the Banana River Lagoon No Motor Zone. There are very few thing in life that get the heart pumping better than the sight of a huge black tail raising slowly out of the water within casting range, and one of those is the first long run of a big black drum in shallow water. Remember, an early start is not necessary if the weather gets cold, so sleep in and hit the water when sun has warmed the flats a bit.
Moving offshore, kingfish will still be consistent 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 bottom structure in the areas of 8A reef, Pelican Flats, and Bethel Shoals to the south. Live bait is often tough to find this time of year, so always carry a box of frozen Spanish sardines with you as backup.
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, and let us not forget the excellent grouper and snapper experienced in February as these fish have a tendency to move in on shallow bottom structure and wrecks. Near-shore, look for tripletail concentrations to improve greatly along the Port Canaveral buoy line and under floating weeds and structure, and for cobia to move in shadowing manta rays if the surface water temperatures reach the upper sixties.
February is also a great time for shore anglers 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. As the water temperatures cool, the pompano should move out of the lagoon and gather in the troughs along the beach in search of mole crabs (sand fleas) their favorite winter food source.
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 some good catches of American shad, speckled perch, and largemouth bass are being reported.
February 9th Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka, Woman in the Outdoors presents the Ladies Social Angler Seminar and Wine Tasting, from 9am-2pm. Cost to attend is $40 per person and includes one-year membership and subscription to The Woman in the Outdoors. To register, contact Mosquito Creek Outdoors (407) 464-2000.
March 1st, 2nd, and 8th 9th Bass Pro Shop Spring Fling, Orlando Florida
March 8th Woman in the Outdoors presents a Kids Fishing Day. Event includes a full day of activities and lunch, and the cost is $25 per child. To register, contact Mosquito Creek Outdoors at (407) 464-2000.
April 18th, 19th, 20th, Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo, Melbourne, Florida.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck, good fishing, and Happy New Year,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Book a charter, and let’s go fishing.
Visit http://www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for all of your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins! |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 91
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2008 - 5:27 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, January 5, 2008
Compliments of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
With the holiday season behind us, it is time to greet the New Year with some serious fishing. We are fortunate to live in the sunshine state where angling is a year round sport, and although we received some of the coldest weather experienced in years this past week, conditions are all ready showing improvement.
Even though angling conditions over the holidays were excellent, the catching for the most part was slow under the full moon and continued to improve as the moon waned. During the first part of the week water levels on the Mosquito Lagoon increased to a point where the redfish dispersed and then regrouped into small nervous schools spread out across the flats. At one point we counted 8 different schools of redfish, and our best success came when we change our tactics from chasing the schools to wait for them to come to us. But, as I check the most recent water levels are falling again, so look for the schools to bunch up in the deeper troughs of the flats.
My first three trips last week on the Mosquito Lagoon involving more chasing then catching. As the moon waned, the bite slowly improved to the point where the fish were more receptive and we even managed to catch a few nice redfish.
On Saturday the 29th, I exchanged the kicker for a paddle venturing up into the Banana River No-Motor Zone with my good friends Larry Carter and JT Thompson, and we ended up locating and catching some bigger redfish. The weather was as good as it gets, and the flat calm and sunny conditions providing excellent sight fishing. As we work our way up the flat, we soon located a sizable school of large redfish tailing in three feet of water. JT was the first to score catching a handsome redfish in the 20-pound range on half a blue crab. After landing, photographing, and releasing his fish, the tails soon popped up again and both JT and I were hooked up with a double, and my fish exceeded the 30-pound mark. After landing the last two redfish the school spooked out into deeper water, and we elected to move on in search of some black drum which never materialized in good numbers.
On the 1st, I elected to ring in the New Year fishing with my good friend Mike Murray, and we opted to check the St. Johns River for American shad. We launched at the east State Road 46 ramp, and we covered the river from Lake Harney to Puzzle Lake. Our plan was for a quick reconnaissance mission and then to be home for football, and although we did not catch any shad, we did see shad caught by other anglers. Combined we caught 7 speckled perch, and Mike managed to catch a hefty 7-pound large mouth bass on chartreuse ¼ ounce Road Runner. The speck bite was on and the shad are here, so hopefully this cold weather will kick the run into full swing.
In closing, I think I will distribute this message and then go fishing.
Seminar and Event Schedule:
January 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th, Central Florida Boat Show Orlando Convention Center.
January 22nd, Orlando Kayak Club Meeting, Gander Mountain in Lake Mary 7 PM, Rigging Soft Plastic Baits for Redfish and Sea Trout.
March 1st, 2nd, and 8th Bass Pro Shop Spring Fling, Orlando Florida
April 18th, 19th, 20th, Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo, Melbourne, Florida.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck, good fishing, and Happy New Year,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Book a charter, and let’s go fishing.
Visit http://www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins! |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 90
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 6:05 pm: | |
East Central Florida Fishing Outlook for January 2008
Compliments of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
First, both myself and the good folks at Mosquito Creek Outdoors would like to wish all of you a safe and happy New Year in 2008.
