Indian River Lagoon
Capt. Tom Van Horn
November 30, 2003
Indian River Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2003
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2003
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Once again, the holiday season is upon us, and it’s time for us to reflect back on the many blessing we’ve received this past year and look forward to December’s offerings. Living on the lagoon coast of Florida definitely has its advantages, warm weather, year round angling, quality fish, and oh yes, quality time on the water with family and friends enjoying life.
Like November, December is a month filled with outstanding fishing opportunities, with the only difference being the impact of passing cold fronts on water temperature and fishing conditions. Currently, the lagoon and surf water temperatures are in the upper 70’s, but soon we’ll be forced to break out our winter shorts as passing cold fronts chill the air and water a bit.
In and around the inlets, look for concentrations of oversized redfish to remain steady feeding on surface bait during periods of slack tide. At both Sebastian and Ponce inlets, target these fish outside the inlets near the end of the falling tide in areas of bird and bait activity. At Port Canaveral, work the edges of the buoy line bouncing bait off the bottom. These fish will hit on artifical baits like ¾ to 1-ounce Cootee jigs or bucktails, but I find live pinfish, pigfish or finger mullet to be a more productive. Remember, these oversized reds are exciting to catch, but they are breeders, so handle and release them with care.
Snook fishing will also remain steady as long as the water temperatures stay warm, with Sebastian Inlet proving to be the prime location. It is best to target inlet linesiders during periods of slack tide drift fishing live pigfish or pinfish at night in the channel under the inlet bridge. This style of angling can be quite rewarding when the bite is on, but it can also be challenging due to the number of anglers competing for the same action. Snook season ends December 15th, so if you enjoy those yummy filets, your time is limited.
Flounder is another notable species worth mentioning when speaking of inlet fishing in December. Warmer than normal weather and water temperatures have delayed the traditional flounder migration from the lagoon to the warmer coastal waters. Normally the run begins in mid November and last through mid December, but as of this writing, the doormat size southern flounder have not arrived in quantities. So flounder pounders standby, once a cold front passes, these flatties should begin to move through.
Along the beaches, look for pompano to begin moving off the inshore flats to the deeper troughs along the beach is search of sand fleas (mole crabs) their favorite food. Also look for schools of bluefish and Spanish mackerel shadowing pods of glass minnows and other bait is the surf. To target both blues and Spanish, watch for birds working bait pods, and through small jigs and spoons with a fast retrieval to avoid cutoffs.
Near-shore, when the seas permit it, look for kingfish, large tarpon, and sharks to be cursing the beaches working remaining bait schools as they move south, and for solid concentrations of kings holding on the near-shore reefs and wrecks in 60 to 100 feet of water. Several prime locations to target kings in December according to Captain Billy Bright of Snake Eyes Charters, are the north end of Pelican Flats and 8A reef. The kingfish bite should remain steady as long as the water temperature stays above 74 degrees. To target these fish, slow troll live bait if you can find it, or troll dead Spanish sardines or cigar minnows dressed in King Buster skirts. When near-shore water temperatures approach the 70-degree mark, look for tripletail and cobia to begin to show up on the Port Canaveral buoy line and the near-shore water off the beaches and the bight of the Cape. These fish normally hold to structure such as floating weeds and other debris, but they also have a tendency to free swim on the surface once the sun warms the surface water.
Offshore, December is one of the best times to target grouper, snapper, and amberjacks. Again Captain Billy suggests fishing beyond the party grounds, and target bottom in the 21 to 27 fathom range. Additionally, dolphin, wahoo, and an occasional sailfish are quality targets in areas of color changes, rips, and weed lines.
Inshore, both redfish and sea trout will remain in the skinny water as long as the water temperatures stay in the 70-degree range. Fish in protected areas and sunny spots, and look for fish to be holding in sand pockets until the sun gets overhead. Now is also the time of year to target tailing black drum in the Banana River Lagoon No Motor Zone. Try fishing early in the day, and preferably with a west wind, and if you’ve never seen black drum tailing before, it worth the paddle.
In closing, I would like to remind everyone that once the air temperature drops below 50-degrees, manatee begin to move towards their winter warm water retreats, so keep a sharp eye out for them in areas where they are not normally encountered. Additionally, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who fished and worked with me year for your business and friendship, man I love this job!
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Happy Holidays and God Bless,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
[email protected]
407.366.8085
407.416.1187 on the water
866.790.8081 toll free
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