December 2012 Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River Lagoon, New Smyrna Beach Fishing

About time to put a wrap on 2012 and welcome in 2013. Colder weather has been a mainstay over the past 2-3 weeks. Regardless of weather, fishing is always good in Florida. In fact, the colder the better this time of year (extreme cold weather typically yields days with insane numbers of caught fish). December and January are generally the best “catching” months of the year. We generally average anywhere from 10-40 fish per day, and around the hard cold snaps, we’ll see days of 50-100 fish. As of late, water temperatures have coolded considerably and it has turned the water really clear in much of the region I fish. Sight fishing is really good and we are seeing schools of 25-50 redfish on a regular basis as well as numerous giant gator trout laid up in the shallows. Water levels are average for this time of year, so the huge schools of fish haven’t yet formed. We’re also seeing a few schools of black drum and finding increasing numbers of flounder in shallow sandy areas. Fair numbers of snook are starting to move into the remote backwaters, which means we might have some decent fishing for them this winter following a few very, very lean years after the last big freeze. 

Redfish fishing has been excellent as of late. Fishing for redfish will be good throughout the Mosquito Lagoon, North Indian River Lagoon and the creeks near Ponce Inlet. We’re finding small schools singles/doubles scattered over shallow grass flats on warmer days and on creek edges/holes around cold snaps. Average days lately have ranged from 5-15+ redfish. Shrimp and live mullet are top live bait choices. Lures like Aqua Dream spoons, soft plastic swimbaits, plugs, and DOA shrimp have also worked well. Fly fisherman have found success using a redfish blossom or a slider pattern. 

It’s also time for some of the best Speckled Trout fishing of the year. Not in terms of catching great numbers, but in terms of catching giant gator trout approaching 10lb’s or better. Colder weather moves these giant trout into the shallow waters to warm up as well as follow baitfish. This is one of the best times of year for sight casting 8-10lbr’s, a world class fish. We’ve caught several trout in the 4-7lb range over the past couple weeks, and have had chances at some giants up to 12lbs. Live shrimp and mullet, DOA shrimp, and lightweight soft plastic jerkbaits are all great tools for big trout. Only problem is these fish are extremely wary and a big on the lethargic side so catching can be tough at times. 

A few schools of Black Drum are showing up on the shallow flats. More and more will continue to show up as we get closer to their spring spawn. They are considerably easy to catch; shrimp, cut crabs, as well as lures that imitate those will work. Flounder action continues to be good in the backwaters of Oak Hill, Edgewater, and New Smyna Beach. Creek mouths, sand bars, docks and sea walls along the ICW and adjacent to it will hold the majority of fish. Fair nubers of Snook are moving into the remote backwaters to ride out the colder winter months. Numbers are still way off what they used to be before the last big freeze, but we might have some decent fishing for them over the next few months. 

I have open dates in December and January, but things always get busy around the holidays. Don’t forget these next couple months can be the best catching months of the year. As always short notice trips are available if I have the date open. Call or email to secure a reservation. Read my fishing charter page to view the top reasons why you should book your trip with me today. Read my fishing report archive to review write-ups from the past several years. I look forward to fishing with you soon…386-212-4931.

November 2012 Mosquito Lagoon, New Smyrna, Ponce Inlet Area

Hard to believe that it’s already November and the end of the calendar year is only weeks away. Tomorrow is Election Day and that typically means the fall bait run is nearly over. It’s been rather cool lately and the water temperatures dropped to a low of 59 degrees last week. They are now remaining constant at 65-70 degrees and that’s a range that usually equals a fantastic bite...which is exactly what it has been. Crystal clear water clarity and higher water tables are providing excellent sight fishing conditions. Lots of Redfish, and Speckled Trout, as well as increasing numbers of Flounder are being caught daily using lures, fly and live bait. We’ve been catching numerous fish primarily fishing the New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater area and all of the Mosquito Lagoon. Check out my new fishing rig I’m now running charters out of on a daily basis....BT Vengeance


If you like fishing for big trophy sized Speckled Trout, now is one of the prized months of the year. Colder water conditions thin out baitfish and push monster trout up into the shallows to find food and lay up to warm themselves. The Mosquito Lagoon and North Indian River Lagoon will have the best action. I’ve seen several trout over the 10lb mark lately, and dozens of others in the 26-30” range (5-9lb). We’re sight casting most of the time with artificials and fly, but in low light hours we’re whacking them on live mullet. We’ve had no problems catching trout up to 5lbs, with some being caught up to 7lbs within the past week. The colder it gets the more finnicky they will respond to lures as ultra clear water tends to rein in their aggressiveness, but it will bring the big ones into the shallows in good numbers and they will still there all day.


Redfish are taking advantage of all the high water levels and are working the flooded marshes, shorelines, oyster mounds and big grass flats. Lately with the colder water they have been laid up in the shallows around potholes and sand sloughs in super numbers. Catching has been ridiculously easy on lures, fly or live bait and with the crystal clear water, sight fishing has been phenomenal. Again, we’ve been doing a lot of sight casting with a variety of lures, but whacking them with live mullet and shrimp too. Catching 20-30 redfish per day has been expected lately as opposed to wishing. We were also catching great numbers of GIANT bull redfish up until this last front, haven’t checked to see if any are still hanging around. We were getting at least a few each day over 20lbs, with a big redfish of 45+lbs 10 days ago. The great thing about this region is the redfish action never slows, it’s great 12 months out of the year. In fact, it’s only going to get better from now through the winter as water levels drop, condensing fish into massive schools.