With the exception of a few additional gray hairs, I eagerly embrace the arrival of the New Year to Florida’s Space Coast along with the many exceptional angling opportunities winter brings to the Indian River Lagoon coast.
Last year my resolution was to enlighten new anglers on the many attributes angling and the outdoors provide, and during the summer of 2007 I was elected president of the board of directors of Anglers For Conservation. The AFC is a new nonprofit organization with a mission to create a new generation of coastal stewards using community-based angling education, habitat restoration, and applied conservation science. Our primary educational tool is a program called Hook Kids on Fishing, where kids and parents alike learn basic fishing skills, safety, and conservation, encouraging them to use not abuse our priceless resources by putting conservation first. With eleven events scheduled in 2008, we hope to reach about 1200 kids this year, and to begin developing regional chapters throughout the state. The AFC is only in its incipient stage so stay
tuned for more details.
As always, angling opportunities in the winter are influenced by strength of passing cold fronts as they cycle through Florida, typically highlighted by a few days of strong easterly breezes followed by several really nice days. It’s just a matter of keeping in touch with the weather, and being prepared to take advantage of the nice days, no
excuses.
As water levels and temperatures drop, clear and shallow conditions on the Mosquito, Indian River Lagoon, and Banana River Lagoon flats facilitate some of the best sight fishing experienced all year. On clear sunny days, successful anglers’ focus on quietly polling the flats is search of redfish and sea trout holding in the sandy potholes soaking up the suns warmth. An early start is not necessary, so read the paper and have an extra cup of coffee before heading to the lagoon. Additionally, mullet and other finfish have migrated out of the area for the winter, so as the predators feeding habits switch to smaller shrimp and crabs, and anglers should switch to smaller baits and a slower presentation. When targeting redfish, black drum, and sea trout during the colder months, I like to downsize my bait and fish with a shrimp or crab imitation baits like the Rip/Tide Realistic Shrimp and Realistic Crab on a Woodie’s Rattle Hook. January and February are also key months for targeting tailing black drum on the exclusive Banana River No-Motor Zone. The zone is one of the only locations I know of where a well-presented black Clouser fly can land you a 25-pound drum on the flats.
Offshore, kingfish will still be consistent 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 bottom structure in 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 sometimes 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 structure, and for cobia to move in shadowing manta rays if the surface water temperatures reach the upper sixties. If we expedience an extended period of warm weather, mid-winter thaw, look for a mid-winter cobia run to commence.
Now is also the time for shore anglers 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. As the water temperatures cool, the pompano will move out of the lagoon and gather in the troughs along the beach in search of mole crabs, sand fleas, and their favorite winter food source.
In addition to the saltwater bite, the American shad run will be improving on the St Johns River as we progress into the New Year. These aerobatic fish are great fun on fly rod or light tackle spinning gear, and they are easily targeted on blustery days when coastal fishing is tough.
Seminar and Event Schedule:
January 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th, Central Florida Boat Show Orlando Convention Center.
January 22nd, Orlando Kayak Club Meeting, Gander Mountain in Lake Mary 7 PM, Rigging Soft Plastic Baits for Redfish and Sea Trout.
March 1st, 2nd, and 8th Bass Pro Shop Spring Fling, Orlando Florida
April 18th, 19th, 20th, Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo, Melbourne, Florida.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck, good fishing, and Happy New Year,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Book a charter, and let’s go fishing.
Visit http://www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins! |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 89
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 6:08 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, December 22, 2007
Compliments on Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka, Florida
The holiday season has arrived, and more than ever families and friends are gathering to celebrate life and living. It is again time to count our many blessings and thank those who sacrifice their time and lives to defend our freedom. It is also time to relax and enjoy life with those within our circle and there is no better place than the outdoors to do this very thing. The weather this weekend shows improvement, so plan some time on the water and enjoy.
Currently, the sea state offshore is expected to reach 5 to 7 feet, so I don’t think anyone will be venturing out until the seas settle around the middle of the week. Once conditions wane, look for snapper, grouper, and amberjack to be concentrated on the deeper reefs and wrecks from 120 to 240-feet. Also look for cobia holding on the near-shore wrecks from 90 to 160 feet of water. If trolling is your preference, there are still some dolphin and wahoo possible outside the 120-foot mark with an occasional sailfish mixed in, and plenty of kingfish on near-shore structure.
Along the beaches the red tide is letting up, so consider pompano, whiting, sheepshead, bluefish and Spanish mackerel off the beach, ocean piers, and in the inlets, with sand fleas, cut clams, and fresh shrimp serving as choice baits. As the temperatures on the flats warm up, look for slot redfish and sea trout to return to the shallows, and small dark colored soft plastics and cut mullet and ladyfish should produce best for them. Also, remember sea trout season is closed until January first, so please handle and release them with extreme care.
This past week, I ventured out on the freshwater side, and spent some time on the St. John’s River, and although I didn’t catch any, I heard of several hickory and American shad being caught. Also, as the moon grows full, look for speckle perch spawning activity to increase, and schooling bass to be feeding on small surface minnows in the confluences of small sloughs and creeks flowing off of the pastures.
