Mosquito Lagoon Fly Fishing » admin

Fall…Finally

admin — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 13:09:33 +0000

With higher water and cooler air and water temps, Redfish have become very active in the shallows of Mosquito Lagoon. Flyfishing anglers are getting numerous shots at backing and tailing Redfish. Clients have been getting double digit catch days on fly such as Dr. Richard Kernish who managed 11 on fly and even doubled up with fly/baitcasting combo. The water remains off colored, but the fish don’t seem to mind. The big fish have still been active in the Indian River, but I have been focusing on poling in shallow water. We are experiencing a ton of rain, which will bring the water up, making for some good fall sightfishing. Myself and Capt. Scott are heading to the marshes of LA to guide for a couple of months. Reports to follow!

Capt. Nick

Late Summer

admin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:22:00 +0000

Summer has come to a close, finally. Even though temps are starting to SLOWLY get lower, the fishing still remains hot. The bigger redfish have been eating extremely well, when located. That has been the challenge due to the algae bloom in Mosquito Lagoon and Indian river. The water has been off color and locating and staying with the schools have been tough somedays and easy on other days. Capt. Scott and I have been mainly targeting these large redfish on flies and lures. When conditions aren’t allowing us to locate them, we have been sightfishing in shallow water for 3-8lb redfish. The Seatrout bite has slowed due also to the off colored water. Live bait has been the ticket to getting the Seatrout bite.

Capt. Nick

June – Mid July

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:56:15 +0000

Summer is here in full force. After a dry hot beginning, the summer rains have finally arrived. With these rains comes cooler water temps in the morning. We have been finding redfish in the shallowest water backing and tailing in the early a.m. A well placed fly or live shrimp usually results in a hook up. Top water flies or non weighted flies have been working best. The seatrout bite has been good to great, depending on the day. Topwater flies and plugs have worked well if there is a absense of floating grass. If the grass becomes a problem, clousers or baitfish patterns have produced bites. Soft plastics and jigs have been the ticket with light tackle. The larger redfish have remained consistent. with some days better then others. The key is being able to see them. Tarpon have began to make thier presence in the mosquito lagoon and indian river. The tarpon bite will only get better the later in summer we get.
FLYFISHING

LIGHT TACKLE

April- May

admin — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:22:50 +0000

Inshore

The water in Mosquito Lagoon remains low, so Redfish still remain in schools on the edges of the flats. I have been finding as of recently more singles starting to creep up onto the shallower flats. Due mainly to the fact the water is slowly coming up, and I mean slowly. I’ve also been finding large Seatrout cruising and laying up on the sandy/grassy mixed flats. Very spooky though. The baitfish have definitely shown up in good numbers and the redfish and seatrout have been shadowing them. Early morning floating flies and topwater plugs fished around the baitfish have been creating bites from seatrout, ladyfish and an occasional redfish. As the sun gets up, we have been able to sightfish. Baitfish and shrimp patterns have worked well with the fly rod and soft plastics, jigs and bait have been the ticket for light tackle.

Nearshore

The cobia action out of Port Canaveral has remained steady. Not quite like it was in March, but they can be still found if you put your time in. Some days you find them on rays, some days just free swimming. Their not quite as aggressive as when they first showed up, but they still will eat. Jacks have shown up and have been seeing some Tarpon. As summer gets closer, the Tarpon will become more abundant.

Excuse the sideways pictures. You get the idea.

Capt. Nick

March Fishing

admin — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:28:41 +0000

Fishing has remained good in Mosquito Lagoon in the month of March. The Redfish have remained in schools due to the low water. Although the fish are still in schools, clients have been able to hook and release multiple fish on charters. When the water levels come up, the fish will start to spread out and be targeted on the flats in pairs and singles. Fly anglers have been doing well on baitfsh patterns and shrimp patterns. Light tackle anglers have been doing best with jigs and live bait.

Capt. Nick

Nearshore Fishing

The warmer temps in March started the Cobia migration out of Port Canaveral. The fish were spotted on rays, free swimming and on bait pods. The Cobia were responding well to jigs, live bait and flies. Spent the day out there with Capt. Scott on 3/22 in the HB Waterman and was able to get my largest on fly to date.

