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.
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Here in New Smyrna Beach, the interim season between the last days of spring and the first days of summer can bring some of my most looked forward to fishing opportunities. Baits begin to move again, warm water species become active, and we enter a period of the year with fishing we have long awaited during the winter. During this transitional period, we still get the lower humidity and pleasant temperatures of spring but we also begin to enjoy the fruits of summer.
In Mosquito Lagoon a few miles to the south, the fishing continues to be a lot of fun lately. We have some great grass growth, happy fish and pretty awesome sight fishing opportunities. Fly and spin anglers have had great shots and cruising and tailing redfish and black drum with the occasional trout mixed in. There have been a few snook around as well as it warms up and they come out of their winter hiding spots. The New Smyrna Beach area itself has also entered the warm water season with snook and reds giving us opportunities on most days. The fishing in this area will stay active as we continue through summer. The nearshore fishing we have off the New Smyrna Beach area is very close to entering its season as well. We will soon have tarpon, false albacore tuna and big jack crevalle giving us chances on the days we get off the beach. These species are always a lot of fun to catch for both novice and skilled anglers and we have been eagerly awaiting their arrival. 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. Just when we thought all the chill of winter was past us with weeks of 80-85 degree weather, we got another small cold snap this week. The cool down shouldn’t make fishing tough but rather the opposite, it should make the bite better and also improve the water clarity even more. The cool weather will likely only last a couple days this week but we will take it while we can get it.
The fishing in the Mosquito Lagoon area a short distance south of New Smyrna Beach has continued to be our main focus for this time of year. Fairly good grass growth and clear water have helped make the fishing a lot of fun recently. Both spin and fly anglers have been getting good shots sight fishing and we have also spent some time using other techniques when the conditions aren’t optimal for visually seeing fish in the water. The New Smyrna Beach area has been fishing its spring pattern with some big reds and a few snook starting to become active. The next few months will only get better as the weather gets warmer and our other target species like false albacore tuna and tarpon arrive. Spring in Florida is one of the nicest times of the year with comfortable weather and fun fishing. Don’t miss out on this season! 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. As our winter season pushes on, we have been really enjoying some great weather and fishing. The special thing about the New Smyrna Beach area is that we have great options year round that offer different types of fishing. Regardless of the weather condition, we can have great days on most days during the winter season.
Most of our fishing has been taking place in the Mosquito Lagoon area which begins on the south side of New Smyrna Beach. This remote area is one of the few untouched areas along Florida’s east coast. The scenery and the wildlife goes hand in hand with the fishing. We have been having some great days with both spinning tackle and fly rods, doing a combination of sight fishing along with a few other techniques. The bite for redfish, black drum and sea trout has been pretty good lately so we’ve been having a lot of fun. The New Smyrna Beach area itself has also been productive for some of our winter species like sheepshead along with a few bull reds hanging around. The last few weeks of fishing has brought seasonal change to the New Smyrna Beach and Mosquito Lagoon area. We had some very cold winter weather along with the rest of the country in the last week of 2022. Thankfully it’s warmed back up nicely but that changed the fishing patterns a lot.
The New Smyrna Beach area has been less of a focus for us after this cool down as many of our warm water species like snook had to hunker down and a lot of the redfish and other species moved to their winter time feeding areas. We have shifted our approaches and remained successful with some great days on the water. Much of our fishing recently has been down in Mosquito Lagoon about 10 miles south of New Smyrna Beach. The cool down clears up the water in many areas and can make the bite quite good for redfish, trout and black drum. We have been catching these fish consistently over the last few weeks and had some really fun days doing it. Big migratory black drum have been an option on some days with fish up to 40lbs! Sight fishing has also been really good with groups of fish tailing and feeding several different ways. This is one of the best times of year for sight fishing with both spin and fly tackle. |
Capt. Billy Rotne
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