http://www.centralfloridafishingreport.com/FishingInfo/30.html Central East Region information from Central Florida Fishing Report. en-us 2013 Central Florida Fishing Report info@cflfr.com webmaster@cflfr.com Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:46:51 -0400 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:46:51 -0400 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region PHP Version 4.3.10 (Linux; Apache/1.3.29) http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.centralfloridafishingreport.com/images/CFLFRLogoTransWhite.gif Central East Region information from Central Florida Fishing Report. Inshore: Looks like the weather is clearing and the sun is shining on the Treasure Coast this week. We have a lot of rainy days behind us and the plants are happy and blooming around the area. We should be in the normal weather pattern of beautiful morning and a chance of rain in the afternoons. The water clarity has been very good in spite of all the winds and rain. June will provide anglers with some fantastic weather and excellent fishing action. Have fun this month and get out fishing! We had a fun week on the river renewing friendships with some returning clients and making friends with some new customers. Jim, Tom and John were back out to enjoy a days fishing. The highlight of the day was the couple times that Jim seemed to lose his popping cork under the docks only to find that he had been taken by a redfish while he wasn't paying attention. It kept us laughing throughout the morning. Tim and Greg were back out for another day of fishing and found a good variety of fish to cooperate, including trout, blues and jacks. Kibby and Sandy had a fun morning with trout, jacks, blues and a very nice flounder. Steve was out with sons, Greg and Griff, on a windy day. Greg hooked all the big fish for the day filled with a good variety of species. Dave and Cody back out with me again on another windy day that provided lots of fish and it was topped off by a four foot bonnet head shark that Dave fought on light tackle for a while. Cody graduates this year and will be off to college. Best of luck to you Cody! We had lots of fun and smiles this week on the Indian River. Trout have been in three to five feet of water for us this week. DOA shrimp or live bait work great on the trout. Don't forget to try the new DOA Airhead as either a top water or slow sinking bait on the flats. Trout seem to love them! Most of our redfish have been around the docks recently. It's been harder to find a day to enjoy the docks with all the recent winds, but that has slowed down and this week should allow anglers to enjoy the west side of the river. Keep on the lookout for schools of redfish in June. It's that time of year for them to gather up and move around the flats of the river. There have been some good sized jacks and bluefish patrolling the docks lately and we have chased our share of them. Just ask Jim, Tom and John about it! Snook season is over and fewer anglers will be targeting them around the area. There is still good opportunities for catch and release throughout the summer around the jetties, bridges and docks of the river. You can find plenty of snapper around the area right now. Many keeper sized mangroves are just about everywhere in the river this time of year. You will find plenty of anglers fishing the channel edges, docks and bridges this month for snapper. Most will be using live or dead shrimp for the bait of choice. Bridges will also hold some sheepshead for those anglers. The surf will provide whiting, jacks and some bluefish. June is a wonderful month to fish the Treasure Coast! Remember, as always, fishing is not just another hobby……it’s an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing, Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:39:42 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The dolphin are biting!! Mahi-mahi dolphin are being caught in 100-200 feet of water, on and just outside the Fort Lauderdale reef. Today and yesterday were both good days for catching these delectable gamefish. We started out catching some fresh ballyhoo by tying up the mooring buoys and chumming them up. When we had the ballyhoo chummed up well enough, we threw the net on them. One net throw is enough for the whole day. We went out to 100ft of water and started slow trolling the ballyhoos out of the outriggers. Live ballyhoo drag well if you go slow and bump the boat in and out of gear. This is a great way to catch sailfish, mahi-mahi and blackfin tuna. It took about 45 minutes before we got our first bite. We got a double header dolphin on the line and caught them both. Put the baits out again and only a few minutes went by before we caught 2 more. We also had a downrigger down with a live speedo mackerel as bait. The wahoo hit the downrigger bait like a freight train. He smoked the drag off the reel with 2 long runs. After that he was spent and we fought him up in 15 minutes. We ended the trip with 8 mahi-mahi and a nice wahoo. We also missed a sailfish. Dang it, the sailfish would have been awesome. Dolphin are biting good in Ft Lauderdale on our fishing charters for several days now. May and June are great months for dolphin fishing, so get out there if you can do some fishing. Below is a picture of yesterday’s catch, another good dolphin fishing charter in Ft Lauderdale. Tight Lines, Capt. Andy Roydhouse 754-214-7863 FishHeadquarters.com fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:39:24 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR June Fishing Forecast Summer has arrived and you can bet on hot afternoons and lots of great fishing action around the Treasure Coast during June. The mornings will be calm and it is certainly to your benefit to get out early to beat the afternoon heat. Being on the water at first light is worth the effort to watch the sun rise. Expect a chance of afternoon thunderstorms each day…we can always use some rain around the area this time of year! Watch the weather each afternoon out there. It’s a fantastic month to fish. Inshore will provide lots of redfish, snook and trout action on the flats. Get those top water lures cleaned up and plan an early morning to get some of that explosive action in the shallows. Try the new DOA Airhead for great top water action. Switch to DOA shrimp or a CAL jerk bait as the sun warms up to continue your success. Watch for bait schools on the flats and you can be assured there are fish nearby. You can expect the fish to be feeding shallow early and move to the edges of the flats as the sun rises. Look for sand holes on the flats! Fish are traditionally lazy and love to sit in a sand hole and wait for the tide to bring the food for them to ambush. You should be able to find plenty of redfish around the shallows. The population this year has been outstanding and they have been growing all spring. Redfish schools will be feeding on the flats, so be on the lookout for them. Most will be slot size to just over the slot. I love using a DOA shrimp or CAL paddle tails while fishing for reds. Try along the mangroves as well. Lots of fish will move under the mangroves as the sun heats up for the day. Trout will be on the grassy flats and feeding on the same food out there. Move out to three to five feet of water as the day heats up to continue your action. A Deadly Combo can provide inexperienced anglers with lots of fun learning to fish artificials. Don’t forget to fish the docks around the river. Lots of big fish will be hanging around many of the docks along the Indian River. Live bait, TerrorEyz and DOA shrimp can find some exciting action in June. Harbor Branch, Queens Cove and Bear Point will all be hot spots for action all summer. Snook will provide plenty of action around the bridges and jetties this month. Snook season closed on May 31 and won’t open again until fall. Night anglers will be heading to the jetties for catch and release snook and maybe some tarpon action. Top water lures, feather jigs, TerrorEyz and Bait Busters can all get you in on some fantastic action. Handle the snook carefully and release them quickly and safely so that they will be there this fall. Jacks will also be hanging around the inlets and give you some rod bending activity. Make sure you take plenty of water with you. It will be hot out there. Drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself hydrated and reduce the risk of heat stroke. Slather on lots of sunscreen! Sunburn isn’t a good feeling at the end of the good day of fishing. A little common sense and a few minutes can a big difference. Make that part of preparations for your adventures on the water. It will just make a great day even better! Remember, as always, fishing is not just another hobby……it’s an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing, Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Fishing with Captain Charlie this week fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:39:08 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: We have enjoyed some fantastic weather along the Treasure Coast this week. After dodging rain storms for last week, it was nice to see the sun shining bright across the water. Mild temperatures and light winds have made for some great fishing weather for anglers and the fish have cooperated for us this week. Looks like this will continue for a while, so it's time to enjoy some fun, sun and fishing! Sea trout continue to be one of our best bites. We continue to find some big trout on the flats up to the 30" range. Top water, DOA shrimp or live bait can help you get hooked up on a big gator trout this month. Don was back out again this week trying to top his 30" trout from last week. He came close with a 28" gator and a few other in the 20" range. Try flats that are two to four feet in depth that have plenty of sand holes scattered around. We have released all our big trout this week. Our redfish bite picked up the first part of the week. John and Carl boated seven redfish up to 24" on their fishing adventure. All came from under the docks or mangroves this week. Our best bite has been on the outgoing tides lately. The bluefish and jacks invaded the river in numbers this week. Francis and Brenda found lots of them on the flats and around the docks this week. It makes it hard to trout fish when these hungry fish are in the area. You can find jacks and bluefish from the inlets to just about anywhere on the river. There are lots of snapper around the river right now. Some of them have been nice sized fish. It's that time of year to enjoy the top water fishing. Try the new Airhead from DOA as a top water or slow sinking lure. Bridges and docks continue to hold some sheepshead and snapper. Look for whiting, bluefish and jacks in the surf. It has been tough on the beach lately, but things should calm down soon. Take plenty of fluids with you this time of year. When the winds are light, it can get warm fast on the water. Use lots of sunscreen as well. Calmer water can really reflect that sun and give you a nasty burn if you aren't ready for it. May is one of my favorite months. Have fun on the water this month and enjoy the fishing! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 24 May 2013 23:12:34 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR This may has started off a little on the strange side with a couple of cold fronts moving through along with about four days of hard rain to top it off. Before all the crazy weather the fish seemed be moving into their summer time pattern but now they have been thrown for a loop with a large amount of water in the Lagoon system. I am still finding good numbers of red fish just not balled up tight look in the areas that have recently not had water or very little and you should do pretty well. I have been catching them on top water,Aqua Dream spoons and Bass Assassin soft plastics along with live and cut bait. We have also had great numbers of trout being caught in the four to six pound range with some in the ten and eleven pound ranges to. Most of the trout may be a little shy in weight now due to them spawning earlier in the month but there are still some nice ones out there to be caught. A top water,twitch bait,or soft plastic will do the job and you can never go wrong with a live finger mullet. Speaking of mullet look for the large schools hanging around the bars and drop offs and that is where you will find your trout. I have also had some reports of some nice snook being caught in the Edgewater and New Smyrna Bch area which is great news considering the freeze we had a few years back hurt them pretty bad. Good Luck and be Safe. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 24 May 2013 23:11:32 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The fishing this week in Fort Lauderdale is great. A lot of action on the reefs and wrecks. Today, we went snapper fishing for a few hours and caught a whole bunch of red snappers. We caught all of these fish in 350ft of water, deep dropping with chicken rigs baited with squid and chunks of bonito. We were pulling them up 3-5 at a time. The snappers were ‘snappin’ as they say. Good fishing on the wrecks for big game too. The amberjacks are all over the wrecks and biting ferociously. This is the season when the big amberjacks come through and inhabit the wrecks. They are big too, some of them 40-60 pounds. Live baiting around the wrecks is all but a sure thing for a big amberjack bite. Tight Lines, Capt. Andy Roydhouse 754-214-7863 FishHeadquarters.com fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 24 May 2013 23:11:22 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: We enjoyed some great fishing action this week in spite of lots of rainy weather throughout the Treasure Coast. Dodging rain systems became a norm most of this week. We have certainly entered the rainy season! Watch the weather out there and plan your trips around the conditions. The fishing has been super for us this week as long as you can work around the weather patterns. I had the pleasure of volunteering again for the Treasure Coast Casters this past week. It was their year end fish off for the top ten anglers from the middle and high school divisions. Dylora Kohler was on my boat for the tournament. Now Dylora was determined to catch some fish that morning and she did just that. I lost track of all the fish she landed, but she checked in a redfish, two trout, two snapper and a bluefish for the tournament and won the Treasure Coast Caster of the Year for 2013. Dylora was the first female to win the coveted title and her smiles that day told the story. Congratulations Dylora! Check out the Treasure Coast Casters at http://www.treasurecoastcasters.org/ if you have children who love to fish or are interested in volunteering. I had some excellent anglers on the boat this week and they caught a lot of nice fish. Dan and Cody caught trout, snapper and jacks on their fishing adventure. Tim and Greg landed some nice trout, bluefish and jacks on a windy, rainy day on the river. Ken, Dennis and Nichole enjoyed trout, snapper, bluefish, sheepshead and other species to make their day a fun experience. It was a fun and exciting week for us all! We continue to catch trout up to 28" on the grass flats from Harbor Branch to Bear Point in Fort Pierce. Try CAL jerk baits, Deadly Combos or live bait for trout on the flats. It's the time of year for the big trout in this area and most anglers have not been disappointed! Our redfish catches have been mostly from around the docks of the river. DOA shrimp or live bait can help find one for you around on of the hundreds of docks in the area. Most of the snook fishing has been around the bridges and jetties. Snook season closes May 31st, so you have a few days left to try for that slot fish. There are lots of mangrove snapper in the river now. Most that my anglers have caught are in the 12" to 15" range and are very tasty table fare. Channel edges, docks and structure are the best places to target some nice fish if you are looking for dinner. We are still catching some sheepshead around the docks. They have thinned out now, but there are still some keeper fish to be had. Live or dead shrimp are the bait of choice by most anglers for snapper and sheepshead. You can find plenty of bluefish, jacks and ladyfish all over the river to keep your rods bending. It's a great time of year to enjoy the fishing! Bridges can produce snapper and sheepshead and the surf will hold whiting, bluefish and jacks. May is almost over and it has been a fantastic month for fishing. Plan to get out and enjoy the fishing soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Fishing this week with Captain Charlie.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 24 May 2013 23:10:59 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR There is a lot of activity fishing the Fort Lauderdale waters this week. Sharks, sailfish, blackfin tuna and mahi-mahi are all biting on the outside edge of the reef. Wrecks are also loaded up with good fish. Today, we had some folks that wanted to go out and do some bottom fishing and get some fish they could take home to cook up. So we went out and did some deep dropping around the 250-350ft shipwrecks. The fish were biting. We caught about 20 vermillion snappers, a couple jacks that we threw back and a couple nice size snowy groupers. It was a good action trip. Sportfishing and drift fishing trips are both coming in with good catches this week. May is always a good month for fishing and this May is no exception. For the next month or so, we should have the best fishing Fort Lauderdale has to offer, no matter what type of fish you’re after. Let’s get out there and do some fishing while the fishing is good. Tight Lines, Capt. Andy Roydhouse 754-214-7863 www.FishHeadquarters.com fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 10 May 2013 12:05:50 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Drift fishing is going good this week. A lot of action on the reef catching kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tunas, snappers and grouper. The action always gets better for us this time of year. There are schools of baitfish on the reefs and all around the wrecks right now, making plenty of food for bigger game fish to congregate. Schools of blackfin tuna are patrolling the reef. Several big blackfins and many small to medium ones are being caught drift fishing in 100-200ft of water. A few sailfish are here and there as well, more than a few were caught this week. The kingfish bite is hit or miss. On some days they bite good and we catch a bunch of them. Other days, we can’t get a kingfish to save our lives. Fortunately, if the kingfish aren’t biting, snappers and groupers on the bottom give us some good action. Bonitos are beginning to show up for their big summer migration. Just a few to start, but in a month or so, large schools of them will be biting. This morning’s drift fishing trip aboard the Catch My Drift was decent action. We had 17 anglers on the boat and caught a sailfish (biggest fish of the day), 6 bonitos, a 20 pound kingfish, and about a dozen yellowtail snappers. Capt Dale, our night fishing captain is reporting some very large mangrove snappers biting at night as well as a few big mutton snappers. He says that the yellowtail bite is off and on, some nights really good and then some slow nights on the tails. Grouper season just opened up and some red groupers are biting on both the day and the night trips. We can finally keep them again. We’re cathcing not more than 1 or 2 on a trip, but they are biting some. We’re getting into the season when the drift fishing boats really shine and a lot of fish are caught. Good luck fishing this week everyone. Tight Lines, Capt. Andy Roydhouse 754-214-7863 FishHeadquarters.com fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 10 May 2013 12:05:21 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Summer 2013 is knocking on the door, water temperatures on the rise, subtropical baitfish and birds such as the beautiful pink Rosette Spoonbill have come back from the south. Big schools of mullet have returned to the flats of Mosquito Lagoon Florida, afternoon rain showers are beginning, live bait pigfish are getting big enough to be caught in nets, all these signs say summer fishing patterns have arrived. We will be prowling the pristine healthy grass flats on the hunt for Redfish and Seatrout, at times using the mullet schools to point the way to shallow water game fish which hang with the baitfish because of food such as shrimp and baby crabs disturbed from their hiding spots by the rooting mullet digging algae from the grass. Also searching grass edges and mixed bottom which are favorite under water locations for lagoon fish. New client Chris came all the way from Colorado to fish with me for 2 mornings last week, he was rewarded with great fun fishing trips, all catch and release for the traveling angler, here he is with a fantastic 28” Seatrout, and Chris with his largest Redfish at 30” of the 6 he caught on his visit, also catching uncountable fun Ladyfish and Jack Crevalle on the mixed bag backcountry part of his charters. Just a few mornings ago, regular clients Dr. Ray and son Jeff from Ohio came on a flats fishing charter, Jeff with his biggest ever Seatrout at 25”, and Dr Ray with his biggest Redfish of 30” weighing about 10 lbs, plus catching a few more Reds on their trip, I love helping my clients catching some of their best fish, and taking the pictures for them to remember forever. Manatees are back in force as usual for summer around here on the Florida Indian River, as we see them and Dolphins up close and personal on just about every trip out, along with great bird watching on every trip as a plus while we are busy chasing fish. Summer is a great time for my Backcountry Mixed Bag trips also for a much easier kind of sure thing catching, about 10 different species of fish most trips, most being Trout, Jack Crevalle, and Ladyfish, and always several other surprise species caught. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, SPACE COAST, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Backcountry Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Inland Fishing, also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 10 May 2013 12:01:25 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: May begins with lots of rainy days and some super fishing on the Treasure Coast. Mornings have been nice most days, but by noon you can look for rain and thunderstorms to be building around the area. Plan your trips safely and keep an eye on the sky. Water temperatures are in the mid 70's. The fish have been hungry and we have found some big fish around the Indian River in Fort Pierce this past week. Winds have tapered down somewhat most days lately as we continue the transition into the summer weather patterns. The main channel between the bridges in Fort Pierce is now open to the 30 mph speed limit. Sea trout have been our best bite this week. Not a lot of small trout on our catch list, but some big trout. Most have been over 20 inches with some at 30 - 31 inches. Tim Freeman was back down this year with Paul to enjoy a couple days on the river. He topped his best trout from last years 29 incher with a fat 31 inch trout. He caught this years in the exact place that he landed last years trout. Mark Amorello and I enjoyed a morning on the water and he boated a 31" trout to top off his day. Don Foreman boated two slab-o-trout on his adventure that measured 29 and 30 inches. Captain Joe Ward and I managed to sneak away for an afternoon trip and boated three trout well over 20 inches. All the biggest trout were released to continue to populate the fishery. Look for sand bars or flats that have plenty of sand holes scattered across the area. The big trout will sit in those spots waiting for a meal. Top water or DOA Airheads in early morning works great this time of year and switch to DOA shrimp, Deadly Combos or live baits in two to five feet of water. It's a great time of year! We continue to find some redfish under the mangroves. Most have been in the upper slot sizes. Try a gold spoon, DOA shrimp or live bait along the mangroves in two to four feet of water. May is always a good redfish month so keep fishing the flats as they become more active in shallow water. Our snook fishing has been best around docks and mangroves. We continue to get broke off by some slobs, but that's part of fishing those areas. You will continue to find more activity around these areas now that the water has warmed up in the river. Snook season will close at the end of May, so you have plenty of time to catch that slot fish. Bridges and docks have held sheepshead, snapper and some black drum. The inlet has been holding bluefish, jacks and mackerel around the jetties. Beaches are yielding whiting, bluefish and jacks. Grouper season opened May 1st and you will see many anglers trolling along channel edges for a chance at a keeper fish. Ladyfish, jacks and bluefish have been plentiful around the river. It's a fantastic month to enjoy some fishing so plan a trip out soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:40 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Redfish Pounding Bait Fishing has been ONNNNN fire for the most part with only one day not as good due to a low coming through. The water level in the mosquito lagoon has raised a bit spreading the playing field giving you more options. We have been covering ground with shrimp hooked Capt. Joe style casting to redfish and trout in the white holes on the grass flats. Big schools of redfish are still happy to take anything you toss at them when they are ready to eat. Over slot reds have been in good numbers on the deeper edges of the shallow flats cruising, sucking up pinfish, crabs and mullet. Most of the trout we took this week were legal size and the largest was 7+ #s. He was escorting a school of redfish around the flats and waiting for something to scurry out for him to eat. The smaller trout are in greater numbers in the deep holes but the bigger fish are on the flats. Bounce a Gulp shrimp hooked on a ¼ oz jig head. Or you can use a clicker cork rig if you are working the deeper grass flats. A few flounder should be caught using the jig bouncing as well. We caught a few ladyfish in the mix this week letting you know summer is almost here. Big black drum can be caught in many river locations using a blue crab soaking on the bottom. I don’t fish for these as much as I used to but they are a lot of fun when I take someone that has never caught a slob before. Also in the river you can catch some nice snook, trout, redfish and many other species that live and feed there. A dock is an inshore artificial reef that has snapper, grouper, sea bass, flounder etc. living under it. Bounce a jig under one and you will be surprised what you will catch. Practice your casting before you do this because you will lose lots of jigs and fish if you don’t. I up my gear a little while dock fishing so I can pull a critter out from under it when I hook up. I use 30# spider wire with 30/40# fluorocarbon leader is what I like to use. If I get rocked I can grab the line and straighten the hook so I don’t leave junk in the water. Remember! Think like a fish to catch fish. Or just call me. 386 314 5656 Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:38:52 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR It looks like the rainy season has set in on the Treasure Coast. We have had lots of showers around the area lately and the plants are turning green again. Look for chances of afternoon rains now and watch the weather out on the water. We dodged a lot of rain clouds recently, but haven't gotten too wet yet. The winds are still blowing most days and that can affect your fishing more than wet weather. We have had lots of good fishing in spite of conditions. Redfish and sea trout have been our best bite most days. Look for big trout to be holding in sand holes on the grass flats. Working Deadly Combos, DOa shrimp, live pilchards and top water lures can help find some of the big gals on the flats. We have been fishing two to five feet of water this past week. Our redfish have been under the mangroves most days. They usually hold under the trees so you have to get your lures under them to find a bite. CAL paddle tails are an excellent choice for artificial lures under the mangroves. With all the recent rains, try the drain pipes along the mangroves when the water is moving. There are lots of juvenile snook around the mangroves righ now as well. You can also find some big bluefish around the area as well as jacks and ladyfish. I don't recall seeing so many snapper around the river. There are lots of keeper size, but lots more small ones. The surf has been tough to fish lately, but when you can get out on the beach look for whiting to be the best catch. Bridges have held sheepshead, snapper and a few black drum. The jetties has had a pretty good snook bite on the high ends of the tides with live baits. I had a lot of great anglers on the boat the past week. John and Jim were back out with me and caught a nice redfish and a couple big trout on a super windy day. Brad, Evdakiya and little Adam braved the winds to find a variety of fish biting for them. Rick and Ernie caught some nice sea trout. Marcia and Don boated a nice variety of fish as well. Pam and Jerry had a fun day that included snook and other species on their trip. JoAnn, Doug, Debbie and John all caught big trout on an exciting flats adventure. Ben was out with his sons, Cooper and Will, on a day that was not only beautiful, but exciting for the boys. Cooper hooked up on a couple big bluefish that had him and Will working as a team to get them to the boat. Lots of smiles and laughter for us this past week! Expect more winds and rain as April comes to a close. May will find more chances for afternoon storms and the winds will slowly die down to our summer weather pattern. Fishing will continue to improve and May will provide lots of exciting days on the water. Have fun out there! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:38:41 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: We had a fantastic week on the water with great weather and hungry fish around the river. It is still windy most days, but very fishable and lots of places to hide from the worst of it. Expect this type conditions for most of April as we transition into summer patterns and less windy days. Water temperatures have been in the mid 70's and the fish have been feeding on the flats. It was a fun week on the water! I met lots of great anglers this past week, but Bonnie and Brice had the best day of all. Bonnie wanted to catch a trout and boated a fat 29" one on the shallow flats early in the day. She also wanted to catch a redfish, which she and Brice boated 9 up to 25" around the mangroves for a fun day on the river. Cindy, Leanne and Rhonda were a blast to have on the boat. The guys were talking smack from the other boat to them, but the ladies held their own. Leanne topped off the day with a fat trout. Fred wanted to catch a redfish and boated three that morning. Greg landed three slot reds on his afternoon trip with me. Collin and Dean were out with mom and day for lots of fishing action. Dean boated a nice 20" sea trout, but was topped by mom's. Erin, 25" redfish to end a beautiful day on the Indian River. Every trip ended up with lots of smiles this week. There has been a good variety of fish for us to enjoy with the bite continually improving each week. The trout bite was probably the slowest for us this week, but every trout we caught were slot or better fish. With warmer water, you can find them in shallow water at first light, moving to two to five feet as the sun gets higher. Top water, Deadly Combos, DOA shrimp or live bait are good ways to fish for trout this month. Redfish can be found around docks, mangroves and drop offs on the sand bars. Most of our fish have been around the mangroves. CAL grub tails, DOA shrimp or live bait can all help find you a slot fish. Snook fishing around the jetties has been good on the high ends of the tides. Most are using live baits out there. We continue to get snook up to 24" around the mangroves which means a good population of big fish are growing out there. Sheepshead and drum fishing is slowing down now as the bigger fish are heading out of the river. You can still find nice size ones, but it is slowing. Snapper fishing is improving for us. We have had a number of 12" to 14" mangroves lately around docks and mangroves and lots of undersize muttons everywhere. Jacks and ladyfish continue to haunt the river April is proving to be another good fishing month on the Treasure Coast. The surf has been slow due to the steady easterly winds most days. Not as many anglers are braving the conditions to get out on the beach. The inlet has mackerel, bluefish, jacks and ladyfish coming in with the tides. I think I can finally pack away those sweat suits and long johns for another year. It's nice to have 80 degree weather again! Time to get out and enjoy some good fishing action! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:17:54 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR It seems as though summer has arrived it's almost like spring never showed up this year. Well with that being said the water temps have risen into the low 70'S and the bait has started to show up in large numbers through out the Lagoon. The redfish and trout bite has been great with not only quanity being caught but also quality. There is still large schools of redfish through out the lagoon system as the water is warming look for them to move up on the shallow grass flats. I have been catching them on many different baits from Aqua Dream spoons to Bass Assassin soft plastics. For live bait finger mullet, pin fish,and shrimp have all been a go to bait. The trout bite has also been really good with numbers of 3lb to 7lb fish being caught. If artificial is you choice of weapon then top water plugs thrown along the grass edges is a good choice for the larger trout nothing beats a live finger mullet free lined in the bait pods. I have started to see some schools of jacks moving in the northern lagoon which always make for a fun fight I like to throw spoons and twitch baits and also a top water for a nice explosion. Good Luck and be safe. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:17:27 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR After a very mild mid winter, March arrived with chilly winter conditions in east central Florida, dropping water temps back into the upper 50’s for much of the month. Spring time is great for backcountry mixed bag fishing, returning from south Florida are the schools of inshore migrating gamefish eager to feed as they make their way north on an annual trip from winter haunts, following the rising water temperature change and ending up by summer as far north as the Outer Banks NC area. Joining our resident backcountry Spotted Seatrout, Redfish, Sheepshead, and Black Drum will be larger numbers of Jack Crevalle, Bluefish, and Ladyfish making for lots of fun rod bending. Light tackle free line fishing with live shrimp and soft plastic DOA lures are my main technique for fast action. Samantha pictured with a good Seatrout while on her family’s mixed bag trip with me. Mosquito Lagoon grass flats are our location of choice for hunting Redfish, now in a transition between winter and summer pattern for Reds, schools will be breaking up into smaller groups and some single fish as the water warms now that April has arrived. Larger amounts of bait fish also returning from the south will be targets of our attention as Reds and Trout have a habit of shadowing mullet on the grass flats as the baitfish root in the grass for algae, thus displacing shrimp, minnows and other easy pickings for the shallow water game fish. Local clients Derrick and daughter Katlin pictured, were with me recently on a chilly March morning hunting the flats catching a few good Reds and also a couple quality Trout. We have great wildlife viewing during every trip here on the Florida Indian River, with Dolphins up close and personal, Manatee sightings on most trips, not uncommon to see a Bald Eagle soaring above, and a large variety of wading birds and Osprey every day. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, SPACE COAST, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Inland Fishing, also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:47:28 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Treasure Coast Fishing Forecast - April 2013 As March blows out of the area, you can still plan on some windy days ahead in April. The transition into the summer pattern is well under way and soon the winds will die down and you can enjoy those calm days of summer once again. Expect the fishing to be especially good this April as the water temperatures have remained warmer this year and the fish have been active all winter. March was a little cooler, but the water is warming back up to suit the fish. As the river fills with bait schools, you can bet the fish are hungry and will be feeding heavily. Have fun! Redfish and trout will be active around the flats. They will be shallow early and gradually move to the edges of the flats as the sun get higher in the sky. Look to areas like Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island for trout to be feeding on the flats. On a calm morning, break out the top water lures and switch to jerk baits, like a DOA CAL 4” Arkansas Glow or Watermelon. Shallow running Mirrolures will also entice the trout into biting. Don’t forget to use the Deadly Combo or new Airhead for more exciting trout action on the grass flats. There has been a lot of redfish activity throughout March and it should make April a fantastic month. Redfish can be found on sandy flats around the docks or try the Moorings and Bear Point for a chance at a nice size red. DOA shrimp or CAL grub tails in root beer or glow colors are great ways to find a redfish along with a trusty gold spoon. The snook season has many anglers out seeking that slot fish this year. The bite has been good around the inlets and will improve on the flats as well. Snook season will close May 1st so you have this month to find that slot fish. Docks will hold sheephead, jacks, redfish and many other species. I like either a DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz around docks. Fish them slowly to keep them under the dock as long as possible. Drop a live shrimp or pinfish under a dock as well for a great chance at hooking up. There are many great areas to fish so plan on getting some fishing in this month. Bridges will continue to hold sheephead, jacks, bluefish and some black drum. The big jacks will be invading the river this month. They are not great to eat, but provide a tough battle on light tackle. Ladyfish will be all over the river and keep the kids smiling. The inlet will continue to hold bluefish, jacks and mackerel. While April might be a little windy, it is a great month to fish the Indian River. April is the first month that fish can enjoy all the many baitfish schools and they will be feeding heavily on the schools around the flats. The water has already been warming up and you can see the changes in the bite already. Early morning can bring lots of good results this time of year. It was a mild winter this year and the fish are anxious to enjoy some warmer weather…..and so are we! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Enjoying the fishing this week with Captain Charlie fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:15:43 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Tampa fishing charters report a www.captainmatt.com Hello from Anna Maria Island. Spring fishing Started off great then we had a few fronts to deal with, but we manned up fished through all of them and still had great fishing. Despite recovering water temperatures the fishing remains strong. Yesterday I cleaned fish for an hour we had a limit of flounder, a limit of redfish, several trout, and a few mackerel for 4 guys. We hammered the fish. Today we started off offshore and caught grouper, snapper, flounder and false albacore. Then we came inside for the second half of the day and destroyed the snook. We caught better than 30 in two hour the largest about 34 inches. The inshore fishing for Redfish has been very good. I have had them chummed up a few days this week where it was as fast you could get a line in the water. Most all of the reds have been between 22 and 27 inches. The trout fishing has been much the same. We destroyed the trout this past week. On my better days we had trouble catching fish under 22 inches and the biggest where just shy of 27 inches. One couple on my boat both landed trout over 26 inches those are really nice trout. I swear 2 days about we had a trout on that was over 30 inches it would have been the biggest trout I have caught in years. The trout fishing definitely has a bright future. The snook fishing lagged a bit on these strong cold fronts, but it only took on hot day to spur the action. The snook fishing should be very good from here on out. When I left the flats today the water temperature was almost 73 degrees in 3 feet of water. Tampa bay fishing charters report at www.captainmatt.com The offshore fishing has been good as well. The grouper fishing will be awesome when they open the season. We have been catching a lot of nice gag between 26 and 30 inches and plenty of nice keeper size reds as well. The flounder fishing has been tremendous. It’s all you want getting a limit has been a walk in the park which in nice when the grouper are out of season. We have also been picking some mackerel and hard fighting false albacore. I also just got a report that the kings where biting today which is really exciting news. Hopefully we will see some permit soon too. Well I hope you enjoyed my report. I still have a few peak tarpon dates available if anyone is interested in doing battle. See you on the water. Capt Matt Tampa bay fishing report at www.captainmatt.com Capt Matt Ercoli 941 447 9888 anna maria island fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:20:58 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR While spring is still on its way, March continues to roar like a lion most days for us. Every time I think we have had our last cold front....another comes our way. It can't last forever! Even with the windy days, we have continued to have good catches along the river while hanging close to the mangroves and sea walls. We have enjoyed one or two days each week without the prevailing winds chasing us. It has been fun, but can get a little choppy around the area. Once the water temperatures warm back up after the cold fronts blow through, we have enjoyed catching redfish around the mangroves on DOA shrimp and live baits. Duncan Haley was out with me this past week and we boated three slot reds from under the mangroves. Bob Altieri and Dave were back in Florida and enjoyed some great action on another windy day. They both boated a nice redfish among a host of species caught that day. Keith, Turner, Frank and Bob were also back in the area. Turner and Frank doubled up on a redfish and snook during a fun morning. Ron, Mike and Timberly were out with me on a beautiful morning and boated lots of sheepshead along with trout and pompano to round out their trip. Tom and Eric found a variety of fish around the river while fishing the flats and docks. Jim, Joy and Ian were visiting and we had a great afternoon trip that found assorted species biting, including redfish, trout, sheepshead and drum. It has been an exciting week on the Indian River. Water temperatures have been up and down lately. It has been in the low to mid 60's most of the time for us. We have found our redfish hanging under docks and mangroves and willing to take a DOA shrimp. Trout have been in three to five feet of water. CAL jerk baits work great on trout right now. Try the new Airhead lures from DOA. It's gonna be a great asset this Spring on the flats. Sheepshead and black drum have been around docks and under mangroves. We have found a few pompano around the river along with bluefish. We have been fishing south of Fort Pierce most days, but the recent gusty weather has pushed us back in the mangrove islands to the north of Fort Pierce. The water on the incoming tide has been dirty the past several days from all the winds. It has been difficult to fish in the surf most days. With a forecast for nice weather this coming weekend, the water will have time to clear up and warm back up to the upper sixties. It should be a fantastic weekend on the water! Dress in layers for a while longer. Some days you will find nearly a 40 degree change in temperatures on the water. We seem to end up with a pile of coats, sweatshirts and assorted warm clothes in the corner of the boat by noon each day. Sunscreen is essential this time of year with the wind and the sun wearing on you. It can't be much longer before it warms up to Spring weather! Have fun out there fishing. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:20:07 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The start to spring is upon us and with that brings warmer days and alot more bait scattering the flats. For the last couple of weeks we have had strong winds from the north pushing alot of the water out of the north Lagoon making it extremely shallow, along with the cooler water temps has pushed alot of the fish into schools. I have seen schools of redfish in the numbers of ten to a hundred and even more at times there is also some schools of black drum through out the lagoon system in the hundreds as well. With the cooler water temps the trout have also gathered up in the sand holes on the shallow grass flats. I have had success with many different artificals from jerk baits and other soft plastics to Auqa Dream Spoons. As far as live bait finger mullet,shrimp and cut bait has been all good go to baits.Hopefully soon we will be able to trade in the jackets and pants for board shorts and flip flops good luck and be safe. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:36:53 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR We are having an early Spring 2013 here on Mosquito Lagoon Florida. February’s water temperatures have been mostly in the mid to upper 60’s, with a few colder days mixed in. Spring things happening early include Manatee sightings, and Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, and Mullet coming up from the south. With the water still cool, most of the Redfish are still in schools, but many are broken up into smaller groups on the warmer days. Live finger mullet have been one of my best baits when available, also live shrimp, soft plastic DOA shrimp, jerk baits, and CAL jigs. Local clients Rick, son Ethan, and friend Mike had a great morning recently with small schools of Reds running along a beautiful Palm Tree lined shoreline with mirror like water, they caught and released 6 Reds up to the 29”er caught by young Ethan. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March2013EthanRed_zpsf6773b4b.jpg And a happy Mike with his 28” Redfish caught on a finger mullet from the small schools we could see cruising along this great “Old Florida” shoreline. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March2013RedMike_zps5b161bbf.jpg Backcountry mixed bag trips have also been great action with the early return of Jacks and Lady’s joining Seatrout, Sheepshead, Bluefish, a few Black Drum, and other saltwater fish, catching at least 10 or so species of saltwater fish on most mixed trips. Very fun easy fishing with light tackle and live shrimp baits. Wildlife viewing is constant all around our area, with Dolphins up close and personal and great bird life on every trip out. Here is Dave with a nice Trout while he and son Doug did an Edgewater mixed bag trip with me a couple weeks ago. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March2013DaveEdgeTrout_zps9236e9e9.jpg Quality size Seatrout also love the pristine grass flats of Mosquito Lagoon. Catching a couple of them not uncommon while hunting Redfish on the flats here in the National Park Refuge waters of the Lagoon. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March2013Trout_zps1d57418b.jpg MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, SPACE COAST, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March2013Red12_zpseff69372.jpg Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:33:03 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR South Indian River Fishing Forecast - March Inshore: March has arrived on the Treasure Coast and, traditionally, we can expect windy conditions along with some rain clouds. It might dictate where and when you can get on the water, but at least we aren't cutting holes in the ice to fish! Water temperatures will continue to rise and the fish will be actively feeding on the flats. Winter has been kinder to us this year and the fishing has been very good so far. Take advantage of the good days and get out fishing..... As the sun warms up the water again, look for fish to travel into the shallows to feed. Trout will continue to be most prevalent in the deeper grass flats in two to four feet of water. Those anglers using live shrimp on popping corks, Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and top water will have the best chance at hooking up with a trout. I like to fish the edges of the shallows where the water drops off to these depths. You can find some trout on the flats early, but they tend to go deeper after sunup. Depending on weather conditions, there are many areas to fish. Round Island, Bear Point and Harbor Branch are always popular to fish in March. Redfish will get more active this month and you can find some tailing on the flats in early mornings. Top water, DOA shrimp, CAL grub tails or gold spoons are good choices for finding a spot tail on the flats. Don't forget to fish around the mangroves also. So far this winter, there has continued to be a good redfish population around the river and the fishing has been fantastic for them. I tend to like the east side of the river for redfish, but you can find them on the west side also. Work your baits slowly along the bottom for best results. This makes the second winter to allow us to enjoy a terrific redfish bite around the docks and mangroves with nice sized slot fish. Learn to read the water so you don’t miss what is happening around you. Anglers will continue to target snook around the inlets, docks and bridges on the Treasure Coast. Live bait always works best, but feather jigs, TerrorEyz and BFL lures can also get you hooked up. Most of the action will be at night with best results on the high ends of the tides. As the water warms up around the area, the snook action will liven up also. Those fishing the flats can also find snook feeding early or late in the day. Fish the mangroves during the rest of the day. There has been a very good juvenile snook population on the flats this year. Top water, twitch baits, TerrorEyz or CAL jerk baits can do the trick in March on the flats. The pompano bite started slower this year. They have moved in the river now around Fort Pierce through Stuart and they should be in this area for a while. Whiting, Bluefish and pompano will be hanging around the beaches this month. The inlet will be holding Spanish mackerel, jacks and bluefish. Jack Crevalle and ladyfish continue to haunt the river and provide fun catch for all. Bridges should give up catches of sand perch, Sheephead and black drum on live or dead shrimp. Spring is just around the corner on the Treasure Coast. It won't be long! Take some time to check all your equipment now and be ready as the weather improves to get out on the water. Make sure your reels are in good working order. Check your rods for broken or cracked tips and guides. How old in that line?? Get ready now on some of these windy days ahead, so you will be ready to head out to the water soon! Have a great March in 2013! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:32:36 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The fishing has been great in the Indian River....Plenty of Trout around and some nice big Redfish!!. The creeks and canals in Cocoa Beach have been producing some great mixed bag fishing..We have caught Bluefish, Jacks, Snapper, Ladyfish, Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Trout, and even a nice Grouper on one trip. Bass Assassin Sea Shad in the Mullet color on a 1/4 oz jig head has been the go to bait for me and my clients. the weather is great and it is a wonderful time to go fishing in Central Florida. Capt. Rob D'Andrea www.orlando-fishingcharters.com HookedOnFishingCharters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:59:01 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Redfish Galore and More Fishing has been off the charts the past two months. Massive schools of redfish have been pushed off the flats and are aggressively chewing baits like they have been fasting for weeks. Bob and Rich Warner caught eight trout and many redfish up to 45 inches on a trip with me recently. I have been on the water every day last week and we had double and even triple hook ups every day. One of the reasons the reds are so schooled up is because the water had dropped out narrowing the playing field and concentrating the swimming space. When driven off the flats, they bunch up in massive schools because that is what they do from the time they are hatched. Safe in numbers! For the most part we have been tossing shrimp, hooked Capt. Joe style pinch the tail off and hook them in the tail. They stay on better this way and fly through the air better and they are already in their defense mode when you retrieve them. Above are the Warner brothers and a 45” redfish! Below: Capt. Joe displays an 8# trout! We are also taking a good number of trout up to eight pounds on the flats. The smaller trout are in greater numbers in the deep holes but the bigger fish are on the flats. The smaller fish cannot tolerate the cold water like the bigger fish can. And the osprey has a harder time carrying the bigger fish away if he dives on them. It is a great time to be on the water and catching many fish while it is so shallow. But you should not run your usual route because chances are you are tearing up the grass beds and leaving prop scars. Josiah with a 43” redfish! Some flounder are still around and your best bet is to cover ground bouncing a jig with a Gulp shrimp on it. We also caught triple tail this past week. Remember! Think like a fish to catch fish. Or just call me. 386 314 5656 Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:58:41 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The weather has been excellent here in Central East Fl with highs in the mid seventies and lows in the upper fifties and the fishing has not been to bad also with many double digit days. The Redfish have been in schools from five to hundred in some locations through out the the Lagoon and munching fairly well. I have been locating the majority of fish in the sand holes and holding on the shallow mud flats gathering the warmth from the bottom. I have been catching them on all kinds of different baits from Aqua Dream Spoons to Bassassasin shads and for live bait shrimp has been the go to bait. The Trout bite has been very good as well I have been targeting them in the sand holes early and then moving to the shallow grass flats as the sun gets a little higher. I have been catching some nice Trout on jerk baits and other soft plastics but for the larger Gators free lineling a live finger mullet is the way to go. The Flounder and Sheephead bite has also been good in the Edgewater and New Smyrna area I have found the best way to target both species at once is bounceing a live shrimp on a jig head slowly along the bottom. Good Luck and be safe ! Capt. Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:40:10 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Warm springlike weather continued to look down on the Treasure Coast for another week. It's been a little windy out there most days, but it is still very nice weather to get out fishing. The water temperatures warmed up to the high sixties and low seventies and the fish have been biting good most days. Look for similar weather in the near future with spring closing in on the area. Winds will be a part of the weather forecast each day this month. There are plenty of fishing spots to get out of the wind, so have fun and get out fishing! Redfish warmed back up to the water temperatures and we found a good bite most days this week. Our best day was with Ron, Mike and Timberly, when they boated six redfish and lost a few others. All are coming from both docks and mangroves. DOA shrimp or live bait has helped find some nice slot fish. We continue to catch the juvenile snook while fishing the mangroves. It great to see them come back from the freeze a few years ago. Nighttime anglers are landing some slot snook around the bridges and jetties on live bait, feather jigs and TerrorEyz. Trout have been on the flats in two to five feet of water. Kim Ann celebrated her birthday by boating the largest trout so far in 2013 at 30". DOA CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos are great this time of year for trout fishing. Howard and Jim found a good variety of fish to keep them busy on their trip. John, Kim Ann and Kid also found a nice variety of fish. Jay and JD had a good day in spite of windy conditions to make it challenging for us. Around the docks, channel edges and bridges, you can find sheepshead, black drum and some snapper. Bluefish and mackerel have been around the jetties and turning basin in Fort Pierce. Small shiny lures work best for the toothy critters. You can find pompano scattered around the river now. Doc's Goofy Jigs and Capt Joe's jigs are popular by the pompano fishermen. It's been a fun week on the river! I wanted to send a HELLO to the US Army Dust Off Medical Air Evacuation Unit stationed in Afghanistan, who are receiving the TCPalm You News papers to enjoy. We are proud of your service to our country and anxious to see you back home again. Thanks! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:40:00 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR February Fishing Forecast While winter is still around the Treasure Coast and weekly cold fronts will continue to bring cool nights and lots of windy days to the area, fishing will still be good out on the water. It has been a mild winter so far. Water temperatures can dictate where and how you might fish on any given day this month. The temps ranged in the 60’s and low 70’s in January this year. When the water is cold, fish the deeper cuts and drop offs of the river. Sunny days will bring fish up in shallower waters to feed and the bite can really get hot out on the flats. The trout bite picks up very nicely in February. 2012 proved to be the year of big trout in the Fort Pierce area. I anticipate that 2013 will be another big fish year around the area. CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos are exciting ways to trout fish with artificial lures, while live shrimp on popping corks are the ol’ standard way to trout fish out on the river. Redfish can be found in shallow flats around mangroves and islands. We had a fantastic winter bite in 2012 around the docks and mangroves for redfish. On warm sunny days, the reds will sit around the mangroves and soak up the sun. Finding some along the mangroves will bring some good rod bending action to anglers this month. DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits can find some hungry reds hugging the mangrove lines when fished very slowly. Docks are a great way to find plenty of fish waiting for something tasty to drift under them. Sheephead will be plentiful around the river and the larger fish will be coming into the river to breed. They showed up early this year and January has been a great month for them. Live or dead shrimp around bridges, docks and structure can provide lots of action in addition to some great tasting fish. Sand perch and croakers should also be hanging around the inlet and bridges during February. Pompano around the surf and on the deeper flats of the river can be taken on CAL grub tails, Doc’s Goofy Jigs and shrimp or clams. Bluefish, mackerel and jacks will continue to haunt the baitfish around the jetties and turning basin. Small, shiny lures will keep you busy. There should be some flounder around the back sides of the jetties and on sand flats around the inlet area. February is a transition month on the river. Winter has been much kinder this year on the Treasure Coast. We have enjoyed more normal winter weather and the fish bite has been good for us. Winds will still be blowing and the water will begin to gradually rise in temperature. Fishing your lures slowly will certainly give you more action on the river. Fish tend to be sluggish in the colder water. Working your lures or bait slower along the bottom will give the fish more time to react to it and will result in more bites for anglers. Have fun this month and get out fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:39:14 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The sight fishing in Mosquito Lagoon has been about as good as it can get in recent weeks. The weather has been generally warmer than usual which has made for some comfortable fishing conditions. To go along with the excellent weather, huge schools of redfish have been the norm. This week, we encountered schools so large you could not cast from one side of them to the other. A wonderful problem to have for a fisherman. Even on the slowest of days, we still have had shots at over 1,000 redfish per day. We have been catching the fish on both fly and soft plastics. When the fish are tailing, a DOA shrimp rarely goes uneaten provided you get it to them before they see you coming. Once the school begins to take flight, the bite percentage drops dramatically. The faster they are swimming, the fewer bites you will get. A sure way to get the school to flee is to let them know you are coming by making noises on the deck. Stealth is an important factor of sight fishing.Casting speed and accuracy are a close second. Vern caught his first redfish using a 5.5 inch DOA CAL on a beautiful winter day on the flats. Marty made his inaugural trip to Mosquito Lagoon with the hope of catching redfish on fly. He accomplished his goal several times. [ One fly that has been working well for us recently is a variation of the [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn-ZLmfwIBo]redfish worm[/url] using copper chenille and an olive rabbit strip.Tied on a #4 hook with small lead eyes, this fly has accounted for numerous reds the past month. For the month ahead, I anticipate more excellent tailing redfish action. The redfish have been so plentiful that we have spent little time looking for other species on most days. Large trout are still around for those wanting to target them and lots of average sized trout can be caught in 2-5 feet of water. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:38:01 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Not Much has changed here is Southwest Florida since January. The weather is still beautiful with highs in the 70’s and the fish are still chewing like mad. Boca Grande fishing charters are still producing great numbers of reds, big trout and snook but the Pompano, flounder and sheepshead have really been making a showing. I’m not really targeting them either; they just seem to be all around the trout and reds. Got to love that, it just means more rod bending action! The 2013 Boca Grande Tarpon fishing is just 3 short months away. I have plenty of dates still open but they are disappearing very quickly. If you are planning a Tarpon fishing trip you need to start making your plans ASAP, especially if you are looking for specific dates. Redfish fishing has really picked up recently. I have enjoyed multiple 30-40 fish days and most of the fish have been in the 22”-25” range weighing 3 -5 pounds. Not big bulls but really nice keeper size fish. The lower winter tides have got most of the fish going to the deeper potholes where live shrimp fished on a jighead has been the most productive bait. On the higher tides the fish are continuing to spread out on the grass flats making them great targets for artificial and live shrimp on a float. The real change has been the Pompano bite. They have poured into Charlotte Harbor and my clients have been having a ball with them. The crazy thing is how big they are. I have been catching fish in the 3 -5 pound range on a regular basis and let me tell you a 5 lb. Pompano can pull! The big trout have continued to make an appearance on Boca Grande fishing charters lately. I have caught some really nice trout in the 3lb-6lb lately while fishing for reds and snook and the numbers continue to get better and better. I have had some days with over 30 keeper size trout. Most of these fish have been caught on shrimp, live sardines or Mirrodines. It still hasn’t gotten very cold this winter and with the warm weather we have been enjoying the Snook have really been feeding well. Most of the fish are still staged around or in their winter hideouts but they have been really excited to see a livewell full of sardines. Boca Grande fishing charters are still producing 10-20 fish a day from 22”- 26” and I am also catching a few fish pushing 15lbs. It still hasn’t gotten too cold and the snook are ready to eat! In the mixed bag sheepshead, pompano and flounder have all been coming on board lately. This is not only a nice surprise to catch but it also makes for some really good table fare! Whether you want to catch the fish of a lifetime or just relax with friends, you can count on Reelfishing charters to put together the ultimate Southwest Florida experience! Capt. Danny is the guide that will bring everything together for a fun, exciting Boca Grande fishing charters that you’ll remember. Reelfishing is a Boca Grande fishing charters as well as a Boca Grande fishing guides service. We pick up at several locations around 
Southwest Florida including Burnt Store Marina, Pineland Marina, Placida and the Boca Grande guide docks. Other arrangements can be made if necessary. We try to make fishing with Reelfishing charters as easy as possible. Catch Fish, No Excuses reelfishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:37:50 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR South Indian River Fishing Report 1/30 Inshore: The Treasure Coast continues to enjoy mild winter weather with a few cool nights as the weekly fronts work through the area. Winds have picked up some this week, which is normal for this time of year. Water temperatures have been anywhere from the low 60's to the low 70's lately. Winter hasn't much longer to go this year and spring is about ready to take over. The fishing has been very good if you can get to your favorite fishing spots. It was a fun and exciting week on the Indian River. The redfish bite has picked up just like last year at this time. We have found them around docks and under the mangroves. My favorite winter lure for redfish around the mangroves is a DOA CAL grub tail in the rootbeer/gold color. It is small enough to skip under the mangroves to get at them. If you are not under the trees, you won't find the bite. Mike "Mookie' Wilson from the Lakeland Ledger and Captain Melly B were out with me and doubled up on a couple nice redfish to end a good day of fishing. Capt. Melly, first, showed us the proper way of getting broke off by a redfish under the docks. Mike and Ellen found some nice reds under the mangroves and boated seven mid to upper slot fish on their adventure. Steve and Tom boated three and got broke off by several on a windy day for us. You can find lots and lots of juvenile snook around the mangroves and docks. We have caught them up to 24" this week. There is a fantastic crop of snook in the works to keep the population growing in the area. You can find mackerel, bluefish, jacks and blue runners flooding into the turning basin with the tides now. Small, shiny lures will get their attention. The macs have been nice sized fish. The pompano have showed up at the mouth of the inlet in Fort Pierce this week. Just look for the fleet of boats and you will know exactly where they are. Sheepshead and black drum are still thick around the bridges and docks of the river. Many good size fish have been caught lately. We are finding trout scattered in areas of the river. Queen's Cove has been our most productive area this week. The DOA CAL jerk bait in the 371 color has found most of our trout. Look in three to five feet of water on the flats. The fishing has been good and the only challenge has been dealing with the winds. I love Fort Pierce this time of year with all the islands that provide productive fishing spots and cover from the worst of the winds. Snook season opens February 1st so get things prepared and have lots of fun. Many anglers are out scouting their favorite snook spots now to get ready for opening day. Check your gear and make sure your license and snook permit is current. Then have fun and good fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:37:37 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Winter 2013 has so far been mostly mild to warm with a few chilly days mixed in here on Mosquito Lagoon in East Central Florida. Water temps have ranged from mid to upper 50’s to the mid 60’s F, in some ways more of an early spring fishing pattern during the warmer days. Many of the Redfish schools holding a smaller number of fish than would be the case during a cold winter, which would have a smaller number of very large schools roaming the flats here in the North Lagoon near Oak Hill. Mild winter baits we are using are live shrimp, live finger mullet, cut mullet, Gulp shrimp, and shad tail jigs. On some days with light breezes, Redfish have been tailing in the shallow grass making for great sight fishing targets, use a soft landing bait placed just beyond your target and skim the shrimp or bait of choice along the surface allowing it to quietly settle next to the fish which is rooting for food in the grass. Here is young Katlin with her biggest Red as she out fished her dad and uncle on a fun trip which they caught 5 Reds and several Seatrout early in January. Eleven year old David sight cast this Red from schooling fish on a beautiful slick calm morning while on a trip with me by his dad and grandfather. We caught a few more from the very visible schools which were cruising around in front of us as I poled the boat in position for the guys to cast their shrimp in front of groups of 20 to 50 Redfish, a wonderful sight to see. After the breeze picked up we targeted some deeper drop offs with artificial jigs and caught about a dozen more smaller Reds and about 30 Seatrout. Gary brought his son Sam and friend Parker shown here with his best Redfish of the morning, the trio catching 6 Reds on the flats, then approx 50 mostly smaller Trout on artificals. My mixed bag trips in the Edgewater Backcountry of north Mosquito Lagoon are always fun with fast action from many different species of saltwater fish, also Seatrout and Reds as on the flats, but added in the mix are Bluefish, Sheepshead, Drum, Ladyfish, Jacks, and more. Most trips we catch up to 10 species making it very entertaining for this easy going type of fishing. Wildlife viewing is constant all around our area, with Dolphins and great bird life on every trip out. Here is a great photo I took last week of an adult Bald Eagle and a juvenile hanging out, up in an old dead tree close to a fishing hole we were in. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, SPACE COAST, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:22:46 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Mild weather conditions continue along the Treasure Coast again this week. Winds will keep blowing most days, but we have had a few days each week that it lays down and provides fantastic fishing weather for us. The cold fronts have been tolerable and the water temperatures have been anywhere from the mid 60's to the low 70's recently. The weekly fronts will drop the temps for a few days, but the sun warms them up again. We have enjoyed some great fishing action the past week. Rene and her family were out with me on one of those windy days. They caught a variety of fish including sea trout, sheepshead and the usual culprits. Gus, Fred and Cam joined me on a calm day on the river to catch trout, sheepshead, drum, snapper and even a couple snook to make for a good day of fishig. Ed and Eric found a large variety of fish that included redfish, trout, drum, flounder and lots of other species on a calm river day. Dan got into some nice redfish and landed five of eight hookups on another windy day on the Indian River. It's great fishing out there! Trout have been in three to five feet of water on the grass flats. DOA shrimp has been working great if you are using artificial lures. Our redfish have been along the west shoreline. CAL grub tails work great this time of year on the reds. We continue to find the juvenile snook along the mangroves. It's gonna be a good population this year. Sheepshead and black drum have been around docks, bridges and channel edges in very good numbers this month. Most anglers are using live or dead shrimp for them. Not much going on for the pompano fishermen. The cold fronts just don't cool the water enough for their liking so far this winter. As always, the jacks and ladyfish are everywhere right now. Jetty anglers continue to catch jacks, bluefish and Spanish mackerel on small, shiny lures. January is a wonderful fishing month! Snook season re-opens on February 1st. It's a good time now to check your snook permit and license to make sure they are current. January will continue to provide windy days and great fishing action around the Treasure Coast! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:20:52 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR What an exciting day. The North American Veterinary Conference offered a new tour this year to the 15,000 plus attendees. Inshore fishing with a shore lunch prepared on an island near Hells Gate. We rounded up 9 of the best guides Homosassa had to offer and put together one heck of a trip. The weather and tides were not working in our favor but the guides pulled through with a fun day of fishing and brought back a nice mess of fish that included trout, pompano, sheepshead, mangrove snapper, and spanish mackerel. After we rounded up the anglers the guides prepared a tradition southern shore lunch of the fresh catch that was fried along with hush puppies, coleslaw, bacon, and a few sweets. Everyone left with a full belly, and ready for a nice nap. We couldn’t have pulled this off without the help of the following: Capt. Charlie Harris, Capt. Kelly Kofmehl, Capt. Zach Hoffman, Capt. Gary Cox, Capt. Mike Byron, Capt. Rick Baer, Capt. Joey Smith, Capt. Bear Smith, Capt. Todd Corneillie, Ian Lowe, Josh Howland, and Craig Suarez. Thanks! Capt. Jay Lowe For pics of the shore lunch visit: www.fishing-homosassa.com Capt Jay Lowe Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:20:17 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Central Florida Catching Report The fishing has been off the chain lately with big schools of redfish and trout eating bare hooks. Yes we have taken our share of trout on just a jig head. Most of the trout that eat a bare hook are on the small side but just the same. The water is so clean and the redfish schools are like looking into an aquarium at sea world. It is not uncommon to have ten fish fighting over your bait as you rip it through the school. Then when U least expect it the gator trout appears out of know where and crashes your bait before one of the ten redfish could. I call these escort trout, they cruse the edges of the schools of reds foraging on the baits that are moving away from the school of reds that are combing the bottom. Trout are faster than most redfish and they are smart enough to use the reds for their carpet sweeper. Gulp shrimp in natural color will do the job if you don’t have the real deal. The water level dropped about three weeks ago concentrating the reds in big schools. So if you are not sure you can make it over that flat, don’t try it. Last month it may have been OK but things change in the lagoon making many fishing spots only excess able by tunnel hull. If you have a skinny water boat that floats shallow chances are you will have to poll a long way to access some of the good spots. Most of those hells boats float real shallow but if you try to run them in shallow water they tear up the bottom trying. So don’t try to follow a tunnel hull for the grass beds sake. Just sayin LOL. Tara got to catch here first sight casted redfish from the lagoon on a calm morning. She made a perfect cast and had the redfish hit the bait three times before he could get lock on it. At this point the fish was only ten feet in front of us before he got it. Many yards of line ripped from the real before she slowed him down, he was an over slot fish. Sarah and Ryan joined me for an afternoon trip with great success catching ten reds and ten trout on the shallow flats. We watched tails pop up for hours waving like it was Flag Day. It was definitely an espn moment for all of us. If you want numbers of fish it is not uncommon to catch eighty to a hundred fish in the deeper water. Most of the fish are small but the action is bar none. Bouncing gulp jigs on the bottom is also producing a few flounder. Not every trip is perfect but the majority of the trips that we have fished are not far from it. Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me at 386 314 5656 I guarantee you will. Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:20:04 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Detra and her boyfriend from Ohio were the busiest anglers of the Lady Pamela II sportfishing fleet today. The pair started the day with a nice sailfish catch, and then they hooked into something big. That something turned out to be a 350lb sandbar shark that really put a bend in the rod. It was a thrilling catch and release for the Ohioans, particularly since they were able to make the catch in t-shirts and shorts, rather than parkas!! They also caught four kingfish and a blackfin tuna to round out the day. Good job! ladypamela2 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:18:54 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The back waters of Flagler Beach have been good lately with all of our inshore species . Flounder and schooling Redfish have been the best bite . Deeper holes in the the creeks have produced Sheephead and Blackdrum on live shrimp . Nearshore and offshrore from 60 to 120 feet has been producing nice Red Snapper and Gag Grouper although seasons are closed , they make for great photos . Jason Phillips Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:18:17 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Jan 2013 Her we go to the start of a whole new year I hope every had a safe entry into 2013. The fishing so far this new year has been outstanding with several double digit days catching both redfish and trout with some nice flounder in the mix. With the water level and temps dropping the last couple of weeks has started to put the fish into their winter time patterns but I have a feeling that may be changing with the up coming forecast showing warmer than usual days in the near future. With the warmer conditions on the way look for the redfish and trout to start moving up on the shallow grass for new feeding opportunities. These fish can be caught using a variety of artificial from soft plastics to Aqua Dream Spoons and live bait is another great option from live finger mullet to select shrimp will definitely get you a bite. There has been good numbers of flounder being caught through out the lagoon system from New smyrna Beach to Haulover canal. Working a soft plastic slowly along the bottom on a 1/8 oz jig head or a shrimp rigged backwards on the same jig head will give you great success on these flatties. If you are looking for a fun fighting and really aggressive fish there has been large quantities of blue fish located in the deeper water around the docks from Daytona Beach south to New Smyrna Beach. These are a fun fish to target they will eat just about anything in the box but for a fun time throw a top water plug and hang on they will literally fight each other to get to it. I hope everyone had a great 2012 and may you have a blessed and safe 2013. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:18:04 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Welcome to 2013, we have had a great year of fishing here on Mosquito Lagoon Florida, ending with a fun December, winter cold has set in, water temp has been 55”F in the open water and lower on the flats in the morning. Our sunny pretty winter days are prime sight fishing with clear water and schooling shallow water Redfish, select size live shrimp being my bait of choice for sight casting Reds. Seatrout are also schooled up in winter, difference being many of the Trout schools are in deeper water on drop offs and in slough holes, artificial lures work great for them, jigs with Gulp shrimp or soft plastic tails to get it on the bottom where the fish are in cold water. Here is young Ethan with a great 29” Redfish he caught first thing in the morning last week, sight cast from a school we were watching swim around in front of us at our first stop. Here you get to see me as my clients made me pose with this nice Red because I hooked him from atop my poling platform and handed the rod off to the customer to reel in. Brothers Alex and Zach each caught a few nice Reds along with their dad Fred on the fun family trip when the 3 of them went with me a couple weeks ago. A cool 7 spot Redfish caught by a bundled up lady client on a chilly morning. Mixed bag fishing trips are also always fun here in the Edgewater Backcountry, winter pattern mostly with Trout, a few Redfish, usually lots of Bluefish, with the chance of a few Sheepshead or Black Drum, and usually a couple other species in the mix. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, SPACE COAST, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 09 Jan 2013 13:57:05 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Eva and I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday Season this year and that 2013 is a great year for all! I had lots of old friends out on the water this past year and met lots of new friends, too. It was a fantastic year for fishing on the Treasure Coast. Looking ahead to fishing in 2013 with eager anticipation of lots of fun out on the Indian River! This past week gave us a few different weather patterns to cope with, but most days were flat calm and warm. It was super to be on the water in such mild weather. We did have a short cold front move through the area, but it didn't stay long and the sun warmed things up quickly. It has been a nice week and we enjoyed the sunshine and fishing! Martin was out with me on one of the few slow days on the river last week. He caught quite a few fish including sheephead, sea trout and the usual jacks and ladyfish. We did some practice on using DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits around the river. Ron and Neil joined me the next day to find redfish and trout on the flats and docks. We found the sheepshead and black drum until the dolphin moved in and shut things down there. They hooked up on six nice redfish and boated three of them. Ron, Damian and Allie had a beautiful day to fish for reds and trout along with the usual mix of fish. They also hooked up on six reds and boated three. We all had a great time enjoying the water and the fish! Trout have been hanging on the edges of the flats and sand bars in three to five feet of water. DOA shrimp is a great choice of lures for trout in winter. Our redfish have been hanging under the docks recently along the sheepshead and black drum. Ladyfish and jacks are everywhere and will keep the kids occupied and smiling. There has been a good sand perch bite around the bridges and the mouth of the inlet has been flooded with jacks, mackerel and bluefish this past week. Have fun and enjoy the fishing soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing and Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 30 Dec 2012 09:44:34 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Had a day off from work on Wednesday and it was only 1-2 ft seas. We started seeing sail fish busting bait at about 150 foot so we set out a four pole spread trolling 7 knots. We had one deep chugger with ballyhoo, one on the down rigger with an islander, port was a naked ballyhoo on a mid range on the out rigger and the starboard was the short ballyhoo on a chugger. First to go off was the deep chugger. The sail swipped at it three or four times so we slowed down the boat to reel it in and change the mangled bait. About 10 seconds after we slowed down the mid range out rigger popped off and the reel started to scream...fish on and it was a beautiful sail. The fight was on as my partner tried to clear the lines and take video. He finally put the iphone down and we had to start giving chase because the line on my 30 wide was getting low. After about 15 minutes I had gained back most of the line and the whole time this sail was tail dancing! What a show! We finally got him about 10 yards from the boat and he spit the hook...utter disapointment!!! Breathing hard and fore arms pulsing we set back out the pread this time with three poles. The next to go off was the down rigger and and it was yet another sail. My buddy Pat grabbed the pole and the fight insued. The acrobatic show was again intense and what a site. As I finished clearing the last line I hear a "Awe @*%$" the wire leader had gotten wrapped around the sails bill and snapped the wire leader above the hook...0-2. We contunued on and an reset 30 minutes later the down rigger goes screaming but this time there was no air show, it just kept sounding. I knew it had to be a wahoo and after about a 10 minute hard tussle the stripes were visible and the gaff hit true. Into the fish box he went. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, we did see a few more sails slashing flying fish but we couldn't get them to bite. One more small king later and we were back to the port with memories of the sail fish that could haved been billed for a quick photo but not quite...but we will be back! Fish on!!! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 30 Dec 2012 09:43:00 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Dec 2012 It's a little hard to believe that 2013 is almost upon us it seems as though 2012 just arrived but I guess we all get a little older again. We have had some strange weather so far with early cold fronts to warm days in the mid 80's but the fish seem not to complain. I have been finding alot of tailing fish across the whole Lagoon system it seems with the warmer water conditions that the Redfish and Trout are holding on the shallow grass flats. Look for bait on the shallow flats and the Reds and Trout will not be far away. I have been catching alot of them on a variety of baits from live shrimp,finger mullet , cut bait , soft plastics and Aqua Dream spoons. They have not been all that selective on bait choices if you present it right they will eat which makes my job a whole lot easier.We have also had a really good Flounder bite in our northern areas like New Smyrna Bch and Daytona Bch with not only quantity but also quality being caught on a regular basis. I like to use a couple of different baits to target these species one being a soft plastic on a 1/8 or 1/4 oz jig head bounced slowly along the bottom this can also be done with a mud minnow as well . Good luck and be safe and also have a safe and happy new year. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 20 Dec 2012 06:55:12 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR A warm December is really heating things up inshore. Redfish and trout have been on fire the last couple of weeks with no signs of slowing down. We've had some days with heavy morning fog which have been interesting to navigate through. If you've been waiting to get out and drop the hammer on some fish now is the time! Keeping things simple is key. Trout have been agressively biting Berkley Gulp 4" Shrimp with a 2/0 Circle hook through the tip of the bait. Make sure to use a 20# Flurocarbon leader. The sea trout have been holding up inshore in 2-4' of water in grassy bottom and areas that are holding kelp grass. Work slowly through the grass and this should produce some fish for the cooler. Most of the redfish landed on my boat have been with 1/2" Johnson Sprite gold spoons and cut lady fish on an incoming tide on rocky points South of Homosassa. Good luck and tight lines. Capt. Jay Lowe Battle Creek Outfitters www.fishing-homosassa.com 352-601-7010 Capt Jay Lowe Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 20 Dec 2012 06:55:03 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Happy Holidays everyone! The fishing here in Southwest Florida has been pretty good. The weather has been beautiful with average temps in the high 70’s to low 80’s and it looks like more of the same (at least for the next few weeks). Reds continue to be on the feed, big trout are all over the flats and snook are still on the hit list. Sounds more like March than December but I’m not complaining! The redfish fishing really won’t change much from November. The lower tides and cooler weather have pushed most of the baitfish to deeper water and the reds are all over a nice live shrimp. Fishing potholes on the grass flats has been the most productive pattern lately and will continue to produce 20-30 fish days throughout December. Most of the fish are in the 20” -30” range, weighing 4lbs-10lbs, but I have had a few pushing the 40” mark and weighing as much as 20lbs! Most of the snook have found their winter hideouts and are staged very close to deeper, protected water like canals, creeks and deep shorelines. Since the weather has been in the 80”s these fish are still feeding very well and catching a bunch of snook has been pretty easy. Boca Grande fishing charters are still producing 10-20 fish a day from 22”- 26” and I am also catching a few fish pushing 10lbs. It still hasn’t gotten too cold yet and the snook are ready to eat! The big trout have really started to make an appearance lately. I have caught some really nice trout in the 3lb-5lb lately while fishing for reds and snook. Most of these fish have been caught on a shrimp on a jig-head or a live sardine. We will really start to target trout in December as they become more and more plentiful. Pompano and flounder continue to be wonderful surprises while flats fishing. I have been able to target both and have done fairly well. Both are great fighters as well as excellent table fare. The Boca Grande Tarpon fishing is pretty much over for year but don’t forget to start planning your 2013 Boca Grande tarpon fishing charter now! I am already beginning to book a lot of tarpon trips and 2013 is looking pretty good! The nearshore fishing has begun to slow up as the migrations of Kingfish and Spanish Mackerel have passed us by. With the sale of my bay boat I really have not been able to do much nearshore fishing recently and won’t be able to until my new boat arrives in a few months. Whether you want to catch the fish of a lifetime or just relax with friends, you can count on Reelfishing charters to put together the ultimate Southwest Florida experience! Capt. Danny is the guide that will bring everything together for a fun, exciting fishing charter that you’ll remember. Reelfishing is a Boca Grande fishing charters as well as a Boca Grande fishing guide service. We pick up at several locations around
Southwest Florida including Burnt Store Marina, Pineland Marina, Placida and the Boca Grande guide docks. Other arrangements can be made if necessary. We try to make fishing with Reelfishing charters as easy as possible. Catch Fish, No Excuses! reelfishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:06:26 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, December 2012 By Captain Tom Van Horn December Fishing Outlook Inshore, both redfish and sea trout will remain in the skinny water as long as the water temperatures stay warm. Inshore fishing is best once the sun warms the water a bit, so sleep in and enjoy a good cup of coffee before heading to the ramp. Fish in protected areas and sunny spots, and look for fish to be holding in sand pockets until the sun gets overhead. Also, now is also the time of year to target tailing black drum in the Banana River Lagoon No Motor Zone. When the weather is nice and the seas are fishable offshore, solid concentrations of kingfish will be holding on the inshore reefs and wrecks in 60 to 100 feet of water. Several prime locations to target December kingfish are the north end of Pelican Flats and 8A reef out of Port Canaveral. The kingfish bite should remain steady as long as water temperatures stay above 74 degrees. When near-shore waters approach the 70-degree mark, start looking for cobia and tripletail along Port Canaveral buoy line and the shallow waters just off the bight of the Cape. These two species normally hold around floating structure, but they also have a tendency to free swim once the water temperatures warms up in the afternoon. If the ocean conditions are a bit too rough, good concentrations of breeder redfish will be holding in the inlet passes of Ponce De Leon and Sebastian. Try drifting the passes during the falling tide bouncing live pinfish off the bottom. In the Port Canaveral shipping channel, work the edges of the channel using the same technique. Remember these are oversize redfish, so please step up the size of your tackle to lessen the stress of the fight, and release them with extreme care to be caught again on another day. Snook fishing will also remain steady around Sebastian Inlet as long as the water temperatures stay warm. It is best to target inlet snook during periods of slack tide fishing live pigfish, pinfish, or croakers at night in the channel under the A1A Bridge. Another notable species worth mentioning when speaking of inlet fishing is flounder. Depending on surf and lagoon temperatures, the flounder migration can stretch into December, with stragglers filtering through the passes all month. If the winds are westerly, concentrate your efforts along the beach, and look for pompano to begin moving off the inshore flats to the deeper troughs along the beach. Also look for schools of bluefish and Spanish mackerel shadowing pods of glass minnows and other bait is the surf. To target both blues and Spanish, watch for birds working bait pods, and through small jigs like the D.O.A C.A.L. and spoons with a fast retrieval to avoid cutoffs. On the upper Saint Johns River look for the American and hickory shad runs to commence near the end of the month, and intensifying in January and February. Shad fishing is one of the most overlooked fisheries in Florida, and a fun fish to catch on both fly and light tackle gear. In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who fished and worked with me this past year for your business and friendship, and I am looking forward to spending more time on the water with you in 2013. Also, now is the time to purchase your 2013 gift certificates at and receive 50.00 dollars off of the standard rate by either replying to this news letter or by calling me, so purchase a charter in advance for yourself or that certain angler close to your heart, and go fishing with them. As always, if you need more information or have questions please contact me. Good luck and good fishing and happy holidays, Captain Tom Van Horn Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com www.irl-fishing.com 407-416-1187 Cell For all of your outdoor needs, visit Mosquito Creek Outdoors at www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begin. MosquitoCoast Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:06:09 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Well the seas have been bad off shore for the last few weeks so most of my fishing has been inland. There have been bass O Pleanty on the two lakes I fish in Orlando. However the size has been on the 1lb. to 3lb. side. For the drop offs we have been fishing a 3 inch size diving rapala 5-6ft. Hugging the top of the grass that grows from the bottom of the lake the bass have been ambushing the heck out of them. I trolled a ledge for two hours just back and forth on the second lake in Lake Conway and got 12 bass. Also, landed a couple of pickrel! In lake Holden it is much shollower of a lake and they have been hitting a 4 inch jerk shad (white). Caught 3 in an hour and missed another one. No matter what we are notr getting skunked or discouraged by not getting off shore. SO FISH ON! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:05:19 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Fishing in Mosquito Lagoon during November offered some excellent sight fishing opportunities for redfish and large seatrout. Many of the redfish are in schools that range from 25 -200 fish. On calm days they can be found tailing on the shallow flats in search of crabs, shrimp, and marine worms. A school of tailing redfish is as close as you can get to a guaranteed bite. They will eat a variety of lures especially the DOA shrimp and the CAL series tails. The most important things is to use a quiet approach and do not land your lure in the middle of the school. Big seatrout have been staging in sand holes and can be spotted on sunny days. The will respond to the same lures you use for redfish. This is an excellent time of year for targeting redfish, trout, and drum with a flyrod. The two flies I use the most are the black redfish worm fly and a simple bendback pattern on #4 hooks. Casting is key and is far more important than fly selection. November brought plenty of wind to the flats. The fish do not mind the wind and will still feed aggressively. Anglers, however, often struggle with their presentation when the wind is blowing. The toughest days were when there were clouds and wind making sight fishing virtually impossible. Under those conditions, blind casting in likely areas becomes the only option. While redfish, seatrout, and black drum are the main species we will encounter for the next five months, there is always a chance to catch a flounder or two, especially in the northern regions of the Lagoon. Jim fished with me on a clear but windy day last month. He had shots at redfish throughout the day and caught some using a golden bream colored CAL tail. The next day brought some unseasonably cold temperatures but the redfish did not seem to mind a bit. Ryan's first redfish cam on another cool morning from a school of several hundred fish. A three inch CAL tail was used to catch the first of Heather's several redfish and trout this week. The next day, I was invited to fish with my friend Capt. Rick Grassett out of Sarasota, FL prior to my speaking engagement at the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers Club. We fished the Gulf of Mexico sight fishing for tripletail. I caught a couple on fly but the larger fish would only follow, but not eat, my flies. I offered up a DOA shrimp which was quickly eaten by the two largest fish. Yesterday the redfish were tailing and the winds were light. Gregg and Ed encountered over one thousand redfish in multiple schools as well as some quality seatrout in the sand holes. Here is Ed catching one of the smallest fish of the day. The sight fishing for redfish and trout will be excellent during December. Clear water will allow anglers to spot the fish on sunny days provided they have polarized glasses. Copper colored lenses work best on the flats. On calm days, use small lures to minimize splash and avoid spooking fish. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:05:08 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Big Trout in Central Florida The fishing on the flats has been good for trout up to eight pounds the past few weeks. They are eating shrimp and finger mullet but that is not what we have been feeding them! We have been tossing ½ to ¾s of a Gulp sinking minnow in the watermelon color. Toss your baits in the white holes and at fish that are swimming off and you will be sure to hook up. In the deeper water, say three to five feet you can find trout in good numbers. I like tossing Gulp or Powerbait in the three-inch size range with a one eighth or one quarter ounce jig head. If you have your limit and are fishing for fun you can crimp your barb down on your jig so you do not have to touch the trout and you won’t remove their protective slime. I can usually just give the fish some slack line while they are still in the water and they will shake the hook out. Do not be surprised if you catch a few flounder while casting your jigs, we caught a few last week. If you like eating fish, flounder is one you will want to bring to the table. On the shallow flats you will find the redfish searching for an easy meal in the am and they will eat your sinking minnow as well. We took many reds as we quietly approached them and pitched baits in their face. Even a bad cast was producing bites. But just covering ground will work as well. You can cast a shrimp and do the same thing. Think like a fish to catch fish. Or just call me at 386 314 5656 Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:52:37 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Thanksgiving has passed and anglers in this area of the Nature Coast can still give thanks for the fantastic Fall fishing. The "skinny water" bite continues to be great across the entire region. Big trout, red fish, and the occasional snook are feeding best on both sides of a high tide. We have had our most production on recent trips with soft plastics in a white or "chicken" color. Lil Johns, GULP shrimp, and Zoom Flukes on a 1/8 oz. jig head are catching quality fish. Work these baits in 1 - 3 ft of water across spotty bottom and focus on areas holding "kelp" grass near mangroves and oyster bars. These artificials work well because anglers can cover a entire area thoroughly and bring the offering to the fish instead of waiting for them to find it. Slowly work from spot to spot with a trolling motor until you locate fish and quietly anchor down until the bite slows down. Stealth is key when fishing these tactics, so use you trolling motor as slow as possible and try to work with the wind at your back. Just use the motor to steer your boat when needed. For anchoring, I prefer a power pole over a traditional anchor because it is quick, easy, and is so quiet the fish will not know you are there. Using this stop and go tactic allows anglers to completely work an area before moving on. We have made to the time of year where the winter low tides get extremely low, so plan your trips accordingly. This time of year means that 90% of the fish can be found in 10% of the water. Knowing this, it's important to fish where the fish are! You need water to get in and more importantly to get out. Good luck out there and tight lines! Capt. Keith Tomlinson Bulldog Fishin Charters www.bulldogfishin.com (352)238-3581 Captain Keith Tomlinson Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:51:48 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Early winter like conditions have arrived this November 2012 on Mosquito Lagoon Florida, on yesterday mornings charter trip water temp was 57’ to 61’ F through the morning on the flats I was fishing, Redfish have begun to school and the water is clearing. Although water levels remain high, prevailing winter north winds will cause levels to drop. Live shrimp, finger mullet, and gulp shrimp lures will be my mainstay baits as winter approaches. Schooling Redfish and Seatrout will be found along the edges of grass flats where the deeper sand sloughs meet shallow grass, some types of sea grasses will thin out with cold water making some flats cleaner on the bottom with only patchy grass spots. Schools of Reds will come up shallow especially on pretty sunny days warming the skinny water just a little. Here is Pete with a great Seatrout caught on a trip out with me a couple weeks ago. And yet another jumbo Seatrout caught by client Doug on a mornings charter which he and friend Jim shown with one of the several good Redfish they caught earlier in the month before the cold set in. Mixed bag fishing trips are always fun here in the Edgewater Backcountry, winter pattern mostly with Trout, a few Redfish, Bluefish, Sheepshead, Black Drum, and usually a couple other species in the mix. Here is Zach with a good Redfish caught on a live shrimp along with a bunch of Trout while on a backcountry mixed family charter with his dad and brother recently. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:50:28 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR South Indian River Fishing Report 11/28 The weather has been mild, but on the windy side. It is a normal pattern for this time of year, so you must plan each trip based on what mother nature offers each day. Most mornings will be a little calmer to get out and enjoy some great fishing action. Water temperatures play an important part of fishing in winter, so you must be aware of it when you are on the water. We have had a nice mixed bag of fish lately. Trout, redfish, sheepshead and black drum have been biting around the river along with the usual jacks and ladyfish. The flats are still productive as long as the water temps stay in the mid 60's or higher. Deeper cuts along the flats, docks and mangroves will hold fish when it is cooler out there. Glen and his son were out on a windy day, but we found a variety of fish to keep their rods bending. Matt and Matt, Jr were out on another windy day that also found a good variety of fish for them. Scott was down from Illinois and found the same assortment to enjoy a beautiful morning on the Indian River. Trout have been hanging in three to five feet of water on most flats. DOA shrimp, CAL jerk baits have been the best artificials to use on them. Live shrimp can get you sheepshead, snapper and black drum around the docks and even a few on the flats. Redfish have been under the mangroves and around the docks along the river. Lets hope the mild weather continues and warms up the water. Jacks and mackerel have been around the inlet on the incoming tides. Snook have been around the bridges, jetties and docks of the inlet. Night fishing has been best with the full moon. It's been a nice week! December is already here and where has this year gone to again... Time passes by way to quickly. December will be another good fishing month, especially if things continue on the mild side. Continue to monitor the water temperatures and move around to find clean, warmer water for your best opportunities. Have fun this month! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing and Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:49:07 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Wonderful fall weather and lots of sunshine has turned on the bite around the Treasure Coast this week. Water temperatures have been running around 70 degrees in the river and that has given us a good bite around the area. Expect more of this nice weather the rest of November and have some fun out there fishing! The trout bite turned on most of the week as the water temps continued to rise. As the winds let up, the sun warmed up the water quickly. Fall is a different fishing pattern from the rest of the year, so plan on changing tactics on any given day as weather conditions change things around. We had been fishing south of Fort Pierce with good success, but have switched to the north of the area for our fishing in recent days. Water temperature has a big effect on fishing each day and will dictate where the best place might be. The trout bite turned on as soon as the water reached 70 degrees for us. Mark and Dana fished with me on a cooler day. They caught a lot of fish, but the trout were slower to bite that day. Clint Walker was out with me one day and the trout were not feeding well due to 63 - 68 degree water. We ended up with a few trout and more ladyfish and jacks than you could ever catch. The very next day, Ron, Mike and Timberly were out with me and we found one sand bar that held all the trout we needed that day. All were in the 18 - 22 inch range on that one particular spot. You just have to keep moving around some days to find the right bite. We are catching our trout in three to six feet of water on DOA glow shrimp, CAL jerk baits and live bait this week. Concentrate on sand holes and drop offs during the incoming tides for your best results. The incoming tide has been our best bite and it may only last and hour. Work your lures with the tides where it will drift from the shallow areas to the drop off or sand hole. The fish love to sit and let the tide do the work for them. Fish are somewhat lazy most of the time. Cooler water can make them less likely to move very fast towards food sources. There are sheephead, black drum and pompano around the river. We have been catching sheephead and black drum on the open flats lately. You can certainly expect them to be around the bridges, channel edges and docks of the river this time of year. Pompano have been just south of the Fort Pierce bridges in the tidal cuts along the channel this past week. Expect them to move around the river and watch for them to skip when you happen up on some. The surf should be holding whiting, pompano and bluefish when the winds allow you to fish it. The Fort Pierce inlet is overrun with jacks, mackerel and bluefish each day on the incoming tide. Ladyfish and jacks are anywhere and everywhere this time of year! Great action for the kids! The Treasure Coast Casters will hold their November Fishing Tournament this Sunday, November 18th at Jaycee Park. Check out www.treasurecoastcasters.com if you have kids or would like to volunteer. It's a great organization. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 18 Nov 2012 08:41:24 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Dayton Beach, New Smyrna Beach, and Mosquito Lagoon Florida Fishing Report Nov 2012 With a couple of unsual cold artic blast this year it seems to have almost put the fish into their winter time patterns but with that being said they have not comitted fully yet. With the cooler weather and lower water temps the flounder have started to find their ways into the bacwaters of Daytona and Edgewater along with the New Smyrna area. There has been reports of three to ten pound flounder being caught in great numbers on all different kinds of bait. From live bait to soft plastics bounced on the bottom and earlier in the month I even had a client boat a five pounder on a top water plug.The redfish are on the flats in great quanity along with the trout look for both to be holding in the sand holes and on the mud bottom early in the morning and then moving on to the shallow grass as the sun rises higher warming the water temps. I have had great success on both live bait and artificals for live bait I have been using finger mullet and shrimp and the artifical has been a Aqua Dream Spoon or a small soft plastic both worked slowly. I have seen a few larger schools of redfish but the majority of them have been in pods of three to twenty and also you can still find the singles tailing on the shallow grass. Good luck and be safe Capt Patrick Rood http://www.spotntailcharters.com/ (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 11 Nov 2012 09:54:50 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: The sun has been warming up the water the past several days and it has also turned on the fish around the Treasure Coast. I was out one day and the temps ranged from 59 to 63 degrees and a couple days later it was 66 - 72 degrees. The water has started to clear up gradually and things are looking good for the weeks ahead on the Indian River around the Fort Pierce area. The fish are hungry and with the calmer winds lately, it has been nice to fish all over the river. I had Rick, Chris and Mark out this week and we had a great day of fishing in some really fantastic weather. The guys caught redfish, trout, flounder, snapper, jacks, sheephead, mackerel and a number of other species on their trip. Just about all fish were caught on DOA glow or glow/firetail shrimp. The bite didn't really turn on until the tide changed to incoming and then it was a hot bite for us. The trout ranged from schoolies to 23". The flounder bite was good and all were 11" to 18". There are flounder out there along with pompano. It's a great time of year! Look for trout to be in three to five feet of water on grass flats and drop offs around the river. We caught trout everywhere we stopped from Middle Cove to Queen's Cove. Fish those DOA shrimp slow! Mark caught a redfish on the same flat as the trout. Our flounder were on the grass flats as well. Rick caught a nice sheephead around one of the docks to the south of Fort Pierce. The fishing should be good this month. The snook anglers have been doing well at night around the jetties, docks and bridges of the inlet. Terror Eyz, feather jigs and live bait have worked well for them. You can find pompano around the deeper cuts and flats of the river. Watch for them to skip as you are on the water to find some. They should also be along the beaches now. Flounder should be around the back side of the jettie in Fort Pierce and along the sand flats of the inlet. Mackerel and jacks have moved back into the turning basin in Fort Pierce now. There are lots of options to the fishing this time of year. Don't forget that the manatee zone is in effect from the north bridge to south of the south bridge in Fort Pierce as of November 15th. That wouldn't be a good day to be cruisin' through the channel there! It will remain closed through April 30 next year. Have a great month of fishing around the Treasure Coast! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 11 Nov 2012 09:53:43 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Red ghosts filled the crystal clear waters around the outer islands of Homosassa yesterday. I managed to navigate the extreme fog and get to an area that has been a hot producer of redfish lately. We had about an hour to get our redfish before the tide would leave us high and dry. The good news was there was plently of moving water, and the bad new was we only had an hour. Plently of time to land a few keeper redfish. We target these outer islands with freelined shrimp on a 2/0 circle hook with a flurocarbon leader, and a few were caught under a popping cork rig. Try to locate schools of larger mullet, these redfish will be hanging around them. This technique should work for you next time you head out to land some fish. The trout are continuing to move in a little closer. Look for structure (kelp beds, tall grass etc..), there you'll find your larger fish. We used a white jerk shad with a 3/0 circle hook pulled through the nose, and twitched it like a top water to produce quality trout. Here is a pic of one of the redfish from Sunday 11-5-12. Tight lines, Capt. Jay Lowe Battle Creek Outfitters Homosassa, FL 352-601-7010 www.fishing-homosassa.com Capt Jay Lowe Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 11 Nov 2012 09:53:28 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Another charter on the lagoon today. Was a beautiful morning with no wind. The water was like glass and gin clear also very cold. But due to the gin clear water the reds were super, super spooky today. We fished the flats around the klinkers and ran up to George's bar. With the super clear water I was able to spot reds 40 50 and even 60 feet of the bow and to the sides. And they were all over but had lock jaw for the most part. We got 7 fish to take but only 4 solid hook ups, but only 3 landed today. The 4th take ended up spitting the hook after a few good runs. Oh well. We also landed a keeper trout. We released everything today to fight another day. All in all a very nice day on the water with the customer. With Popsicle cold fish lol Till next time Capt. Timothy mackay 954-683-1298 Fishinwithtim.com Fishboy4505 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 11 Nov 2012 09:51:50 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Got out on the goon again this morning. Water is crystal clear on the north end and muddy to the south. Once again reds on the flats but they were sticking to the pot holes and muddy bottom to stay warm. And once again the weedless jerk baits were the ticket. Got 6 reds today. Smallest was 25 inches and the largest went 30.5 inches. Some of the other guys went south and did just as well in the dirty water. So the red bite is really hot. No trout today but saw alot of big females spook off lol. Well till next time Capt. Timothy Mackay Fishinwithtim.com Fishboy4505 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 11 Nov 2012 09:51:37 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Got out on the goon this morning on a charter and was pleasantly suprised the wind died off as much as it did. And even though it was a frigid morning the reds were still biting and the water was still pretty clear after the storm. The sight fishing was great. We saw multiple fish. The customer was having some accuracy issues, but with a little coaching he still managed to land 5 mid slot redfish. The bait of choice was a mirror lure lil jon soft plastic rigged weedless on a 1/8th oz weighted hook. Not a bad day for it being 44 degrees this morning. Till next time Capt. Timothy mackay Inshore fishing charters 954 683 1298 Fishinwithtim.com Fishboy4505 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:49:58 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR November Fishing Forecast Sitting here this morning watching the latest on Hurricane Sandy and it looks like the end of October will be unfishable to say the least. The beaches will take a beating again, so be very careful if you venture down to the surf. The river is going to get pretty chopped up as well. Expect lots of rain and wind for now and stay safe! Just as October proved to be a windy month, you can expect that November will also continue on that same windy note. We are in the middle of our winter transition and you can also count on cooler temperatures that will start the thermometer sliding when it comes to the water temps as well. The days will remain nice and warm, but the nights will become cooler this month. It’s time to change your fishing tactics out on the water. We enjoyed a very mild winter this past year and hopefully it will be the same again this winter. Trout will continue to be a target of many anglers. The trout bite will be good on the flats, but you must move to the deeper areas as the temperatures cool the water down. Look for them to be in three to six feet of water this month. My favorite lures are DOA shrimp or Deadly Combos when trout fishing. Don’t forget to fish the sand holes and drop offs on the flats. Many sand holes are much deeper than the flat and you can expect some nice fish to be hiding in them waiting for that easy meal to drift by. Harbor Branch is especially productive for me during this time of year as well as the Midway Road area. It was a fantastic year for big trout in 2012. There have been lots of big trout around the Fort Pierce area this year. The pompano are returning to the river and will be a favorite target for anglers throughout the winter. When fishing the surf, use sand fleas or clams and the same in the river. Don’t forget to try a Doc’s Goofy Jig for the pomps. Many are located when they skip behind the boat wake. Keep your eyes open for them. The snook bite will continue to be good, especially at night. The inlet, jetties, bridges and docks around the river will be holding snook. Lighted docks are very popular when night fishing. Live baits, Bait Busters and Terror Eyz are very popular for snook fishing. Don’t forget the spillways when the water is running over them. They can be another very productive area for snook. Redfish can be found hanging under mangroves during the day and will strike a DOA shrimp or CAL jerk bait. You might also find some hanging under some of the docks around the river. Look for them in shallow water as long as the sun keeps the temperatures warm. I love the CAL grub tails this time of year around the mangroves. A gold spoon can be another good lure in winter for hooking up on a redfish. Docks and bridges will hold black drum, sheephead and the sand perch should also show up this month. Live or dead shrimp always works best on these fish. I love fishing docks this time of year. You just never know what might be lurking under one. I fish my lures from up tide of the dock, so that it will stay under the dock. You only have to twitch it and can fish it much longer that way. It’s always a challenge in getting a fish out from under one, but the excitement is well worth it. You should still find some flounder around on the sand flats of the inlet and river. The mackerel, bluefish and jacks will fill up the inlet this month. Most shiny lures will work on these predators. You can also find them hanging in the channels up around Harbor Branch. It might be windy out there…..but the fish will be feeding! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 28 Oct 2012 23:48:19 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Fishing has been great here on Mosquito Lagoon this October 2012, water temperatures have dropped, reading 73’F a couple days ago, as the water becomes clearer moving towards winter, sight fishing the flats will only improve even more. Redfish and Seatrout will begin to gather into their winter schools. But now we still have early fall conditions, many schools of finger mullet still moving through the Indian River heading south with the baitfish migration. Bait of fresh cut mullet, live finger mullet and pigfsh has been my mainstay this month, as winter arrives the main bait will be select live shrimp and more artificials being used in the clear water. Here are young sisters Aiyana and Callista each with a great Redfish they caught out with me on one of my backcountry trips with their parents recently. And repeat client 83 year old Bob with one of the several Redfish he caught with me one morning this month. Here is Jeff with his biggest Seatrout caught on a morning which we had several other nice Trout along with a few good Redfish with his friend on their trip out with me a couple weeks ago. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 28 Oct 2012 23:47:43 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Central Florida Fishing As the temperatures in central Florida cool down the fishing has been heating up. The lagoon has turned on like a light switch since the brown tide is long gone. The bait is thick and around them you will find the reds and trout not far away. Winter is just around the corner and the redfish will be adding to their fat layer preparing themselves for the cold. Most of the redfish we have caught in the past few weeks have been on a half of a sinking minnow in white color. Because the finger mullet are white that is what seems to be doing the trick the best. I rig mine Capt. Joe Porcelli style with a small kayle hook ¼ inch in the tip of your jerk bait. You can also Power Pole down and put out chunk baits and wait for the bite. This is a little slow for some but a productive way to catch many fish. In the morning you can toss a top water plug and get some big explosions like Mo and Jay Lower did in the lagoon with me last week. Below is a shot of Jay with a nice trout. We have caught some of our trout on pigfish but most of them on Jigs rigged with a sinking minnow. We have been bouncing jigs along the edges of the channels and drop offs. Make sure you make contact with the bottom to create some noise down there. If you feel some pressure and no jerking or shaking motion you probably got a flounder. We have been catching them on almost every trip we fish jigs. Lady fish will also eat your jig but most of them eat when you are working your jig too fast. You really need to slow your retrieve down at times to get the bite. Keep it in the zone. And if you get a bite and miss the fish toss it back in the same spot. If you catch a trout make sure you cast your baits in the same spot before you move on. And if you just want to catch fish and not worry about any of the fish brain stuff just call me and I will guarantee you will. 386 314 5656 Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:35:05 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR South Indian River Fishing Report 10/10 Inshore: What can you say about October, but exciting! Great weather with the usual afternoon rains have kept the temperatures in check for us and allowed a light breeze each day to make it fun and comfortable. Perfect fall weather for the Treasure Coast. The mullet run continues around the area and the fish have been chewing on them heavily. It's a great time of year! A few recent trips of note.... I was at the Michael Shields Memorial Inshore Open again this year and it was a fantastic event as usual. Check them out at www.fishforthekids.org. It's a wonderful event for an even more wonderful cause. I had Susan, Irene and John on the boat the morning of the tournament. They had their three fish limit of redfish and sea trout in no time, but had no luck in hooking up with a snook. Irene just missed the largest trout by 1 1/2" and was also close on top lady angler. Everyone caught fish and we had a super time on the river. Looking ahead to next year already! The Treasure Coast Casters had their October fishing tournament and I was able to volunteer again to help them out. I had Dylora Kohler and Savannah Ward on the boat for the tournament. It was Dylora's day to shine as she caught a nice redfish, two sea trout and a snapper for the day. Savannah fished hard all day and finally stayed hooked up on a mangrove snapper. They caught a lot of fish and missed a lot as well. It was fun for them and myself. Dylora took first place in the high school division and biggest fish awards, while Savannah took second place for middle school. Check out www.treasurecoastcasters.org to see how to volunteer or get your child involved. Captain Melly B. of Buck's Tale Charters joined me for a scouting adventure recently. We fished the Fort Pierce area and found the trout alive on the flats. Most were schoolies, but they ate up some DOA CAL 308 jerk baits for us. Melly caught a nice redfish to top off the day for us. We caught a nice variety of fish that day. Sea trout have been actively feeding on the flats, especially where there are sand holes or drop offs. I have fished north of Fort Pierce most days with success on most of the flats up the river. DOA CAL jerk baits are working very well for us these days and will even help hook up on a redfish. Redfish are still shallow on the flats and have been reported all over the river this past week. Try around some of the mangroves as well for redfish and other species. Snook have been mostly around the inlet, jetties and docks of the river. Bait Busters, flair jigs and live bait has worked well for them. The surf has held whiting and anything that is willing to chew on the finger mullet along the beaches. A few reports of pompano showing up brings thoughts of good things to come! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:33:27 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR With fall apon us the mullet schools have moved in to the Lagoon system in great numbers. I have been catching great numbers of Trout and Redfish mixed in with these bait pods in the early morning using topwater and twitch baits then moving to a Auqa Dream Spoon as the sun starts to rise. By mid morning I have been locating alot of Redfish tailing in the shallow grass and cruising shorelines in search of new feeding oppotunities. These fish have been crushing spoons,soft plastics and live shrimp when presented with a well placed cast. The large mature Redfish can be found in the inlets and off the beaches this time of year to spawn. They can be caught using anything from soft plastics, cut bait and a veraity of live bait fished near the bottom where the current is not as strong. This is also a great time of year to target Flounder as they are moving inshore to spawn they can be caught from the ICW through the bacwaters on the mud and sand bottom using soft plastics and live bait. Good luck and be safe. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:32:46 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR October is here in Central Florida and the fishing has been spectacular. The second half of the Summer presented us with tough fishing conditions following tropical storm Debby. All it took was a few days of heavy rains to contaminate the river from all the run off which then helped to ignite our algae bloom which happens in our Lagoons annually. The conditions in our area have improved dramatically with sight fishing returning to normal for this time of the year. The fall mullet run is in full swing and the ICW from Ponce south through both of the lagoon systems are full of life. The giant redfish are staging in Ponce Inlet on the out going tides feeding on live blue crabs and mullet. I like drifting with the boat using live blue crabs or smaller pass crabs, this allows for a perfect and natural presentation but can also be done from an anchored but as well. These bigger redfish are also being caught in both the Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River Lagoon. Look for these fish in 2ft to 5ft of water and on the edges of flats. They can be caught on a variety of artificial's from top water lures like Rapala Skitterwalks, Super Spook Juniors, and chug bugs. Switching to sub surface baits will get their attention too like Aqua Dream Spoons, Sebile Stick Shads, and DOA BFL or Baitbusters in natural colors. If they are not reacting to the artificial switch to live baits such as finger mullet, pinfish, pigfish or cut mullet. In other areas of the lagoons if you can find the mullet schools you will find red fish and speckled trout. Match the hatch either with live bait or lures and flies imitating mullet. The water levels have dropped a little but redfish can still be found cruising shorelines in search of shrimp and crabs. Up in the shallow grass redfish are gathering in small groups tailing as they root through grass for shrimp and crabs. These redfish will eat a live shrimp without a problem but will also take a well placed DOA shrimp. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of taking journalist Jan Maizler out in Mosquito Lagoon author of Fishing Florida's Flats. Jan was working on an article for Sport Fishing Magazine on how to catch redfish and speckled trout on ultra light tackle using 8' 6" rods with 5lb monofilament. We completed the task quick with live pigfish catching a few redfish up to 5lbs and 10-15 trout up to 5lbs. After getting what we needed for the article we switched gears and tried some sight fishing, we were limited on sun light but Jan sight casted 2 nice redfish up to 6lbs with DOA shrimp. Fly fishing has been phenomenal with water conditions getting better, fish cruising shorelines, groups of redfish tailing up shallow, and an abundance of baitfish everywhere. Here's a redfish I fed with a shrimp pattern from my poling platform while fishing solo. I've also spent a few days scouting the lagoons with fellow guide Capt. Joe Roberts of Indian River Guide service fly fishing from his canoe. This is a unique way to fish in our area something we both offer but is limited to one angler per canoe plus the guide. We both have canoes and can get together if need be for a second angler. We have had some amazing days lately catching 10+ redfish on fly in areas we can't access easily in our skiffs. All fish have been caught on shrimp and crab flies whether they were tailing in the shallow grass or cruising a shoreline with their backs out of the water. We've also been seeing tons of sheepshead all over the flats in sand holes, tailing in shallow grass and pushing a wake across the flats, we've seen a few close to 4lbs. We even found a few black drum tailing and cruising in shallow water one fell victim to one of my crab patterns. There's plenty of great fishing opportunities this time of the year from big redfish and snook in Ponce Inlet and around the bridges on the out going tide. Look for tarpon anywhere in the ICW from Ponce Inlet south to the lagoons, you may see them striking mullet on the surface or rolling. Also jack crevalle and ladyfish busting mullet and shrimp on the surface throughout the ICW. And the redfish and trout bite throughout the lagoons will only get better as the water temps start to drop. Capt. Justin Price, Right In Sight Charters www.rightinsightcharters.com Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Mosquito Lagoon / Indian River Lagoon and surrounding areas in East Central Florida Capt Justin Price Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:55:20 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR I thought August was good but September was even better! Now the near-shore fishing is on fire as well as the flats fishing! Redfish are feeding like mad, big Trout continue to be surprisingly active, Snook are all over and Tarpon continue to be easily targeted. Add in the fact that the Kingfish, Spanish Mackerel and Pompano have started their fall migrations, and there will definitely be some crazy, rod bending action going on in October. Its “Red October” and if it is anything like September the Redfish fishing is going to be nuts! The “bull” reds have begun their annual spawn and are in huge schools, sometimes well over 200 fish. They have been averaging 25”-33” and weighing any where from 5lb-15lbs. I have had multiple 50 plus fish days recently and even made a few clients say “uncle” after catching a bunch of giant reds! It should get even better this October, which is why it is by far my favorite month to catch reds! The Boca Grande Tarpon Fishing continues to be very consistent. Most of the Tarpon have moved into the lower harbor and out on the beaches of Southwest Florida. I am averaging 2-4 hook ups a trip and most of the fish have been averaging from 75-100 pounds. Live-bait, dead bait and artificial are all producing nice fish. If you are interested in a Boca Grande tarpon fishing charter consider fishing from now until the water temperatures drop following our first few major cold fronts. As October progresses most of the Snook will begin to leave the passes and begin their journey back to protected waters of the backcountry to get ready for winters cooler temperatures. As they make this migration they are going to bring their appetites with them to fatten up before winter. Snook fishing continues to be very good and 20-40 fish days have been the norm with most of the fish averaging 22”-24.” Even though the average fish is around 4-5 pounds many trips are producing fish well over the 15lb.mark. In the mixed bag for inshore, Trout and Pompano have been making a good showing. Trout fishing has continued to be very good which is a nice surprise for the fall. I have been getting some nice limits in the boat with quit a few fish well over 20”. The fall run of Pompano has started and they are feeding very well. Silly Willy jigs have been the most productive bait I have found so far. If you have never caught Pompano they are great fighters as well as wonderful table fare. The near-shore fishing has been on FIRE! Kingfish and Spanish Mackerel have infested every piece of structure offshore and are reeking havoc on the large bait pods. Most of the Kings have been around 20lbs and the Spanish about 3-4lbs. Once you find these schools you get them chummed up and literally hook a fish every cast. Whether you want to catch the fish of a lifetime or just relax with friends, you can count on Reelfishing charters to put together the ultimate Southwest Florida experience! Capt. Danny is the guide that will bring everything together for a fun, exciting fishing charter that you’ll remember. Reelfishing is a Boca grande fishing charters as well as a Boca Grande fishing guide service. We pick up at several locations around Southwest Florida including Burnt Store Marina, Pineland Marina, Placida and the Boca Grande guide docks. Other arrangements can be made if necessary. We try to make fishing with Reelfishing charters as easy as possible. Catch Fish, No Excuses! reelfishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:52:05 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Autumn 2012 has arrived, the long hot Florida summer behind us, cooler mornings feel great as we get on the water as the sun is rising. Redfish and Seatrout catching has been great the last few weeks here on the flats of Mosquito Lagoon, as well as mixed bag fishing in the backcountry waters. Mixed type fishing can produce Trout and Reds also, but with lots of Jack Crevalle , Ladyfish, Sheepshead, Mangrove Snapper, and more on most trips. The mixed fishing is an easier type of fishing with lots of bites and constant action. Flats fishing for Redfish is a more challenging type of fishing, sometimes as much hunting as fishing. The pay off is worth it when you hook up with a Mosquito Lagoon Redfish. Here is young Tanvi with her great Redfish, one of several caught on a recent trip her family took with me. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Sept2012RedTanvi.jpg Check out this cool 16 spot Redfish we caught on a trip a few days ago, it was released unharmed to maybe be caught again another day. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Sept2012Red16Spot.jpg As we are out on the beautiful natural setting of Mosquito Lagoon catching fun saltwater fish and enjoying the great outdoors, we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal close to the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip. On many trips we also see Manatees this time of year which can swim right up close to the boat for a good look. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Sept2012RedBobby.jpg This photo with a young man and his hard fighting Jack Crevalle caught on one of my family type mixed bag trips http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Sept2012Jack.jpg MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 29 Sep 2012 20:04:38 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: We have enjoyed nice weather this week, but it has been breezy most days. It still is very fishable around the Treasure Coast though. We skirted some thunderstorms on a few days, but overall the conditions have been nice for fishing. The mullet are flooding into the river and the fish are hungry to feed on them. It's a great time of year! Michael and Brad found the trout bite had picked up nicely this week. All have been in or over the slot size this week. DOA shrimp Deadly, Combos or live baits can get you hooked up. Mike caught a 24" sea trout to top off their day. Adrian and Lionel were out to enjoy a day on the water this week. Adrian's first cast to a mullet school landed him a nice redfish on top water. Lionel landed a good size bluefish shortly after that. They later got into some nice sea trout, which all were slot size or larger. A fun week out there! Trout have been in three to five feet of water and the bite has been on the moving tides. Our best bite has been just as the tides are turning lately. Most of the flats to the south of Fort Pierce have been productive this week. Redfish have been in one to three feet of water on the many of the flats. Get out early with some top water lures for some exciting action. There are lots of jacks patrollng the river and crushing the bait schools. Lots of fun on light tackle. Snook have been around bridges, docks and inlets. Try feather jigs, Terror Eyz, or live baits around these areas. You can still find lots of snapper around the river. We have been finding keeper snapper on the flats and there are plenty around the bridges, channel edges and docks of the river. The surf should be alive with the mullet run and lots of different species chasing them for a meal. Look for snook, jacks, bluefish and tarpon to be feeding along many of the beaches of the Treasure Coast this month. You should also find whiting as well along the surf. Have a fun time and enjoy some great fishing soon. Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing and be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 26 Sep 2012 11:38:06 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Sept 2012 Well it is hard to believe that we are already in Sept it seems as though the summer has flown by. I know that the big talk lately has been the algea bloom developing in the Lagoon System well i'm happy to say that it seems to be clearing out and should continue to do so through out fall. The red fish bite has been good along with some great numbers of trout being caught on a daily basis from New Smyrna south to Cocoa. Look for your red fish to be tailing in the shallow grass early in the morning and moving to the edges as the sun rises a little higher in the sky. I like to throw top water plugs and soft plastics early then moving to a ADL spoon working the edges of the flat. I have been finding alot of nice 20" plus trout holding on grass flats mixed in with the schools of mullet early in the morning and moving to points and edges as the sun gets higher. I like throwing top water plugs early and moving to a soft plastic or twicth bait as the sun rises higer. If live bait is more your style shrimp and live finger mullwt has been working great early in the morning when the fish have been up in the shallow grass and pig fish for when they move off into a little deeper water. We still have alot of tarpon moving thorugh the inlets and the ICW when targeting these fish try to upsize your gear to a heiver line 25 to 35 pound with a 40 to 50 pound flouracarbon leader. they can be caught on a variety of baits from live to artifical. I would like to end with saying thank you to my good friend Capt Nathaniel Lemmon for the second place finish we took in the J B's Trout Shoot Out this past week. Also a big thank you to my good friend and tournament patner Terry Smith for helping us tie for team of the year in the Bossman Boats Red Fish Series. Good luck and be safe Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 15 Sep 2012 09:24:08 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR August 28, 2012 After sitting through all the rains of Isaac, I am anxious to get back on the water again. I guess it gave me a chance to catch up on things around the home place, but being pent up has never been to my liking! We managed to get out a few days before the rains arrived and has some nice conditions to enjoy the fishing. Fishing will depend on how all the recent rains have affected the area. Until all the flood runoff is gone, you might have to change your fishing tactics to find where the fish are. Trout fishing continued to provide us with some action while fishing drop offs and sand bars on the river. DOA shrimp and live baits helped us catch some nice trout around the river. Most of our fish came from north of Fort Pierce. We are still catching a lot of snapper on the flats as well. Most are short, but we have also caught some nice keepers in the mix. Most fish have come in two to five feet of water along the river. Christine and Jeanie caught a nice variety of fish on their adventure. Try fishing docks, bridges and channel edges for snapper and sheephead. Don't forget to try some top water lures early in the day when fishing on the flats. Mackerel, jacks and bonito have been crushing the bait around the Fort Pierce Inlet recently. Nice size macks are in the turning basin. Most small, shiny lures will get you in on some fun action. We are still finding redfish in the shallows of the flats. Most have been sitting in one to three feet of water. Emmett and Shirley hooked up on several nice redfish and landed one slot fish. DOA shrimp, live or cut bait can help you find a slot size fish this time of year. Tarpon, jacks, snook and bonito had been cruising along the surf and feeding on the bait schools. When you get out along the beach, look for bait schools and you should find the fish nearby. Fishing will get back to normal soon and hopefully we don't have to deal with another storm like Isaac this year. Look for bait schools around the river this time of year and you should find fish. There has been a tremendous amount of bait around. Be careful when you head out this week. All the flooding will bring lots of debris into the river and you certainly don't want to tear up your boat or motor on it. Have fun out there! As always, remember, fishing isn't just another hobby.....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:02:32 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well, took the boys offshore even with the 50% chance of rain. Drug ballyhoo with skirts on two outriggers, set one deep on a chugger and another down deep about 60 feet on a weighted islander. First rig to go off was the downrigger and low and behold it was a shark but a good one for shark steaks for the grill; so into the fish box it went. Next up was a the deep back and it was a short hit that left just the head of the ballyhoo and chugger head. Finally got a decent hit on one of the outriggers and it was a good size King about 15 lbs. It was Uncle Jeff's birthday so he grabbed the pole to get the fish boat side after about 10 minutes. With a flip of the gaff he had a nice birthday dinner in the making. My buddy Brannon was up next and a left out rigger went off only to go slack. Another short hit but this time it looked like the fish just mouthed it and let go; the ballyhoo was crushed but not ripped apart. So we let him have the next shot and it came on the deep back chugger. This time an tiny tunny was on the line and made for a good deep diving fight. A ferw minutes later another fish in the box. The weather started to look dark so we started are way west going back to the port. We were about 15 miles out went it hit. So on with the rain gear and thank goodness there was no lightning. We made it back to port safe but with our fishing day cut short we have to go back next weekend to to get the other ones we misssed. Quick note, most hits have been on ballyhoo and skirts with green and yellow combos. Till next time... fish on! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:00:41 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR School is starting, fall is coming next month, the end of another summer here on Mosquito Lagoon Florida. The beginning of the slower tourist season means less boat traffic, cooling water temperatures, and I am looking forward to the autumn fishing pattern to start. This last month has been challenging at times, August heat along with the cloudy water brought on by heavy rain early in the summer, but we have had many great Redfish & Seatrout trips fishing the grass flats, slough holes, & flats edges with live bait & cut mullet during this cloudy water pattern. Here is young Ryan with 1 of the 3 “top of the slot” Redfish he caught while out on one of my trips with his dad recently. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Aug2012RedRyan2.jpg Here is a photo from last weekend of me and young Bryson with the 24” Seatrout he caught while out with me & his dad, my friend Richie, during the CCA Youth Inshore Classic tournament which won first place Trout in the under 10 year old division. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Aug2012BrysonTrout.jpg More photos below of Mosquito Lagoon Redfish and Seatrout from trips the last few weeks. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Aug2012ZachRed.jpg Looking forward to fall mixed bag fishing trips again in the backcountry of New Smyrna Beach & Edgewater as the migrating inshore game fish like Trout, Bluefish, Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, & more return to our area on their south bound migration soon. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Aug2012TroutRandy.jpg As we are out catching fun saltwater fish and enjoying the great outdoors here on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins, Manatees, and many different bird species on every trip also. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Aug2012DavidRed.jpg MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Aug2012MaxRed.jpg CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Aug2012Red.jpg Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:00:29 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: Both the weather and fish have cooperated this week for us on the Treasure Coast. We have enjoyed lots of exciting action all over the Indian River this week. You still need to watch out for those afternoon and evening thunderstorms, but it's been a lot of fun out on the water. I guess the most exciting place to enjoy some great action has been around the Fort Pierce inlet, turning basin and along the beaches. With so much bait moving along the surf and into the river, the fish have been gorging themselves on it. You can witness some crashing action this time of year. Jacks, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and bonito have invaded the area and we have ended up each trip with a stop to battle some of these fish to end up the day. If you have kids....it's even more exciting for them! Small shiny lures have worked fantastic for us when fishing these areas. You can also find some tarpon around the turning basin. The surf has been outstanding for beach anglers fishing around the bait schools. Tarpon, snook, jacks and various other hungry predators are in close and feeding heavily right now. Trout fishing has been good on the flats. We are still getting some big trout on the grass flats to the north of Fort Pierce. Top water, DOA shrimp and live bait has accounted for most of our fish lately. We have fished most flats up as far as Harbor Branch this past week in three to five feet of water. Lots of mangrove snapper are still around the river. We have caught a good number while trout fishing the flats. Bridges and structure will also be holding many mangroves. Redfish are still in the shallow water. You have to move slowly and quietly to find some, but they are still out there. Try DOA shrimp, top water lures and live baits when searching the flats for a nice size red. It a wonderful time of year to fish! There is so much bait around the river right now and the fish are hungry! Get out early and enjoy some great action this time of year. It's great to live and fish along the Treasure Coast! As always, remember, fishing isn't just another hobby.....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 This week on the Indian River.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:00:21 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR On Saturday 8/11, we fished from the pier from about 12-3. We caught lots of pinfish, but also one non-keeper mangrove snapper and one beautiful triggerfish, about 8 inches long. We caught these fishing on the left side of the pier (casting into the channel) near the end, but not at the end using dead shrimp. Using only a tiny piece of shrimp (the size of a man's ring finger nail) on a small hook worked best, as the pinfish seem to be able to pull off a bigger piece in a matter of seconds. In too close and the rocks get every cast. 20 feet from the wide part of the pier at the end worked well. Had a great souvlaki in Tarpon Springs when we left, and the breeze made for a nice day. Storms threatened, but we left before they hit. robpinion Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:43:52 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Titusville, Cocoa & Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report – August 13th, 2012 As most have seen here in central Florida there was an algae bloom that occurred a few weeks ago here on the waters of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River. However not all is lost or gone. There still are several areas that are not only producing fish but also numerous areas that have quite a bit of clean water. The Mosquito Lagoon, Refuge and Indian River is holding a good and respective amount of redfish still. It is just a matter of looking very hard for them. The key is to look along drop offs with the grass mats that border the flats, watch for activity and then use a good method of watching for tailing fish. The redfish have been up inside the heavy, thick grass feeding. I mean some of these fish are several inches underneath a thick pad of grass. It is almost surreal to watch them do this. Now the main ingredient here is a very good cast. I mean perfect when throwing into grass like this. With the reds feeding in this grass the visibility for them is pretty much none. Your shot at them as got to be perfect, if it is not they just will not see it. Using a D.O.A. CAL with an added bullet weight along with a weed-less hook configuration will be your best bet. Also for those of you wanting to use live or cut bait you can move around and let a piece of bait soak for a while if need be. The trout bite has still been fairly good given the water clarity. Whether you are fishing up in the New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater area near Oak Hill or down in the Indian River near Cocoa, Port St. John and Titusville. Several trout are being caught fishing the deep ledges and looking for clean water with some movement or flow to it. If you can locate the smaller bait fish and birds feeding even better. Using top waters or soft plastics are your best bet. If you are in the deep waters and see birds diving and feeding there is also a very good chance you can get a good amount of bites of jacks and lady fish which are always fun too catch as well. The tarpon bite is great inshore and near shore. Tarpon ranging from the 5 to 10 pound class in the canals are being caught using medium light tackle. Tarpon up to the 80 plus pound class throughout the river are also being caught and numerous are rolling and feeding. There is nothing like seeing these fish feed and strike your lure. Throwing the D.O.A. Baitbuster or the medium D.O.A. Terror Eyz with a heavy leader (60 pound to 100 pound for the bigger tarpon, smaller for the fish in the back creeks and canals) is the go to this time of year. I am seeing a much larger catch ratio with these versus using live or dead bait. Watch for the fish to roll or swim by and then make your cast to them. Please remember to handle every fish you catch with the utmost caution and extreme care. This will ensure a higher survival rate upon their release. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: drcfishmaster@cfl.rr.com Visit us at: http//:www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com/ YouTube Videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/Cavanaugh68 Captain DREW Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:14:54 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR We had a slam yesterday of all kinds of great fish. We started see the flying fish right at 80 feet of water. With a storm cell approching from the south east we decided to go ahead and start trolling; thinking we might pick up something as the storm past. Well we were right. I had just set out the first pole and set it in the rod holder and the chugger with ballyhoo went off. It turned out to be a nice sized spanish mackerel. So, back to the set up I went; I got one pole set deep center and got one in the left outrigger. I had just engaged the reel and the outrigger popped. I handed this one of to my buddy Kalob and the fight insued with a dolphin and as usual the high flying fish put on a grand display. Again, boat side and into the fish box. At this point we are thinking, Wow this is great!" 15 minutes and two great eating fish. We were still in 85 feet of water and getting hits. We got the spread set with three pole after another 10 minutes and wouldn't you know it the right out rigger goes off...and you guessed it another dolphin! I had never seen such a fast start to a fishing day offshore. So after no more than 40 minutes we had 3 great fish in the boat and the storm had started to move by. We continued to troll out to deeper water and at 100 foot the center deep went off again and another beautiful dolphin went in the air with the pink and white chugger dangling from his mouth, lips wrapped around the ballyhoo...so now we are at 4 great fish and we hadn't broken the 100 foot mark! Mind you all reports said 120 to 180 foot for dolphin but if we had started at 120 foot we would have over shot the fish. Infact the deeper we got the the fewer the strikes. By the time we got to 135 foot and had not had a strike in a hour we decided to head past the 27 fathom and come back to scattered weeds later. We made a 12 mile run and put out our first line at 300 foot on a downrigger 60 feet down. I had gotten three poles set and the downrigger went off...and don't you know the line started to sing. After a 20 minute battle the stripped torpedo showed himself; an awesome wahoo came boat side and meet out steely gaff!!! High fives were shared by all. Grinning from ear to ear we felt like the day could not get any better. Well we were thankfully wrong...an hour later I see one of the out riggers pop off and next I see this 4 foot creature sky rocket out of the water. This is some thing you usually see from a huge King or Baracuda and boy was I wrong, the fish then went screaming streight to the bottom. Everyone kept saying it is just a big cuda...but let me tell you the joy we had when yet another set of stripes came boat side...another wahoo! Not as big as the first but another all the same. I had never seen a wahoo launch itself like that before but I look forward to seeing it again sometime soon, hopefully! After quite a bit more trolling and picking up a couple of cudas we decided to hit some bottom fishing. Catching our fair share of black sea bass we decided to call it a day and what a good one it was... gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:14:22 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Aug 2012 Well let's start with the water clarity in the lagoon system. Believe it or not it seems to be clearing up slowly and there is small pockets of clean water if you look hard enough. As far as the bite go's the fish are still there. Look for the bait and the structure whether it's bars or edges and you will find fish. I have been having great success on Red fish and Trout with top water plugs and ADL spoons as the sun gets a little higher. There has been some good numbers of Jacks and tarpon being caught near the inlets and off the beaches. Live baits from finger mullet to pin fish will get you a bite along with twitch baits and ADL spoons working well. Good luck and be safe! Thank you, Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:13:38 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Landed a 43 lb King fish solo on a Medium size penn combo, 40 lb mono leader and 50 pound power pro. Took twenty minutes and this was the biggest fish i ever caught and the biggest king i ever seen in my life. Caught free linning a dead mullet over a 80 ft reef in 78 degree water temp twenty miles out. My two buddies were diving for lobster while I landed this king. Century Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 11 Aug 2012 10:42:51 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well this was a day to remember. Nice calm seas and a good breeze to keep from burning up. We took Uncle Jeff, Son Andrew and grandpa out for the day. Starting at 70 feet just due west of the Pelican Flats we started to troll. Andrew had not even locked the spool down before a nice size baracuda hit the ballyhoo with green skirted chugger. Boy that cuda put on a good fight before releasing at boat side. That is how most of our day went; troll for a while then boom, another cuda! We trolled like this for most of the morning making our way out to about 105 feet when the line really started to sing. It was yet another huge baracuda with attitude that wanted to jump and stay airborne at least 6 times. Finally we decided to troll back towards the west and finally got a nice dolphin to bite an Orange and green islander with ballyhoo. It will be nice for the grill! We bottom fished for a while but it got too hot staying still so we came back to the #4 bouy to catch some sharks and one more cuda. All in all a fantastic day was had by all and Grandpa got to bond with the boys! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:49:21 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR July 26, 2012 Hot weather continues along the Treasure Coast this week. Getting out early will give you the best opportunities to enjoy the fishing before it gets too hot out on the water. We have enjoyed good success early this week in the first few hours of the mornings. Drink plenty of fluids and use lots of suntan lotion! Trout and redfish has been our best bite again this week. We are still catching some big sea trout in the early hours on the flats with both live baits and artificials. Top water lures are fun and exciting! DOA shrimp can always get you some action on the flats. Our best success has been north of Fort Pierce on the grass flats in two to five feet of water. The bite slows down somewhat after the heat of the day sets in. Move to deeper water once it gets hot out there. Redfish have been in shallow water and most of our fish have been in one to three feet of water on the flats. We had some good catches on top water lures and the DOA Bait Buster shallow runner. Most of our reds have been upper slot to over the slot size lately. It's gonna be a good July and August for redfish on the river. Snook fishing has been best in the deeper water around the jetties and bridges with live bait or jigs. Try some top water around those areas at first light. Snapper and sheephead around the docks and bridges this month can get you some good table fare. Whiting along the surf has been good most days. The glass minnows are showing up in numbers and the mackerel will be chewing on them around the inlet this month. July is always a good month to enjoy the fishing! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:56:07 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR July 2012 is winding down here on Mosquito Lagoon and we are having another fun summer of fishing here in East Central Florida. Lots of Redfish and Seatrout catching during the last several weeks. Our water levels rose very high and have fallen back low again after Tropical Storm Debby sat over the area for almost a week last month, giving us a 5 day rain event, leaving in her wake a cloudy water fishing pattern. Live and cut bait has been the best bet for catching our target species in the low visibility conditions. With the low water again after a few weeks of very little rainfall since Debby, targeting edges off the flats, depression holes, & sloughs has been the primary locations to fish. Here is a photo of young Casey with one of several redfish caught during her family’s charter with me recently. Many times we catch some of the largest Seatrout of the year while fishing for Reds here on the grass flats, like this 30” Speck which weighed 9 lbs caught by my client Joe on the first day of a 2 day charter. On day 2, Joe, Tony, & young Landon caught over a dozen Redfish During the summer we see Manatees on most every trip as they have come back with a great population rise thanks to boaters awareness to be careful of these impresive slow moving marine mammals. As we are out catching fun saltwater fish and enjoying the great outdoors here on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip also. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:54:37 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Calm seas and lots of sunshine make July a great month to go drift fishing off Fort Lauderdale beach. Reefs are laden with bonitos, kingfish and barracuda during the summer months, making it our best season of the year to catch action. A typical drift fishing trip in July can catch 20-40 bonitos, upwards of 15-20 pounds apiece. While bonitos are not a very good eating fish, they are one of the strongest fighting fish you may ever come across and put up a hellacious fight. In the same waters and swimming alongside the bonitos, are schools of king mackerels, blackfin tuna, barracuda and even wahoo. You can catch all kinds of fish drifting the reefs this month. Schoolie dolphin sometimes wander in onto the reefs this month too. Mostly small 3-5 pound dolphin, these schoolies travel in large schools of as many as 50 fish. These schools usually stay further offshore, but when they come in close to the reef, we catch them on the drift boat and load the fishbox. Bonito, dolphin, tuna, wahoo or kingfish, you should have plenty of action this month drift fishing the reefs of Ft Lauderdale. July is one of the best months of the year for snapper fishing in south Florida. The mangrove snappers get really active and start feeding aggressively coming up to their spawn. Our best bite on mangroves is usually 80-90ft of water, by dropping sardines or ballyhoo chunks on the bottom. Shrimp, live or dead, can sometimes really get the mangroves snapping if the bite is tough. Regular anchoring and chumming for yellowtails is good action at night also. Yellowtails come right up to the top of the water, following up the chumline. Little to no weight and light tackle, 12-15 pound test gets the best yellowtail bite. Just drift your bait back slowly with the current until you get a hit. The yellowtails continually move closer and closer to the boat in the chumline as they gain confidence. Start off drifting your bait way back in the current, and progressively fish closer and closer to the boat as your chum starts working. Snapper fishing is great action this month and they come out of the woodwork to feed at night. Good luck to all you drift fishermen this month. Sea ya on the water! Capt Andy Roydhouse www.fishheadquarters.com 754-214-7863 fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:52:52 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR July 19, 2012 I was back on the water again this week and found the fishing is still great out along the Indian River. We disappeared a few days to celebrate my wife, Eva, and her best friend, Lillian's, 60th birthdays on a Caribbean Cruise to the islands. We had a great time, but it's time to get back to work out on the water. Captain Joe Ward and I went out to enjoy a day on the river and see what the fish are up to on the flats. We found the redfish, snook and trout were hungry and every fish we caught were all over the slot size. Joe and I seem to get out once or twice a year to have fun and it was nice to enjoy a day with him on the river. All the fish have come to the north of Fort Pierce on the grass flats in two to four feet of water. I know the fishing to the south of Fort Pierce is just as good, but I wanted to check out the conditions up north. The incoming tides have provided the best bite for us for quite a while now. Try using DOA shrimp, top water lures or drifting live pilchards this time of year. All will work well on all these fish when fishing the grass flats. July continues to be hot and getting out early can allow you to enjoy the mornings before the heat of the day sets in on you. The winds have been calm at first light and gives you wonderful chances at using top water lures. It's gonna be a hot couple of months so take plenty of water and suntan lotion with you. The bridges continue to hold sheephead, snapper and some black drum. The snook have been heavy around the jetties and inlets along with some bluefish and tarpon in the mix. July will continue to be a good month to enjoy the fishing and you can still find plenty of fish on the flats this month. Have some fun and get out fishing soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 21 Jul 2012 11:13:43 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR July 2012 With the temps rising in the mid 90's for the past three weeks, and the left over run off of tropical storm Debbie has left severe murky conditions in the Lagoon system. You can still find some clear pockets every now and then but for the most part it looks like split pea soup. So with that being said the sight fishing has not been easy but locating the bait is the key to your success. Target the bait pods early in the morning throwing hard baits or live baits at the edge of the schools. I have had some great days lately catching large numbers of Red fish and Trout early. As the sun rises higher and heats the water move toward the edges of the flat and bars I like to throw a Aqua Dream spoon to cover as much water as possible under these conditions. Now moving closer to the inlets and off the beaches there has been good numbers of Tarpon and Jacks following the bait pods. The same theory applies look for the bait and you will find the predator fish. These fish can be taken on several different baits for the jacks I like to throw topwater for that huge explosive bite but spoons and twitch baits work just as well. The Tarpon are a little bit more selective on baits you can throw twitch baits,soft plastics,flies and my personal favorite live bait depending on the conditions pin fish and live finger mullet work great. Make sure when targeting these tarpon that you have the correct gear they are known for sending you home with your tail between your legs so definitely upsize your tackle from hooks to line and rod and reel. Good luck and be safe! Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 12 Jul 2012 23:19:31 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Redfish and Trout Following Bait! Above are Pete and Ryan Joseph Porcelli with a double header. They caught five fish in five minutes. Every parent needs to take their kids fishing, I can’t imagine my life without it. Rain, rain go away is what everyone is singing. Well, it gives us time to do maintenance on the boat and get things fixed. Before the rains, the fishing has continued to be awesome on most of our trips. The trout bite is still in full force and while you are fishing trout with Gulp shrimp bounced on the bottom you will catch some flounder. The most important thing you have to remember is to fish the moon phases if you are in the lagoon. The tide affects the northern most part but if you’re south, fish the moon. We have also been taking our share of flounder on the flats as well. Make sure you don’t pull hard on your Gulp when you first feel the strike, let him eat for a two count then slam him home. They won’t let go. They will hold on to it and swallow it if you let them. With your 1/4-oz jig head and your Gulp sinking minnow in cherry seed, white and pumpkinseed colors you will do some damage to the trout if you bounce these along the bottom and in the sand holes. We have been limiting out on a daily bases using this technique. If you fish next to the clinkers like this, you will also catch trout, ladyfish, redfish, sea bass, flounder, jacks, grouper, mangrove snapper, and you may even catch a baby goliath or a snook. This type of fishing keeps you active through your morning and time flies because we are averaging forty fish a day. Below is a shot of the average size trout we are catching that Dave is holding up. The reds are on the flats but further up from where they were because of the high water. They are pushing up eating fiddlers and other things they have not been able to get to for the past few months. They also will be eating poppers flowing out and you can match that with a pumpkinseed colored Powerbait. Fish the flow and they will be staged up waiting for your offering. The tarpon are in the river now and you will see them rolling early and late in the day. Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me and I Guarantee you will. 386-314-5656 www.captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:39:35 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: July Fishing Forecast July brings hot weather, chances of afternoon rains and Fourth of July parties. Oh....and lots of great fishing out there, too! Watch out for afternoon thunderstorms this month. Mornings on the river will bring action at first light on top water lures for snook or trout along the flats. They will seek deeper water as the sun rises. It’s a hot, but very productive month around the Treasure Coast. I will be fishing along the mangroves for snook and redfish with DOA shrimp, CAL jerk baits and top water lures where the water will be 2-3 feet deep. Trout will move to deeper flats in 2-6 feet of water and will most likely hit pigfish, DOA shrimp or Deadly Combos. Look for the trout to move to the deeper edges of the flats as the sun warms up the water. Fish the sand holes on the flats! You will find the bigger fish sitting in these holes waiting on the tides to bring the food to them. Redfish will continue to hold up on the flats. Read the water as you move across the flats and look for any activity that might be a school of reds. Gold spoons, soft baits, like DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits will work best for them. Search along the docks during the day for snook or redfish hanging around there as well. It’s a fantastic month to be fishing! Bridges will be producing snapper, drum and sheephead during July. Live or dead shrimp will be hard for them to resist. Watch the tides and fish the slower sides of them for best results. Whiting will continue to be in the surf with the occasional bluefish and Spanish mackerel. There will be larger snapper in the river around structure and along channel edges. Sharks will be patrolling along the beach also. The glass minnows will be flowing into the river in huge schools. Watch for these bait schools and fish the edges for your best action. Areas to fish in the river for July: Bear Point, Queen's Cove and Round Island. South of Harbor Branch will be a great area to work for trout in the mornings before the sun heats up things. The flats in front of the power plant taper off to 3-5 feet and will be holding trout during the day. Live pigfish are the favorite food for trout this time of year. It’s time to set the traps to feed these hungry fish! Try a DOA TerrorEyz during the day also for trout. The west shore down there will be good areas to search out redfish. Channel edges will be yielding snapper on structure. Tripletail will be around channel markers and pilings to the south towards Jensen Beach. Have a fun month out there! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:39:20 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR July 3, 2012 Fantastic weather has finally moved into the Treasure Coast and anglers are heading out to enjoy the water and fishing along the area. Once Debby moved off after dumping all that wind and rain on everyone, the skies cleared and the fishing has been great. It's time to head to your favorite fishing spot and have some fun. We have enjoyed a variety of fish biting this week all around the flats of the Indian River. Captain Charlie Fornabio came down this week so we could have a little fun while scouting out the river. Redfish and trout have been our main target, but we managed a few snook, jacks and grouper in the mix lately. The trusty DOA shrimp has worked well this week, especially the 382 color. Top water is a favorite of most anglers this time of year and the action at first light has been good. We have fished both north and south of Fort Pierce and had success in both directions. A lot of the trout have been in two to three feet of water in the mornings. Redfish are gathering and you should be able to find some nice schools soon. Most are mid-slot to upper slot fish now. DOA shrimp, gold spoons and top water are great ways to fish the shallow flats or sand bars. There are still lots of sheephead around the river along with snapper. Most will be caught around channel edges, docks or bridges with live or dead shrimp. You can still find plenty of bluefish around, too. The jetties have had a good snook bite on the higher ends of the tides with live bait, Bait Busters or feather jigs. Surf anglers continue to catch plenty of whiting along the beaches. July should prove to be a very good month! Have fun out there. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:39:03 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR New Smyrna Beach & Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report – June 27th, 2012 As we continue into the summer months here in east central Florida the inshore flats fishing has begun to improve and get even better day after day. The Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River in the New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill, Edgewater, Titusville and Mims areas all have been the epic center of attention for saltwater flats and sight fishing. Redfish, spotted sea trout, black drum along with a mix bag of lady fish, jacks and flounder have all been on the game plan for the day. A few juvenile tarpon have also been in the back water creeks as well. As we progress into the summer further we should start to see more and more tarpon showing up. Personally this is some of my favorite time of year to fish. Active, fun, energetic and most importantly it is not COLD out! What else can I say? You have got to love Florida in the summer time. The water levels here on the Mosquito Lagoon have been a little bit higher than they should be for this time of year. Which in return has really spread the fish out, and into the backcountry flats they had no access to a few weeks or months ago. Especially the redfish, along with some really beautiful gator sea trout we have been getting into. Think of this like having a pasture with cattle in it. You open a gate that leads to another set of pasture land the cattle had not been in for a while. They will tend to make a beeline for it. As this is a new grazing area for them with a fresh food source. Searching these areas will pay off tremendously, however you have to use caution, stealth and the key to fishing; Patience. These typical shallower flats do not get many boats there so approach and enter them with the care of the environment in mind along with your tactics to search them. Along with this, do think of your safety and others as well. Also please be aware of the poll and troll zones inside the refuge and its unique set of rules. Seems that when the water comes up that it calls for some anglers just to feel that they are able to run anywhere they feel like it. There is nothing worse than working very hard in getting to a spot back in the zone just to have somebody barrel around in there trying to bump fish. A little effort on the push pole or trolling motor goes a very long way. Also keeping a very wide distance between you and any other anglers helps as well. The redfish have been feeding aggressively at dawn and at first light. Finding schools and singles are easy if you are able to locate bait pods, birds and mullet. Clean and clear water too. The go to lure at this time of year I like to use is the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Baitbuster. As you are approaching tailing and feeding redfish once you are in optimal casting range to make a clear, soft presentation of a cast be sure to throw past the fish with a slow steady retrieve within their feeding zone. This will produce strikes most of the time. As the day moves on sight fishing is easily accomplished by switching to the D.O.A. CALS and or Shrimp. As always, I do like to put mine on a weed less hook configuration with a very small bullet weight for that little bit of added distance, which will help you in gaining that added edge. You can also use live mullet or cut mullet along with fresh cut lady fish if you have it. Pinfish work just as well. As far as the sea trout bite, well it has been great! We seem to be getting quite a few really nice sea trout mixed in with the feeding reds. The trout in my mind are the apex predators of the inshore flats here. In a sense they are the lions and tigers stalking the flats, very intelligent. Whereas the redfish move with a resemblance of herds of cattle, grazing, feeding at a steady pace, seeming to have no rhyme nor reason. The trout are hammering the Baitbusters with no remorse what so ever. As the sun gets higher look for gators sitting on white holes and grass flats nearing the drop-offs. Using Jigs and the CALS along with a great pair of polarized sunglasses you should be able to get into some really nice fish. The key in finding big trout is take your time and be very stealth like. Of course if you have fished here for a while you know you will also hook into the obvious by-catch of lady fish, jacks, blue fish and what. A few black drum are being caught here and there as well. Using a D.O.A. Crab or a live shrimp on a small circle hook is your best bet. They seem to be roaming the flats in the same areas the redfish are being seen. However they are very spooky. Please be sure to handle all of the fish you catch this time of year with extreme caution. Keeping them horizontal, wetting your hands and getting them back into the water as soon as you can increase their survival rate. Be sure that your fish revives and swims off in good health. Catch and release is the number one way to be sure we have a future of game fish here on the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River. It is a very unique fishery so let’s protect it. Everyone have a safe and happy fourth. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: drcfishmaster@cfl.rr.com Visit us at: http//:www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com/ Captain DREW Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:43:08 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Fishing with Always Fishing As mid June approaches us we are faced with the most wind I have experienced for this time of year. When we can get out for a day on the Gulf the fishing is wonderful. Deeper or cooler water will help you determine where you need to be. As in all fishing the location of oxygen is highly important. Cooler water seems to be where I find the oxygen and fish. Springs seem to hold more fish in the deeper gulf than the shallow water. If you are one of the lucky ones with spring GPS numbers... this is a good time of year to use them. All depths are producing sharks. Start in eighteen feet to see keeper grouper, but do not be surprised to catch many shorts. We have been catching a lot of Sea Trout in the short size on our fly rods as well as some nice Redfish on Eppinger gold spoon flies; we are catching a lot of small trout in 5 foot of water on Salt Water Assassins (electric chicken). When we take out the bigger boat we have been catching and releasing about 40 grouper each trip. Just recently Mr. Lee from Tampa Outfitters was very disappointed having to throw back many keeper size gag grouper but managed to catch a lot of fish to take home including some nice Red Grouper. Hopefully I will have a great report for July as Gag Grouper season open July 1st. Capt. Frank Bourgeois Always Fishing Guide Service Florida's premier fishing guide service cell # 352-650-4426 Office # 352-666-6234 http://www.alwaysfishing.com http://www.alwaysfishing.net (Bass & Flats fishing) http://www.alwaysfishingcharters.com http://www.fishncamp.com capfrank Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:42:45 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR While the fishing has been quite good as we officially enter the beginning of summer, the weather has been anything but. Another subtropical system is currently engulfing the state bring more clouds and rain, the enemy of the sight fisherman. It seems like the past month has brought a higher than average amount of wind and clouds to central Florida. Hopefully, we will return to a more normal pattern soon. When the weather has cooperated, the fishing has been quite good. The water level in the Lagoon system is nearly one foot higher than it usually is this time of year. This gives the fish more places to roam and you are likely to find them in some unusual and unexpected places. Fortunately, we have not experienced the heavy algae bloom that invaded our waters last year. Most of the flats are clear. When the sun is out, sight fishing is excellent. On one of the nicer weather days, Jay and Marc joined me for an outstanding day on the flats. Numerous redfish and trout were landed on a variety of baits and flies including DOA Baitbusters and CALs and some of Jay's secret baitfish pattern flies. Last week, I made my annual trip to the DOA Outdoor Writers Event in Stuart. On the first day, I fished with Homosassa Guide and writer Capt. William Toney. We used the Holographic 1/4 ounce shrimp to catch a variety of trout, flounder, snapper, lookdowns, jacks, and snook. The following day I fished with Cheryl and Polly. We stayed around the St. Lucie Inlet hoping for a giant snook. We found some huge fish hugging the bottom and tied on some 1/4 jigheads with a 3 inch holographic paddle tail CAL. Ceryl hooked up first but the huge fish cut through the 30lb leader. A few minutes later, Polly stuck a 37 inch snook and landed it using 10 pound braid. It was her largest snook to date. Back in Mosquito Lagoon, I teamed up with Capt. Drew Cavanaugh for a day of scouting and fun fishing. We found some hungry redfish and had a blast watching them crush the Baitbuster on the surface. Check out my [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/fishcamp1?feature=mhee]Youtube[/url] page for a short video of a topwater redfish bite. I also hooked several large fish using the BFL 5.5 lure. On my charter the following day, the conditions were not quite as good and sight fishing was difficult. George managed to land several nice trout and a half dozen redfish casting a 5.5 inch CAL with a Woodies Rattle in areas where the fish were holding. Despite a forecast of clouds and high winds, David elected to keep his charter date for Thursday. It turned out to be an excellent decision. The morning started out clear and calm. We started off looking for tarpon. There were none to be found. The redfish, however, were happy to play. David landed three reds over 34 inches on the Baitbuster before the clouds moved in and we lost our visibility.The rest of the morning was spent blind casting which produced several more redfish and a nice trout. Yesterday's trip, along with next Monday's had to be rescheduled due to bad weather. When this current system passes through, look for the steady redfish and trout action to continue. With the high water, many of the flats are too deep to see tailing fish. The high water is allowing fish to get close to the shore and into the back bays and coves which are usually too shallow for both boats and fish during the summer. Finding the redfish can take some time and effort on some days. The easiest fishing can be had on the deeper edges of the flats around mullet schools. Topwater baits, as well as jigs with soft plastics can produce some fast action for trout and ladyfish. Pinching off the barbs will make it easier on the fish and the person doing the dehooking. Fly anglers can use weighted flies such as a clouser minnow pattern in the same areas. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:42:36 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR June is the month for dolphin fishing offshore. The big dolphin of the spring are starting to fade away, but the new schools of mahi-mahi are forming up offshore and making their way up our coast. The June dolphin are the smaller sized dolphin, 3-5 pound fish or "schoolies" as we call them. They don't last too long out there swimming around by themselves, so they school up into big congregations of fish, sometimes as many as hundreds of fish in a single school. They can be tough to find out there, as they are always moving around and it is a very big ocean. The majority of the fish this time of year are 10-14 miles offshore. I like to run out there about 10 miles offshore and start trolling. For dolphin, you just have to put in your miles 'till you find something. Keep a constant eye out for weedlines, current edges, slicks (which could indicate blood and fish oils rising to the top from fish feeding), flying fish getting chased up by something other than the boat, any kind of birds especially frigate birds, and any kind of debris you find floating. Finding something to fish to, and covering a lot of ground is the key to finding dolphin schools. Find one school, and you can load the box with fish! When you find your school of fish, pull out the 20 pound spinning tackle and bail them. Keep one dolphin fish hooked up and in the water out there, and the whole school of fish will stay nearby so that you can bail them on the light gear. Dolphin fishing is fun in the summer months, especially June, but you do need a full day 8 hour charter to give it a real shot at dolphin fishing. If you've only got a half day to go fishing, stay in on the reef and go trolling for bonitos and kingfish. They action is great trolling the reef, you'll hardly ever not be hooked up. To catch the bigger kingfish, blackfin tuna and wahoo on the reef, slow trolling live baits is very effective, especially from the downrigger. The biggest fish seem to stay deeper in the summertime, perhaps to stay in the cooler water column. The downrigger can put a live bait right in front of their face, an offer they can't refuse. Wreck fishing can also be fun this month. Black groupers are biting good on the 80-260ft deep shipwrecks. Also barracuda, jacks, mutton snappers and sometimes cobia bite good this month live baiting around the wrecks. Good luck out there fishing everyone. Tight Lines and Good Fishing! Capt Rod Roydhouse www.newlattitude.com (954)707-2147 captrod Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:41:57 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Fishing with Always Fishing As mid June approaches us we are faced with the most wind I have experienced for this time of year. When we can get out for a day on the Gulf the fishing is wonderful. Deeper or cooler water will help you determine where you need to be. As in all fishing the location of oxygen is highly important. Cooler water seems to be where I find the oxygen and fish. Springs seem to hold more fish in the deeper gulf than the shallow water. If you are one of the lucky ones with spring GPS numbers... this is a good time of year to use them. All depths are producing sharks. Start in eighteen feet to see keeper grouper, but do not be surprised to catch many shorts. We have been catching a lot of Sea Trout in the short size on our fly rods as well as some nice Redfish on Eppinger gold spoon flies; we are catching a lot of small trout in 5 foot of water on Salt Water Assassins (electric chicken). When we take out the bigger boat we have been catching and releasing about 40 grouper each trip. Just recently Mr. Lee from Tampa Outfitters was very disappointed having to throw back many keeper size gag grouper but managed to catch a lot of fish to take home including some nice Red Grouper. Hopefully I will have a great report for July as Gag Grouper season open July 1st. Capt. Frank Bourgeois Always Fishing Guide Service Florida's premier fishing guide service cell # 352-650-4426 Office # 352-666-6234 http://www.alwaysfishing.com http://www.alwaysfishing.net (Bass & Flats fishing) http://www.alwaysfishingcharters.com http://www.fishncamp.com capfrank Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:41:48 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Redfish Tailing and Lots of Trout Sara Subasic (Birthday Girl) wished was to catch her first redfish on her birthday. Looks like she got her wish. The moon and the weather slowed the bite just a bit for a few days but now things are in full swing again. Today Michael, Tony and Chris caught thirty plus trout and three redfish. Trout have been chewing on my Power Baits like the finger mullet in black and white. That gives you both contrasts with any lighting, cloudy or sunny. I usually start off with a mix of colors until I find the one that works best. The sinking minnow works well and will keep you close to the bottom. Today chartreuse and white seemed to be the best. Most of the good size fish are coming from the flats edges and white sand patches. Watch the baitfish as it swims off the edge where the trout are waiting, you will see them part for the predators. Reds are along the edges of the flats as well following the finger mullet. Toss the same bait at the reds as the trout. Ladyfish and jacks are in a little deeper water most of the time but they are still here as well. If you hook a lady and don’t want her to poop all over your deck of the boat, release the pressure of your line while he/she is fighting. They will shake the hook about 50% of the time, then you can spend more time catching targeted species. The flounder are in the lagoon in the sandy bottom looking to ambush your bait. We caught a five + pounder the other day along with some smaller fish. They don’t fight the best, but what they lack in the fight they make up for it on the table. Today I told my clients, look, that is a flounder outline and just as the boat passed over him he shot out of the sand. He was really buried deep in the sand. They will eat your Gulp jerk shad bounced on the bottom as well. Remember, Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me. 386-314-5656 www.captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:21:22 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR June 14, 2012 Inshore: As the rainy season keeps many afternoons on the wet side, most mornings have been great weather to get out and enjoy the fishing along the Treasure Coast. Watch for those thunderstorms to continue this month and stay safe out on the water. The bite has slowed down somewhat with all the fresh water in the river, but you can still find plenty of fish out there on the flats. I had the privilege to attend the DOA Outdoor Writers Event again this year. Mark and everyone at DOA did a fantastic job setting up the event at River Palms Cottages. Rufus Wakeman did a tremendous job hosting the writers. I fished Jeff Dennis of LowcountryOutdoors.com and Dave Stewart of Minnesott Beach Bait & Tackle/KneEDeeP Custom Charters in North Carolina this year and we had a couple of fun days on the water catching fish and telling fish tales! We continue to catch some nice trout on the grass flats of the river. We lost a few big trout this week, but did catch some respectable ones on DOA shrimp, CAL jerk baits and bait busters. Concentrate on the sand holes and you should hook up with some nice fish. The 425 and 382 colors have worked great out there in either shrimp or jerk baits. We have had some good luck to the south of Fort Pierce lately. We are finding some schools of redfish up in the shallow flats. Patience and stealth can help you find them. Watch the water and look for signs that might help you find the fish. We have hooked up with DOA shrimp and CAL shad tails lately. It's a great time of year to look for the reds on the flats. Snook fishing has been better to the south recently, but we did lose one on the grass flats this week. Bait busters have worked good as top water lures for us at first light this week. Work the mangroves and docks this time of year for a chance at a snook hookup. We have also caught several nice flounder around the sand flats of the river on DOA shrimp this week. Have fun and be safe. Drink lots of fluids and keep that suntan lotion slothered on all day. It's a good time of year to enjoy the wonderful fishing that the Treasure Coast has to offer. Summer is here! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 A few photos from this weeks fishing! fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:20:56 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Summer is here! The weather is heating up and so is the action on the reef. June is the beginning of the bonito run down our coastline. As we know from the movie "Stepbrothers", bonito are a gamefish and are very big, averaging 10-20 pounds and sometimes larger. Bonitos take over the reef during the summer months from June to September, moving through in huge schools the size of football fields and eating everything they come across. On the drift boat, it livens the action up to incredible proportions. 20 anglers on the boat, fighting 20 bonitos simultaneously. It would make a good movie! It's fast paced and fun action and everyone catches a lot of nice fish. Bonitos are definitely the dominant force, but kingfish, blackfin tuna, wahoo, barracuda and sailfish all travel amongst the schools of bonitos and bite just as aggressively as the bonitos do. Kingfish are much larger this time of the year, some up to 40 pounds but average size fish are the solid 10 pounders. Snapper fishing gets good this month too. The full moon in June is the mutton spawn where the muttons congregate in specific spots off our coast and do their annual spawning. About 2 days before the full moon and 4-5 days after the full moon is the best mutton snapper fishing of the whole year. For the best bite on muttons, pick up some fluorocarbon leader material at the tackle store. It's expensive, but totally invisible and it can get the bite on the shy fish. Yellowtailing in June is also good. Crusher jigs, yellow or white ones work great for yellowtails, baited with a silverside or small piece of kingfish belly. Some nice mangroves bite good on the bottom this month, usually a strong late night bite on them starting after 11pm. Night snapper fishing is exciting this month, there's a lot going on out there. Great month for fishing, so get out there and tire your arms out on some bonitos, kingfish and mutton snappers! Sea ya on the water. Come out fishing with us! Fishing Headquarters www.fishheadquarters.com (754)214-7863 Capt. Paul Roydhouse fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:14:04 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The sharks are just plain snappin’ this week in Fort Lauderdale. Every trip we’ve put out the shark baits, a big hammerhead or giant dusky shark jumped on the bait. This week, we’re at 6 hammerhead sharks and 3 dusky sharks in the past 7 days, and they are still biting! The excellent shark fishing is definitely related to the big bonito run that is happening off the Fort Lauderdale coast right now. Bonitos are a gamefish in the tuna family. They average 10-20 pounds and they make a major run down the Ft Lauderdale coastline every year for the 3 months of summer. The bonitos are here! They showed up about 2 weeks ago, when the shark fishing really turned on. They will be here for another 3 months, as will the big game sharks that like to eat them. Bonitos themselves are fun to catch. They are very bloody fish, just like tuna. Composed of almost pure muscle, these bonitos are one of the strongest fighting fish, pound-for-pound, more so than almost any other fish. In the summer months, now through the beginning of September, the bonitos are covering the reefs almost everywhere. They light up the action trolling the reef, and bring with them some of the biggest gamefish in the Carribean. Marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, and all the big game sharks… hammerhead, mako, thresher, bull, dusky, sand bar and spinner sharks all follow the bonito schools. Offshore action is spotty, but there are some dolphin offshore with the patience to go out there and put in the miles of trolling. The schools of the schoolie dolphin are beginning to form up offshore, usually with a big bull dolphin leading the pack. A few weehoo and wahoos are offshore too. A double hook ballyhoo trolled on a deep bait is hard for a wahoo to resist. Always be ready for and have a bait out for a blue marlin to eat. They are uncommon but you never know when one may hit. Cool stuff happens in June! Good luck out there fishing everyone and TIGHT LINES! Capt. Rod Roydhouse (954)707-2147 www.newlattitude.com captrod Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:06:26 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, June 8, 2012 By Captain Tom Van Horn Up Coming Events and Seminars Sat, June 9, 10am - 12pm Fundamentals of Flats Fishing - Soft Plastic Baits at Mosquito Creek Outdoors. Join me for session 5 of our Free Fundamentals of Flats Fishing Workshops. This Saturday I will be discussing Soft Plastic Baits, how to rig them and fish them for the best success. Mosquito Creek is at 170 South Washington Ave. in Apopka, Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com Thursday June 14, 6:30 P.m. - 8:30 p.m. "Free Seminars" "Kingfish with Live Bait" instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers, located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com. This Week's Fishing Report As many of you who live here in the sunshine state know, our sunshine this week has mostly been in the liquid form, with squally conditions dominating our forecast. Although it's been a little wet, the fishing has still been very good on the inshore flats and on the St Johns River for those willing to venture out into the rain, and God knows he's doing us a favor as we really need some relief from our extremely dry conditions. My first adventure last week was a trip to the Banana River Lagoon No-Motor Zone with my good friend Captain John Kumiski. The winds were from the southwest at about 5 knots, so we selected to fish the area I refer to as the middle bar. John was throwing fly (popper bug) and I was fishing with a shallow running DOA Bait Buster, and we commenced to wear out the sea trout. Between us, we caught at least 30 trout with a good number surpassing the two foot mark. I know you have already heard me say this, but I'll say it again, this has been the best sea trout action I've experienced in years with not only good numbers coming to the boat, but also sizable fish as well. The trick is the same as always, find concentrated mullet schools and you'll find trout. My next adventure was a trip on Sunday with Les and Denise who were one of the winners at the Orlando Predators/Fish on Fire giveaway, and we decided to fish in the North IRL near Titusville. We started early to beat the weekend crowed, but the bite was very flat because of the full moon. For some reason, flats fishing is always tough for me during the full moon. I think the fish are very active, feeding all night, and them they are fat and lazy during the day. Although the bite was tough in the morning, it turned on around 1 p.m., and we ended the day with some very respectable fish. Most of our fish were caught on top water Skitterwalks and Chug Bugs, and Denise also did well on 3 inch DOA CAL Paddle Tails. My last adventure was on Wednesday, where I fished the First Annual Catfish Challenge on the St Johns River. The recent rain has the river water levels rising and the catfish moving. The challenge was between three boats to see who could catch the most largemouth bass and catfish, and I was teamed up with Mark Blyth, sports editor for the Orlando Sentinel. Well to make a long story short, we won the event catching 17 channel and blue catfish, with two over 10 pounds on fresh dead shrimp. I love catching the larger catfish on light tackle, and I look forward to the first significant rainfall of the year to get these fish moving. Tomorrow, I'll be conducting a free seminar at Mosquito Creek Outdoor on rigging and fishing with soft plastic baits, so if you decide not to fish in the rain, come by and see us, it always informative and it's always free. As always, if you need more information or have any questions, please contact me. Good luck and good fishing, Captain Tom Van Horn Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters 407-416-1187 Find all of you outdoor needs at www.mosquitocreek.com, it where your adventure begins! MosquitoCoast Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 09 Jun 2012 09:19:14 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR June 2012 It seems the April showers have came a month or so late this year we have received a influx of rain this past week. With the amount of rain the water levels in the lagoon system has risen opening the door for new feeding opportunities on flats that had no or little water before. Look for he Red Fish tailing in the shallow grass early in the morning mixed in with the mullet schools. The Trout bite has been good through out the day if you find the schools of mullet you will find the Trout they also have been mixed in with the bait pods early in the morning and as the day moves on the the trout are moving to deeper water. look on the edges of flats , bars and points that are holding bait later in the day they have been eating a variety of baits from top water plugs early to soft plastics under a popping cork later in the day. Most of my Red Fish have been caught on Aqua Dream spoons and a Aqua Dream jig head rigged with a shrimp color soft plastic. There has been some Tarpon sightings from New Smyrna south through the Lagoon and also off the beaches if we could catch a break in the wind it would be a good time to run near shore to look for the larger pods along with some King fish mixed in the bait as well. This is definitely the time of year when everything is hanging around and looking to feed on something just remember you can't catch them if the boats not in the water. Good luck and be safe! Capt. Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386)566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 09 Jun 2012 09:19:03 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR What an awesome weekend of shark fishing we're having in Fort Lauderdale. Monster hammerheads and big Dusky sharks are biting excellent in 350ft of water off of Fort Lauderdale. Yesterday's trip, we had Erik out fishing. Erik is a repeat customer of ours who comes down from Canada every year and does a few charters with us. On yesterday's charter, the fishing was slow, so we decided to go out to 350-400ft of water and go deep dropping for tilefish. There was no current at all, so we could just sit on top of the spot and drop down without moving. The perfect conditions for deep dropping. Shark fishing lately has been good, so in addition to our tilefish drop rods, we also put down a couple big shark baits on the bottom and we floated one out on top. The tilefish rods were going off. Every drop, we caught 1 or 2 tilefish. A half hour of catching tilefish later, the deep shark bait gets hit and starts peeling off drag. Fish on!! and it was a big one. Not many fish can pull drag off of a 130 Penn International, especially with such force. Erik started off the fight. Erik is in a wheelchair and has engineered a fighting gimble to fight the fish from, and a steel rod with shoulder straps to keep his back erect during the fight. From his wheelchair, he fought the monster fish on the 130 International for over 20 minutes, at which time his sons both tag teamed the fish until we caught him. It took all 3 anglers to catch this sea monster. It was a monster hammerhead shark, an 8+ footer and almost 250 pounds. We pullled the shark into the boat for a quick photo and then we released him. Erik has been fishing with me a couple trips a year for a few years now. So far he's caught multiple sailfish, wahoo, tuna, dolphin, kingfish, amberjacks, groupers and more... but this was his first shark ever and his biggest fish of all-time. Great fish Erik, Tim and Edward. Oh yeah, we also caught about 20 tilefish while we were deep dropping and a 15 pound kingfish trolling on the way in. Come out fishing with us! Fishing Headquarters www.fishheadquarters.com 754-214-7863 fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 09 Jun 2012 09:18:27 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Pontoon fun trips Hernando Beach, FL. The weather is beautiful on the Nature Coast of Hernando Beach Florida. The fishing has been great also, its been another great year for Trout, the Blue fish are showing up with Cobia, Sea Bass and some very large Sharks. Fishdaddy Charters are now doing trips with our new Pontoon boat. With the beautiful clear waters, these trips are great for the whole family, swimming, ECO nature sight seeing for dolphins, manatees, birds and fish of all kinds are just the beginning of the fun you can have. How about seeing the beautiful sunset, relaxing with a cool breeze on the Gulf of Mexico. Scallop season opens July 1st, this is the perfect boat to do the saltwater version of a Easter egg hunt. So give us a call or check out our w Good luck on the water, Capt Capt. “Fishdaddy” Joel Gant Hernando Beach, FL. 352 279-1615 fishdaddycharter.com website at fishdaddycharter.com. fishdaddy Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 06 Jun 2012 07:55:05 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, June 2012 By Captain Tom Van Horn Upcoming Seminars and Events Sat, June 2, 10am - 12pm Discover Fly Fishing at Mosquito Creek Outdoors. If you have ever had an interest in Fly Fishing this Free 2 hour seminar is the place to start. Captain Chris Myers, a certified FFF casting instructor, demonstrates all the basics you need to know to get started. Chris covers fly tackle, flies, casting, and also discusses our local waters where you can begin enjoying a new dimension in fishing. This seminar is free and the whole family is encouraged to attend. For more information please call our fishing department at 407-464-2000 Sat, June 9, 10am - 12pm Fundamentals of Flats Fishing - Soft Plastic Baits at Mosquito Creek Outdoors Join Capt Tom Van Horn for session 5 of our Free Fundamentals of Flats Fishing Workshops. This Saturday they will be discussing Soft Plastic Baits, how to rig them and fish them for the best success. Mosquito Creek is at 170 South Washington Ave. in Apopka, Florida. June's Fishing Forecast Yep, the heat and humidity are rising, and so are fishing opportunities along the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. Hot summer days can be brutal, so the fish will take advantage of the cooler nights, early morning and late evening hours to feed and stock their prey, and then they often snooze in the shade and deeper areas once the heat turns up. So seasoned anglers will adjust their routines in June, July, and August, by fishing at night, during the predawn hours, and in the late afternoon after work and reap the rewards of the summertime fishing bonanza. Along the beaches, look for the tarpon and shark numbers to increase, and let's not forget about the schools of large jack carvalle and the tripletail as both of these fisheries are cranking up. Some tarpon are already showing up, so as soon as the seas settle down from Tropical Storm Beryl, conditions should be right. Remember, snook season closes this week, so let's give them a chance to relax. When the summer doldrums set in, the waters clear, and the seas flatten out, the window of opportunity opens for smaller boats, so near-shore opportunities are typically the best you'll see all year along the beach. June is the time of year when the kingfish move in close shadowing schools of Atlantic menhaden (pogies) along the beach and in the Port Canaveral buoy line, and slow trolling live pogies can result in some outstanding catches. Offshore, look for the dolphin bite to slow as the schools begin to spread out. The kingfish concentration will remain good along the inshore reefs and wrecks of 8A Reef and Pelican Flats, so again slow trolling with live pogies will produce the best action. Additionally, bottom fishing will remain good for snapper and grouper until the first summer squall (hurricane) blows in and muddies up the water. For those adventurous anglers willing to venture to the Gulf Stream and beyond, flat seas will facilitate a smoother ride to the tuna grounds on the other side. On the flats, focus your efforts between 2 and 9am, and in the late afternoon after the thunderstorms dissipate. Night fishing will also produce descent catches of redfish, snook, and trout. When fishing the flats at night, I prefer fishing real slow with glow in the dark shrimp imitation baits like the DOA Shrimp with a Woodie's Rattle Capsule inserted. If you can only fish during the heat of the day, target the deeper edges of the flats and docks with deepwater access with a 3 inch DOA CAL Paddle tail on a ¼ ounce jig. In the early morning look for trout and redfish up in the very skinny water around concentration of bait schools (mullet), and blind cast your favorite top water plug. Also look for schools of bay anchovies (glass minnows) in deeper waters. These schools can be located by watching for small terns and other sea birds working, and they usually are shadowed by concentrations of small trout and ladyfish. These fast moving schools produce fast and furious action for fly anglers casting small top-water popping bugs. This past few weeks, we've located some of these schools in the central Indian River Lagoon and Banana River Lagoon, so I can attest that they are here and chewing. Remember as the days heat up, long battles will kill the fish, so if you plan on targeting large fish, you may want to step up your tackle to shorten the battle. Also, dissolved oxygen levels are lower, so leave them in the water as much as possible, and revive them completely before releasing them. As always, if you need more information or have questions, please contact me. Good luck and good fishing, Captain Tom Van Horn Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters www.irl-fishing.com 407-416-1187 on the water Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, it's Where my adventures begins! MosquitoCoast Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 06 Jun 2012 07:54:56 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR We have had a fun May with many charter trips, lots of good Redfish and Seatrout caught on my Mosquito Lagoon flats fishing charters and fun big numbers of Trout, Jacks, Ladyfish, Bluefish and more on my backcountry mixed bag trips. Summer is upon us with the kids out of school any day now. June is usually a great month with stable beautiful morning weather most days, big schools of mullet and baitfish on the flats and edges of the Lagoon, drawing in the Reds and Trout to mix in with the mullet as the baitfish graze for algae and vegetation, displacing shrimp, baby crabs, and minnows making for easy meals for the gamefish. It is not uncommon to catch a jumbo Seatrout while targeting Reds on the grass flats such Our main target on the shallow flats are Redfish however, early mornings targeting the bait schools as mentioned, as the sun moves higher giving us better visiblity, allowing for sight fishing the clear water grass flats here on Mosquito Lagoon. Summer also starts good Seatrout fishing the drop offs and edges of the flats with live baits, as mullet schools also gang up on the fringes of the flats and islands. Summer is a great time for my Edgewater Backcountry mixed bag fishing trips on a little deeper channels and drop offs. On most every trip we catch many Seatrout, Jack Crevalle, and Ladyfish in this fun easy type of fishing. On most trips we catch other species also which can include Flounder, Black Drum, Whiting, Redfish, Sheepshead, and Baby Sharks, to name a few possiblities, with about 10 species of saltwater fish caught on most trips, perfect for family trips and fishermen looking for a sure thing fishing trip with bigger quantities of fun fish caught. This is light spinning tackle fishing with live shrimp baits. CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS As we are out catching fun saltwater fish and enjoying the great outdoors here on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip. On many trips we see Manatees which have come back with a great population rise thanks to boaters awareness to be careful of these impresive slow moving marine mammals. