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Indian River Lagoon
Capt. Tom Van Horn
November 29, 2004
Indian River Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2004
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Well folks, old man winter is once again knocking at our door with passing of our first set of cool fronts for the season. Just yesterday, I was forced to dig out my winter shorts from the bottom of the closet in preparation for my day on the water. Like November, December is loaded with outstanding fishing opportunities, with the only difference being the impact of cold fronts on water temperatures and fishing conditions. Currently, surf and lagoon temperatures are in the mid seventies, and offshore water temperatures remain near the eighty-degree mark. As these fronts approach and pass, gusty breezes kick up the sea conditions shutting down most offshore and site fishing opportunities, and cooler air temperatures chill the waters affecting fish behavior.
In and around the inlets, look for oversized redfish feeding on surface baits 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 the areas of bird and bait activity. These fish will hit artificial swim baits, but I find live pinfish, pigfish, and finger mullet to be the most productive bait. At Port Canaveral, dredging operations continue to muddy the water, and I haven’t heard of any significant redfish reports thus far.
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 lasts through mid December, but as of this writing, the doormat size southern flounder have not arrived in quantities.
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, tarpon, and sharks to be cruising the beaches working remaining bait schools as they move south. Also, solid concentrations of kings will be holding on the near-shore reefs and wrecks in 60 to 100 feet of water. Several prime locations to target kings 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 (spinning minnows) dressed with 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 if sea conditions allow it, target bottom in the 21 to 27 fathom range. Additionally, dolphin, wahoo, and an occasional sailfish are still 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 (potholes) until the sun gets overhead. Now is also the time of year to begin looking for 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’s worth the paddle.
In closing, I would like to thank all who fished and worked with me this past year for your business and friendship, man this job is great!
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Happy Holidays,
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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