New Smyrna Beach Area, Indian River Lagoon, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

July 1, 2010

July...it’s the same story every year, wondering how half the year passed us by and only half remains. June 2010 will be a month to remember, the fishing was amazing from start to finish. Redfish, tarpon, and speckled trout all were biting extremely well in the ICW, the Lagoons, and surrounding backwaters. The seas were flat in the ocean and on many days we ventured a couple miles out and found loads of giant jack crevalle, sharks, cobia, false albacore, and tarpon. If July is only half as good, it will be a another great month.

On most days this past month we started by chasing Tarpon, and on some days that all we did all day. Most of the resident juveniles in the 20-40lb range have been wandering around the ICW and Mosquito Lagoon in singles and in small schools. In addition, a nice wave of adult fish in the 60-125lb range moved up along the coast and pushed into the area backwaters around Ponce Inlet, New Smyrna Beach and Mosquito Lagoon. We had a good month of catching, we hooked up about 20 tarpon from 40-100+lbs and landed roughly half of those. Of that total, we got 6 fish to eat a toad fly that I tie, landing one that was about 50lbs. We landed two fish on lures during the month that were over 100lbs, including one that was a laid up fish we sightcasted. And to top it off, it could have been even better, we missed bites on at least another dozen fish. The beach action is picking up out of Ponce, within the past two weeks I found two schools oceanside that had over 100 giant fish well over 100lbs. Things will only improve for tarpon over the summer before it winds down at the end of September, so don’t miss out.

The Redfish bite has been great and fairly consistent during the whole past month in the Mosquito Lagoon and in the tidal creeks around New Smyrna and Edgewater. Schools of redfish in the 5-10lb range are scattered all over the flats, tailing in the grass and working the numerous bait pods. In the creeks, redfish are laid up around the oyster bars and slow cruising the mangrove edges. Find active and finnicky bait that will give away their location, then cast lightweight soft plastics, swimbaits, or topwater plugs to extract them from their ambush spot. On the last day of June we landed 19 redfish sight casting with a small swimbait and gulp shrimp by actively working mullet pods. If you to prefer to fish with live bait use cut mullet or cut pinfish and patiently wait them out. Fly anglers will connect on spoon flies, bunny patterns and seaducers. If you’re fly casting to tailers, a small crab pattern will get the job done. If you’re searching for trophy sized GIANT bull redfish over 20lbs, these fish are schooling getting ready to spawn later this month and next in the North Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon. Typical summer weather patterns with calm water makes them easy to find and you’ll guarantee a hook-up if you toss them a live pinfish, mullet, or fresh piece of cut bait. If you are first to the scene in the morning, they will often smack a topwater plug, spoon, or fly.

The Speckled Trout bite in steady in the ICW backwaters, the Mosquito Lagoon and North Indian River Lagoon. Most of the trout action is near deeper water they can move to once the sun gets high. Early in the morning they are shadowing big schools of mullet. We are finding active bait pods in the morning and working a soft plastic jerkbait, Mirrolure Mirrodines or Mirrominnows, or waiting patiently with a live mullet. Later in the day we are bouncing jigheads with a small 3-4’ paddle tail around submerged islands and sandbar edges to catch numerous fish in the 10-20’ range. June was a great month for catching big trout, we caught many over 6-7lbs.

Nearshore there are great opportunities to catch GIANT Jack Crevalle in the 20-40lb. Recently there have been 10-20 schools between Cape Canaveral and Daytona Beach in the 30-50’ depths with each school holding hundreds of giant jacks. Topwater plugs or a live mullet or menhaden will produce a vicious strike. If you are inshore in the Lagoons or ICW, watch for the scattered pods of roaming smaller jack crevalle and bluefish that are shadowing the menhaden and sardine schools that have flooded the area backwaters. These fish will eat a variety of lures and you’ll be able to catch them till you get tired or bored.

Still some remaining dates for July and August. Call or email now to reserve/book a date. Short notice trips are accepted if I have the date open. Read my fishing charter page to view the top reasons why you should book your trip with me today. I look forward to fishing with you soon…386-212-4931.