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As we approach the edge of the winter months in the New Smyrna Beach area of central Florida, it’s time to get excited for the new opportunities we will be presented with our changing seasons. Clear water and new species of fish are the theme of the coming 3 months.
Around New Smyrna Beach and the inlet, big redfish and giant black drum will fall into their winter patterns and some of the larger fish we catch all year will be landed. Tarpon and snook will be either in overwintering areas or migrating to avoid winter temperatures but they will be back next spring. It’s tough to get off the beach this time of year for nearshore fishing off New Smyrna Beach due to the seas and wind on most days as well as most of our nearshore species having left the area for the winter but that’s ok because some of the best inshore fishing happens during the winter. Inshore flats fishing in Mosquito Lagoon which is on the south side of New Smyrna Beach will enter its peak season with clear water and good sight fishing shots at reds, black drum and sea trout on fly and light spin tackle. The lagoon looks good this year with good sea grass coverage and active fish doing what we want them to. It’s always fun to spend time in the back country of the lagoon chasing shallow water fish.
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As the winds shift from westerly to northerly and the air feels noticeably cooler and less humid, the fall seasons has quickly arrived in New Smyrna Beach. The comfortable break from the hot and humid summer days brings with it one of my favorite seasons of fishing. Fall fishing can be some of the most productive of the year for resident species like redfish and snook.
Around the Ponce Inlet area on the north end of New Smyrna Beach, the fish will gather in certain spots over the next couple months. This area will be very productive for redfish, snook and the occasional tarpon as we push into the mullet run season. This type of fishing can be very exciting with all types of action and feeding happening. With summer ending, we shift our focus from nearshore off of New Smyrna Beach to inshore fishing as most of our nearshore species will be following the mullet migration or they have left the area for the winter such as our false albacore tuna. Inshore flats fishing in Mosquito Lagoon on the south end of New Smyrna Beach has remained an option throughout this summer and we have seen some great improvements in the grass flat habitat. The fishing tends to be productive enough around the inlet area that we don’t focus as much on the flats fishing during the fall but we will still do some trips in this area. Mid summer has brought some of the best warm weather fishing we have seen this year with good catches of redfish, snook, albies, jacks and tarpon. The fish have been very active and the tarpon have especially been a lot of fun. The fishing should remain fun through the rest of summer and into fall.
Around the Ponce Inlet area which borders the north end of New Smyrna Beach, the fishing has been good with slightly cooler water than inshore which keeps the fish a little more active during the hottest parts of the day. We have been getting some nice reds and snook on the majority of days we are targeting them. The inlet area will remain strong through the summer and fall season. Nearshore fishing off New Smyrna Beach has been a lot of fun with migratory tarpon pushing through along with schools of jacks and albies. Targeting the big tarpon with light tackle is one of my favorite types of fishing that we do each year. The rest of August should give us some great tarpon days each week. Inshore fishing is still a good option on the rare summer days where the winds aren’t letting us spend as much time fishing nearshore. Redfish and snook have both been around in many of the areas we fish. Hot water temps limits some of their activity so we tend to target them when the tide and conditions are appropriate. Mosquito Lagoon has still been fishable but we are spending most of our time in the bay boat this time of year as the fishing is just so much better in the places we fish the bay boat. As we make our way through summer, we are enjoying some great days on the water catching a variety of fish both inshore and nearshore. The ocean is at its calmest of the year and the weather is beautiful almost every morning this time of year followed by our daily afternoon thunderstorms that happen after we get off the water. We have been taking full advantage of that pattern to target all the fish species the summer season has to offer.
Nearshore fishing off of New Smyrna Beach has been a daily focus with shots at drag screaming false albacore tuna that we sight fish out of blitzing schools with light tackle 10lb spinning gear. We also look every day for groups of migratory tarpon that are moving up the east coast of Florida through the summer. We have been catching some great fish into the 100lb class and hopefully the best of the tarpon fishing is yet to come as we go through August. Inshore fishing around the Ponce Inlet and New Smyrna Beach area has been fun with some nice redfish and snook being caught after we get back inshore from fishing the beaches in the morning. We have still been catching a few bull reds as well on some days and that fishing will also get even better as we head into the next few months. Down in Mosquito Lagoon on the south side of New Smyrna Beach, the fishing has still been good for trout and redfish but we have been spending more time around the inlet and nearshore areas because that seasonal fishing is at its peak. The hot days of summer have finally arrived in New Smyrna Beach but the temperatures aren’t the only things that can be hit with great fishing occurring over the summer season. Calm morning conditions can provide us with nearly perfect weather on most mornings and flat sea conditions to allow the enjoyment of our nearshore fishing.
In Mosquito Lagoon which lies at the south end of New Smyrna Beach, we have been catching some nice reds, trout and occasional black drum. Sight fishing for fly and spin anglers remains the main focus on our trips but we can also use other techniques when conditions require. Either way, on most days, we are catching some really nice fish. The New Smyrna Beach area has been giving us good shots are big redfish and occasionally some tarpon and snook. These fish will remain active throughout the summer season and often compliment our nearshore fishing. Nearshore opportunities off New Smyrna Beach are here with large schools of false albacore tuna to target with 10lb test light tackle setups. These fish can make blistering runs are up to 20-30mph and make reels produce sounds few have heard before! Tarpon fishing is also heating up with a couple different type of opportunities to target them depending on the day. In addition to these species, we also see big jack crevalle occasionally which are always a welcome catch. 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. 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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NEW SMYRNA BEACH FISHING CHARTERS
with Capt. Billy Rotne
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