January 20th, 2009 Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Reports



Archived Florida Fishing Reports January 20th, 2009 Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Reports With the recent snaps of cold fronts that central Florida has been having the fishing has snapped too. It has snapped into a good thing, winter red fishing on the Mosquito Lagoon is here! By this I mean it is changing and you too should change your tactics. A sunrise start is not always the ticket. When cold weather moves into the area the fishing on the lagoon tends to change a bit, for the good and even sometimes the GREAT! The fish will bunch up into large schools and will move into the shallow warming waters of the flats throughout the day. Remember the key with this are that fish are not mammals...they are cold blooded animals that will adjust to their surroundings. They need to warm up and then get active. As the days warm up, the fishing will pick up. Take your time when fishing colder days. Fish tend to be a bit more sluggish. Let them see your bait, let them think the bait is slow or worn down, a free meal. You almost can not work it slow enough. Sight fishing is always my favorite choice but working white holes and bars can produce very good numbers of fish too. Throw shrimp or plastics into the holes and work areas thoroughly but slowly. Adapt to the days surroundings. Remember sun rise will warm western banks up first and as the day progresses it will warm eastern banks. For the fly fishing use shrimp and crab patterns in brown or natural colors. Red fish have been seen and caught in good numbers on the flats using live shrimp. Schooling reds are what I personally have been seeing. Some schools I have hooked into have had over 200 fish in them, and even more, these are just what I have been able to see. Along with a few singles here and there tailing and feeding happily. However, the exciting thing are the amount of trout I have been seeing. Gator Trout if that. The other day we were poling a flat edge that went from about 10 inches to about 18 inches along an area of about four football fields in size. On the out side of this area it is about 2-3 feet deep.(A drop off ledge nearby) We saw over 30 plus trout in this area. I know you are saying wow....30, not that many! Well these trout looked to me to be each over 30 plus inches with some that looked like a yard sticks. The unique thing was that they were moving along with finger mullet along the edges of this flat. Just back and forth. There must have been at least 10,000 mullet in that particular area. This is what I would call a food source for these trout. Or I like to call them "The Special Forces" of the Mosquito Lagoon. Now mixed in with these fish were several single medium slot reds and a bunch of lower slot trout. The key with attempting to land a true gator trout out there is big time patience and just keep trying. Just do not give up. Again, soft plastics or live shrimp work very well in this situation. I look forward to seeing you all on the water this year. Again I want to wish every one a happy and productive new year. Come and spend an awesome day on the water on your Florida fishing vacation. Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Site Map Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters PO BOX 881 Edgewater, FL 32132 Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: East Central Florida Flats Fishing Charters Light tackle fishing guide on the Mosquito Lagoon. Specializing in fly fishing or spin fishing for redfish, trout, snook and tarpon. Visit us at: Mosquito Lagoon Redfish Guide Fish the world famous Mosquito Lagoon. The redfish capital of the world! Located along Florida's beautiful Space Coast.
Captain Drew Cavanaugh is a full time Mosquito Lagoon fishing guide specializing in light tackle on spin or fly rod. Sight fishing the inshore saltwater flats for redfish, tarpon, snook, black drum and seatrout on the world famous Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River Lagoon and Banana River on Florida's Space Coast. He is also a member of the Florida Guides Association which requires their members to be fully licensed and insured. Along with this he is a professional member of the Coastal Conservation Association here in Florida. Both organizations promote the protection, future and resources of Florida's fisheries. Fish the world famous Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River. Known as the redfish capital of the world. Home of the best light tackle backcountry inshore saltwater flats fishing Florida has to offer. Mosquito Lagoon redfish guide on light tackle and sight fishing guide. Fly fishing or spin fishing for redfish, trout, tarpon and snook. Redfish guide on light tackle minutes from Orlando, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Mayport, Biketoberfest, EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, Winter Haven, Eagle Lake, Fedhaven, Port Canaveral, Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Titusville, Edgewater, Oak Hill and Florida's Space Coast.

