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Indian River Lagoon
Capt. Tom Van Horn
March 27, 2004
Indian River Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, April 2004
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, April 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Reflecting back on past fishing ventures, April stand out as one of the finest months to experience the true diversity of the fishery existing along the Indian River Lagoon coast of Florida. April serves as a transitional period for both temperate and tropical species of fish. As spring progresses and water temperatures rise, fishing opportunities abound with the influx of bait moving north within the lagoon and closer to the shoreline along the beaches.
April marks the beginning of the fishing season for many blue water anglers, representing the start of the northern migration of dolphin in deeper water, 120’ and beyond. This first wave of dolphin is usually credited with some of the largest bulls taken all year. It also marks the beginning of the Easter kingfish run on the near-shore reefs and wrecks off of Port Canaveral. Traditionally, April is the time of year when the larger kingfish, 30 to 50 pounds, are caught off of 8A Reef, and Pelican Flats.
As we move into the near-shore waters, we can only hope the cobia are still around once the seas settle from the current blow we’re experiencing. The cobia run was going off last week before an extreme high-pressure system moved in and produced hazardous sea conditions. Last week, numerous boats reporting double-digit catches, with some boating over 20 fish, and all we can do now is hope for a late season run once the seas lay down again. On flotsam and along the Canaveral buoy line, tripletail should become more dependable throughout the month. Along the beaches, pods of Atlantic menhaden (pogies) have begun to show up south of the Cocoa Beach Pier, and the arrival of these bait pods is a sure sign of predators lurking in their shadows. Look for tarpon, jumbo redfish and jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, blacktip sharks, cobia, and smoker kingfish to begin showing up in the vicinity of these bait pods.
Inside Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet, look for good numbers of sheepshead and black drum to be holding around structure such as jetties and docks and look for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and jack crevalle in deeper water areas. Also look for nighttime snook and tarpon action to begin heating up in both the Port and in Sebastian Inlet as we move deeper into the month.
On the Lagoon flats, it’s time to start fishing the early morning and late evening bite with your favorite top water plugs for extreme sea trout and redfish action. During midday periods, work the deeper areas, 2 to 3 feet, with your favorite soft plastics, jerk baits, or jigs. Remember, April is one of the months where the larger sea trout (all females) become egg laden for the spawn, so it’s very important to handle and release these larger fish with extreme care. Sea trout have one of the highest mortality rates of catch and release game fish on the Lagoon.
Last but not least, look for the large mouth and striper bass action to heat up on the St. Johns River. Look for schooling bass at first light feeding on menhaden from the Osteen Bridge to the Econ Creek. Some of my favorite places to look are the river bends between Lemmon Bluff and Lake Harney, and the south end of Lake Harney where the river dumps in. To locate the areas of schooling fish, I simply look for congregations of white pelicans and other wading birds lined up along the riverbanks waiting for an easy meal when the hungry bass push the bait to the surface along the shore. When in the feeding mood, these fish will eat just about anything, but the heavy bite usually only last from first light to the point where the sun crosses the eastern horizon, so an early start is essential.
In closing, I would like to thank those of you who facilitate my reports by providing me with current information, incite, and inspiration.
As always, if you have question or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing
[email protected]
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
If you would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me at [email protected].
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