Indian River and Banana River around Pineda Causeway

HUNTINTHEWILD

Hello,

I am new to the area, and I am trying to find some fish. I have been fishing the Indian River and Banana River around Pineda. I can't seem to find anything other than an odd school of mullet and a lot of horseshoe crabs (must be mating season).

It's really cool seeing all the wildlife, but I would really like to find a game fish such as a Red or a Trout.

Any advice on location or presentation? I have been working the flats with chunk mullet and gold spoons. I have also tried some deeper dredges in the river.

Thanks!

Ontheg3

are u fishing from a boat or are u wading????

Gatoryaker

After any cold front try for trout in those deeper dredge areas with a DOA shrimp, plastic curly tail or grub tail on a 1/4 oz. jig head. I like the ghost shrimp color, root beer, or chartreuse colors best. Change colors if nothing is biting as that sometimes is all it takes to start catching fish. The colder the water the slower you need to fish near the bottom. If grass keeps fouling the hook try rigging a soft plastic jerk bait like a fluke, flappin shad, or cal bait with EWG worm hook. When you find fish under these conditions there will usually be more in the same area.

HUNTINTHEWILD

Ontheg3 wrote: »

are u fishing from a boat or are u wading????

I have been doing a little bit of both. There are some really skinny areas that I will park my boat and wade into so that I do not disturb the bottom.

Trout Tamer

when I first started fishing new areas... I use to throw a popping cork with a DOA shrimp on it and did quite well. Also early mornings throw a top water bait and fan cast areas that are holding mullet or other baitfish. Look for birds working an area in the mornings as they will tell you where the bait is. Winter time and Summer time are when you SLOW DOWN your retrieve almost to the point of making you wonder if you are going too slow... ( then you are doing it correctly )

beachside321

Unfortunately there's only a few specific areas that hold fish anymore in the area you're describing. All I'll say is those barren flats are just that, barren. There needs to be something giving the predator fish a reason for being there.

Ontheg3

if u have a trolling motor the grand canal holds fish this time of year they may be small but u can catch trout redfish snook jacks ladys on any kind of doa shrimp, gulp with a jighead, or a bucktail tipped with shrimp work the docks on both sides and u should have a productive day

saltybum

Look for schools of finger mullet. As beachside said it's a wet desert anymore after last years algae bloom and you need to find baitfish to hopefully find predators around them. Knee deep wading and super slow. The few fish that are still around get a lot of pressure lately and very skittish.

thenewguy

Does anyone on here know exactly how deep   The causeway is? 

theU

Should have been here 20 years ago when there were fish and acres of grass flats . Good Luck and Welcome to the Orlando Sewer!