 |
Indian River Lagoon
Capt. Tom Van Horn
October 7, 2002
Indian River Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
The squalls have passed, and we dodged another bullet. We’ve been extremely lucky this year, and hopefully, we’ll avoid any remaining nasty weather hurricane season has to offer. It’s clear that fall is in the air. This morning when I walked outside at 5am there was a refreshing chill in the air; and the thermometer was reading a shivering 68 degrees. The stars were bright, the sky clear, and the humidity low.
This past week fishing has been tough, with a strong east wind created by Hurricane Lili’s low pressure in the Gulf, and a high presser ridge off Florida’s east coast. This morning we were facing a gusty east wind before dawn, but by noon the winds laid down and conditions improved. As Lili moves away the barometer will rise and fishing will get better.
My fishing this past week has primarily been focused on the extremely large schools of ladyfish, trout, and Spanish mackerel. These fish have been consistently feeding on schools of glass minnows in the deeper areas of the lagoon. Earlier this week while fishing with Chris Maupin, his father Dave, and his father in-law Bill, we located a fast moving school on the Banana River Lagoon in the deep water east of Patrick AFB. It’s always a blast when everyone on the boat is hooked up, the fish are jumping, and drags are screaming. To locate these fish, look for bird activity. Try to determine the direction the school is moving, and position your boat ahead of the school. Once the school has passed, simply repeat the process. These fish will eat just about anything you throw at them.
Redfish have been tough to locate, holding mostly in deeper water, but as conditions improve, they will move up into the flats in search of an easy meal. We did manage to catch four on one trip last week, all in the 28 to 32 inch range. These fish were scattered and caught blind casting dead bait.
As the weather cools and conditions improve and the seas lay down, fishing the mullet run along the beaches and at the inlets should be on your agenda. Next week, I have several near-shore charters planned, and I let you know they were in my next report.
As always, if you have any questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
[email protected]
www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
866-790-8081 toll free
More Fishing Reports:
|
|
|
|