LA / Late Feb IRL

admin — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:40:16 +0000

Capt. Scott and I spent 3 weeks in Louisiana guiding in late Jan-Feb. Other then enduring very cold temps, the fishing was great. During the colder temps, the smaller fish will get into schools and the larger redfish and black drum will move into deeper water. The good thing is if you found fish they still wanted to eat, even when water temps were hovering around 44 degrees. Once the weather became warmer, the bigger fish came out to play. The bigger redfish were found floating and tailing all over the place. Some days having over 30 shots at redfish over 20#.

Back at home in the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River, the water remains low, causing most of the redfish to stay in schools. With air temps in the 80′s and the water levels beginning to rise , it won’t be long untill they break out of schools into small groups and singles in the shallow flats. Seatrout can be found lying motionless in sand holes waiting to pounce on something. The Black drum typically are always found in schools. Some days they eat better than others. Depending how bad they have been pounded on in the more popular areas of the Lagoons.
Capt. Nick S.

LOUISIANA

MOSQUITO LAGOON

Early January

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:40:15 +0000

It is good to be back in my home water of Mosquito Lagoon. With the coldest December on record. The water in the Mosquito Lagoon is low and cold. After some frigid cold weather arrived after Christmas it pushed the redfish and seatrout off the flats and into holes and edges. The fish have been grouped up in schools and when found have given anglers plenty of shots. The only problem was, on some days they did not want to eat any feathers and fur, as well as a well placed live shrimp. Persistance was the name of the game. With temps getting back to normal, the fish will slowly move back on the flats to forage. On a 50 degree day James from New York was able to 3 for 7 on fly in a school of redfish. The fish were not eager to eat, with the takes being very soft as if they were just mouthing the fly. Don and his son joined me for two of the toughest days of flyfishing I have had in a long time. We found plenty of fish, but they would not sit still long enough to present the fly to them. Don was able to coax two black drum into eating with one coming to the boat. We also had shots at some 20lb+ layed up redfish. They just didn’t want to eat. Mike and Ben joined me on a cold windy day and were able to make lemonade out of lemons. Mike, on the fly rod, was able to land 7 or 8 redfish and seatrout and Ben backing him up on spin was able to land 25 redfish and seatrout. Fishing should get better with temps returning to normal.

Capt. Nick

Late Nov. – Early Dec. LA

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:13:12 +0000

Both myself and Capt. Scott spent the later half of November into mid Dec. in Lousiana fishing with friends such as Chris Peterson-owner of Hellsbay Boatworks, Gary Jennings and John Frazier- Publisher and Editor of Flyfishing In Saltwaters magazine, Jorge Martinez- Artist, RA Beattie- Beattie Outdoors, Tim Pommer- Product Development engineer for SA flylines and many more friends. Fun was had by all. A ton of fish were caught up to 30lbs. We saw very little indications of oil problems in the marsh and ate redfish and Gulf shrimp and oysters from Louisiana waters.
Capt. Nick
386-479-3429

Early November

admin — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 23:33:57 +0000

The big Redfish bite has tapered off, but the shoreline fishing has been good. With colder temps finally arriving, the water has cleared and the Redfish have been found cruising shorelines. Anglers have been experiencing multi-fish days on fly. The shoreline bite should remain good untill the water drops out. When this occurs we will be targeting schools and open flats tailers.

Late October

admin — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:12:05 +0000

The fishing still remains strong. The large Redfish are still eating flies and lures well. Smaller slot fish have been sporadic, but when you find them they are usually in good numbers. The problem isn’t finding the fish , but there has been a lot of dirty water in the lagoons. This is normal this time of year due to winds and large mullet stirring up areas. This will all clean up once we get a cold front. Bob and wayne had an epic 2 1/2 days of fishing with me. Bob was able to land 8 redfish from 15- 35lbs on fly. Wayne was able to do the same on lures and bait. Fishing is only going to get better within the next month.

Capt. Nick