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Fishing Reports
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast
December 30, 2005
Posted by Captain Tom Van Horn
Chuluota, FL 32766 USA
Email: captain@irl-fishing.com
Current Report
Indian River Lagoon Coast
Fishing Forecast, January
2006
As we ring in the New Year,
it is once again time to
reflect back on the events
and accomplishments of 2005,
and to count our many
blessings. We are truly
fortunate to live on the
east central coast of
Florida where enjoying the
lagoon and angling are year
round endeavors. I am also
thankful for another great
year of fishing with my
clients and friends on the
precious waters of the
Indian River Lagoon
estuary. Thank you all for
a year filled with adventure
on the water.
In preparation for this
forecast, I first reviewed
last year fishing photos,
and I was taken back by the
number of quality fish
caught and the enjoyment
expressed on the faces of
the victorious anglers.
While seeking input for this
report, my good friend
Captain Rodney Smith
suggested that I begin with
the end in mind, and the end
in this case is conserving
and protecting the resource
we all love and cherish, the
IRL. This report is not
only an expression of my
thoughts and experience, but
also those of many within my
circle of influence, and
together we will make a
difference in promoting the
use, and not the abuse of
resources we love and
respect.
With these thoughts in mind,
I would like to inform every
one of some changes in the
Indian River Lagoon Coast
Fishing Reports format. I
realize that change is not
always a good thing, but do
not fret. Instead, this
report will be the first of
many to come as I step into
the arena of senior editor
and moderator of the new
Coastal Angler Magazine.com
Fishing Report Page. Those
of you on my mailing list
will still receive my
reports as you have in the
past, with detailed fishing
reports from throughout
Florida as an added resource
by visiting
www.coastalanglermagazine.com
. For the past 8 years,
Coastal Anglers in print
magazine has served as the
only magazine exclusively
covering fishing, boating,
and the conservation of the
IRL, and Im very excited to
be part of their new online
expansion. Scheduled to be
activated on January 1,
2006, the new CAM website
will be loaded with detailed
information about the
resource.
Winter on the east central
coast of Florida cannot be
defined by any specific
dates, but rather by the
temperature differences
generated by passing cold
fronts as they swing south
across the state. These
variations are subject to
change from year to year,
and they are impossible to
predict. On the average,
daytime temperatures usually
range from the 50s in the
morning to around the 70s
by afternoon. Likewise,
water temperatures average
in the upper 60s, but they
can drop as low as the 50s
during extended cold
periods. On warm sunny
days, water temperatures can
increase as much as four
degrees on the shallow flats
and sandbars. All of these
factors greatly affect
species targeted and methods
used. Last January as an
example, a two-week warm-up
brought ocean water
temperatures up to the 70
degree mark, and a number of
large tripletail and cobia
moved inshore off the bight
of the Cape resulting in
some of the best fishing
experienced all year.
Inlet fishing has been good
this past month weather
permitting, with Sebastian
and Ponce De Leon Inlets
proving to be the most
productive. There are still
some reports of flounder
moving through the inlets,
but the bite has slowed
considerably. On the inside
of Sebastian Inlet, look for
good numbers of pompano,
ladyfish, and jacks to be
located on the flats both
north and south of the inlet
cut and in the area of the
monument. Also, January is
the month when the jumbo
reds move in and feed in the
mouth of the inlets during
the last part of the falling
tide. These monsters are
brood stock, so please
handle and release them with
care.
Along the beaches, pompano
will remain the staple for
the majority of surf
anglers, with a mixed bag of
whiting, slot size black
drum, Spanish mackerel, and
bluefish added in. Try
fishing with sand fleas
(mole crabs) if you can
catch them, cut fresh clams,
or freshly peeled live
shrimp.
Near-shore, January is the
month when the tripletails
become consistent on the
Port Canaveral buoy line,
and their numbers will
increase as the month
progresses. The other hot
item near-shore is king
mackerel holding along the
70 to 90 foot reefs of North
Pelican and 8A. Also,
bottom fishing on deep
structure should remain
consistent as long as the
weather holds. Look for
snapper, cobia and sea bass
in depths of 80 to 140 feet,
and grouper and amberjack
along the 22-fathom ridge
and deeper.
On the flats during the
winter, redfish and sea
trout will seek the warmest
water they can find. Start
out working the deeper edges
of the flats in the morning
and then move into the
warmer wind protected flats
around mid-day to late
afternoon. An early morning
start is not necessary this
time of year. Additionally,
both redfish and sea trout
love to warm themselves in
the shallow water sand
pockets potholes within
the grassy flats. On colder
days, focus your attention
on the deeper holes using a
very slow presentation.
When targeting redfish and
trout in these deeper holes,
I prefer using shrimp
imitation baits like
RipTide, DOA, or GULP shrimp
in the clear or nightglow
colors fished extremely
slow. I also like to add the
element of sound to the bait
by inserting a Woodies
Rattle into the soft plastic
bait. Other species
encountered in January are
black drum, flounder,
sheepshead, jacks, Spanish
mackerel, and bluefish.
Also, January is one of the
best months to target
tailing black drum on the
flats, especially in the
Banana River No Motor
Zone. Both live shrimp and
clams are the preferred bait
for black drum, but they
will eat both artificial and
fly when presented
properly.
Last but definitely not
least, January marks the
beginning of the American
Shad run up the Saint Johns
River. Last year, I started
catching shad on January
13th, and the run remained
heavy through February.
Start watching for the shad
to arrive in the Marina Isle
and Lemmon Bluff areas
first, and than moving
upstream past Lake Harney
and the Little Big Econ
later on in the month.
Currently, the water levels
are still a little higher
the last year, but if this
years run is anything close
to last year, look out.
Seminar Schedule:
January 13th, Daytona Boat
Show 7pm, Braided Lines for
Light Tackle Applications
January 14th, Daytona Boat
Show, 12pm, Spring Cobia and
Tripletail
4pm, Braided
Lines for Light Tackle
Applications
February 11th and 12th, Bass
Pro Shops Spring Classic
Orlando
February 18th and 19th, Bass
Pro Shops Spring Classic
Orlando
In closing, I wish you a
happy, prosperous, and
fishfull New Year. As
always, if you have
questions or need
information, please contact
me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be
added to my e-mail list,
contact me at captain@irl-
fishing.com
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