Remember, fishing and boating activity will be at an elevated level this week, so please be kind and courteous to each other and the environment.
In closing, I would like to take this opportunity thank all of you who fished and worked with me in 2007, you are all truly a blessing, and I’m looking forward to a glorious 2008.
Seminar and Event Schedule:
January 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th, Central Florida Boat Show Orlando Convention Center.
January 22nd, Orlando Kayak Club Meeting, Gander Mountain in Lake Mary 7 PM, Rigging Soft Plastic Baits for Redfish and Sea Trout.
March 1st, 2nd, and 8th Bass Pro Shop Spring Fling, Orlando Florida
April 18th, 19th, 20th, Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo, Melbourne, Florida.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck, good fishing, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Book a charter today, and let’s go fishing.
Visit http://www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins! |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 88
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 10:31 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2007
Compliments of Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka Florida
It is hard to fathom the thought of how quickly the holiday season has arrived. Life on the lagoon coast of Florida definitely has its advantages in regards to the outdoors and fishing, warmer weather, year round angling, quality fish, and oh yes, quality times on the water enjoying life. It is once again time to reflect back on our many blessings, and to look forward to what December has to offer.
Like November, December is a great month for fishing, but the impact of passing cold fronts on water temperatures and sea conditions can be the difference between going fishing, and raking the yard. The influence and intensity of winter fronts is unpredictable, so break out your winter shorts in preparation of cooler days to come, and keep you boat and tackle in top shape ready to take advantage of the nice days between fronts.
Around and in the inlet passes of Ponce De Leon, Port Canaveral, and Sebastian, concentrations of breeder redfish will remain, steady feeding during periods of slack and falling tide. At both Sebastian and Ponce inlets, target these fish outside the inlet passes on the falling tide in areas of bird and bait activity. In Port Canaveral, work the edges of the buoy line bouncing bait off the bottom. These over sized redfish will hit on artificial baits, 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 please step up your tackle size and 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, pinfish, or croakers at night in the channel under the A1A Bridge. This style of angling can be quite rewarding when the bite is on, but it can also be very challenging due to the number of anglers competing for the same action. Snook season ends December 15th, so if you enjoy those tasty filets, your time is limited.
Flounder is another notable species worth mentioning when speaking of inlet fishing. Depending on surf and lagoon temperatures, the flounder migration can stretch into December, with stragglers filtering through the passes all month.
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 winter 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 like the RipTide Swimming Mullet and spoons with a fast retrieval to avoid cutoffs.
When the seas permit it, look for solid concentrations of kings holding on the shallow reefs and wrecks in 60 to 100 feet of water. Several prime locations to target kings in December 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. 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 water.
Offshore, December is one of the best times to catch grouper, snapper, and amberjacks, targeting bottom structure 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. Inshore fishing is best once the sun warms the water a bit, so sleep in and enjoy a good cup of coffee before heading to the ramp. 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. If you have never seen black drum tailing on the shallow flats before, it is worth the long hard paddle into the No-Motor Zone.
Last but not lease, look for the American and hickory shad runs to commence on the upper Saint Johns River near the end of the month, and intensifying in January and February. Shad fishing is one of the most overlooked fisheries in Florida, and a fun fish to catch on both fly and light tackle gear.
In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who fished and worked with me in 2007 for your business and friendship, and I am looking forward to spending more time on the water with you in 2008. Also, now is the time to purchase your 2008 gift certificates at and receive 50.00 dollars off of the standard rate by either replying to this news letter or calling my toll free number at 866-790-8081, so purchase a charter in advance for yourself or that certain someone close to your heart, and go fishing with them.
Man I love this job!
As always, if you have any questions or just need information, please contact me.
Happy Holidays, and good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 office
866-790-8081 toll free
Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
If you would like to be added to this Internet fishing report mailing list, just reply to this message or contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 87
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 30, 2007 - 4:48 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, October 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
As the fall bait run continues, hordes of black and silver mullet, Atlantic menhaden (pogies), thread fin herring (greenies), and bay anchovies (glass minnows) flee for their live as they move south in search of a warmer climate. This migration signals the end of summer, and the beginning of some of the best fishing experienced on the Indian River Lagoon coast of Florida.
Weather permitting, near-shore opportunities are the best you will see all year. Along the beaches, target areas of concentrated bait schools for a mixed bag of snook, tarpon, kingfish, cobia, jack crevalle, oversized redfish, and sharks. Additionally, snook fishing in the surf will continue to improve as the baitfish move south along the beach. Also look for schools of glass minnows to increase bringing larger Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and tarpon with them.
In and around the inlets of Ponce, Port Canaveral, and Sebastian look for flounder, snook, jack crevalle, and oversized redfish feeding on migrating baitfish along the jetties and just outside the inlets. My preferred method of targeting the inlet redfish is to drift the inlet bouncing live mullet or pinfish on the bottom on a falling tide. Easterly swells, falling tides, and aggressive anglers can make conditions dangerous, so please pay attention, be patient, and catch-um-up.
