These fish are known for their pure strength. Their pulling power will amaze you. They are one of my favorites. Redfish can be caught on shallow flats with live and artificial baits. Fishing for them using top water lures with 10 pound tackle is one of our favorite ways to pursue them. Live bait is also fun to use and DEADLY. Conservation of reds is important so we encourage clients to release most of their redfish catch. Numbers are increasing due to protected fishing. We are able to find redfish all year long in the Mosquito Lagoon, as well as the Indian River Lagoon. But some months are better then others.

Mosquito Lagoon in East Central Florida boasts some of the best inshore and estuary fishing for redfish in the world. Redfish in the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon are known for both quality and quantity. They are found in lagoon systems all around the coast of Florida and some are even found offshore. The best locations to find redfish in Florida are Mosquito Lagoon and the Northern Indian River Lagoon. Redfish feed on crustaceans, fish and small mollusk. Often redfish are in such shallow water that you can see their tales and backs protruding from the water, hence their nickname tailing redfish. Redfish have several different names or aliases depending on what part of the country you are from.

 

 

Sea Trout

The spotted sea trout is the most common fish in the area. Although they are not the most aggressive fighters, trout will take a number of artificial and live baits. They inhabit the grass flats, canals, bays and river systems across Florida. We enjoy using top water plugs for trout since nothing beats a top water hit. Trout will "hammer" a surface lure. I use barb-less hooks when fishing for trout since they are delicate fish. This insures a safe catch and release. Trout are a good eating fish. Mosquito lagoon is famous for its "Gator Trout".

Spotted sea trout males average 19 inches in length. Females are 25 inches long on average. Males and females weigh 2 to 3 pounds . Distinguishing characteristics include a dark gray or green back and silvery-white below, with distinct round spots on back, fins and tail; black margin along the edge of tail; soft dorsal (back) fin with no scales; and one or two prominent canine teeth usually present at the tip of the upper jaw.

 

 

Snook

This is the fish that everyone wants to catch. Snook are known for their top water hits, line burning runs, and down right "meanness." This great gift to our area waters is receiving the conservation attention that will protect and keep it around for a long time. A new size and bag limit has recently been put into effect. We catch Snook on the flats near mangrove islands, docks, and bridges on the Indian River Lagoon. The best snook fishing is durning the fall and spring mullet runs. If you're looking for some great top water action, these are the fish that you want to chase. I mean you just have to love a fish with a racing stripe.

Snook are one of the hardest hitting fish on the flats of the Indian River Lagoon. They frequent all regions of the Indian River Lagoon and you will find anglers and fishing guides snook fishing in Cocoa Beach regions all the way south to Sebastian Inlet. Snook are primarily a structure oriented species found along mangrove shorelines, docks, bridges and other partially submerged structure. These fish hit very hard and fast, pull hard, and are quick to try and return to there cover you caught them in which makes for some heart pounding action when you hook-up with this spectacular fish.

 

 

Tarpon

The tarpon is a giant among saltwater game fish. Although it is not the largest game fish an angler can catch and release, it’s known as “the silver king” throughout the warm lagoons, estuaries, and saltwater flats of the Space Coast. The "Megalops Atlanticus" is astonishingly powerful and is famous among anglers as the mythological silver beast that can walk on water. Tarpon, once hooked, are known for jumping and thrashing about, their tails skitting across the flat.

Simply hooking a tarpon can be an experience in itself. The tarpon’s mouth is extremely hard and has been likened to tough construction-grade concrete. Subsequently, successful hook sets are almost more challenging than actually getting an aggressive tarpon to take a well-presented bait. . When a tarpon finally chomps on your bait, and the hook is set, the fish will put on an impressive aerial acrobatics show. Seasoned tarpon anglers, when trading notes on a day’s work, will often proudly include the number of “fish jumped” as well as the number of fish landed.

Black Drum

Black Drum reach a maximum size of just over 100 pounds but the "bulls" usually range in the 25 to 40 pound range. They have deep bodies with 4 or 5 broad black bars on their sides. Black Drum feed on a variety of things, such as, small fish, crustaceans, and oysters. They can be found over sand or mud bottoms on shallow water flats. Black drum aren't usually caught on artificial baits becaust they lack the speed to chase down lures and depend heavily on smell. These fish are know for their great fighting ability, they they just don't seem to give up.

Black drum are related to the redfish. They school up in the winter months where they move into shallow water to feed on the small shrimp, and crabs. Just like the redfish black drum will root around and tail in skinny water looking for food. Schools of 500 fish are found inside the Mosquito Lagoon all year. Anglers are able to sight fish the brutes on light tackle. Through out the summer months the bull drum move into deeper water around the bridges and channels.