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 | Mosquito Lagoon/NIRL
02/27/07 2:27 PM
Capt Pat Murphy | Feburary has been very challenging as far as getting days when the weather cooperated. We were still able to find reds in the northern section of the river as well as in the protected areas of the Mosquito Lagoon .Early morning top water action is great in the low light conditions and we are landing some very nice trout to 7 lbs . After the sun comes out a bit we are switching to soft plastic jerk baits like the Riptide Flats Chub rigged weedlessly on Mustad power lock plus hooks.Effective colorsfor the trout have been Cajun Croaker and Gold Apricot. The redfish are being a bit more selective and smaller baits are more effective this time of the year. The Culprit "Great Lakes Goby" is a mud minnow immitation and whan rigged on a 2/0 hook weedless is very hard to beat. This is a 4 inch bait and has a subtle entrance into the water making the presentation less distracting. The most effective color has been the "baby goby".
One of the great things about the area is the diverse opportunities at catching a wide variety of fish. We had shots at Gag Grouper on the flats and tripletail in the Mosquito Lagoon these fish are not everyday occourances and always a welcoming sight for any angler.
The Trophy Redfish are here and we have landed several to 36 lbs with most averaging around 18 to 28 lbs. Most have come on live bait, select shrimp and cut crabs, however we did land a few on soft plastic crabs. This is the highlight of the spring inshore fishery and will only get better as the water temp warms and the bait pods start to show.
The fly fishing was hit or miss on most days with winds blowing hard after the first few hours of daylight. We did however land a good amount of fish , most middle slot to upper slot.effective patterns have been crab and shrimp with weed guards. Longer leaders 12 ft have been the key to these wary fish the past month as the fly line has spooked its share of fish. For the deeper water I like the intermediate clear lines as they will virtually disapear in the water and allow the use of a shorter,standard 7-9 ft leader.Surface poppers like the crease fly accounted for some nice trout to 5 lbs recently and has been an effective pattern for the trout. Most of the trout have been in very shallow water after the sun has risen high in the sky.
Nearshore action was productive when the weather allowed it to happen on several trips with tripletail showing in grass patches, the cobia are still hanging on the nearshore wrecks and and several have been found on free swimming rays in 40-60 feet south of the port. The biggest concentration, however has been south of Sebastian this past month. Look for them to migrate closer into the area as soon as this week with the upcomming warmer weather pattern.Jigs and plastic 4" crabs will get the attention of the Cobia, and a live eel will not be refused.
March will bring warmer water temps on the flats which will increase the activity of reds and trout as they will become more aggressive and receptive to the bite.The cobia will start to shadow rays and become more accessable to the nearshore waters as the month progresses, I look for it to be in full swing by the middle of the month. Days of spotting rays and turtles are enough to get my blood boiling, the excitment of sight casting to 20-60lb cobes on light tackle can be one of the most rewarding trips for any angler. The window of this fishery is small and days are filling up fast, so don't miss out.
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