Inshore, look for slot redfish in close to the grassy edges along the shoreline shadowing pods of finger mullet, and for the larger redfish staged in deeper water ambush sites where migrating mullet are forced to venture out from the safety of the shallow flats. Also watch for snook to be tucked in close to the shoreline, ambushing pods of finger mullet as they pass by.
In deeper water areas, look for ladyfish, spotted sea trout, jacks, and tarpon feeding on schools of glass minnows. These schools of fish are easily located by watching for bird and fish activity. Once located, these schools will produce explosive action on small top water plugs, or popping bug flies. Also, if you locate a school of the larger black mullet, try fishing spoons or soft plastic baits deep under the school. Even though, mullet are vegetarians, redfish and sea trout will often mingle in feeding on shrimp and crabs kicked up from the bottom by larger mullet.
Seminars and Events
October 13th, Braided Line Applications, Andy Thornal Company Fly Fishing Expo located under the Water Tower in Winter Haven, Florida. Call 863-299-9999 for more details.
October 23rd, Orlando Kayak Club meets at 7pm Gander Mountain in Lake Mary, and Captain Rodney Smith is the guest speaker.
November 16th, 17th, and 18th, Coastal Angler Magazines Boating and Fishing Expo at the Volusia County Fairgrounds with a full program of speakers and seminars.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
If you would like to be added to this Internet fishing report mailing list, just reply to this message or contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 86
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 6:51 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, September 6, 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
Let the Feeding Frenzy Commence
Yesterday as the sun settled in the west, I found myself at the ocean’s edge. My quest was not to catch fish for I carried no tackle, but to simply observe conditions in anticipation of the arrival of the mullet. With a low-pressure system building in the Atlantic northeast of Florida and the northeasterly breezes and seas building, conditions are right for the commencement of the mullet run.
As I sat there scanning the water with my toes burred in the sand, I caught a glimpse of a large splash out of the corner of my eye. Was it a large tarpon or maybe a spinner shark? My anticipation grew. Soon I spotted what I was hoping to see as another large tarpon exploded on a school of silver mullet pushing south about 100 yards offshore. As the darkness grew more and more bait pods pushed to the surface hounded by hungry tarpon and spinner sharks. Further out I watch as terns feverishly worked schools of glass minnows pushed to the surface by Spanish mackerel. Clearly the bait run has started, and soon the beach and inlets will be teaming with bait and hungry fish. Currently, heavy ocean conditions will make fishing from a boat challenging, but once the seas begin to settle the bite should be on fire.
On the inside today I spent the better part of the afternoon poling my Old Town canoe along the western shoreline of the Banana River No-Motor Zone looking for signs of the fall bait run. Gusty winds and recent rainfall have muddied the water making sight fishing difficult.
As I poled along the flat I would run over the fish before I’d see them, so I adjusted my strategy with a decision to try a new soft plastic bait. In the distance I could see redfish pushing and moving about, so I decided to try retrieving the new Exude 2 ½ inch Fan Tailed Shrimp in the Golden Bream color across the surface of the water. I would make a long cast well past my target, and with my rod tip raised high, I would reel the bait at a steady speed just fast enough to keep it fluttering on top. The fan Tail Shrimp comes with a glass rattle, which inserts into a pocket in the tail of the bait, but the rattle was gone after the first fish. I have done well using this tactic before, and once again it rewarded me with 8 redfish and about a dozen missed fish. After my pack of Exudes were gone, I switched to my trusted RipTide frog, and again received explosive results from I believe to be snook at the very edge of the matted widgeon grass. If you try this tactic, keep your rod tip high, and at the moment of the strike, through your rod tip forward giving the fish some slack and a chance to take the bait. The hook I was using was a #3 Daiichi Copper Head with the barb smashed.
Tip of the Week
A recent study showed a thirty percent mortality for catch and release sea trout. These fish expire after release from injuries and miss handling. With this thought in mind, it is extremely important keep you fish in the water as much as possible, touch them as little as possible, and mash the barbs on your hooks, especially gang hooks, Mashed barbs will facilitate an easy release with less injury. Barbs on hook do not catch fish; tight lines catch fish.
Seminars and Events:
September 8th 10am – 4pm Coleman Tailgate Event
Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
Information and directions 407-464-2000
September 29th 10am – 3pm Ladies Social Angler Seminar
Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
Registration is limited call 407-464-2000 or go to
www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
If you would like to be added to this Internet fishing report mailing list, just reply to this message or contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
CaptainIDS (Captainids)
New member
Username: Captainids
Post Number: 14
Registered: 9-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 05, 2007 - 10:01 am: | |
Are you a Licensed Coast Guard Captain?
This is for you
http://www.captainids.com/ |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 85
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 1:43 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, September 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka, Florida
Season of the Mullet
As the tropical storm season wanes along the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida, we welcome the arrival of September with hot and humid days, and than say good by to the summer as September exits on the shoulders of a prevailing northeast wind. Shorter days, longer nights and the prevailing shift is the winds and swells signal the end of summer, and the beginning of the season of the mullet.
I’m often asked the question, “When is the best time to fish on the east coast of Florida?” and the answer has arrived with the season of the mullet. Like many of the 700 plus species of fish that frequent the IRL throughout the year, silver mullet gradually return to our estuary in the spring, and then form up for a mass exodus once the water begins to cool. As the bait schools begin to form up, larger predators know it is once again time to fatten up for winter’s arrival.
As schools of bait move out of the inlets and south down the beach, they move in pulses rather than a continuous flow, so as always, locating bait is the key to success.
Bait pods are easily located by watching for diving birds and fish working them on the surface just inside the breakers. Look for snook, tarpon, redfish, bluefish, jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel, sharks, and large kingfish crushing and shadowing bait pods all along the beach. 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 in the surf.
The beach snook run has already started with a few fish being reported, and it will 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, matching the run. Fish the very edge of the beach, just beyond the whitewater, and walk along the beach letting your bait drift along in the direction of tidal flow. My rig consist of a #3 Daiichi Bleeding Bait circle hook, a one ounce barrel sinker, and a 24” section of 40-pound test fluorocarbon leader. I also prefer to use 20-pound test braided high-vis Courtland line to improve sensitivity and avoid line twist. First, slide the barrel sinker onto the terminal end of your braided line, and then splice in the leader, the knot will allow the sinker to slide freely up the braided line, keeping it off of the leader and the hook. This technique will allow bait to cover more ground and help keep your bait in the strike zone longer. Make sure your reel has the strength and line capacity to handle a large fish, so you don’t get spooled.
Outside in the deeper water, 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 my preferred method is slow trolling live pogies (Atlantic menhaden) on stainless steel stinger rigs. Also as the water temperatures cool, look for the large manta rays to move into shallower water bringing cobia with them. In Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet look for flounder, mangrove snapper, large redfish and snook around the jetties and other structures, and tripletail, barracuda, and cobia under the Canaveral buoy cans.
Inshore, the sea trout bite on top water plugs will increase along the deeper edges of the grass flats, with the best bite happening at first light and sunset. Also look for ladyfish, tarpon, 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 inserted. 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 and Ponce De Leon Inlets to spawn, and feeding on small baitfish, mullet, and small blue crabs washing out with the tide.
Seminars and Events:
September 2nd 8am –12pm Rodney Smith’s Surf Fishing Tour
Port Canaveral to Satellite Beach
www.coastalanglermagazine.com
September 8th 10am – 4pm Coleman Tailgate Event
Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
Information and directions 407-464-2000
September 22nd 2pm to 6pm Rodney Smith’s Fishing Land Tour
Longpoint to Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
www.coastalanglermagazine.com
September 29th 10am – 3pm Ladies Social Angler Seminar
Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
Registration and Information 407-464-2000 or
www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
If you would like to be added to this Internet fishing report mailing list, just reply to this message or contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 84
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 24, 2007 - 4:43 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, August 24, 2007
Complements of Mosquito Coast Outdoors, Apopka Florida
As Labor Day weekend approaches, it’s safe to say summer is losing it’s grip on us, which was evident this past week when a high pressure system pushed in from the Atlantic replacing our normal summer doldrums with some steady easterly breezes. These breezes kicked up the seas a bit and made sight fishing on the flats a bit challenging, but the fishing was good nonetheless.
Out in the big blue, the wave height reached as high as 5 feet, but as the high-pressure system shifted towards the Gulf of Mexico, the winds settled down and the wave interval spread out. Soon, these easterly breezes will become more consistent, and the mullet run will commence.
My adventures outside last week consisted of some exceptional days of catching, but finding live bait is still a challenge. They started on Saturday, when Larry Carter, JT Thompson and his son Jason joined me with the simple challenge of just finding something to pull drag. As we exited Port Canaveral we turned left (north) in search of bait, and soon found ourselves casting jigs and top water plugs in the surf north of the bight of the Cape. For those of you who haven’t heard, NASA and the Air Force have lifted the closure of the restricted zone off of the Space Center, reopening some of the best fishing grounds on Florida’s east coast. As we worked the edge, we found ourselves in the mists of a feeding frenzy consisting of jack cravelle, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and ladyfish, with some tarpon and big blacktip sharks showing themselves occasionally.
Our choice in lures was Rapala Skitter Walks, Rip Roller by High Roller, D.O.A. Bait Busters, and RipTide 4-inch Mullet on and 1/4 ounce Screw Jig. When you find yourself in a situation involving so many toothy critters, it’s important to retrieve your lures very fast to avoid cut offs. If the presentation is fast, the fish are forced to chase the lure down and strike below the leader. As we progress into the mullet run, this beach fishing will only heat up, and snook in the surf will become more prevalent.
After playing with the beach fish a while, we decided to resume our search for live bait, and we left them chewing. We followed the beach north past the Shuttle Pads and I have to say it’s a great feeling cruising just off of the shoreline in a place where I never thought I would be able to fish again. We stuck close to the beach hoping to locate a stray school of pogies, but none were found, so I turned east for deeper water, and we finally located a school of threadfin (greenies) in about 50 feet of water. After we acquired about two dozen live baits, we did some trolling in the area of Pitman Rock managing one a few bonito and sharks.
Soon the east wing started to build, so I decided it was time to make the run back south towards the Port, and during the run home, we ran by a nice sailfish in 40 feet of water.
When we arrived at the buoy line, I dropped in two live baits on stinger rigs, and before we could get settled, we had kingfish smoking line off of both reels. Again the bite was hot and heavy, and we ended up catching five kingfish, several bonito, barracuda, and blacktip sharks before running out of bait and calling it a day.
Also, the Mac Attack Kingfish Tournament is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday out of Port Canaveral, so be prepared for a busy weekend at the Port.
Tip of the Week:
In the past decade, Florida’s fisheries have experienced a significant increased in the number of anglers. This increased pressure has had a direct impact on fish populations, and if we are to continue to enjoy our sport, conservation of our fishery is critical. Therefore, I encourage all anglers to acquire and utilize a catch and release tool. 80 percent of the fish we catch we release, and with a dehooker tool we can release them without touching them. To learn more about dehookers, visit ARC Dehooker’s website at http://www.dehooker4arc.com or visit Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka Florida to purchase one.
Ladies, don’t forget to register for the Mosquito Creek Outdoor Ladies Social Angler Seminar and Wine Tasting scheduled for September 29th from 10am to 3pm, positions are limited. This free event is designed to teach the ladies the basic fundaments needed to enjoy fishing with their family and friends. Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Woman in The Outdoors, and Coastal Angler Magazine sponsor the event and it features speakers like Robin (Fish Girl) Folsom and Captain Rodney Smith of Coastal Angler Magazine, Captain Chris Myers D.O.A. Pro Staff, Captain Keith Kalbfleisch, and Captain Tom Van Horn RipTide Pro Staff. For more details contact me or go to www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
If you would like to be added to this Internet fishing report mailing list, just reply to this message or contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 83
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 01, 2007 - 2:38 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, August 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka, Florida
As the mid-summer doldrums settle in on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida, summer weather patterns dominate and angling success requires a shift in tactics to beat the heat and afternoon thunderstorm. An early morning predawn start allows anglers to enjoy cooler conditions and magnificent sunrises, and have the boat trailered and home in time for a snooze in the Lazy-Boy while the afternoon storms brew outside. Once the storms have past, the window of opportunity reopens for some excellent angling conditions as the sun settles below the horizon, and after dark.
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 and the top-water bite will shut down, bait becomes your better option. For larger trout, fish live pigfish close to docks and other structures 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. Look for pompano schools to become more prevalent in the shadows of the causeway bridges and on the flats. Fish small pink 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 typically low, so please use caution when accessing skinny water.
Offshore, the Labrador currents have pushed in on queue, cooling down bottom temperatures and the bottom fishing a bit, which is normal this time of year. If bottom water temperature drops into the sixties, finding warmer water is the key to locating fish. 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, black fin tuna, 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 Bite of the Cape, bringing us a mid-summer cobia run. Further off shore, the Gulf Stream typically moves in closer making tuna a possibility for smaller boats, and as long as the summer squalls stay away, running to the other side of the stream isn’t out of the question.
Along the beach, look for the silver kings (tarpon), smoker kings, blacktip sharks, jumbo jack crevalle, and redfish to be shadowing pods of Atlantic menhaden (pogies), threadfin 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 structures. If snook are of interest, Sebastian Inlet is the place to be.
Last but not least, I would like to inform all of the ladies about the Mosquito Creek Outdoor Ladies Social Angler Seminar and Wine Tasting scheduled for September 29th from 10am to 3pm. This free event is designed to teach the ladies the basic fundaments needed to enjoy fishing with their family and friends. Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Woman in The Outdoors, and Coastal Angler Magazine sponsors the event and it features speakers like Robin (Fish Girl) Folsom and Captain Rodney Smith of Coastal Angler Magazine, Captain Chris Myers D.O.A. Pro Staff, and Captain Tom Van Horn RipTide Pro Staff. For more details contact me or go to www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
If you would like to be added to this Internet fishing report mailing list, just reply to this message or contact me at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 82
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 30, 2007 - 3:43 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, May 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors
Like the early summer sunshine, fishing opportunities are heating up in all areas along Florida’s Lagoon coast. Catch the last month of snook season on the Lagoon flats, inlets, and Beaches
On the Lagoon flats: Redfish and spotted sea trout will provide the majority of action for light tackle and fly anglers. The water has warmed to the point where jack crevalle, ladyfish, snook, and tarpon are showing up in good numbers. Target these species at first light or at dusk, with top water plugs like the High Roller Florida Special or the Rapala Skitterwalk. As the day heats up, focus your attention on the deeper edges of the flats (2 to 3 feet deep) with a RipTide 4” mullet on a ¼ ounce RipTide Screw Jig.
