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Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, May 9, 2009
By Captain Tom Van Horn
Events and Seminar Schedule:
May 16th "Free Fishing Classes" Introduction to Saltwater Flats Fishing Series, Class 2 of 8, "Lines Leaders and Practical Fishing Knots" 10am-12 noon at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 S Washington Avenue in Apopka. Instructors are Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn. For more details or directions, contact Mosquito Creek Outdoors at (407) 464-2000 or visit their website http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102576367245&s=1368&e=0011LC2p0ktUCkqoGfc2X8OzHSHIylLRwQSYI8aAlySlFTNUNpAd4St50xKKJ3pU9ncegd5O5dPcpewpas7D3HAE1GjLF73-YOZmZXKv_GQcjXmWitXTUeu4w==" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102576367245&s=1368&e=0011LC2p0ktUCkqoGfc2X8OzHSHIylLRwQSYI8aAlySlFTNUNpAd4St50xKKJ3pU9ncegd5O5dPcpewpas7D3HAE1GjLF73-YOZmZXKv_GQcjXmWitXTUeu4w==" target="_blank">http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102576367245&s=1368&e=0011LC2p0ktUCkqoGfc2X8OzHSHIylLRwQSYI8aAlySlFTNUNpAd4St50xKKJ3pU9ncegd5O5dPcpewpas7D3HAE1GjLF73-YOZmZXKv_GQcjXmWitXTUeu4w==" face="Times New Roman,Times,serif" color="#0066ff">www.mosquitocreek.com.
I've known a lot of good anglers who would have been great if they'd only learned to tie good knots, so please join us, and you'll catch more fish.
Although the heat of summer has arrived and the winds of spring have started to subside, the fishing or should I say catching for me this past week did not hold true for the season.
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My adventure started with a trip out of town in support of my sponsors to the Jacksonville Kayak Classic Tournament. I typically do not fish tournaments, but the paddle fishing only, catch, photograph and release format with all proceeds going to the Daniel Foundation for kids was hard to resist. The event is only four years in the making, but its conservation model drew over 400 anglers from across the country. I was also honored to partner up with Aren Wicks in his specially designed Indian River canoe equipped a set of Kay-noe stabilizers. This is the same rig I use on my paddle fishing charters into the No-Motor Zone. The added stability of the boat with pontoons deployed allows both anglers to stand up and fish. While the boat is extremely stable it doesn't mean a clumsy angler will not fall out, which was the case for me and another cell phone goes down for the count. Although I started our day on a soggy note, we did manage to catch some small sea trout and some nice flounder, and Aren did his best not to bust out into laughter, at least until the steam stopped emerging from my ears. The Jacksonville area has proven tough for me primarily due to a dreaded four letter word, "Tide", for which we have little in the north IRL.
My next adventure was a complete disappointment as we ventured of Port Canaveral on a near-shore charter in search of kingfish, tarpon and large jack carvalle that were common place last week before the wind moved in. Well, the fore mentioned wind apparently also blew in cold water, and blew out the fish. Along the beach, the water temperature never reached more than 70 degrees, and the bait (pogies) and other species were gone. We ran north through the bight around the Cape, out to "C" Can, south past the steeple, and we never sighted any bait or fish to speak of. After about 3 hours of running around looking, we call our trip shot and returned to the dock stinking to high heaven. The conditions were so bad that I call my charter for the next day, and gave them the opportunity to opt out, which they wisely did.
So with my near-shore foray canceled for the day, I met my good friend Larry Carter at 6am for a day of scouting fish on the Banana River Lagoon, and despite the full moon and my poor luck near-shore the day before, we managed so extreme light tackle action on sea trout and ladyfish.
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Our best action came as we located a big school of large ladyfish in deeper water with sea trout mixed in. As the ladyfish busted glass minnows (bay anchovy) on the surface, the sea trout pushed bait up from below, and for about 30 minutes I enjoyed a fish on every cast throwing a bone colored Rapala X-Rap. When I worked the bait on top I caught ladyfish, and when cranked deeper the trout we eager to for take in my offering.
As always, if you have any questions or need further information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 0n the water
407-366-8085 Landline
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Visit www.http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102576367245&s=1368&e=0011LC2p0ktUClAgqHJqGa-1ku-RRl-ZwF2syKZ-wFYYp-ChVcl3j4nYTXrkFTrfj4GUD9PBXSWvx4yhct4BW_gArqLPMt7wMbAxEdwvh5sJVKePgbqHYbSsA==" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102576367245&s=1368&e=0011LC2p0ktUClAgqHJqGa-1ku-RRl-ZwF2syKZ-wFYYp-ChVcl3j4nYTXrkFTrfj4GUD9PBXSWvx4yhct4BW_gArqLPMt7wMbAxEdwvh5sJVKePgbqHYbSsA==" target="_blank" linktype="link" track="on">mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins! |
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Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando and Mosquito Creek Outdoors presents:
Free Flats Fishing Classes
Mosquito Creek Outdoors Angler Improvement Clinics
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Free of Charge Mosquito Creek Outdoors Angler's Improvement Clinic,
To be successful, learn from the best.