Florida Fishing Reports

With the recent snaps of cold fronts that central Florida has been having the fishing has snapped too. It has snapped into a good thing, winter red fishing on the Mosquito Lagoon is here! By this I mean it is changing and you too should change your tactics. A sunrise start is not always the ticket.

When cold weather moves into the area the fishing on the lagoon tends to change a bit, for the good and even sometimes the GREAT! The fish will bunch up into large schools and will move into the shallow warming waters of the flats throughout the day. Remember the key with this are that fish are not mammals...they are cold blooded animals that will adjust to their surroundings. They need to warm up and then get active.

As the days warm up, the fishing will pick up. Take your time when fishing colder days. Fish tend to be a bit more sluggish. Let them see your bait, let them think the bait is slow or worn down, a free meal. You almost can not work it slow enough. Sight fishing is always my favorite choice but working white holes and bars can produce very good numbers of fish too. Throw shrimp or plastics into the holes and work areas thoroughly but slowly. Adapt to the days surroundings. Remember sun rise will warm western banks up first and as the day progresses it will warm eastern banks. For the fly fishing use shrimp and crab patterns in brown or natural colors.

Red fish have been seen and caught in good numbers on the flats using live shrimp. Schooling reds are what I personally have been seeing. Some schools I have hooked into have had over 200 fish in them, and even more, these are just what I have been able to see. Along with a few singles here and there tailing and feeding happily. However, the exciting thing are the amount of trout I have been seeing. Gator Trout if that.

The other day we were poling a flat edge that went from about 10 inches to about 18 inches along an area of about four football fields in size. On the out side of this area it is about 2-3 feet deep.(A drop off ledge nearby) We saw over 30 plus trout in this area. I know you are saying wow....30, not that many! Well these trout looked to me to be each over 30 plus inches with some that looked like a yard sticks. The unique thing was that they were moving along with finger mullet along the edges of this flat. Just back and forth. There must have been at least 10,000 mullet in that particular area. This is what I would call a food source for these trout. Or I like to call them "The Special Forces" of the Mosquito Lagoon. Now mixed in with these fish were several single medium slot reds and a bunch of lower slot trout. The key with attempting to land a true gator trout out there is big time patience and just keep trying. Just do not give up. Again, soft plastics or live shrimp work very well in this situation.

I look forward to seeing you all on the water this year. Again I want to wish every one a happy and productive new year. Come and spend an awesome day on the water on your Florida fishing vacation.

Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Site Map

Captain Drew Cavanaugh
Florida Inshore Fishing Charters
PO BOX 881
Edgewater, FL 32132
Cell/352-223-7897
Email us at: East Central Florida Flats Fishing Charters
Light tackle fishing guide on the Mosquito Lagoon.
Specializing in fly fishing or spin fishing for redfish, trout, snook and tarpon.
Visit us at: Mosquito Lagoon Redfish Guide
Fish the world famous Mosquito Lagoon. The redfish capital of the world!
Located along Florida's beautiful Space Coast.

Captain Drew Cavanaugh is a full time Mosquito Lagoon fishing guide specializing in light tackle on spin or fly rod. Sight fishing the inshore saltwater flats for redfish, tarpon, snook, black drum and seatrout on the world famous Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River Lagoon and Banana River on Florida's Space Coast. He is also a member of the Florida Guides Association which requires their members to be fully licensed and insured. Along with this he is a professional member of the Coastal Conservation Association here in Florida. Both organizations promote the protection, future and resources of Florida's fisheries.

Fish the world famous Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River. Known as the redfish capital of the world. Home of the best light tackle backcountry inshore saltwater flats fishing Florida has to offer.

Mosquito Lagoon redfish guide on light tackle and sight fishing guide. Fly fishing or spin fishing for redfish, trout, tarpon and snook. Redfish guide on light tackle minutes from Orlando, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Mayport, Biketoberfest, EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, Winter Haven, Eagle Lake, Fedhaven, Port Canaveral, Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Titusville, Edgewater, Oak Hill and Florida's Space Coast.