At the inlets and beaches: Spanish mackerel, snook, redfish, jack crevalle, bluefish, flounder, sheepshead and black drum are just some of the species available in the Lagoon inlets and beaches this month. As the baitfish migration moves north, this type of fishing will only get better.
In the ocean: Inshore, the bait pods, Atlantic menhaden (pogies), have shown up along the beach, and now is the best time to target the ocean predator shadowing these schools. It’s not uncommon to catch large redfish, jack crevalle, blacktip sharks, cobia, and tarpon from within these pods of bait. To locate bait pods, simply look for feeding birds, flipping and jumping bait, and busting fish.
Blue water: Dolphin fishing will be the focus of blue water anglers this month. This is the time of year when the big bulls are taken off the Florida space coast. The early season dolphin bite has already yielded fish in excess of 60 pounds. Also, as a bonus, the potential of taking a blue marlin or sailfish is good. Near-shore, the kingfish bite has heated up on the near-shore reefs and wrecks and cobia are still commonplace.
Fresh water: Bass fishing on the Stick Marsh and Farm 13 will be hot this month. These lakes are some of the best catch and release bass lakes in the world.
As Always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good Luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://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: 81
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 4:00 pm: | |
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, April 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors
One of best things about fishing is it provides us with a forced mind flush. Once we are on the water, fishing eases our mind’s tensions by forcing us to concentrate on the task at hand. Fresh air in our lungs, sunshine on our skin, and screaming drags, all serve as escapes from reality. So flush away, because spring delivers some of the hottest fishing experienced on Florida’s Indian Lagoon coast all year.
In the inlets, look for good numbers of sheepshead and black drum around structures 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.
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. Additionally, look for bottom fishing to improve as the mangrove snapper begin their spring aggregation for the spawn on or near the full moon.
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 one of the best experienced in years. Also look for the bait pods (pogies) to become more dependable along the beach bringing Spanish mackerel, blues, reds, mongo jacks, sharks, and smoker kingfish with them.
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 extreme care. If you are looking for snook and tarpon action, the Sebastian River will be the place to go, and as the water warms up, look for these gamesters to become more prevalent along the beaches and in the north IRL as well.
Last but not least, freshwater largemouth and striper bass action will be heating 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 where the River dumps into the lake. 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. Like everywhere else this year, the water levels are extremely low, so please be careful.
In closing, I would like to thank those of you who facilitate my reports by providing me with current information and incite, and also my readers for your responses and inspiration. April is shaping up to be a very busy month for me, and between events and my charters scheduled, I only have six day left open. So if you have been thinking of booking a spring fishing adventure, give me a call before my availability is consumed.
Events Scheduled:
I am very excited about my involvement in Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo scheduled for April 20, 21, and 22, at the Melbourne Auditorium. At this year’s event, I have teamed up with Chris Myers, Ron Neff, Bill Stewart, John Kumiski, Dave Haviland, Jerry Goldsmith, and Mosquito Creek Outdoors to present our Angler’s Skill Improvement Clinics. These clinics are hands on learning opportunities where you can learn the basics or hone just your skills by learning how the seasoned anglers rig and use their tackle. The clinic schedule is listed below:
Mosquito Creek Outdoors Anglers Skill Improvement Clinics
Friday April 20th:
10:30am Rigging for Offshore Trolling, Captain Ron Neff
11:30am Rigging for Offshore Bottom Fishing, Captain Bill Stewart
12:30pm Fly Casting, Dave Haviland
1:30pm Knots Lines and Leaders, Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn
2:30pm Braid Line Applications, Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn
3:30pm Rigging Soft Plastics, Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn
4:30pm Kayak Fishing and Rigging, Tom Van Horn and Jerry Goldsmith
Saturday April 21st;
10:30am Rigging for Offshore Trolling, Captain Ron Neff
11:30am Rigging for Offshore Bottom Fishing, Captain Bill Stewart
12:30pm Fly Casting, Fly tying continuous John Kumiski,
1:30pm Knots Lines and Leaders, Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn
2:30pm Braid Line Applications, Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn
3:30pm Rigging Soft Plastics, Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn
4:30pm Kayak Fishing and Rigging, Tom Van Horn and Jerry Goldsmith
Sunday April 22nd:
10:30am Knots Lines and Leaders, Captain Chris Myers
11:30am Rigging Soft Plastic Baits, Captain Chris Myers
12:30pm Fly Casting, Dave Haviland
1:30pm Braid Line Applications, Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn
2:30pm Rigging for Offshore Trolling, Captain Ron Neff
3:30pm Rigging for Offshore Bottom Fishing, Captain Bill Stewart
On the Stage Presentations
Mark Nichols Friday, April 20 12:00 DOA
Jerry Goldsmith Friday, April 20 1:00 Kayak Fishing
Capt. Mark Wright Friday, April 20 2:00 Live Pigfish for Summertime Trout
Rob Branaugh Friday, April 20 3:00 Maintaining Your Outboard
