Port Canaveral Saltwater Fishing Report
Mosquito Coast Fishing Report
Indian River Lagoon Fishing Report

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Port Canaveral Report Updated September 2010

Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, September 2010

by Captain Tom Van Horn




Upcoming Classes, Seminars and Events


Wednesday September 8th, Seminar on the "Fishing Fall Mullet Run" at the Backcountry Flyfishing Association meeting, 6:30 PM, Harmoni Market, 2305 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, Florida 32804



Saturday, September 18th, 9:30 - 10:30 AM, "Free Seminar" Fishing with the Pros instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn and Chris Myers, Basic fishing open forum, followed by "Fishing the Fall Mullet Run" 10:30 - 11:30 AM in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida.



Saturday October 2nd 10 AM - 5 PM, "Discover Fly Fishing Day" in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka Florida. Guides, Professionals and Factory representatives will be on hand all day to introduce new comers to fly fishing and discuss casting, destinations, tactics, and equipment.



Saturday, October 23rd, 9:30 - 10:30 AM, "Free Seminar" Fishing with the Pros instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn and Chris Myers, Basic fishing open forum, followed by "Fall Fishing Tactics Redfish, Trout and Flounder" 10:30 - 11:30 AM in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida.



Tuesday, November 9th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, Orlando Kayak Fishing Club Meeting (open to all) in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoor in Apopka Florida.



Saturday, November 20th, 9:30 - 10:30 AM, "Free Seminar" Fishing with the Pros instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn and Chris Myers, Basic fishing open forum, followed by "Preparing for the Shad Run & Crappie Season & Shad Derby Meeting" 10:30 - 11:30 AM in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida.




September Fishing Outlook

As the summer squalls build and move north through the Atlantic, shorter day and cooler nights are preludes to the season of the mullet. Soon waves of baitfish will begin working their way south through the lagoons and along the beach as the fall bait run commences. On their southerly migration in search of warmer waters, schools of black and silver mullet in the lagoons and close to the beach and Atlantic menhaden (pogies), thread fin herring (greenies), and bay anchovies (glass minnows) out in deeper water will begin pushing south.





Weather permitting, near-shore opportunities are the best you will see all year. Along the beaches, target areas of concentrated bait schools for a mixed bag of snook, tarpon, kingfish, cobia, jack crevalle, oversized redfish, and sharks. Additionally, snook fishing in the surf will improve as the baitfish move south along the beach. Also look for schools of glass minnows to begin showing up bringing larger Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and tarpon with them.





In and around the inlets of Ponce, Port Canaveral, and Sebastian look for flounder, snook, jack crevalle, and oversized redfish feeding on migrating baitfish along the jetties and just outside the inlets. Easterly swells, falling tides, and aggressive anglers can make for dangerous angling conditions, so please pay attention, be patient, and enjoy the rewards.



In the north Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons, Look for slot redfish in close to the grassy edges along the shoreline shadowing pods of finger mullet, and for the larger redfish staged in deeper water ambush sites where migrating mullet are forced to venture out from the safety of the shallow flats. In deeper water areas, look for ladyfish, spotted sea trout, jacks, and tarpon feeding on schools of glass minnows. These schools of fish are easily located by watching for bird and fish activity. Once located, these schools will produce explosive action on small top water plugs like the Storm Chug Bug, or popping bug flies. Also, if you locate a school of the larger black mullet, try fishing spoons or DOA Shrimp deep under the school. Even though, mullet are vegetarians, redfish and sea trout will often mingle in feeding on shrimp and crabs kicked up from the bottom by feeding mullet.


As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water



For all you outdoor shopping needs, visit Mosquito Creek outdoors at www.mosquitocreek.com.


Mosquito Creek Outdoor's Indian River Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, August 24, 2010

By Captain Tom Van Horn




This Week's Report


My outdoor adventures this past week led me away from the waters of Central Florida to the Florida Outdoor Writers Association conference in Tallassee, Florida. One might think why would you have an outdoor writer's conference in Tallassee? Well, to my surprise it turns out that between legislative sessions and Florida State football games, Tallassee is the sportsman capital of Florida.

We arrived in Tallassee on Wednesday afternoon and checked into the newly renovated Hotel Duval just three blocks from the State Capital building. Hotel Duval is both elegant and beautiful indeed, and it's wonderful and friendly staff made our four day conference very enjoyable and memorable.

Although the FOWA conferences are about networking with industry leaders and professional outdoor communicators, we still manage to get in a fun CPR fishing tournament out of the Shell Island Fish Camp in St. Marks, for which I took third place, I'm not bragging! And a traditional FOWA casting contest which was conducted on the steps of the State Capital Building, drawing a group of curious on lookers.

Stormy Sunrise at St. Marks, photo by Kathy Barker


Captain Gary Schnake with a St. Marks Sea Trout, photo by Kathy Barker


Shell Island Skiff, photo by Kathy Barker


On the fishing side, Tallassee is blessed with both great freshwater and saltwater opportunities. Both Lake Talquin and Lake Jackson Lake Jackson are world renowned crappie, striper and largemouth bass fisheries accessible to the public. On the saltwater side, St. Marks and the Apalachee Bay are only 30 miles to the south.

Tallahassee also has many diverse natural assets providing outdoor enthusiasts with countless outdoor activities and hunting. This area is unique in that it provides sportsmen opportunities to hunt a wide array of quarry: from big game like deer and hogs, coyotes and bobcat; to ducks, dove, quail and wild turkey; as well as small game like squirrels and rabbit.

This area is also fortunate to have many public land options for hunting and fishing, including the Apalachicola National Forest, Florida's largest national forest, protecting more than 571,088 acres and the Joe Budd Wildlife Management Area (WMA), which is one of the few places in the state where only primitive weapons like bows and muzzleloaders are permitted for hunting.

All in all, it was a great week of adventure, and I'm already looking forward to our 2011 FOWA convention in Naples.

As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 land line

Visit Mosquito Creek Outdoors at www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begins.



Mosquito Creek Outdoors Angler Improvement Clinics


Free Fishing Classes


To be successful, learn from the best.

Veteran lagoon fishing guides Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn will provide instruction on the skills and techniques necessary to become a more successful angler through free seminars, provided as a service to you by Mosquito Creek Outdoors and Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando. Would you like to learn what it takes to be a successful Angler? Here is your chance and all it will cost you is your time.





Captain Tom Van Horn: Captain Tom is a lifelong Central Florida native with over 45 years experience fishing Florida's waters and over 10 years experience guiding anglers to the catch of their lives on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. His fishing experience covers all aspects of angling, including freshwater lakes and rivers, saltwater flats, and near-shore Atlantic coastal fishing. Captain Tom is also owner and publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando and an accomplished outdoor writer with over 100 articles published. Captain Tom currently serves on the pro staffs of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Evolution Rods, Daiwa, DOA Lures, TTI Blakemore and Daiichi Hooks, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Woodies Rattles, Frog Toggs, and Kaynoe Paddle Products.

Captain Chris Myers: Captain Chris Myers operates Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters. He specializes in sight fishing the flats of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River with light tackle and fly. Capt. Chris has twenty years of experience fishing Mosquito Lagoon. He is a pro staff member for DOA Lures, Woodies Rattles, Daiwa, and Temple Fork Flyrods.


Angler's Improvement Clinic Schedule:


Fishing the Mullet Run September 18, 2010, 10 a.m. to Noon

Flounder Fishing October 23, 2010, 10 a.m. to Noon

Shad and Crappie Fishing November 20, 2010, 10 a.m. to Noon


For more information on the above scheduled classes, contact Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando at 407-416-1187 or online, mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com.




Tight Lines and Let's Go Fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
407-416-1187
http://www.irl-fishing.com

Captain Tom Van Horn
captain@irl-fishing.com
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
Near Shore & Inshore Flats Fishing
Capt. Tom Van Horn
407-366-8085 Cell 407-416-1187
Toll Free 866-790-8081

BY: CAPTAIN JACK JACKSON

She was born in Louisville, Kentucky some short 55 years ago. Raised the daughter of an avid outdoorsman, she grew up on dove, rabbit, and a lot of bluegills, bass, and crappie. Charlene learned to fish with a canepole at the side of her father, spending two weeks every summer, fishing for perch and northern pike just outside the town of Cedarville, Michgan.

While she loved to fish, her main thrust in life was always as a care-giver, whether it be to her family or others in need. She graduated from St. Louis University as a Physical Therapist, but then joined a red-headed fishermen on their new "Ship of Fate". It was here that her real colors of devotion to her husband and family became obvious.

She loved being on and in the water. Two weeks into her married life, we spent a week in the Land-Between-the-Lakes in SW Kentucky with my family. She wanted to take her trusted canepoles to fish with, but her new "know-it-all" husband had better equipment: real stuff like Mitchell 300’s and Ambassador reels. The cane poles stayed home. After three days of being flooded by torrential rains and no fish, we left, driving by the launch ramp one more time. One small boat with two old fishermen was just pulling in with a stringer of bass that turned us green with envy. Asked how they caught them, they reported that they just used canepoles and worms in the treetops. Charlene never said a word, but she had that "I told you so!" smile on her lips.

She did whatever it took to make her family happy. As a newlywed, she followed me down an old creek in Southwestern Ohio in the middle of the night looking for frogs. The snakes and spiders that she despised didn’t bother her that night.

Unquestioning, she followed me to Western New York for my first job, while putting her career on hold. When she was six months pregnant, she went along on a camping trip some 500 miles north of Toronto to Lake Abitibi and the Ghost River. Hanging over the bow of our small boat she would scan the waters in front and yell "log!" so we could pull up the motor and not shear another pin on the propeller. After reaching the calm deep waters adjacent to the big lake, she would apply her fishing skills and catch all she wanted. She put up with a lot on that trip. I can still see her retreating into the woods after my father announced that we were having fried trout for breakfast.

Eventually, after having three little fishes of our own, we found ourselves back in the Midwest, but still looking for water. Once again, placing all her faith in me, we packed up once more and moved to Vero, her own "piece of heaven".

With the kids now in school, Charlene could turn back to her care skills. While she watched me fish, she took care of her patients. Every so often, the two of us would get time to fish. Now, it was never enough.

A marriage is similar to a fishing trip. It begins with great anticipation and planning. Once underway, changes are made to produce the best results. Sometimes you are lucky enough to just relax and just drift with currents enjoying your partner and the surroundings. Sometimes you both have to paddle like mad just to stay afloat. Afternoon thunderstorms can arise, but as in marriage, you take cover, ride them out, and wait for the sun to reappear. With any luck, the two of you will get to enjoy a beautiful sunset at the end of the day, reminiscing of things caught and lost. Sometimes the day ends much to quickly, yet always leaves you with memories of a lifetime, loving memories of Charlene, my wife and partner.

Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters

As the days grow longer and the ocean begins its gradual warming phase, the spring fishing bonanza on the Indian Lagoon Coast commences. As always, weather will serve as the determining factor in establishing the magnitude and progression of the bite.

Water temperature increases will facilitate the progression of bait pods (menhaden and mullet) from the deeper water into the near-shore waters bringing the predator fish with them. Sea conditions will determine the number of fishable days we'll experience in March. This is especially true for those of us who target deep-water species in shallow water boats.

Good catches of cobia have been reported offshore of Stuart, and these fish should be moving into our area soon. Both the bait pods and cobia have begun to show up outside Port Canaveral and Sebastian in deeper water. Once the water warms, look for the large manta rays and bait pods to move inshore bringing cobia with them. When site fishing for cobia, keep the sun to your back and consider fishing in the latter part of the day when the sun is high. Also always keep a chartreuse colored buck tail in the ready position to cast towards any white-banded big mouth brown logs you see.

Other near-shore options consist of tripletail hanging on floating structure weeds and buoys, and giant redfish, jumbo jack carvalle and sharks shadowing bait pods near the beaches and inlets. The window of opportunity for cobia can be short, so plan your trip, and pray for calm seas and hungry fish.

Inshore on the lagoon flats, look for redfish schools to continue to form up in the skinny water flats. For the slot size redfish, focus on areas of flipping and jumping baitfish (mullet) in water depths of 12 to 18 inches, and look for the larger redfish along deeper edges of the flats and sandbars in 2 to 3 feet of water. Also, larger sea trout will continue to hold in the skinny water potholes, and the top-water sea trout bite will improve as the warmer water draws returning finger mullet back into the central IRL. Additionally, schools of black drum will continue to inhabit the shallow water flats of the Mosquito Lagoon, North IRL, and particularly the sandbars in the Banana River No-Motor-Zone.

Last but not least, the American shad run is in full swing in the upper St John's River between the areas of Lake Harney and the SR 50 Bridge. Also, March is the month to start targeting schooling large mouth bass in the deeper bends of the river at first light feeding on schools of baitfish (menhaden). The signal I us to locate these schooling bass, is to look for large numbers of white pelicans, herons, and egrets working the banks. Once you've located the schooling fish, try throwing a rattle-trap or other small subsurface swim bait.

Spring is one of the best times of year to fish the Indian River Lagoon coast of Florida. So if you are planning to visit the area for a fishing adventure, make sure you book your hotel and fishing guide early. Also, when the bite is on, the ramps fill up quickly, so arrive early, and be courteous and considerate with other anglers, because we are all on the water for the same reasons.

As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me

Good luck and good fishing,