 Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report for December 17, 2006
How many times have you heard local anglers say the fishing is awful during the winter in east central Florida? I’ve heard things like it’s too windy, it’s too cold, or the fish are dormant and they don’t eat. Well you keep on believing what your hearing, and I will continue to enjoy the empty boat ramps, unpressured fish, and quality catches experienced in December and January. I have to admit rough weather conditions do make it trying at times, but if you are willing to suck it up a little, dress for the occasion, and be cautious during rough conditions, the rewards can be memorable.
The winds finally began to settle down this past week, and some great catching reports have been coming from all areas of the lagoon coast. In the Mosquito Lagoon, I received good reports of slot redfish schooling on just about every major flat from Georges Bar all the way to Whale Tail. I’ve also heard the same from other anglers and guides fishing in the North Indian River Lagoon and the Banana River Lagoon. The redfish have started to school up, and they have been holding in super skinny water. I have also heard reports of large sea trout in the same waters. As always, stealth presentation will greatly improve your numbers, and when the weather kicks up be prepared to switch tactics.
The past week, my adventures led me in three completely different directions with mixed results and some quality catches.
On Tuesday I was scheduled to remove a large hurricane damaged water oak from my front yard but rainy conditions forced a postponement, so I opted to hook up Three Quarter Time and scout the upper St Johns River south of Lake Harney for signs of early American Shad. Like the Lagoon, the water levels on the river are extremely low this year and there were no shad located. I did manage a half dozed speckled perch and a brim taken on a hot pink crazy charley fly. I did receive one report of a nice shad taken by a local angler, so they are starting to arrive. When I hear more I will let you know.
My next oppertuinty was on Friday where I ventured into the No-Motor Zone with my good friend Art Roseberry and his friend Harold Hollis. Both men are world-class anglers and Alaska residents with homes on the Kenai River. Art and I have been trying to fish the NMZ for the past several years, but every time we plan a trip, the wind blew 20 knots or better or the Zone was closed for a shuttle launch.
This time the winds were east at 10 to 15 knots with a 70% chance of rain, so we decided to suck it up and break out the Frogg Toggs. As it turned out, the wind was fishable at first, and Art was the first to score with a nice 20-pound redfish taken on a nite glow/pink tail RipTide Realistic Shrimp on a Daiichi Bleeding Bait Copperhead hook with a Woodies Rattle capsule. Art’s next fish was a nice upper slot size red, but before we knew it the wind kicked up and our sight fishing opportunities were over. Both Art and Harold have tackled king salmon over 50 pounds, and both were eager to tackle such a fish in Florida, so on my way to the lagoon I made it a point to stop by Skeeter Lagoons Bait and Tackle in Titusville and purchase 8 live blue crabs, and in this case I was glad I did. After the wind picked up, we staked out on the deeper edge of the flat and started chunking blue crab, and in the next two hours we landed five over slot redfish up to 54 inches and a nice 25-pound black drum.
On Saturday both the wind and seas were up a bit, but I couldn’t decline the offer to join my good friend Scott Bradford aboard the Afternoon Delight on an early season cobia exploration out of Port Canaveral. To add icing to the cake, Captain Rodney Smith and Scott Ashmore joined us. Scott Bradford had a hunch we would find cobia holding on the near-shore wrecks in 60 to 80 feet of water, and he was right. At our first stop, we brought five cobia to the boat with two keepers going into the icebox. The technique we were using was to drop a one-ounce Fair Water Big Bend Cobia jig tipped with squid to the bottom and then jig it back to the surface. After the bite slowed at our first stop, we headed offshore to check some other wrecks, but between the increasing winds, seas, current, and overcast skis, we were unsuccessful in locating any more fish. Another positive note was that every stop was loaded with bait, and we sighted several sky rocketing kingfish, so the fish are there.
Last but not least, Captain Rodney Smith and I have been asked to cover for Boudreaux so he can visit his momma for Christmas in Louisiana, so be sure to tune in to WQTM 740 AM Saturday morning December 23rd from 5 to 7am for the Boudreaux’s Boondocks Hunting and Fishing Radio Show, and call in and talk to us about fishing, hunting, and the outdoors.
Have a safe and happy holiday, and as always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 land line
866-790-8081 toll free
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