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Indian River Lagoon
Capt. Tom Van Horn
March 29, 2003
Indian River Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast
Indian Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, April 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
As I sit here and ponder my forecast for April, I’m obliged for the opportunity to live, breath, and fish on the waters of the Indian Lagoon coast of Florida. I’m grateful for all the freedoms I enjoy, and I pray for those who have set their fears aside and exhibited the courage to step forth as defenders of liberty.
One of best things about fishing, is it provides us with a forced mind flush. Once on the water, fishing eases our mind’s troubles by forcing us to focus on the task at hand. Fresh air in our lungs, sunshine on our skin, and screaming drags, all serve as an escape from reality. The month of April is the commencement of some of the hottest fishing experienced on Florida’s Indian Lagoon coast.
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. It’s 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 slow due to cloudy skies, shifting water temperatures, and dark water, which is believed to be coming from the tannic stained St Johns River in Jacksonville. Also look for the bait pods (pogies) to begin showing up bringing Spanish mackerel, blues, reds, mongo jacks and smoker kings with them.
In the inlets, look for good numbers of sheepshead, 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, midday. April is one of the months when trout are egg laden for the spawn, so it’s 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 week, Captain Mike Peppe of Tarpon Dancer Charters reported catching twenty-four snook on one charter.
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 incite, 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
[email protected]
407-366-8085
866-790-8081 toll free
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