 |
Fishing Reports
Indian River Lagoon Coast Forecast
March 30, 2006
Posted by Captain Tom Van Horn
Chuluota, FL 32766 USA
Email: captain@irl-fishing.com
Current Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing
Forecast, April 2006
Mosquito Coast Fishing
Charters
As I reflect on my forecast
for April, I cant help but
get excited about the many
different angling prospects
spring delivers to the
Indian River Coast of
Florida. Im grateful for
the opportunity to live,
breath, and fish on these
waters, and if March has
been a prelude to what we
can expect in April, look
out!
Some of highlights of
fishing on Floridas east
central coast in the spring
is the weather is still cool
and enjoyable, and as the
waters warm up, the fish
begin to shift into their
prespawning feeding mood.
Some examples of this
behavior are the cobia
moving north up the coast,
and the spotted sea trout
moving into their
traditional spawning areas
on the inshore flats. Like
many saltwater species, the
cobia and sea trout spawn in
aggregations or groups, not
on beds. In the case of the
cobia, traditional spawning
areas are off of the central
east coast of the US, and in
the northern Gulf of
Mexico. As the fish migrate
north, they feed heavily
along the way, hence the
cobia run we are currently
experiencing. On the flats,
the smaller male sea trout
move up into the shallow
flats first, and then call
the females in to spawn by
drumming loudly just after
dusk when the conditions are
right, usually around the
beginning on the first new
moon or full moon in April,
and then again on the new
and full moons throughout
the summer.
Offshore, April marks the
beginning of the fishing
season for most blue water
anglers. It represents the
start of the April/May
northern migration of
dolphin in deeper water, 120
feet and beyond, and usually
brings in some of the
largest bulls taken all
year. April also marks the
beginning of the Easter
kingfish run on the near-
shore reef outside Port
Canaveral. Its the time of
year when most of the larger
kings, 30 to 50 pounds, are
taken off 8A Reef, and
Pelican Flats.
As we move in near-shore,
tripletail should become
more dependable, and look
for a late season cobia run.
The cobia run thus far has
been hot; with hordes of
bait pods (Atlantic menhaden
or pogies) working inshore
bring the cobia with them.
Also included within the
bait pods are Spanish
mackerel, bluefish, redfish,
giant jack crevalle, sharks,
and smoker kings.
Concentrate your efforts in
areas of bait pods. When
you see areas of bait balled
up and pushed to the
surface, there is a high
probability that feeding
game fish are pressuring the
bait from underneath.
In the inlets, look for good
numbers of flounder,
sheepshead and black drum
around structure such as
jetties and docks, and
Spanish mackerel, blues, and
large jacks in open water.
Also look for the nighttime
snook and tarpon action to
heat up in the Sebastian
Inlet.
On the lagoon flats, fish
the early morning and late
evening with your favorite
top water plugs for extreme
trout and redfish action,
and soft plastics and jigs
in deeper water, 2 to 3 feet
after the midday sun settles
in. April is one of the
months when trout are egg
laden for the spawn, so its
very important to handle and
release the larger females
with great care. If you are
looking for snook and tarpon
action inside, the Sebastian
River will be the place to
go.
Last but not least,
freshwater largemouth and
striper bass action has been
hot on the St Johns River.
Look for schooling bass at
first light feeding on
menhaden from the Osteen
Bridge to Lake Harney. My
favorite locations are in
the river bends near the
power lines at Lemmon Bluff,
and at the south end of Lake
Harney were the River dumps
in. A good way to locate
these schooling fish is to
look for white pelicans and
other wading birds
congregating along the
shore. When in the feeding
mode, these fish will take
most swim plugs, and small
live shiners. Also down
south in the Stick Marsh and
Farm 13, the largemouth bass
fishing has been extremely
hot, with one guide
reporting catching over one
hundred bass on a two-day
charter.
In closing, I would like to
thank those of you who
facilitate my reports by
providing me with current
information and insite, and
also the readers for your
responses and inspiration.
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
866-790-8081 toll free
|
|
Email this link to a friend
Log In