Veteran lagoon fishing guides Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn will provide instruction on the skills andtechniques necessary to become a more successful angler through a series of 8 FREE clinics, provided as a service to you by Mosquito Creek Outdoors andCoastal Angler Magazine Orlando. Would you like to learn what it takes to be a successful Angler? Here is your chance and all it will cost you is your time.
Captain Tom Van Horn: Captain Tom is a lifelong Central Florida native with over 45 years experience fishing Florida's waters and over 10 years experience guiding anglers to the catch of their lives on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. His fishing experience covers all aspects of angling, including freshwater lakes and rivers, saltwater flats, and near-shore Atlantic coastal fishing. Captain Tom is also owner and publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando and an accomplished outdoor writer with over 100 articles published. Captain Tom currently serves on the pro staffs of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Evolution Rods, Daiwa, DOA Lures, ARC De-Hooker, TTI Blakemore and Daiichi Hooks, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Woodies Rattles, Frog Toggs, and Kaynoe Paddle Products.
Captain Chris Myers: Captain Chris Myers operates Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters. He specializes in sight fishing the flats of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River with light tackle and fly. Capt. Chris has twenty years of experience fishing Mosquito Lagoon. He is a pro staff member for DOA Lures, Woodies Rattles, Daiwa, and Temple Fork Flyrods.
Angler's Improvement Clinic Schedule:
Class #2 Lines, Leaders and Practical Knots: May 16, 2009
Class #3 Saltwater Lure (Hard Baits) Applications June 13. 2009
Class #4 Soft Plastic Application (2 Hours TBD)
Class #5 Catching and Using Natural Baits on the Flats (2 Hours TBD)
Class #6 Angling Tactics for Success (2 Hours TBD)
Class #7 Paddle Fishing Tactics and Strategies (2 Hours TBD)
Class #8 Certified Conservation Angler Program (4 Hours ClassroomTBD)
For more information on the above scheduled classes, contact Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando at 407-416-1187 or online, mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com.
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Mosquito Creek Outdoor's Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, April 2009
By Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, May 2009
By Captain Tom Van Horn
As the breezes of April give way to the summer doldrums, warmer and calmer ocean waters set the stage for some of the best near-shore fishing experienced all year, especially for the folks running smaller boats. The baitfish have already arrived in good numbers and the strong easterly fetch which set up during the end of April will push in clean water, flotsam and fish inshore.
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The bait pods, Atlantic menhaden (pogies), have shown up along the beach, and now is the best time to target the ocean predator shadowing these schools. Drag screaming kingfish and large jack crevalle are my favorite targets, but it's not uncommon to catch large redfish, blacktip sharks, cobia, and tarpon from within these pods of bait as well. To locate bait pods, simply look for feeding birds, flipping and jumping bait, muddy water along the beach, and busting fish.
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Offshore, dolphin fishing will be the focus of blue water anglers this month. April and May are the time of year when the larger bulls are taken off the Florida Space Coast. The early season dolphin bite has already yielded fish in excess of 60 pounds. Also, as a bonus, the potential of taking a blue marlin or sailfish are good. Near-shore, the kingfish bite has heated up on the near-shore reefs and wrecks and some cobia are still around. As the seas settle down and the bait schools move in close to the beach, look for the kingfish action to move in also.
Additionally, Spanish mackerel, snook, large redfish, bluefish, flounder, sheepshead and black drum are just some of the species available in the Lagoon inlets and beaches this month. As the baitfish migration moves north, this type of fishing will only improve.
On the Lagoon flats, redfish and spotted sea trout will provide the majority of action for light tackle and fly anglers. The water has warmed up to the point where jack crevalle, ladyfish, snook, and tarpon are showing up in good numbers. I like to target redfish and sea trout at first light or at dusk, with top water plugs like the Rapala Skitterwalk or Storm Chug Bug. As the day heats up, change your focus to the deeper edges of the flats (2 to 3 feet deep) jigging with a DOA CAL tail or the DOA Deadly Combo.
Last but not least, if you are interested in learning more about fishing the saltwater flats, mark your calendar for the free flats fishing class 2 of 8 class series, "Lines Leaders and Practical Knots, Saturday May 16th, at Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka Florida.
As always, if you have any questions or need help, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
(407) 416-1187 on the water
(407) 366-8085 landline
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