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Indian River Lagoon
Capt. Tom Van Horn
May 5, 2007
Indian River Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, May 5, 2007
Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka, Florida
As many of you know, catching opportunities last month were challenging due to blustery breezes and low water conditions, but as we turn the page on April the weather and fishing will only get better. May serves as a transitional period between April breezes and the summer doldrums of June and July, providing us with some outstanding conditions and some quality catches.
My time on the water these pasts few weeks was limited as my trusty skiff, Three Quarter Time, received a major refit. A new Yamaha 115, new hydraulic steering, and all new controls have provided a smooth and reliable ride. Don and Eddie over at Chain of Lakes Marine in Sanford completed the installation last week, and I must say they have once again they have out done themselves. If you have a Yamaha engine, and you’re in need of repair or service, I highly recommend you contact Don at Chain of Lakes.
Without a skiff, my first few fishing adventures were out of the Old Town canoe with completely opposite results. The first was a three-boat charter intended for the No-Motor Zone with Captains John Kumiski and Chris Myers, but faced with a stiff south wind our paddle home would be extremely difficult, so we opted for plan “B” and fished the New Smyrna backwaters out of River Breeze Park. Although conditions were blustery and cloudy, we had plenty shots at a good number of fish and we didn’t see another boat all day.
On the following day the winds were still from the south with a prediction of a prefrontal shift to the west. My client for the day, Chris Duerksen, was an experienced paddler, so I made the decision to paddle in with the wind behind us, and once the wind shifted we would stick to the west shoreline for the long paddle out. Chris was very excited about the prospects of fishing in the Zone and catching a hefty redfish. Well the wind never shifted, but the fishing was good. After a solid day of fishing and a two and a half hour paddle home into the teeth of the wind, our total for the day was nine snook with one in the slot, five redfish with two over 40 inches, one slot sea trout, and a ladyfish. The majority of the fish were caught on Pumpkin Seed/Chartreuse Tail RipTide Flats Chubs with the exception of the 40 and 46-inch redfish, which couldn’t resist fresh ladyfish steaks for lunch. Chris also succeeded in catching his first slam of the year.
On Thursday, I had the pleasure to once again joining Captain John Kumiski for a two-boat charter in the Mosquito Lagoon only to be frustrated by extremely spooky fish. Throughout the morning we located schools of slot redfish only to have them push up and hightail it before we could reach a reasonable casting distance. My clients were beginners, and fast moving fish proved to be difficult targets.
On Thursday, I had the honor to welcome longtime fishing buddies Billy and Charlie from Palm Bay aboard Three Quarter Time for the shakedown cruise, with the goal of catching them their first redfish. Both anglers have fished together and after recently moved to Florida they were eager to learn how to fish the Lagoon. I appreciate it when anglers new to our area take the time to learn about our local fishery and our fragile resource before the venture out on their own, and in this case, they were rewarded with three upper slot redfish and a good understanding of the value of our fishery.
Last but not least, I would like to remind everyone the Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and Mosquito Creek Outdoors is loaded with great gifts ideas for the ladies close to our hearts who enjoy the outdoor lifestyle, and while you are in the store, you might as well check out their outstanding line of fresh and saltwater tackle.
As always, if you have any questions, or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 Landline
866-790-8081 Toll Free
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