Capt. Ron Neff Friday, April 20 4:00 Deep Jigging
Capt. Keith Kalbfleisch Friday, April 20 5:00 Near shore Fishing
Capt. Brian Clancy Saturday, April 21 11:00 Fishing the North End of Mosquito Lagoon
Capt. Budd Neviaser Saturday, April 21 12:00 Offshore for Dolphin
Capt. Jim Ross Saturday, April 21 1:00 Light-Tackle Flats 101
Capt. John Kumiski Saturday, April 21 2:00 Fly fishing for Redfish
Capt. Troy Perez Saturday, April 21 3:00 Redfish and Sea trout in Mosquito Lagoon
Capt Rodney Smith Saturday, April 21 4:00 TBD
Mark Nichols Saturday, April 21 5:00 DOA
Capt. Bill Stewart Saturday, April 21 6:00 Bottom Fishing out of Sebastian
Capt Ron Neff Sunday, April 22 11:00 Tuna
Capt. Budd Neviaser Sunday, April 22 12:00 Offshore for Dolphin
Capt. Shawn Foster Sunday, April 22 1:00 World Records, TV, and Celebrities--Stories
Capt Russ Rivers Sunday, April 22 2:00 River of Abundance--Fishing the Indian River Lagoon
Capt Tom Van Horn Sunday, April 22 3:00 Kayak Fishing
Capt. Chris Myers Sunday, April 22 4:00 East Central Coast Tarpon
For more information on the CAM Expo and to acquire a discount coupon, visit the following link: http://www.coastalanglermagazine.com/docs/flyer2CAM.pdf
As always, if you have questions or need information please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 land line
866-790-8081 toll free
407-416-1187 on the water |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
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Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 80
Registered: 8-2003
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 - 9:14 am: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, March 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors
As the days grow longer and warmer nature’s subtle changes signal the demise of winter and the commencement of spring on Florida’s east central coast. The sweet fragrance of citrus carried across the lagoon on the shoulders of a west wind, the magnificent bloom of the azaleas and camellias, and the brightly colored pristine buds on the maples and the cypress all signal springs arrival and the beginning of the fishing season.
The Indian River Lagoon’s unique diversity is renowned as an estuary consisting of three distinct inshore lagoons, five ocean inlets, and 156 miles of near-shore and offshore reefs all nurtured by warmth and richness Gulf Stream. Transitioning from tropical to temperate climate zones, the IRL system supports over 700 species of fish, and some of the best angling in the world, and blessed are we who live and breath the IRL.
As the ocean begins its gradual warming phase, 67 to 68 degrees, watch for the progression of baits schools (Atlantic menhaden and mullet) from deeper waters into the near-shore waters bringing the cobia and other predators with them. Additionally, warmer waters will draw manta rays into the shallows shadowed by pods of cobia. Other notable species are tripletail around the buoys and under flotsam, heavy weight jack carvalle, large redfish, and sharks following bait schools. Currently, both the cobia and the ray are concentrated in our near-shore waters ahead of schedule.
Moving out into deeper water, the spring kingfish run should begin with the smaller kings showing up around the middle of March, followed by the smokers, 30 to 50 pounds, in April on the near-shore reefs and wrecks like Pelican Flats and 8A reef. If the bait moves in close to the beach, look for the larger kingfish to follow them. Also, April marks the beginning of the fishing season for many of the blue water anglers with the start of the April/May northern migration of dolphin in 120 feet of water and beyond, and the run usually includes some of the largest bulls taken all year. Again, good reports of dolphin have been coming in, also ahead of schedule.
In the inlets and along the beaches, whiting, pompano, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel should remain a staple with sheepshead and black drum holding on jetties and rock piles. As we move into the later part of April, watch for the snook and tarpon action to heat up in Sebastian Inlet, and then move north following the bait progression.
On the lagoon, rising water levels will draw the slot size redfish schools up onto the shallow flats, with the larger breeder schools holding along the deeper edges and sand bars. On the cooler days, focus your attention on sand pockets or potholes, and once the afternoon sun warms the water, look for tailing fish on the shallow flats. Also, April signals the return of finger mullet into the estuary, and the beginning early morning and late evening top water sea trout and redfish action. Remember, April is the month when sea trout become egg laden for the spawn, which happens just before the full and new moons, so it is very important to release the large females with extreme care, fore their survival is essential for the proliferation of the species.
Seminars and Events
March 10, 2007 Mosquito Creek Outdoors Conservation Day Event
Apopka Florida
Hook Kids on Fishing Program 10am – 12pm
First 100 kids receive a new fishing rod and reel.
Free fishing seminars from 12pm –3pm.
Coastal Angler Magazine’s Traveling Lagoon Booth
For a complete list of exhibitors and seminar schedule, visit http://www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com
April 19, 20, 21st Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo.
Melbourne, Florida
New Products Showcase throughout the event
Braided Fishing Line Tying Clinic
New Products Seminars
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me,
Good luck, good fishing, and stay warm,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to this mailing list, please contact Captain Tom at captain@irl-fishing.com. |
Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
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Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 79
Registered: 8-2003
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