The Flounder action is really heating up as many of these fish begin to migrate into our backwaters. They have been shadowing the scores of mullet moving through the creeks and channels. We’ll be catching them on live bait and soft plastics rigged on jigheads. Some of the biggest flounder of the year will be caught from now through the end of November. Good numbers of Bluefish and Jack Crevalle are in the ICW around New Smyrna Beach. Docks, shorelines, and seawalls fished with live bait and/or jigs and plugs have caught numerous blues and jacks. Some small schools of Black Drum are popping up on shallow mud flats. They will be routinely caught from now through April.


This November is going to go down as one of the best ever witht he current conditions and expectations that it stays as consistent as forecasted. Don’t miss out on this transition month of fishing. Plenty of good dates open the rest of this month and December. As always short notice trips are available if I have the date open. Call or email to secure a reservation. Read my fishing charter page to view the top reasons why you should book your trip with me today. Read my fishing report archive to review write-ups from the past several years. I look forward to fishing with you soon…386-212-4931.

October 2012 Mosquito Lagoon, New Smyrna, Ponce Inlet Area

Fall has arrived as October is welcomed to Florida’s Space Coast. Morning and daytime temperatures are a little cooler now days, but more importantly, October has FLOODED our waters with massive amounts of mullet as the fall bait run hits its peak. The fishing has been excellent over the past few weeks. After a summer of dirty water conditions, clean water is everywhere allowing for great sight fishing conditions. Redfish have started forming into small schools of 10-30 fish and giant trophy bull redfish have formed into large schools at Ponce Inlet and the Indian River Lagoon. Speckled trout have been shadowing bait pods and redfish schools, and big gator trout have been laid up in sand spots and “finning” in shallow grass in the Mosquito Lagoon. Flounder are moving in great numbers in the Edgewater and New Smyrna Beach area. Tarpon numbers have thinned dramatically and we’ve likely seen the end of action for them. There’s no secret to our fishing this time of year...find the areas full of baitfish and our target gamefish have been right there with them.


I just picked up a new boat and sold my old rig within the past week. I’m now guiding out of a Beavertail Vengeance rigged with a brand new 70hp Yamaha outboard. This boat is fast, stable, runs super shallow, and provides a really dry and comfortable ride. Come spend a day with me and check it out.


The Redfish bite has been considerably strong. We’ve been averaging anywhere from 5-15 redfish per day lately...all depends on how long we want to specifically target them. The Mosquito Lagoon is full of fish cruising shorelines and schools tailing on shallow grass flats. The New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater area has seen a lot of fish patrolling mangrove edges and oyster bars. Around Ponce Inlet and the North Indian River Lagoon, giant trophy bull redfish over 20lbs have formed into large schools for their last spawning month of the year. Clean water has returned to the entire area and sight fishing has been really good. Anglers throwing artificial lures, flies and live baits like shrimp or cut mullet have worked extremely well. The great thing about this region is the redfish action never slows, it’s great 12 months out of the year. In fact, it’s only going to get better from now through the winter as schools get bigger and our daily catch numbers will increase to 20+ redfish per day.


We’ve been finding a lot of Speckled Trout lately as they gorge themselves on the mass movement of mullet through our area. Giant gator trout in the 25-30” range have been roaming shallow water early then retreating to deeper edges once the sun gets high. As the water continues to cool off, they will stay in the shallows longer and “lay up” in potholes in the grass flats of both the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon. Pigfish, our go to live bait, are still around and they are producing strong catching numbers as we average 15-25 trout per day. Most days have seen us get at least 1-2 trout over 4lbs...with more than a few fish over the past month in the 6-8lb range. Lure anglers have done well throwing crank baits, suspending plugs, and soft plastic jerkbaits. Fly anglers have also scored on several trout lately using shrimp patterns.


The Flounder action is really heating up as many of these fish begin to migrate towards Ponce Inlet. They have been shadowing the scores of mullet moving through the creeks and channels. The first cold front of the year will really set things off. We’ve caught several flounder over the past month on live bait and soft plastics rigged on jigheads bounced around creek mouths, oyster bars and docks along the ICW. Some of the biggest flounder of the year will be caught from now through the end of November. Loads of Jack Crevalle are in the ICW around New Smyrna Beach. They are chasing mullet schools down the channels and later in the day are hanging around docks, shorelines, and seawalls. Most of them are in the 15-20” range and there is a reason they are pound for pound the best fighting inshore fish around...they flat out pull hard regardless of size. Extremely fun to catch because they eat just about anything. Tarpon numbers have thinned dramatically since the beginning of the month. A few weeks ago there were hundreds of them moving through Mosquito Lagoon...lately it’s just been a couple fish here and there. Most have moved out Ponce Inlet and moved down the coastline. The first cold front of the year will move the remaining stragglers and all that will be left for the winter is smaller 5-20lb fish that don’t bite with much consistency.


October and November provide some great fishing and catching during the fall transition time. Don’t miss out on this transition month of fishing. Plenty of good dates open the rest of this month and November. As always short notice trips are available if I have the date open. Call or email to secure a reservation. Read my fishing charter page to view the top reasons why you should book your trip with me today. Read my fishing report archive to review write-ups from the past several years. I look forward to fishing with you soon…386-212-4931.