Fishing Report

February 5, 2010

Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka, FL

Well folks, after reviewing our January weather, the average wind speeds for the month were 16 knots. Finding a nice day to fish last month was a chore and this past week wasn't any better. To make matters worse, this coming weekend will be blown out offshore with winds gusting up to 20 knots on Saturday and 15 knots on Sunday. Another event closing down the south end of the Mosquito Lagoon and the down range safety zones offshore is the Space Shuttle Launch scheduled for 4 am Sunday morning. On last check the weather was go for launch, so it might be worth getting up and watching the shuttle turn night into day. Additionally, both Monday and Tuesday look like good days to fish weather wise.

Tough weather kept me off of the Lagoon this past week, but I did hear some reports of both redfish and sea trout catches. Everyone I've talked to this week has located a good number of fish, but they still haven't started to eat well since the freeze. Most anglers are catching a few fish, mostly smaller ones, and the DOA Shrimp has been the bait of choice.

John's first American Shad on fly this season.

While I didn't make a saltwater trip last week, I did manage to do some American shad fishing on the St Johns River. The water level on the river increased by 11 inches after last weeks rains, and it is a good 30 inches higher than it was at this time last year. With the higher water the shad haven't been rolling on the surface, so anglers have resorted to blind casting and trolling in the deeper bends and holes in the river with some success. Although the bite hasn't kicked in, we did see improvements over last week, and on one trip I managed three nice Americans on fly. Also, the crappie fishing has been good with a lot of limits being caught. So if the wind is too much for the lagoon this weekend, you might consider the St. Johns as an alternative.

My 18-inch American caught on an orange Crazy Charlie fly.

One last word of warning, it doesn't happen to me very often, but I did stumble across a rather large cotton mouth this week while walking the shoreline of the St. Johns. Luckily I spotted him sunning himself, and made sure to maintain a respectable distance as I passed. When wading and walking along our fresh water wetlands, it's prudent to mind your step and keep a sharp eye out for snakes. If you do encounter one, simple keep your distance, and what ever you do, don't mess with it.

Also, be sure to check out the new February addition of Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando in print and online for free at www.coastalanglermagazine.com.

Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!

Have our fishing report delivered directly to your inbox.

Join Our Email List Email:

Fishing Forecast

February, 2009

Complements of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka, FL

As winters go here in Central Florida, the 10 day freeze we experienced last month was the coldest weather we’ve seen since 1977. The prolonged period of cold dropped lagoon water temperatures into the 40’s. These extreme cold conditions killed a large number of fish both in saltwater and freshwater, but all is not lost. As the water temperatures warmed up surviving species began to return to the flats, and it appears redfish and black drum were not lost to the arctic chill. Additionally, despite notable loses, a good number of sea trout and some snook managed to find warm enough water to survive. On the freshwater side, only exotic species like tilapia and armored catfish subsided to the freeze, which doesn’t hurt my feelings too much.

Inshore on the saltwater flats of the Mosquito Lagoon, good numbers of redfish and black drum have been easy to locate when conditions are calm and sunny, but getting them to eat has been challenging. On the sunny mornings, it is not uncommon to find redfish and trout holding in the sandy potholes within the shallow flats where water temperatures raise faster. Additionally, warming water temperatures combined with sunny spring days and crystal clear water make February one of the best months to site fish for redfish, sea trout, and black drum on the lagoon flats. Also, now is the time to target tailing black drum in the Banana River Lagoon "No Motor Zone". As we move further away from the extreme cold event, the redfish and drum should begin to feed more readily.

Offshore, kingfish are still available along the inshore reefs and wrecks, and they will remain there as long as the water temperatures are favorable. When targeting kingfish this month focus your efforts on the areas of 8A Reef, Pelican Flats and Bethel Shoals to the south for best results. Also, look for cobia and amberjack to be present on the inshore wrecks like the Carol Lee, Dutch, and Sub Wreck out of Port Canaveral. Additionally, live bait is tough to find this time of year, so always carry a box of frozen Spanish sardines with you as backup.

Near-shore, tripletail concentrations should improve along the Port Canaveral buoy line and under floating weeds and structures, and cobia will move in shadowing manta rays if the surface water temperatures reach the upper sixties. Now is also the time for beach anglers to target pompano, bluefish, weakfish, small black drum, sheepshead, Spanish mackerel and whiting in the surf.

On those windy days in February it is a great time to check out those freshwater fishing holes on the St Johns River. Currently, the American shad run has yet to materialize with only sporadic catches being reported. The shad run has yet to kick off this year, but my best fishing last year was on the 15th of February, so it’s too soon to judge the magnitude of the run this year. This past week, the best reports of shad came from the Marina Isles to Mullet Lake section of the St. Johns River, as well as a good number shad being taken north of Lake Harney. As the run progresses the shad should be moving into the shallows flats south of Hwy 46, so if you haven’t signed up for the Shad Derby yet, there is still plenty of time left.

Also, be sure to check out the new Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando in print and online for free at www.coastalanglermagazine.com.

Good Luck and Good Fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn