It sure feels like summer lately around New Smyrna Beach as we push through the month of May and enjoy some great fishing along the way. We are still in our dry season with very little rain which makes for great water clarity and great weather on most days. This pattern should hold on for a while longer before we get into the dog days of summer.
Most of our fishing continues to take place in Mosquito Lagoon which is on the south end of New Smyrna Beach. The water has been nice and clear with good sea grass coverage and lots of bait. The fish have been active and the sight fishing has been great with lots of reds, trout and some black drum. There have been some snook around in some areas too. These fish have been really cooperative for both spin and fly anglers alike making for some great sight fishing. Around the Ponce Inlet area on the north side of New Smyrna Beach, we have been finding some bigger bull redfish along with a few snook. Some of the nearshore fish like false albacore tuna that we have been waiting for have arrived and on the nicer days we will definitely be out looking for them. Sight fishing these drag burners on 10lb test or light fly tackle is a ton of fun. Tarpon will be here soon as well!
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Our beautiful early summer weather has been here this past week with some really nice and sunny days. Pleasant temperatures and low relative humidity along with low changes of rain makes it very comfortable to fish this time of year around New Smyrna Beach. The bite has been good and it’s just been a lot of fun to be on the water.
Mosquito Lagoon is our renowned flats fishery that’s just south of Ponce Inlet and New Smyrna Beach. Ponce Inlet is the headwaters for this shallow water lagoon that runs 33 miles down the coast all the way to NASAs Kennedy Space Center. The sight fishing lately for redfish, trout, and black drum has been very good. Some snook have also been in a few areas we fish. This is perfect fishing for fly and light tackle anglers. The New Smyrna Beach area has been fishing well also with larger reds and snook activity during lower light periods around sunrise. Tarpon and false albacore tuna could give us some opportunities this month as a lot of our warm water species begin to arrive and get active. This is a great time of year to fish for all of our fisheries options so take advantage of the early summer conditions! April has been a rather unpredictable month when it comes to weather around New Smyrna Beach, but thankfully the fishing has been much more predictable. We have had windy and cloudy days more days than we haven’t, but that hasn’t stopped us from having some really good catching. This unpredictable weather pattern will settle over the coming weeks as we enter May and our summer time calm weather period.
The fishing in Mosquito Lagoon on the south side of New Smyrna Beach continues to be our primary focus. We have had some fun days sight fishing in the clear water that’s in most areas of the lagoon. Big reds, sea trout, black drum and some snook have been around in many areas. Fly and light tackle are both great methods for targeting these fish. The Ponce Inlet and New Smyrna Beach areas are entering their prime season and we will be targeting the warm water species very soon including tarpon, snook, false albacore tuna and big jack crevalle. These species are coming into season as we enter summertime and get the calm conditions it brings. We will also have some great opportunities at big redfish on many days as well. Spring time patterns are now in full effect in our area of central Florida. Warm days with pleasant temperatures are the norm and thankfully we are still in our dry season so rain hasn’t been an issue either. The fishing has been a lot of fun and lots of good stuff is on the horizon for our fishing options.
In the Mosquito Lagoon area just to the south of New Smyrna Beach, sight fishing for redfish and black drum has been good lately. We’ve been getting some really nice fish using a few different techniques with sight fishing using fly and spin tackle being the most rewarding. Water clarity remains good and we’re seeing some healthy looking sea grass growth. The New Smyrna Beach area is gearing up for the warm water season with reds and snook showing some good activity which will only get better in the coming weeks. It won’t be long before the tarpon are cruising the coast along with false albacore tuna. This type of fishing is also one of my favorites and I can’t wait for the fishing that’s right on the horizon for us. Spring seems to be here a bit early this year with temperatures forecast as high 90 degree this week! The warm weather with relatively low humidity has certainly made for pleasant fishing conditions and the fish themselves have shifted into their spring time patterns.
Mosquito Lagoon which is about 10 miles south of New Smyrna Beach has been the place for most of our fishing lately. Good sight fishing for redfish and black drum has been keeping my anglers rods bent on the sunny and calm days and we’ve been using a few other techniques on some of the more breezy and cloudy days. The New Smyrna Beach area has been transitioning into its spring patterns with ocean temperatures in the mid 70’s which is very unusual for February. The target species of redfish, snook and tarpon along with big jack crevalle and false albacore tuna will all be on our radar very shortly. We have been catching some nice reds already and the snook will be more active soon. Winter almost seems likes it’s in the rear view mirror with day after day of warm temperatures in the upper 70’s and low 80’s. The fish feel this too and have been moving away from winter patterns and into spring type behavior. This can present us some new opportunities in the coming days and weeks.
Most of our recent trips continue to be in the Mosquito Lagoon area that’s about 10-15 miles south of New Smyrna Beach. We have been using both of our Hell’s Bay skiffs to access fish in the shallowest back country areas. Fish tailing, feeding on shorelines, moving around in small schools and other great behaviors conducive to sight fishing have been the recent trend. This provides great opportunities for both spin and fly fisherman. The New Smyrna Beach area has been fishing in its winter pattern still with some opportunities at resident redfish and a few black drum which are starting their migration north. Snook will likely begin to get more active as the warmer days continue. Within the new month or two, we will start to enter the productive spring and following seasons that make the area a great place to fish. Another couple weeks of too-nice-to-be-winter weather has passed and we have enjoyed some great days on the water in spring like conditions. Upper 70’s and sunny skies have had it feeling like it’s spring time. The fishing has been a lot of fun as well with a combination of cooler and warmer weather patterns coming together.
We have been spending most of our time lately in Mosquito Lagoon just to the south of Daytona Beach. The water clarity has been good for sight fishing and the bite has been good too. We’ve been catching a few trout but mostly redfish and black drum on spin and fly tackle. The Daytona Beach area is entering its spring time pattern early this year with a little activity from snook and reds starting to get going. As water temperatures react to the warmer winter we have been having, bait will start to move more and this area will only get better. Other than a few cool days in November, we are off to what seems like a pretty warm winter so far here around New Smyrna Beach in central Florida. Compared to most parts of the country, it’s almost always nice in Florida this time of year. Whether it stays warm or cools down as we head towards January, the fishing should be good either way.
Back country fishing in Mosquito Lagoon which is a few miles to the south of New Smyrna Beach starts to enter it’s prime season as cooler temperatures bring clearing water that gives us the visibility we need to have fun days sight fishing with both fly and spin tackle. Big black drum are arriving on their year migration here to spawn and also make a fun target for days on the lagoon. Around the New Smyrna Beach area itself, our winter season is mainly focused on big bull redfish and big black drum on their way to the lagoon. These fish aren’t impacted by cooler water temperatures the way our summer species like snook and tarpon are so we have good chances at them even when we enter the coolest parts of winter. Winter in Florida just isn’t the same as the rest of the country, it’s a great time to escape the snow and come catch some fish! As we transition into the “winter” months here along the coast of east central Florida, great fishing opportunities remain strong! Our winters can be chilly some days, but we can also have extremely pleasant conditions to fish on many other days. The fish bite either way!
In the New Smyrna Beach area, the bull redfish bite continues to be strong with many anglers catching some great fish over the last couple weeks. As we progress into the cooler portion of winter, these fish, along with the snook, will begin to move to areas they prefer to overwinter. Big black drum are also arriving for the winter season with some of these fish weighing in at over 60lbs! Back country fishing in Mosquito Lagoon just to the south of New Smyrna Beach will start to be a good option again as winter brings cooler temperatures and low, clear water. Sight fishing for 4-8lb redfish on fly and light tackle is one of the other highlights of this time of year. Large schools of black drum will also be a good option over the next few months. Get away from the cold and come join us for this portion of our year round fishery! |
Capt. Billy Rotne
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