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Capt. Justin Price
Posts: 1 Greenhorn
Mosquito Lagoon, East Central Florida Nov 2012 Report
Capt. Justin Price
Posts: 1 Greenhorn
Well 2012 is coming to an end quickly and our fall season so far has been dominated with cold fronts and high winds. Despite the wind the water clarity and the sight fishing has been excellent and is only expected to get better as we inch closer to winter.
As of now the water levels in the Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River Lagoon are still very high compared to what we will experience during the winter time. With the abundance of baitfish still present redfish and trout are still being caught on topwater lures, my favorite being a Super Spook Jr. Another good hard bath this time of the year is a Sebile Stick Shad, it suspends just under the surface and works well for Speckled trout and redfish over shallow grass or worked over the sand holes for the laid up fish.
Redfish and trout have been spread out pretty good do to the high water, keying in on shorelines and flats with lots of sand holes has been productive. Lots of redfish lately have fell victim to a DOA shrimp in the Near Clear or Gold Glitter colors with very little refusals, whether cruising, laid up, or tailing they have been inhaling it. As the sun gets higher start looking for big gator trout to be laying in the sand holes a stealth approach and long cast will be mandatory. Working DOA cals or shads rigged weedless on a Owner 1/8 oz 3/0 hook in natural tones or something with a little chartreuse will get their attention, if the winds get light change the hook to a 1/16 oz. Nice size flounder are also being caught on soft plastics lately in Mosquito Lagoon while working the sand holes.
Fly fishing this time of the year can be exceptionally well and it has been. When fly fishing it’s not imperative to get out at the crack of dawn, with cooler air and water temps fish will eat all day and you need the sun to be up while sight fishing. Cruising or laid up redfish have been eating redfish sliders very well in a variety of colors. Some small groups of redfish can be found up shallow mid day tailing feeding on shrimp and crabs, an EP shrimp pattern I’ve been tying has been my go too in this situation. As for big gator trout patterns, shrimp, bend backs, deceivers, or clousers in natural colors will work well. Although; a few nice trout have been caught on crab patterns up to 10lbs lately.
As each cold front passes the chances of seeing more black drum on the edges of or on the flats will become greater. Black drum cover areas they are feeding a lot slower then redfish grazing the flats in search of shrimp and crabs. Their eye sight is very poor and they rely on their barbells on their chin to feel on the bottom. Working your bait slow in front of your target is very important whether it’s a live bait, soft plastic or fly. When choosing or tying a fly for black drum go with a dark fly in either a crab, shrimp, or clouser pattern weighted to keep the fly on the bottom where they are feeding and sometimes adding a rattle will help to get their attention.
Recently I had the opportunity guide a close friend and President of the Mid Coast Fly fishers to a few Mosquito Lagoon redfish, it was a long time coming for us to get together but well worth the wait. Here’s Dennis Obrien with a few of his hook ups.
The next day me and a good friend and guide Capt. Willy Le got out on the water for some much needed rod bending. We were greeted with tough conditions most of the morning do to an approaching cold front , winds, cloud cover, and fog until about 11:00am then the sun came out and the winds disappeared. Shortly after the sun being out we had redfish all around us and Willy hooked up to a cruising fish on a redfish slider. After landing and releasing his fish it was my turn and minutes later I was hooked up.
The next day I had clients from PA join me for a day of fly fishing. The conditions were tough with a cold front right on top of us and lots of cloud cover, wind, 60% chance rain, nearly impossible for sight fishing. The sun finally came out long enough to get our first and only hookup…plenty of other shots but no commitments. Here’s Ray with his first redfish on fly.
A few days later a good friend of mine Casey joined for a day on the Lagoon. Once again greeted with high winds forecasted out of the Eat at 15-20mph but that didn’t stop the fish from eating everything we threw at them. Despite the winds the skies were clear and the fish were feeding. Casey had a run of bad luck early hooking and loosing 6 redfish and a 6lb flounder throwing a DOA shrimp then finally he hooked up “that means my turn”. Here’s one of Casey’s feeesh!
Then it was my turn at the bow and I opted for the fly rod as I do every time. We were in the zone and the redfish were feeding on well placed flies. This fish was laid up and spun nearly 180 degrees to eat my redfish slider.
Capt. Justin Price
Right In Sight Charters
www.rightinsightcharters.com
[email protected]
Facebook RightInSightCharters or CaptJustinPrice
As of now the water levels in the Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River Lagoon are still very high compared to what we will experience during the winter time. With the abundance of baitfish still present redfish and trout are still being caught on topwater lures, my favorite being a Super Spook Jr. Another good hard bath this time of the year is a Sebile Stick Shad, it suspends just under the surface and works well for Speckled trout and redfish over shallow grass or worked over the sand holes for the laid up fish.
Redfish and trout have been spread out pretty good do to the high water, keying in on shorelines and flats with lots of sand holes has been productive. Lots of redfish lately have fell victim to a DOA shrimp in the Near Clear or Gold Glitter colors with very little refusals, whether cruising, laid up, or tailing they have been inhaling it. As the sun gets higher start looking for big gator trout to be laying in the sand holes a stealth approach and long cast will be mandatory. Working DOA cals or shads rigged weedless on a Owner 1/8 oz 3/0 hook in natural tones or something with a little chartreuse will get their attention, if the winds get light change the hook to a 1/16 oz. Nice size flounder are also being caught on soft plastics lately in Mosquito Lagoon while working the sand holes.
Fly fishing this time of the year can be exceptionally well and it has been. When fly fishing it’s not imperative to get out at the crack of dawn, with cooler air and water temps fish will eat all day and you need the sun to be up while sight fishing. Cruising or laid up redfish have been eating redfish sliders very well in a variety of colors. Some small groups of redfish can be found up shallow mid day tailing feeding on shrimp and crabs, an EP shrimp pattern I’ve been tying has been my go too in this situation. As for big gator trout patterns, shrimp, bend backs, deceivers, or clousers in natural colors will work well. Although; a few nice trout have been caught on crab patterns up to 10lbs lately.
As each cold front passes the chances of seeing more black drum on the edges of or on the flats will become greater. Black drum cover areas they are feeding a lot slower then redfish grazing the flats in search of shrimp and crabs. Their eye sight is very poor and they rely on their barbells on their chin to feel on the bottom. Working your bait slow in front of your target is very important whether it’s a live bait, soft plastic or fly. When choosing or tying a fly for black drum go with a dark fly in either a crab, shrimp, or clouser pattern weighted to keep the fly on the bottom where they are feeding and sometimes adding a rattle will help to get their attention.
Recently I had the opportunity guide a close friend and President of the Mid Coast Fly fishers to a few Mosquito Lagoon redfish, it was a long time coming for us to get together but well worth the wait. Here’s Dennis Obrien with a few of his hook ups.
The next day me and a good friend and guide Capt. Willy Le got out on the water for some much needed rod bending. We were greeted with tough conditions most of the morning do to an approaching cold front , winds, cloud cover, and fog until about 11:00am then the sun came out and the winds disappeared. Shortly after the sun being out we had redfish all around us and Willy hooked up to a cruising fish on a redfish slider. After landing and releasing his fish it was my turn and minutes later I was hooked up.
The next day I had clients from PA join me for a day of fly fishing. The conditions were tough with a cold front right on top of us and lots of cloud cover, wind, 60% chance rain, nearly impossible for sight fishing. The sun finally came out long enough to get our first and only hookup…plenty of other shots but no commitments. Here’s Ray with his first redfish on fly.
A few days later a good friend of mine Casey joined for a day on the Lagoon. Once again greeted with high winds forecasted out of the Eat at 15-20mph but that didn’t stop the fish from eating everything we threw at them. Despite the winds the skies were clear and the fish were feeding. Casey had a run of bad luck early hooking and loosing 6 redfish and a 6lb flounder throwing a DOA shrimp then finally he hooked up “that means my turn”. Here’s one of Casey’s feeesh!
Then it was my turn at the bow and I opted for the fly rod as I do every time. We were in the zone and the redfish were feeding on well placed flies. This fish was laid up and spun nearly 180 degrees to eat my redfish slider.
Capt. Justin Price
Right In Sight Charters
www.rightinsightcharters.com
[email protected]
Facebook RightInSightCharters or CaptJustinPrice
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