Orlando Saltwater Backcountry Flats Fishing Report

The following is an archived fishing report for the below date and location. If you are looking for the most current fishing reports on the Mosquito Lagoon, Ponce Inlet, near coastal beaches and Indian River in central Florida then please visit our reports page. Also visit our "video reports" page to see an HD version of this fishing report.

If you are here in the Orlando, Disney, Kissimmee, Cocoa Beach, Edgewater, Titusville, New Smyrna Beach, Palm Coast, Melbourne, Tampa or Daytona Beach area and are looking into going on an inshore light tackle flats fishing charter for redfish, seatrout, tarpon, IRL snook or black drum then please give me a call at - (352)223-7897 - email - captdrew@floridainshorefishingcharters.com and I will be glad to see if I can meet your needs or answer any questions you may have.

August 25th, 2011 - New Smyrna Beach Light Tackle Flats Fishing Charters Report

Well summer time has been here among us for some time now and the fishing has been great! This time of year can be outstanding if you work it to your advantage. With the higher water levels it does tend to make it a bit more challenging to locate your targets. Grass pads, dirty water and huge mullet everywhere add to the challenge. Now we all know the fish will still eat, they have too. So just change your tactics and approaches up for this time of year and your success rate will be steady. On a side note however please do use extra caution while you are navigating the Mosquito Lagoon waters. There are hidden sand bars and ledges that can be just inches under the waters surface.

We have had several days of getting numerous redfish with the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Bait Buster, mullet pattern flies, live mullet and a live mud minnow here and there depending on your preference and wants. Several different colors work, with the Bait Buster, as long as when it is cast you do not stop it on the retrieve and do not let it sink. Well also there is one more critical thing that applies to every single fish you are casting to. DO NOT land on top of the fish. They will spook. With redfish and trout aggressively feeding early and throughout the morning chasing mullet and bait fish this choice will work for hours. Watch for mullet to be crashed and or redfish moving and cast in front and past them. The D.O.A. Cals and Shrimps will work just as well for sight fishing methods. The keys are patience, distance and stealth. Early starts are still in the mix for a recipe of success. Looking for clean water and light at your advantage will just improve things. You should be able to catch tailing redfish at first light and then move onto bars and drop offs as the day goes on.

A few redfish and trout have been caught using fly as well the past weeks. Mullet patterns seem to be the best with a #2 hook on a 8 or 9 weight fly rod. Trout are mostly in the deeper waters and along sandbars and cooler spots of the lagoon. A few black drum and a few tarpon have been seen throughout the entire Mosquito Lagoon. Every now and then you may stumble across a stray lady fish or jack.

Please remember to respect your fellow angler and give them as always, a wide berth of space. Also please handle all of your fish with extreme care during these hot days of summer. This will allow for a safer and faster release of them to be able to fight again another day. Sport fishing is the way to go.

I look forward to seeing all of you on the water. Tight lines!

Captain Drew's Cell - (352)223-7897

Past Central Florida Fishing Reports

2006 to 2009 Archived - Mosquito Lagoon, Sebastian Inlet, Indian River and Ponce Inlet Fishing Reports
2010 to 2015 Archived - Mosquito Lagoon, Sebastian Inlet, Indian River and Ponce Inlet Fishing Reports
2016 to 2020 Archived - Mosquito Lagoon, Sebastian Inlet, Indian River and Ponce Inlet Fishing Reports


Captain Drew Cavanaugh
Orlando Flats Fishing Guide
Captain Drew Cavanaugh - Florida Inshore Fishing Charters - New Smyrna Beach Florida 32169

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