Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
Capt. Tom Van Horn
March 12, 2014
Indian River Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, March 11, 2014
By Captain Tom Van Horn
Event Schedule
Friday, March 14, 2014 - Volunteers needed for Hook Kids on Fishing Program held from 9 a.m. to noon at Lake Downey Park, 10107 Flowers Ave. Orlando, Florida 32825.
Saturday, April 5, 2014 - Come join us at Mosquito Creek Outdoors from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Mosquito Creek's Spring Fishing Event and Boat Show. The event features BYOB, (bring your our boat), if it floats, bring it! Anglers who display their boats will be entered to win Mosquito creek gift certificates and prizes. The event also features two Hook kids on Fishing Programs where 200 kids will receive a new fishing rod after completing the seminar and volunteers are needed for Hook Kids on Fishing Program held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka, Florida 32703.
Saturday, April 12, 2014 - Volunteers needed for Hook Kids on Fishing Program held in conjunction with the Kids Fishing Xtravaganza at Lake X in support of the Osceola Sheriff's Youth Adventure Camp.
This Week's Fishing Report
As a responsible angler and professional fishing guide on Central Florida's Indian River Lagoon Coast and the St Johns River, I've been blessed with a lifetime of abundant fishing and outdoor resources. For over 50 years, Mother Nature has provided me with tremendous pleasure as I've enjoyed her rivers, lakes, lagoons and ocean, and now it is my turn to repay her for these memories and pleasures. Clean water and abundant and sustainable fisheries are not our right as Americans, but our privilege. As responsible anglers, it is our turn to pay Mother Nature back, so please take time to volunteer for a conservation project or to help teach others to fish and the value of our resources, use it don't abuse it.
Speaking of using our abundant fishing resources, you are missing the boat is you let our great spring fishing opportunities pass you by. It will only be a blink of an eye, and the heat of summer will be upon us, so get out there and fish.
For starters, the water levels and flow velocity on the St Johns River are increasing and so are the catching opportunities. As the American shad and crappie season wane, rising water levels facilitate the menhaden hatch and the arrival of schooling largemouth, sunshine and striped bass. These frenzied freshwater predators will be busting bait schools at first light and at dusk in the deeper bends and confluence of the river. As illustrated by these photos, the schooling bass are beginning to show up and the bite will improve as spring progresses. On one four hour charter (5 to 9 a.m.) last week, anglers aboard Three Quarter Time boated over twenty largemouth and three true stripers up to seven pounds on top-water Storm Chug Bugs and DOA CAL Shad Tails. To locate the schooling fish, simple look for the concentrated birds and you will find the fish. Additionally, the blue and channel catfish are moving out of the big lakes of Monroe, Jessup and Harney to spawn in the swifter currents of the river, so start looking for freshwater cobia as well.
While we are on the topic of cobia, I set out of Port Canaveral on my first cobia charter yesterday and although the weather was almost perfect, the conditions we found were not quite right. As we exited the Port, the water temperature we encountered was around 64 degrees. Cobia prefer water temps between 68 and 70 degrees, so we headed out to the southeast in search of warmer waters, which we didn't find until we were offshore of Melbourne at 60 feet of water. We kept cursing and looking and we only had one shot at a manta ray with two large cobia on it, which we missed. Current reports indicate that the cobia are just south of us in the Sebastian area, so it's just a matter of days before the bite heats up.
On the lagoons, the water conditions are clean and the sea trout bite was been the ticket for me. We have been catching a good number of sea trout at first light on top-water plugs and DOA CAL jerk baits. Most of the larger trout have been coming from areas with a water depth of 18 inched or less. We have also managed some very respectable redfish tailing up in those same areas.
With all of this action going on, there is no excuse for not hitting the water and enjoying spring while it last, and if you can find the time, please reach out to Mother Nature by volunteering for a conservation project or helping teach our future angling stewards to fish.
As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me, and if you are interested in a shad or redfish charter, I still have a few days open.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
407-416-1187
More Fishing Reports:
