Indian River Lagoon Coast November 2013 Forecast
Capt. Tom Van Horn
October 31, 2013
Indian River Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, November 2013
By Captain Tom Van Horn
Special Request - Volunteers are requested for our free Hook Kids on Fishing Program scheduled for November 16th at the Fish on Fire Restaurant in Orlando. We are also in the process of preregistering 100 kids for the event. If you can help or would like to attend, please contact me at [email protected] or call me at 407-416-1187.
November's Events and Seminars:
Friday November 1st, 5th Annual Shad and Crappie Derby Begins. Pick up a copy of the October Orlando issue of Coastal Angler Magazine for derby rules and dates or visit www.cfshadderby.com
Saturday November 2nd, 10.00 am - Discover Fly Fishing instructed by FFF certified Captain Chris Myers. This free event will be held at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 203 West First Street, Apopka, Florida 32703. For more details visit www.mosquitocreek.com
Tuesday November 5th, 7 to 9 pm - Orlando Kayak Fishing Club meeting at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 203 West First Street, Apopka, Florida 32703. For more details visit www.mosquitocreek.com
Thursday November 14th, 6:30 pm - Backcountry Flyfishing Association meeting held at
Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 203 West First Street, Apopka, Florida 32703. For more details visit
www.mosquitocreek.com
Saturday November 16th,10 am - Rod Price - an accomplished adventure racer will be at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 203 West First Street, Apopka, Florida 32703, with tales of his latest adventures and signing his new book "Racing Around Florida". His book will make a great Christmas gift idea! For more details visit www.mosquitocreek.com
Saturday November 16th, 1 to 3pm - Back Packer Magazine's Get Out More Tour at Mosquito Creek Outdoors,203 West First Street, Apopka, Florida 32703 .
For more details visit www.mosquitocreek.com
Saturday November 16th, Fishing Florida Radio's Third Annual Gumbopalooza at Fish on Fire Restaurant. AFC's Hook Kids on Fishing program from 10 am to noon. Gumbo cooks off benefits Anglers for Conservation and Give Kids the World. For more details, visit www.gumbopalooza.com
November 2013 Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast
As a Florida native I can't begin to count all of the outstanding fishing adventures I've experienced on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida in November. We're truly blessed by the opportunity to experience the natural side of such a magnificent resource, and blessed am I to have a loving and considerate wife who understands and tolerates my passion for the outdoors and stretching line. For the majority of our thirty three years together, we've taken a week off of work in November to do nothing but fish the Sebastian Inlet area, and this month I will test her tolerance once again, and as long as the malls are open she's happy doing holiday shopping.
For a host of reason, November prevails as one of the most productive months to fish Florida's east coast. It's the season of the mullet, with waves of baitfish (black and silver mullet) migrating south through the lagoon and along the beaches. Currently the inlets are jam-packed with bait increasing the diversity of species one can expect to catch. Along with this seasonal migration come the cooler temperatures and an influx of predators on a quest for warmer waters and an opportune meal.
As the water temperatures cool, look for the near-shore bite out of Port Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet to heat up. When the seas allow it, look for cobia and tripletail along the Port Canaveral buoy line, and on weed lines both inshore and offshore. Also, the cooler waters will trigger the snook and tarpon bite both along the beaches and in the inlets.
On the lagoon flats, redfish and sea trout will begin their transition from finfish to shrimp and crabs as the mullet run wanes near the end of the month. Also, as the water levels begin dropping and the water cleans up, tailing redfish will become more common and sight fishing improves. When you're in this situation, nothing beats a well presented DOA Shrimp or 3" DOA CAL paddle tail as these tailing fish are targeting smaller baits.
November is one of the best months to target snook at Sebastian Inlet. In addition, ocean flounder and oversized redfish have already begun to show up on the Port Canaveral buoy line and in the inlets, and their numbers will only improve as the month progresses. Other notable predators shadowing finger mullet and glass minnow pods are Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and blacktip sharks.
On the inside, schools of pompano will soon begin to move off the lagoon flats through the inlets and invade the beaches in search of sand fleas (mole crabs), their favorite winter food. Also, look for large schools of ladyfish, small trout, jack crevalle, and Spanish mackerel busting pods of glass minnows in deeper water, and finger mullet near the shoreline and causeways. These schools are easy to locate by watching for bird activity, fish busting, and bait showering on the surface.
November also serves as the beginning of crappie season on the St Johns River and all major freshwater lakes in Central Florida, and the beginning of the free three month long American Shad and Crappie Derby, so visit www.cfshadderby.com for registration locations, and let's have some fun. All proceeds from the Derby support Anglers for Conservation's Hook Kids on Fishing programs in Central Florida.
As the cold fronts pass; I will endeavor to keep my lines tight, and promise not to take nature's blessing for granted. See you soon on the Lagoon.
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
[email protected]
Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
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