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 06 Jun 2012 07:54:30 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Tarpon have been very good on fly and live bait in the morning hours and evening hours, most fish have been between 20lbs-40lbs. Also on the calm days ocean tarpon have been around bait schools, most fish are 60lbs-120lbs. Also plenty of sharks have been out on the bait schools as well, most fish are 3ft-6ft and are actively eating live baits. A few big snook have been around as well, Joey McKinney of Kentucky, caught a 20 plus lber this week on a live bait. Trout have been very active on grass flats this week too, most fish are 22inch-30inch and are being caught on lures or live bait in 1ft-2ft of water. captmikebadarack Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 29 May 2012 08:47:11 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The cobia bite is going off on the Ft Lauderdale drift fishing boats. A friend of mine in Jacksonville, Florida called me last week and said get ready for some great cobia fishing… they’re headed down the coast. We’re catching them almost every trip these days, nice ones between 20-40 pounders and some even bigger. Drift fishing is a great way to catch cobia. If a school is swimming down the reef and comes within scent of your drift, you have enough baits set out there to catch every fish in the school. Cobia love to travel following just behind sea turtles, manta rays, sting rays, whale sharks, whales, or any slow moving marine creature. In fact, any time I ever spot any of these creatures swimming out there, I always try to get a few baits just behind them in case any cobias are following. Cobia will eat just about any bait you throw at them… a live pilchard, blue runner or goggle eye, a dead squid, ballyhoo or sardine, and they will even eat cast baits and artificial lures. Finding them is much harder than getting them to eat. And above all else, remember that cobias rarely travel alone. Where there is one, there are almost always others… be ready! Nice catch of cobias, AJs, and sailfish on a Ft Lauderdale sport fishing charter The sport fishing boats are also catching some cobias, either by kite fishing or deep dropping around the wrecks. The deep wrecks are also a great place to catch cobia. When you hook into a cobia on a wreck, they almost always swim right up to the surface to see what’s happening. If the fish you hook on a wreck shoots right up to the top, it’s probably a cobia. Around the wrecks this month, the groupers are also biting very good. Black groupers on the 100-200 ft wrecks and snowy groupers and warsaws on the 300-400ft wrecks. Groupers are finally in-season again here in Florida, and we can catch them at will. Sailfish are spotty, but they are still around. A few sailfish, blackfin tuna and wahoo are being caught this week on the sport fishing charter boats, and some smoker kingfish and snappers biting on the drift boats. There is some good Ft Lauderdale fishing going on out there. Good luck fishing this week everyone, I’ll sea ya on the water. Come out fishing with us! Capt. Andy Roydhouse/Fishing Headquarters www.fishheadquarters.com (754)214-7863 fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 24 May 2012 12:50:21 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR May Fishing Forecast for the Treasure Coast Inshore: Finally, the windy months of March and April are almost behind us and we can look forward to the great fishing weather that May has to offer us on the Treasure Coast. Other than the usual windy days, it has been a pretty mild winter and spring has arrived. Look for warmer temperatures and little less blustery days. As the water temperatures climb, the fishing will steadily improve on the river. It will provide fantastic mornings for top water and lazy afternoons to drift the flats. May is one of my favorite months on the water! Redfish will be our main target throughout the month of May. The past several years have bought us schools of slot sized redfish along the Indian River. Most of the fish we have caught have been in the 18 to 30 inch range. They have been sunning on the flats and May gets their blood pumping and turns on the feeding. I always have three lures ready during May…DOA shrimp, CAL jerk baits and top water lures. Gold spoons will also be a great addition to the arsenal when fishing for redfish. As the fish school up, look for them around the edges of the flats. Most of the river here on the Treasure Coast has been holding redfish and you should be able to find some on your favorite flats. I tend to enjoy the east side of the river, but we have found many on the west side as well. Snook fishing in the early mornings will bring some rod bending action as they head up on the flats for an early morning or late evening meal. Top water lures, Baitbusters and DOA shrimp are all great lures to tempt a snook into biting. Docks will also hold snook lurking around for an easy meal. Live shrimp is hard to beat around the docks. In the inlet areas, try around the seawalls and bridges with live bait, Terror Eyz, feather jigs or deep diving plugs. I love early morning for great snook fishing opportunities! Trout will continue to feed on top water at first light and live shrimp on popping corks during the day. As the sun rises, they will head off the shallows to deeper water in the two to four foot range. We have had some nice gator trout of late and should see some still in the river in the early parts of May. I have had great success with CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos this year in place of live shrimp. Both sides of the river have been productive in early mornings. Winter fishing for trout has been good this year and spring should continue to give you some great action. Bridges will hold the usual Sheephead catch, while snapper will be moving into the river along with flounder. Jacks will be patrolling the areas and creating havoc all over the river. Beaches will produce whiting with still a few catches of Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Tarpon will begin their trek into the river and you can start looking for them in the St Lucie River, Big and Little Mud areas and into the channels of the river. May is a great month to fish the Treasure Coast….plan on a trip out on the river soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 May 2012 22:45:10 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR May 2012 brings the beginning of summer fishing patterns to Mosquito Lagoon Florida. I had a great April with loads of fun charter trips, many Redfish were caught sight fishing on the grass flats, some great Seatrout also as these are the main 2 target species here on the Lagoon. With low water levels during this our dry season, much of my flats fishing has focused on the edges where the flats drop off to deeper water, Mullet bait schools along with the game fish stay near these edges where the flats are very shallow during low water periods. Some of the Reds we caught sight casting were tailing, which can be the most exciting behavior you can see while flats fishing. We sneak the boat up on these fish which are rooting in the grass for food, if the angler on the bow makes an accurate cast right into the fish’s zone, the fight is on. Here is a photo of Jeremy with the over slot Redfish he caught and released with me a couple mornings ago which was tailing as beautiful as you could want. Also more pictures of April clients catches of Redfish, Seatrout, and more. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/May12012JeremyRed.jpg As spring transitions into summer, the calm morning weather patterns become more prevalent making for many fun flats fishing trips to come throughout the summer months here on Mosquito Lagoon. We will be prowling the flats hunting Redfish and fishing deeper drop offs and holes for Seatrout. Flats fishing is a more challenging type of fishing, good for experienced anglers as well as all fishermen and fisherwomen wanting to experience this great fun type of shallow water fishing. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/May12012MikeLTrout.jpg Summer is also a great time for my Edgewater Backcountry mixed bag fishing trips on a little deeper channels and drop offs. On most every trip we catch Seatrout, Jack Crevalle, and Ladyfish in this fun easy type of fishing. On most trips we catch a few other species also which can include Flounder, Black Drum, Whiting, Redfish, Mangrove Snapper, or Sheepshead, to name a few, with about 10 species of saltwater fish caught on most trips, perfect for family trips and fishermen looking for a sure thing fishing trip with bigger quantities of fun fish caught. This is light spinning tackle fishing with live shrimp baits. Young Austin here from Australia with his dad released this great 33 spot Redfish back into the water in the backcountry while on one of my mixed fishing trips. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/May1201233SpotRed.jpg CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/May12012RobertTrout.jpg As we are out catching fun saltwater fish and enjoying the great outdoors here on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip. On many trips we see Manatees which have come back with a great population rise thanks to boaters awareness to be careful of these impresive slow moving marine mammals. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/May12012Ladyfish.jpg MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/May12012ChildTrout.jpg CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/May12012Red2.jpg Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 May 2012 22:44:49 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR There is a great tuna bite going on in Fort Lauderdale this week. This morning's Catch My Drift fishing trip landed 2 really nice tunas, some kingfish and a couple bonitos. The blackfin tuna are averaging 25-35 pounds, biting good in 100-150ft of water, just outside the reef. They are travelling in small pods of 3-4 fish. All week, we've been picking at the tunas on our sportfishing charters. This week, the tuna are biting drifting baits better, even better than the butterfly jigs and pilchard jigs, which normally work awesome for tunas. They're eating dead sardines and ballyhoo the best it seems. Cobia are also biting on the reef and edge of the gulfstream. We are catching them either by kite fishing or bottom dropping around the wrecks, wreck fishing working a little bit better for them. Yesterday's drift fishing trip caught a 40 pound cobia, caught on a 12 pound spinning reel outfit. Kingfish too, are biting good out there finally. After 3 slow months of kingfishing, they are finally starting to bite for us again. Most kingfish these days average 8-12 pound, but a couple 40 pound smokers are also hitting the docks here and there. I fully expect an awesome summer of king fishing in Fort Lauderdale in the months to come. Good luck to everyone fishing this week, the bite is on! Capt. Andy Roydhouse www.fishheadquarters.com (754)214-7863 fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 May 2012 22:43:06 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR It's hard to believe that it is already the month of May but with May brings change to the Lagoon system. The fish are starting to get into their summer time patterns with the warm temps and higher water. Look for the schools of Red Fish to start splitting up into smaller pods or singles. They will be holding on the shallow grass early then moving to deeper water as the day go's on. The Trout bite has been excellent for the last couple of weeks and I expect this to carry through mid summer . Look for the Trout to be holding in a foot to three foot of water mixed in with the large bait pods these fish along with the Red fish can be caught on several different baits from soft plastics to live finger mullet the best bite will be early before the water temperature gets to hot. Now the magic question have the Tarpon moved in yet and the answer is yes but not in full force we should start seeing more pods as the weeks go on. There has been some nice numbers of Jacks and Flounder being caught toward the north near Edgewater and New Smyrna Bch for the Jacks a top water plug or a Auqa Dream Spoon works well and a soft plastic on a jig head for the Flounder good luck and be safe. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com 386 566 1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 May 2012 22:42:55 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Redfish and Trout Galore Yesterday we had the slowest day of the month with 8 fish. Wow, the trout have been big and fat. Paul got some nice Trout that he caught on Berkley Jerk bait/Finger mullet. Bounce it off the bottom for best results and choose a jig head with a 5/0 size or bigger for good hook up ratios. It’s like using a 7” bait. It keeps the smaller ones from messing with you and gives the bigger fish a chance. If you spend your time catching 14” trout and un hooking them, getting another bait, bla bla bla, you will spend less time in front of the fish you want to catch. Another thing I have watched for years is people fishing and catching these smaller trout. They are not handling them properly. The problem I am having is watching them grab a small trout with a DRY rag then tossing them back in the water. This wipes all the protective slime off the trout making them more susceptible to parasites and disease. So Dude, you sitting on that plush seat perched on your bow, is it you don’t have a hook remover or pliers or were they all the way in the back of the boat. If you don’t want to get your hands slimy (eww) use a hook remover, Please. Sometimes I feel I have touched base on this issue many times but I have to remember that there are new anglers on the water all the time and constant education seems to be a must. Paul also took some nice redfish on his annual fishing trip with his dad Henry Schmidlin, they caught so many fish I would have to do a whole chapter on their Stay. Here is the short version in their four days of fishing. Day 1: 35 trout and 10 redfish. Day 2: 49 trout and 8 redfish. Day 3: 25 trout and 5 black drum. Day 4: 25 trout, 1 flounder and 5 redfish. Many ladyfish were/are in the mix along with some jacks. All of the fish were caught on Berkley Gulp and PowerBaits, except for the black drum. Remember, Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me at 386 314 5656 www.captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 May 2012 22:42:33 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The sailfish bite is going off this week in Fort Lauderdale. 200-300ft of water, wherever the blue-green water color change is that day, is the hot area for the bite. A lot of these sailfish are mutliple hookups too, pods of 3-4 fish. May is usually one of the best spring fishing months to catch sailfish. Some will get caught in the summer months of June-September, but this next couple weeks will be the best sailfish bite we'll have again until next October. The strong east wind is a big factor for the good sailfishing this week too. For kite fishing, the best technique to catch sailfish, we need some wind, which also means some choppy seas. The choppiest days are usually the best days for sailfish. Kite fishing in 200-300ft of water is also very good fishing for blackfin tuna and cobia. A few of these fish are also patrolling the color change in search of food, always keep a pitch bait ready for something unexpected. Bottom fishing on the shipwrecks also deserves an honorable mention. Groupers, which have been off-limits to us since January 1, just opened up on the first of this month. They are on all the wrecks, you just have to drop a bait right on their heads. Black groupers, gag groupers, warsaw grouper and the deepwater snowy groupers are out there and ready to be caught. On these wrecks there are also amberjacks up the wazzoo, and a few cobia schools moving through. Make sure to catch your fish quickly though, sharks are also in season and ready to pounce on any struggling fish you hook into. We've been known to loose more than a few fish this time of year to big bull sharks around the wrecks. Great fishing this week in Fort Lauderdale. May is my favorite month to fish in South Florida, because of the great variety of gamefish in the area, and the sheer bio-mass of fish in our waters. It's great to see so many fish biting. Ft Lauderdale Fishing Forecast Drift Fishing trips in the morning are going to have good kingfishing, snappers biting better in the afternoon. A few cobia and blackfin tunas will be mixed in. Watch out for a few smoker kingfish to get caught over the next few weeks. Night Snapper fishing will also get really good this month. The muttons are biting good around the wrecks and on the reef if you chum for a long time. Yellowtails too are biting, with some mangrove snappers on the bottom. The full moon in June is the mutton spawn here in Fort Lauderdale. Try fishing on the June full moon to catch get in on some awesome mutton snapper fishing. Sportfishing- Wrecks are hot action and as guaranteed a catch as you can get in Ft Lauderdale. Big amberjacks, groupers, cobias are stacked up. You shouldn't have to wait long for a bite. Kite fishing in 200-300 ft of water means you can catch anything and everything that bites on top. Some of the biggest gamefish of the year will get caught over the next few weeks. Dolphin fishing is good too, but you need a full day of fishing to get out there, they are mostly 10-15 miles offshore these days. fishing headquarters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 May 2012 22:42:21 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Gators in the Grass Big trout is what we caught yesterday and the day before and the day before that. Along with some nice over slot redfish. The trout have been plentiful on the shallow flats in the Mosquito Lagoon. Yesterday Steve tossed Gulp Sinking minnows and minnow worms at big trout sitting, waiting to ambush bait. He ended up catching eight trout from 1.5 to 4 plus pounds. He and his son also caught ten reds between them to 33’’. You will see the reds on the same flats with the trout because the food is there. If you don’t see fish, move. If you see mullet, stay. If they jump a lot, cast. And you will catch fish. I have been seeing these trout more this year than I have in previous years on the flat in the spring. The trout never bunched up as much this past winter because of the mild temperatures we had but now they are real happy since the finger mullet are running. I have also seen and caught many trout following stingrays and redfish waiting for something to dart out. If you want to catch numbers, say thirty to eighty in a day; bounce your Gulp shrimp off the bottom in three to five feet of water. Work the many edges of the flats and move if you don’t catch a fish in ten minutes. You will catch some big fish this way as well, but you will catch ten smaller fish before you catch a good one. The jacks and ladyfish will chew you up while you are bouncing your jigs so you may want to go to a Berkley PowerBait. Remember, Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me 386 314 5656 www.captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:49:58 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Feb 2012 Believe it or not it is already Feb but the weird thung is that our average tempature has been 70 degrees here in Central FL. We did have a couple of cold fronts earlier this winter which did throw our fish into there winter patterns but it did not last all that long. With the constant change in wind directions and weather the water in the lagoon has been abnormally higher then usual this past week. You can still find schools of redfish through out the lagoon sytem one key is focus on the water level and bait supply. If you find fish holding in a certain area on low water conditions they most likely will not be there when the water comes up look at the flats or shelfs adjacent to the area that was out of water. These fish are going to move due to fishing pressure and new food souces. The trout bite has been good with most of your trout holding in the deeper water under schools of bait basically like the summer time pattern. I think that the fish in a whole are just a little confused due to the unseasonal weather so until we get a steady winter weather system this is what we have to work with. On a brighter note the bite has been good on both red fish and trout with large numbers being caaught on several differnt baits. from live finger mullet , cut bait , shrimp and also pin fish for artifical I have great success on Aqua Dream spoons and small soft plastics. Good luck and be safe out there. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:41:42 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Redfish Everywhere Fishing in the Mosquito Lagoon lately has been awesome, trout, redfish, black drum and a flounder here and there. Trout season opened January 1st, and we have been catching our share since. All my other charters I had last week caught many fish, fifteen reds was the slowest day 48 reds was the best. We are catching the numbers in the deeper holes where the water is a little warmer. But the bigger fish are coming out of the large schools. We have been bouncing Gulp shrimp rigged on 1/4-oz jigs. New Penny and Natural seem to be the color of choice. The key is to work your Gulp bait slow on the bottom. If you work it to fast you will not get the bites you should. Every day or so we are catching a flounder or two in this deeper water (three to six feet) as well. If you are looking for the bigger trout and reds fish a little shallower come mid morning. The water will warm up and the fish will turn on. Gulp has come out with some new Gulp shapes. One of my favorite shapes is the Jerk shad. Natural, camo and new penny are the colors I would choose for the lagoon. I rig the jerk shads with a single #2 hook 1/4 inch from the head. This allows the bait to suspend in the water and look natural. It also lets the Gulp jerk shad dart back and forth imitating a wounded baitfish. The fish can’t stand it, they will strike even if they are not hungry. This is what you call a reaction strike. Nature has programmed these fish to weed out the sick and injured and they do just that. Grab your sun block and chap stick head to Florida and give me a call so I can put you on fish guaranteed. 386-314-5656 Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:41:26 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR last couple of days cobia are showing up mostly north of inlet 40-60ft.at the pines or look for rays and schools of bait,cobia jigs or live bait what ever you have on board,good luck.offshore,dolphin are starting to show up,look for clean water from 90 +ft.also some kingfish and small blackfin tuna will be around,live bait and ballyhoo works,I myself use small lures with 60# mono leaders and troll about 7 knts to cover some ground also use teasers.around the inlet blues,jacks,and spanish macks are along the beach from 10-20ft.of water,pomps will be in the deeper water along the shore in reach of surf fishermen.Inside inlet jacks and pomps all over inlet area,snook have been taken at nite along with redfish on live bait drifting.nite time shrimping will start to get good,out going tide with S,SW,W,NW winds,the worst weather can be the best time.The river is a little hard to fish with lack of grass beds,alot of grass bed are now large sand bars,hopefully warm weather will bring then back.For more info please call capt.eric skipperfishing.com 772 473 4525. thanks eric capteo Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:41:21 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR February 19, 2012 Inshore: The mild days continue along the Treasure Coast this week. Winds have picked up now, but most days allow you to get out in the river. The ocean has been another story with one or two days a week that anglers can venture out. The water temperatures are still mild around the area and that means the fish are on the flats and feeding. We had some good days this week. Bob and Chris were back out on a windy day, but managed trout, sheephead and the usual jacks and ladyfish to have a fun day out on the river. Kibby had the best day of the week. She landed two of three redfish that were all slot fish and a good number of nice size trout. Bill, Will and Blake found trout, jacks, ladyfish and a few snook. Blake had a nice redfish almost to the boat before it spit the hook on him. We had a lot of fun out on the river this past week! Trout continue to feed in three to five feet of water. Most grass flats have been productive both north and south of Fort Pierce. DOA CAL jerk baits and shrimp along with live bait have all worked for us lately. We have found most of our redfish along the mangroves. CAL grub tails and live bait have worked well for us. Most of the snook fishing has been at night around the jetties and docks of the inlet. Bluefish are scattered around the river and at the jetties. There are plenty of jacks and ladyfish to keep the young anglers busy. The surf has yielded whiting and pompano lately. Winter is just about over and we will soon transition into spring. Expect more windy days ahead, but mild temperatures should continue for us. Get out fishing soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Kibby with one of her redfish for the day.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:40:57 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Boy it has been a month and a half since the water laid down this nice. There was a definate temperature break at 100 feet of water. It went from 68 degrees up to 71. Then when we hit the 20 mile bouy it was up to 74 degrees and that is when the dolphin bite got hot. With every pass by the bouy we had a strike. We had a new comer to Mahi fishing on the boat, Melissa and she did a great job landing 3 of the 7 mahi! Her boy friend Brannon caught 3, as well. Throw in a double on and I actually got to catch a dolphin too! The day ended with a triple header with a few sharks that were by the bouy gobbling up the the pieces of ballyhoo that were left behind. Even though there wasn't much size to our dolphin outting they made great table fair and the aerial assult they displayed was awesome. There are so many things that make dolphin fishing special. The schooling below the boat when you bring them up...the changing of their color...high jumping action...and much more! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:39:19 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Man the big-uns are biting, where do I begin? Well I have been scouting staging areas and have had several big bass catching experiences. We have been throwing big baits and the results have mostly been very big fish. I have been on four trips out of the past five days and have boated ten fish over six pounds with three weighing over ten pounds an loosing two others (over 10) that I had up to the boat. One of the three over ten pounds was 13 pounds and fifteen ounces. Not to mention the other 125 or so smaller fish that never made the photo shoot. We are catching pre spawn Bass that are staging on wood and channel edges. I was fishing with my friend and camera man Greg Cobb. We are throwing big (16") soft plastic baits, 8" swim baits and using my own special Boe Bass Fish Formula that I use religiously to get the big-uns that some folks in other parts of the country only dream of catching. The fronts have slowed down the spawn and the fish are pulling on and off the channel edges trying to get to their spawning flats but need the proper temperature to do so. This mixed up weather has been to my advantage keeping the fish in the staging areas longer and more susceptible to my lures. I am keeping this report brief cause I am going back early in the morning for more action. Boe Bass Boe Jacquard Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:39:08 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well what a great week on the Indian River Lagoon! Fishing in Fort Pierce has been great despite the tough conditions including the water temperature dropping below 60 degrees. We found plenty of fish though hiding in deeper cuts, and holes. Redfish are definately cooperating out there. They don't mind the cold as much as snook do and during wintertime you can count on finding a school of slot fish around. We found some both in shallow water in the middle of the day and hanging around the mangroves. I saw a few fish on the flats that were definately over 15lbs but they wouldn't give us a shot. Most fish were caught on DOA CALs and live shrimp. Snook have been in the inlet and the bridges. I haven't really fished hard for them but we have been finding some smaller fish around the mangroves as well. Snook really need a break to repopulate this area. They have not made a comeback and I have seen such a dramatic decrease that it almost sickens me. Please release these fish as carefully as possible, everyone of them counts! Wintertime trout have been great this year! Every outing we have managed some really nice fat gator trout. They have ate everything from live shrimp to DOA shrimp to Rapala topwater lures. I have not found many on the flats though. Most have been in deeper water around islands and edges of flats. Pompano are still around the river. Fort Pierce had a great run of them this winter and I hope it continues to next year. All I have used this year is DOA pinch weights and Doc's goofy jigs. Locating these fish can be hit or miss, but checking deep edges of flats and jigging in the inlet should get you hooked up. Until next time, Captain Ryan Floyd Off The Banks Fishing Charters 772-370-1829 www.offthebankscharters.com ryanfl Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:38:42 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The bass have been biting all week long on West Lake Toho. Large wild shiners are your best bet. Found a lot of big fish in the shallows, still bedding. Clients have been getting many bass, to at least 6 lbs. every trip. The weather has been a little breezy. Difficult to fish artificials, but shiner fishing has been very productive. There were at least three tournaments out of the Toho Marina ramps Saturday morning. One five fish bag was well over 30 pounds. Now is the time to be out on the water and try to catch that "fish of a lifetime". Be safe while boating. Good Fishing!! Captain Bobby Hensel Trinity Guide Service 407-709-5439 CaptainBobbyHensel Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:36:55 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR still dredging inside inlet,pompano are hitting sand fleas and small shrimp inside inlet,dredging sand of the bottom is moving a lot of small crabs,fish,shrimp,and other bait with the moving tides,the water is a little cloudy but blues,jacks,spanish macks,pompano reds and snook will stil feed on them.the river fishing on the flats a bit slow due to lack of grass beds,most of the flats look like sand bars,when you find the grass you will find the fish,trout sm. snook ,reds,lady fish,jacks.seb river as a lot of ladyfish on small soft baits or shrimp,the dolphins will chase your fish right to your boat,lots of fun to watch so bring a camera.offshore has been to windy for a good report,soon cobia show up in march on fishable days. thank you capt.eric , skipperfish.com capteo Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:36:05 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Reel Screaming Action Wow, I am so glad the wind has calmed down. This past weekend it was blowing extremely hard and despite how hard it blew we still caught good fish. The redfish have been schooled up so nice. Yesterday we pitched shrimp in front of the first school we targeted and Melissa hooked up in just a few minutes of fishing. The water level had dropped out from the day before and it made the schools a little easier to find. They were not push button, so we had to work them like a chess match. Mark, Dave and Jean were out the day before braving 20 + gust to over 30 mph winds. They caught some nice redfish and some nice trout. Here below you see Jean with a couple of the fish they took home to eat for dinner. Flounder have slowed a bit but the trout have been eating Gulp shrimp and jerk shads in many colors. Toss your Gulp beyond the white sandy patches and you will find success. Tracy Stein, Mike, Wes and John took home ten large trout and a limit of redfish. The total for their morning trip was 20 trout and 12 redfish. They will feed the family for a few days. If you are not finding the trout on the flat, move to the edge or in the 3-5 foot of water and bounce 1/4 ounce jigs off the bottom with your Gulp. You may still catch a big flat flounder this way as well but they are having an early season also. If you don’t know your way around the lagoon you want to be careful. I pulled a guy and his girlfriend off the flat (hi and dry) I am still waiting for my steaks he promised me. The fishing and the weather have been unusually pleasant for this time of year so get out and catch some fish with me I guarantee you will. Remember think like a fish to catch fish. 386-314-5656 Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:35:49 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR March 1, 2012 South Indian River Fishing Forecast - March Inshore: March has arrived on the Treasure Coast and, traditionally, we can expect windy conditions along with some rain clouds. It might dictate where and when you can get on the water, but at least we aren't cutting holes in the ice to fish! Water temperatures will continue to rise and the fish will be actively feeding on the flats. Winter has been kinder to us this year and the fishing has been very good so far. Take advantage of the good days and get out fishing..... As the sun warms up the water again, look for fish to travel into the shallows to feed. Trout will continue to be most prevalent in the deeper grass flats in two to four feet of water. Those anglers using live shrimp on popping corks, Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and top water will have the best chance at hooking up with a trout. I like to fish the edges of the shallows where the water drops off to these depths. You can find some trout on the flats early, but they tend to go deeper after sunup. Depending on weather conditions, there are many areas to fish. Round Island, Bear Point and Harbor Branch are always popular to fish in March. Redfish will get more active this month and you can find some tailing on the flats in early mornings. Top water, DOA shrimp, CAL grub tails or gold spoons are good choices for finding a spot tail on the flats. Don't forget to fish around the mangroves also. So far this winter, there has continued to be a good redfish population around the river and the fishing has been fantastic for them. I tend to like the east side of the river for redfish, but you can find them on the west side also. Work your baits slowly along the bottom for best results. Learn to read the water so you don’t miss what is happening around you. Anglers will continue to target snook around the inlets, docks and bridges on the Treasure Coast. Live bait always works best, but feather jigs, TerrorEyz and BFL lures can also get you hooked up. Most of the action will be at night with best results on the high ends of the tides. As the water warms up around the area, the snook action will liven up also. Those fishing the flats can also find snook feeding early or late in the day. Fish the mangroves during the rest of the day. Top water, twitch baits, TerrorEyz or CAL jerk baits can do the trick in March on the flats. The pompano bite has been better this year. More fish have been caught around Fort Pierce this year and they should be around this area throughout March. Whiting, Bluefish and pompano will be hanging around the beaches this month. The inlet will be holding Spanish mackerel, jacks and bluefish. Jack Crevalle and ladyfish continue to haunt the river and provide fun catch for all. Bridges should give up catches of sand perch, Sheephead and black drum on live or dead shrimp. I think we are all ready for spring to arrive here on the Treasure Coast. It won't be long! Take some time to check all your equipment now and be ready as the weather improves to get out on the water. Make sure your reels are in good working order. Check your rods for broken or cracked tips and guides. How old in that line?? Get ready now on some of the windy days, so you will be ready to head out to the water! Have a great March for fishing! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Fishing around the Indian River this week.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:35:42 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR March 2012 is here and spring fishing patterns are beginning, February was a great month for me with lots of fishing charters and many fish caught. We had the warmest winter in many years, expecting a great warm spring coming up. Here are some pictures of happy clients with some of the good fish we caught the last few weeks. Redfish hunting on the flats will continue this month, spring techniques will be a little different from winter as the Redfish schools will break up into smaller groups of fish, singles and pairs will be more the normal with warmer water temperatures. On pretty, sunny days sight fishing will be the main technique, while on cloudy breezy days with less visibility, we will be thoroughly fishing good locations on the flats which have been known to be holding fish recently. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Feb102012DoubleRed.jpg Seatrout will also be caught on many trips, some up on the flats with the Reds and others on the drop offs fishing artificial jig lures. The main baits used on the flats will be shrimp, live mullet, cut mullet, gulp shrimp, and swim tail jigs. Also had a great fly fishing charter with a few good Reds caught sight fishing with a brown shrimp fly. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Feb102012FlyRed2.jpg Spring starts some of the best Backcountry mixed bag fishing of the year. The migrating inshore saltwater game fish return to our area this month after spending the winter in the warmer waters of south Florida. Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, and larger Bluefish will join our resident Seatrout, Redfish, Black Drum, Sheepshead, Whiting, and others to make mixed bag fishing a fun and easy style of fishing with about 10 species of saltwater fish caught on most trips, perfect for family trips and fishermen looking for a sure thing fishing trip with big quantities of fun fish caught. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Feb102012Red4.jpg CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS As we are out catching fun saltwater fish and enjoying the great outdoors here on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip. We are starting to see more Manatees again after their normal winter absence from our area. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Feb102012Red2.jpg MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Feb102012FlyRed1.jpg CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Feb102012Red3.jpg Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com website> http://www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:35:36 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR March's Fishing Forecast March is here and over the past few months my clients and I have been in awe over the beautiful weather. I continue to wear shorts and sandals and leave my winter clothes at home to collect dust. As we get in to March the fishing has gotten even better if you can believe that. The Snook are feeding like crazy the Reds are everywhere and the big trout have infested the flats! On top of that there are big Sharks roaming the flats, Spanish mackerel wreaking havoc on the bait pods and Cobia hanging around the wrecks and reefs. I have even started to see a few Tarpon! March is going to be outstanding and I hope you can get in on the action! Speaking of Tarpon, I know I keep repeating myself but the 2012 Tarpon fishing season is only a few months away and for those of you who are looking to book a trip for the 2012 tarpon season I strongly urge that you start planning ASAP as my calendar is already over half full. I don't want to sound like a broken record but I would hate to miss seeing some of my repeat clients this tarpon season. With the recent warm weather and as spring approaches the Snook have come out of their winter homes and onto the flats. As they make this migration they have really started to feed and have been more than excited to see a livewell full of sardines. This past month produced many 40 plus Snook days and it seems to getting better and better. The real story is the average size, I have had multiple days with 10 plus fish over 30 inches! For you night owls, the night time Snook fishing around the lighted docks in Punta Gorda, Ft. Myers beach, Little Gasparilla and Boca Grande may be your best bet for some March Snook action. Lures like Mirrolure 3" Soft Sardine and Mirrolure Mirrodine should both be good choices for catching spring time Snook. Please remember that Snook season will be catch and release only until at least September 2012. The Redfish fishing this March should remain to be outstanding. There are Redfish EVERYWHERE! I am still catching a ton of fish in the 3lb-5lb range but I have been catching more and more fish over 27 inches. Sardines and pinfish have been the top bait recently and they have really been responding to live bait chumming. I have had multiple 30 plus Redfish days recently and I don't see that changing any time soon. I have also been catching a lot fish on artificial. The Mirrolure "Provoker” rigged with a 4/0 Mustad Power Lock has been killing the reds and the trout on the higher tides. Trout fishing has remained very good and getting a nice limit of trout has been pretty easy. I have been seeing a ton of big Trout on the flats and with a nice live-well of bait they have been really eating. I have started catching some really nice trout while fishing for Snook and Reds. I haven't gotten any fish over 9lbs so far this year but I have had quite a few in the 6lb-8lb range. From now thru April is hands down the best time to catch big trout here in Southwest Florida and I don’t mean 20” fish I’m talking about 25”-30” fish that can weigh as much as 10lbs! Those are true “gators” and this is the time of year to catch them! The near shore fishing has really picked up. Spanish Mackerels have started to move in and the Kingfish should be right behind them. Cobias have been on the offshore wreck and reefs and eve a few Tripletails. Gag Grouper comes into season on April 1 but you can still have a good time playing tug-o-war with some as long as you are willing to let them go. I expect the near shore fishing to really explode in the few weeks and I can't wait! Whether you want to catch the fish of a lifetime or just relax with friends, you can count on Reelfishing charters to put together the ultimate Southwest Florida experience! Capt. Danny is the guide that will bring everything together for a fun, exciting fishing charter that you'll remember. Reelfishing is a Fort Myers fishing charter as well as a Boca Grande fishing guide service. We pick up at several locations around Southwest Florida including Burnt Store Marina, Pineland Marina, Placida and the Boca Grande guide docks. Other arrangements can be made if necessary. We try to make fishing with Reelfishing charters as easy as possible. Catch Fish, No Excuses! reelfishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:35:23 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Last weekend started off great. We only had to run about 7 miles out of Sebastine Inlet to find the King Fish boats turning their ritualistic circles. We went through 5 bags of ballyhoo snagging up little king fish. We had a few smokers on only to have them spit the hook. The seas started out at 2-3 foot but quickly became 4-5 and higher. We only fished for a couple of hours and got our limit of king. We decided to come back in early due to the seas and lack of bait... But boy the KINGS were thick. It is always so exciting to see those fish rocket through the water 6-10 feet in the air with your bait dangling out of their mouth! Until next time...FISH ON! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:20:05 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Redfish Tide The fishing has been really good on the lagoon this past week. Big schools of happy redfish and big trout are on the flats. We caught 30 plus redfish yesterday. The bigger trout will roam the shallow flats this time of year as well. Look for sand patches on the grass flats and you will see trout holding in them. There are also trout hiding in the grass that you won’t see, but make good blind cast targets. Fan cast ahead of your drift and you should produce some nice fish. Gulp shrimp and Jerk Shads retrieved in a twitching motion will do the trick. Look for the big mullet on the flats as well and you will see redfish in amongst them. Toss Gulp Shrimp or real shrimp across a big school of mullet and one will turn red on ya. Ray mud's usually hold a few redfish near the trail or just down wind of it. Be sure to toss your Gulp across the mud slick and don’t be surprised when one gobbles it. You may even catch a drum behind the ray slick. But your chances of catching a black drum are better when you toss your shrimp or blue crab at the school in front of your boat. We are fishing black drum in schools on the flats just like the reds but fewer schools are to be had. There are still a few flounder around and you have got to stay low to the bottom to produce a flatty. I have caught them on top water but your chances really increase by putting the bait in their comfort zone. When you hop that Gulp shrimp along the bottom you will catch other fish as well. Near a ledge or mangrove shoreline, we have caught snook, trout, grouper, ladyfish, whiting, pompano, jacks, pigfish, black drum, mangrove snapper and sea bass. To learn more about fishing techniques or to just catch some really nice fish call me 386-314-5656 or visit my web site: http://www.captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:18:21 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR March 2012 It seems that we have gone straight from a winter time pattern to a summer time pattern another words we have skipped spring. Here in the Lagoon system the large schools of red fish have started to split into smaller groups do to the rise in water and warm temperatures . Look for the reds tailing and cruising in the shallow grass and also mixed in with the large schools of mullet. The trout bite has been very good with quantity and quality being caught. Look for the larger trout holding on the shallow grass flats around the large schools of bait and the smaller ones can be found on the deeper edges of the flat. The larger trout can be caught on finger mullet and pin fish and the smaller ones will eat live shrimp under a popping cork and a variety of soft plastics. We also still have great numbers of flounder in the area being caught on shrimp and soft plastics bounced along the bottom.I was surprised to see how fast our snook population has came back there has been large numbers of snook being caught from the Tomoka Basin to Canaveral. Target these fish on a strong out going tide using free lined shrimp,pin fish, and mullet pitched along shorelines, docks and jetties. Good luck and be safe Capt Patrick Rood 386-566-1394 www.spotntailcharters.com patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:17:59 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR I had two panfish trips last week. The Crappie are bedding in the shallow water, three to five feet. I used live minnows 20 - 24 inches under a small bobber to catch all we needed. Lots of fun when you figure out where they are. Try searching around the dark green clumps of gator grass. Good fishing! Captain Bobby Hensel Trinity Guide Service 407-709-5439 CaptainBobbyHensel Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:13:48 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The weather and fishing has been fantastic the past week. We have been catching a variety of species in all depths. Trout, mackerel, cobia, and pompano are all on the move and feeding on a good moving tide. The trout are spread out from 2 - 8 ft of water, and can be found near structure or grassy spotty bottom. Be ready to move around until you locate them. I like to slowly work an area with structure by trolling motor until we catch some fish, and then anchor off the spot that produced to see if it is holding more fish. Another good tactic to use is drift the grass flats and bounce jigs across the bottom. Deploy a chum bag in the deeper flats to get mackerel in the area. Work your baits faster and higher in the water column to get a reaction strike from these fast moving toothy critters. Use a xxl long shank hook for bait and tie on a 60 lb. leader to lures to prevent cut offs. We have found the best Spanish mackerel bite in 10 - 12 ft of water on a moving tide. We are finding pompano off the many marked rock piles off Hernando Beach while targeting trout. The Lil Johns by Mirro-lure work great on a 1/4 - 1/8 jig head. Let the jig sink close to the bottom and work it in a slow "jerky" motion. If you start getting strikes but no hook ups, Try cutting the first 1/2 inch off the plastic bait prior to putting on the jig. This usually does the trick. The most productive colors have been a white or chartreuse color. I have been getting reports of silver king sightings! Tarpon are starting to arrive to test your tackle from Aripeka to Homosassa. I expect good numbers to settle into our region over the next month so get ready! Good luck out there and tight lines! Capt. Keith Tomlinson Bulldog Fishin Charters www.bulldogfishin.com (352)238-3581 Captain Keith Tomlinson Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:11:53 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Large mouth bass are still biting on West Lake Toho, coming into post-spawn conditions. Bass are a little deeper than they were in previous weeks, still hitting live shiners, but the artificial bite has been a little tough. On my last trip out, a lady from Italy caught a 9 pounder. Shellcrackers are biting well in open water over the shell beds in both lakes. Red worms are the preferred bait. Have heard reports of up to 75 fish per trip. Good fishing! Captain Bobby Hensel Trinity Guide Service www.fl-fish-guides.com CaptainBobbyHensel Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:09:28 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR March was a fun fishing month with transition patterns here on Mosquito Lagoon Florida, early spring with the warm winter we had, some Redfish remain in their cool water schools, while others have left school, going out on their own in small groups, pairs, and singles. With mullet schools beginning to form on the flats, starting our summer type pattern. Redfish and Seatrout mix in with the grazing mullet as the vegetarian baitfish dig in the grass for algae, they are displacing shrimp, baby crabs, and minnows which the game fish find easy pickings. We are fishing live finger mullet, cut mullet, and gulp shrimp to name a few good baits for the Reds and Trout. On good visibility condition days we have had some great sight fishing the last few weeks, with cruising and sometimes tailing Redfish. A few recent trips had double and triple header Redfish hookups as seen in a couple photos, as well as some great catches by the ladies and youngsters. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March202012DoubleKidsReds.jpg Edgewater Backcountry mixed bag fishing has been great this spring with Seatrout, Jack Crevalle, and Ladyfish being the main actors in this fun easy type of fishing. Throw in a Flounder, Black Drum, Whiting, Redfish, Bluefish, or Sheepshead and you have the usual catch for my mixed fishing trips with about 10 species of saltwater fish caught on most trips, perfect for family trips and fishermen looking for a sure thing fishing trip with big quantities of fun fish caught. This is light spinning tackle fishing with live shrimp baits. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March202012Red2.jpg CALM WATER INSHORE SALTWATER FISHING – NO SEA SICKNESS http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March202012TripleReds.jpg As we are out catching fun saltwater fish and enjoying the great outdoors here on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip. We are starting to see more Manatees again after their normal winter absence from our area. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March202012Red1.jpg MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March202012Red11.jpg CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/March202012Trout2.jpg Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com Website> http://EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:08:36 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Spring Into Action Today it blew like yesterday but that didn’t stop us from catching fish. Travis and Eric caught a bunch of trout but most were in the 14” class with few keepers. A few ladies showed up and gave us some high flying action. After that, we did get to sight cast to some redfish tailing as well as cruising. Eric is going to remember what that redfish looked like when he came up and ate the bait five feet from the boat. Stuff like that will never leaves your mind. Pick your moon time to fish while it is big, because that is when you will get your bite. Tails came up as the moon was under yesterday, when most anglers were headed back to the dock. Toss a Gulp shrimp in natural color and work it slow past them. As you will find twitching at the wrong time will spook your fish. If you can’t see fish then just blind cast ahead of your drift. Don’t pass up the sand spots. We also caught a tripletail yesterday. Above you can see Evan and Aaron with a double header; they are holding some oversize redfish. I have been fishing these two fine young men for over ten years. It is great seeing children develop and become fine young adults. Keep up the good work Chris/Dad. The trout bite has been awesome this week. I had four anglers out a few days ago and they took 16 keepers home and released another 35 trout. Three were well over the upper slot size. They caught the trout on Gulp Sinking Minnows and Power Bait Jerk shads in Mullet color. Bounce your bait off the bottom and set the hook when you feel him inhale it. I have not seen the trout bite so good in some time. WATCH out for the manatees out there, they are everywhere and they will charge your boat. I dodged fifteen on the way home the other day. Pretty soon there won’t be any more grass out there for fish and the rest of the ocean to thrive on. Manatees are eating the grass faster than it can grow and one day the lights will come on for some, or maybe not. Just be careful, these animals are powerful and can harm you. Remember, think like a fish to catch fish OR just call me and I will guarantee you do. 386 314 5656 www.captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:02 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Here we are already in the month of April this year seems to be flying by. The bait has moved in the ICW and Lagoon system with large schools of mullet moving across the flats.This is the start to the summer time pattern for our fishery with both Trout and Red fish being found mixed in with the schools of bait. Look for the trout to hold on the shallow grass flats early in the morning and moving to the deeper edges as the sun gets higher in the sky. These fish can be caught with several different baits like top water plugs early in the morning and moving to a soft plastic under a popping cork later in the day. If live bait is more your style you can't go wrong with a live finger mullet, pin fish or a live shrimp under a cork. As the weather continues to warm so will the water temps along with the rise in water level will cause the Red fish to start splitting away from the schools to the shallow grass flats in search of new food source. Look for these fish to be tailing and cruising on the grass early in the morning and moving to the pot holes and edges later in the day. They can be caught on a variety of baits from Auqa Dream Spoons to live shrimp . We also still have our large Black drum being caught from the center of Mosquito Lagoon to the Indian River Lagoon they can be caught on shrimp , half blue crab or anything in a soft plastic that looks like a small crustacean. The winds have been blowing constantly for the last couple of weeks so it has been hard to get a accurate cobia bite but look in about 35 to 45 feet of water and find the rays most likely this time of year there will one or two swimming with them. While out there do not neglect floating debris there has been some nice triple tail caught off of buoys and floating debris while looking for Cobia. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com (386) 566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:58:36 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR April 12th, 2012 Orlando Florida Saltwater Flats Fishing Report Well the past few weeks have been just phenomenal here in the east central Florida back country waters of both the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River flats. Not only the fishing, but the weather too here in Oak Hill, Edgewater and New Smyrna Beach along with all of the Orlando area saltwater inshore fishing. You could not ask for better weather to be in, fish in or live in than that of the weather that has been here amongst us this winter and now spring time in all Florida. If things continue the rest of 2012 looks great as well. Hopefully we should have a great year with some more tarpon along with the snook returning to the waters with the higher water temperatures in the Atlantic and Gulf along the beaches. Several large (some very large) schools of redfish and black drum have dominated the flats fishing on the Mosquito Lagoon along with some really great catches of large trout too. All of the fish are ranging from 3 to 12 pounds on average. The water clarity has improved so much and the water temperature is at an optimal range for fishing the shallow flats here. This is making sight fishing the flats of the Mosquito Lagoon much easier than what it was like six months ago when water clarity was not so good. Looking for signs here on the grass flats in the spring time for baitfish, life, birds feeding and activity will be a key to a successful day on the water. Shallow water that leads to nearby drop offs is always on the menu for a good day of sight fishing. As your day begins always carry with you the stealth and patience practice throughout the day and this will lead to a higher rate of success, along with a better day out there fishing. Also as you fish the shallow waters here in Florida add the distance and soft presentations with your cast and things will gradually fall into place. Be sure not to land on your targets or behind them. In other words don’t rush it. Take your time; poll your boat as much as you can. Your trolling motor will scare fish off fish from a lot further distance than you think. If you can hear another boats trolling motor at 300 feet away chances are that redfish will hear this three times that distances. This is the apex of fishing and can be very rewarding if done correctly along with taking your time to process things that are going on around you. Also I cannot stress this enough, please give all of your fellow anglers out there a very large area of space between you and them. Each one of us has and uses different tactics and techniques. So if you see a boat pointing in one direction and polling that way do not assuming that they will be going ten mikes that way. They may be doing a SARS type of pattern, searching for fish and turning back around. I see too many boats coming right up behind other boats and following in their path. Give that 360° wide berth between you and them. Redfish and black drum have been feeding on numerous types of baits, lures and flies. From casting a black crab pattern fly to the shrimp and mullet pattern fly to using the D.O.A. Baitbusters, C.A.L.’s and Shrimp. I like to rig my D.O.A.’s on a weed less hook with a small bullet weight. As always one of my favorite is the hand-picked live blue crab, about 2 inches, placed on a 3/0 circle hook. The redfish and black drum cannot resist this food! They go crazy over it. Live shrimp and live mullet are always a very good and natural choice here too. Redfish will be found tailing early and throughout the morning. Try to approach the redfish with the sun at your back and in their face for better results too. Pretty much all of the trout, big and small, have been hitting, and when I say hitting I mean hammering the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Baitbusters. These predators will go after it like it is the last one in the water. A few of the trout have been landed and released with using a live mullet as well. As always please use extra care when handling all of your catch and get them back in the water for a fast release and a higher survival rate. Holding fish horizontally will also help with the survival. These are just a few of several ways to protect the future of Florida’s fisheries. Catch and release does work and it does pay off. Everyone out there this weekend have a safe and happy Easter weekend. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: drcfishmaster@cfl.rr.com Visit us at: http//:www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com/ Captain DREW Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:57:24 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR April is here and the fishing is unreal! Thousands of Tarpon have already made their way into Southwest Florida and they came hungry. The snook fishing continues to be outstanding, Redfish are feeding like mad and big trout seem to be all over the harbor. That’s just the inshore bite. On top of that there are big Sharks roaming the flats, Kingfish and Spanish mackerel wreaking havoc on the bait pods and Cobia hanging around the nearshore wrecks and reefs. There is going to be some serious rod bending going on this month! Speaking of Tarpon, I know I keep repeating myself but the 2012 Tarpon fishing season is only a few months away and for those of you who are looking to book a trip for the 2012 tarpon season I strongly urge that you start planning ASAP as my calendar is already over half full. I don't want to sound like a broken record but I would hate to miss seeing some of my repeat clients this tarpon season. Thousands of Tarpon have moved into Southwest Florida in the past few weeks. These are the big ones too. Fish in the 100 lb. range seem to be the average but fish over 150 lbs. are a definite possibility. The average has been 2-3 hook ups a trip. They are being caught using a variety of methods including live bait drifting, sight fishing and dead baiting. This tarpon season is shaping up to be really good! The snook fishing has been nothing short of spectacular the past few weeks. They have really been feeding and have been more than excited to see a livewell full of sardines. Most of my trips have been averaging an amazing 30-50 fish a day with the average size being around 24” and a few 30”plus fish mixed in. For you night owls, the night time Snook fishing around the lighted docks in Punta Gorda, Ft. Myers beach, Little Gasparilla and Boca Grande may be your best bet for some April Snook action. Lures like Mirrolure 3" Soft Sardine and Mirrolure Mirrodine should both be good choices for catching spring time Snook. Please remember that Snook season will be catch and release only until at least September 2012. The Redfish fishing thisApril should remain to be outstanding. There are still Redfish EVERYWHERE! I am still catching a ton of fish in the 3lb-5lb range but I have been catching alot over 27 inches. Sardines and pinfish have been the top bait recently and they have really been responding to live bait chumming. I have had multiple 30 plus Redfish days recently and I don't see that changing any time soon. I have also been catching a lot fish on artificial. The Mirrolure "Provoker” rigged with a 4/0 Mustad Power Lock has been killing the reds and the trout on the higher tides. Trout fishing has remained very good and getting a nice limit of trout has been pretty easy. I have been seeing a ton of big Trout on the flats and with a nice live-well of bait they have been really eating. I have started catching some really nice trout while fishing for Snook and Reds. I haven't gotten any fish over 9lbs so far this year but I have had quite a few in the 6lb-8lb range. April is the last month that the big trout fishing will be really good here in Southwest Florida and I don’t mean 20” fish I’m talking about 25”-30” fish that can weigh as much as 10lbs! Those are true “gators” and this is the time of year to catch them! The near shore fishing has really picked up. Spanish Mackerels have been all over the place and the Kingfish have been on all of the nearshore reeks and wrecks. Cobia have been on the offshore wrecks and reefs and quit a few have been mixed inshore while Tarpon fishing. Gag Grouper remains out of season but you can still have a good time playing tug-o-war with some as long as you are willing to let them go. Whether you want to catch the fish of a lifetime or just relax with friends, you can count on Reelfishing charters to put together the ultimate Southwest Florida experience! Capt. Danny is the guide that will bring everything together for a fun, exciting fishing charter that you'll remember. Reelfishing is a Fort Myers fishing charter as well as a Boca Grande fishing guide service. We pick up at several locations around Southwest Florida including Burnt Store Marina, Pineland Marina, Placida and the Boca Grande guide docks. Other arrangements can be made if necessary. We try to make fishing with Reelfishing charters as easy as possible. Catch Fish, No Excuses! reelfishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:56:37 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Week of April 7th, 2012 Captain Wayne Johnson with www.extremeflatsfishing.com out of Regatta Point Marina located in Palmetto, FL reporting the week of fishing for April 7h of 2012 fishing the lower Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, down to Long Boat Key. Fishing this week again has been awesome! We have targeted Snook, Tarpon, and Sea Trout fishing the lower Tampa Bay just south of the Skyway. The Tarpon bite is still going strong on days you can get out to fish the bridge. We have only fished Tarpon this week once due to the winds and jumped one fish in a couple of hours fishing. The bait of choice so far this season has been Thread Fins fishing the up current side of the bridge. If you can stand the wind you will jump some fish! Our Trout fishing continues to be phenomenal, if you’re looking for a steady bite our Lower Tampa Bay flats’ fishing is still off the charts! The best part about targeting these Trout you just do not know what you are going to catch. Along with Sea Trout we have caught Cobia, Black Sea Bass, Flounder, Grouper, and a ton of Mackerel. We have been fishing deep sea grass beds from 6 to 8 feet of water and the action is serious! Our Snook bite continues to be strong, catching plenty of line-siders in the shallows while back water fishing. The great thing about fishing for Snook is that it’s absolutely full of excitement; chumming with white bait and the Snook are popping around the boat, you are more less site fishing the explosion of the Snook hitting the bait at the top of the water. If you want some heart pound action on light line this is the ticket! The upside while fishing the lower Tampa Bay is there are so many options we can target Tarpon early and when finished we can go catch some Snook; it is your adventure and it’s up to me to get you on the fish! To book you big adventure now is the time while fishing is off the charts! Please contact Captain Wayne Johnson @ 941-773-3513 or l84fisn@gmail.com We can accommodate adventures of any size, from 2 to 4 clients, children are welcome, military discounts, and senior citizen discounts available; as well as multi-boat excursions. Wayne Johnson www.extremeflatsfishing.com 941-773-3513 l84fisn Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:55:38 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR February 2012 starts with warmer than normal winter conditions here on Mosquito Lagoon, water temps have ranged from 61’ to 67’F the last few weeks, and the water level has been extremely low, our Redfish are still schooled up making for fun sight fishing on the calm mornings on the open grass flats, on windy days we are fishing spots in the lee of the islands out of the wind. Select live shrimp are the go to bait for sight fishing winter Reds, live finger mullet and cut mullet best for bait soaking with less than perfect sight fishing conditions. Still catching a few Seatrout along the way as always here on our Lagoon. Here are pictures of Leah Ann and Cory on their first flats fishing trip with some of the Reds they caught including a fun double header. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Jan252012RedLeeAnn1S.jpg http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Jan252012DoubleRodsS.jpg http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Jan252012RedCoryS.jpg Dennis and Karen had a great time on their charter catching a bunch of Redfish including this nice one the biggest of the morning. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Jan252012DennisKaren.jpg Backcountry mixed bag trips have had really good action, the milder winter has lots of fish out moving around with water temps in the 60’s. Free line fishing live shrimp on the drop offs along our channel edges are bringing constant bites from Trout and Bluefish, with a sprinkling of Drum, Sheepshead, Flounder, Whiting, and more species. Adding a few stops in back bays and coves have caught several Edgewater Redfish lately. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Jan2520129SpotRed.jpg Looking forward to Spring as many more species of fun inshore saltwater schooling game fish will return to our waters from their south Florida wintering grounds during March making the fun easy type fishing style of my Backcountry trips even better with more variety of fish on every outing. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Jan252012Trout.jpg As we are out catching fun saltwater fish we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Jan252012RedLeeAnn2-1.jpg MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Jan252012DennisRed.jpg Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com website> http://www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:37:11 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR slot snook at night on bucktails from jettys and cat walk, both tides as long as the water is moving.drifting with boats at night is spotty.daytime inside inlet are getting blues,jacks,bk drum,sheepheads,pompano,sm snapper.dredging has started from inside at the sand trap for sand pumping to beaches south of inlet ,so be carefull boating .thanks eric olsen capteo Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:36:37 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR January 31st, 2012 New Smyrna Beach Saltwater Flats Fishing Report Well now that we are into the New Year of 2012 here in east central Florida and great weather is amongst us the flats fishing of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River has taken of tremendously here in the New Smyrna Beach, Titusville and Oak Hill areas of central Florida. Sight fishing the backcountry flats of the national park and refuge has begun to improve quite a bit, with water clarity getting into the optimal range it should be for this time of year and just outstanding days to fish in. Clear as spring water in most places and easy to spot fish with bright blue skies above you makes the fishing here on the Mosquito Lagoon and north Indian River a premier destination for world class sight fishing. Air and water temperatures are at a prime as well for making east central Florida fishing comfortable, exciting and fun. This is inshore saltwater flats fishing at its very best, what dreams are made of. There is no better place to fish here in the states on a year round basis than here in Florida. Just so many options are here and opportunities for fish of all types of species to target. As the past several weeks have gone by the water visibility more than anything has cleared up some from the algae bloom that occurred over the summer and fall of 2011. It has taken a few months of cooler weather along with a couple of extremely cold nights and chilly days but we are getting to the famous clarity this area is known for making it a sight fishing paradise. The flats and sight fishing is great as the sun breaks the horizon in the morning and continues its ascent as the day goes by. Even at mid-day the fishing is still great and can be at its prime for the day. Water temperatures in the morning time are in the mid 60° mark and rising up to the high 70° mark at the height of the day. This is ideal for redfish and drum. Redfish, trout and several black drum are being caught in fairly decent numbers on several different baits and lures as well as using light tackle sight fishing methods or fly fishing tactics. The fish are ranging from 2 to 15 pounds on average, with a few bigger and smaller ones mixed in. Searching the flats with baitfish, birds and activity of life on them is one of several different keys into getting on some nice game fish. As the nights are cooler to cold this time of year a grass flat that is near ledges, holes and drop offs are a good place to start looking for fish at dawn. The fish at night time will tend to drop into the deeper waters for warmth, food and protection. As will the baitfish that they feed upon. As the sun begins to rise, the areas that the rays touch first will warm up the quickest and most likely will hold baitfish along with the predators that follow. This also applies to the shallow water, as for it will warm up quicker than deep water. Sand holes among the grass will tend to be great ambush points for all types of predators and game fish, as well as the ledges leading back to the drop off areas. In a sense they become a type of underwater field that is scanned by predators alike. Of course as with any day you fish shallow waters here on the flats the key elements to success are stealth, patience and distance. Take your time and do not rush things. Approach fish at a distance to not only give you ample time to get into position but also to give you a few chances to make that perfect cast. Use your push pole as much as you can and use your trolling motor as a tool to make up distances. Think like a hunter; be sure to give every angler a very wide gap between you and them. Space between and low noise is a key too. What is a wide gap? I say 900 plus feet if not more, give or take a few feet. You may see two or even three boats on top of each other and think to get in there with them. However consider that they may know each other and be working together. If you get to an area that already has a boat there it is simple, move to another location. There is plenty of water to fish and plenty of fish to be caught. Early starts are a very good key to a successful day of fishing the Mosquito Lagoon. The type of baits or lures being used have been anywhere from a live shrimp placed on a small 3/0 circle hook with a small bullet weight for the black drum or redfish to the D.O.A. shrimp, D.O.A. CALS and D.O.A. Crabs. I like to throw a few of these with a weed less configuration. Throwing towards and past a feeding fish (say 8 to 12 feet past) then bring that lure/bait across their feeding path will entice a hit or two. Just be eloquent or graceful about this as not to spook them. As far as the fly fishing end of things we were able to land many redfish and black drum on imitation mullet patterns, crab patterns along with a shrimp pattern or two. Approach fish with the sun at your back at an angle and watch boat and your feet movement. Shadows from casts or yourself can alert fish of your presence. Soft casts, good target acquisition and perfect presentations need to be applied and used for all of the above. The best way to accomplish this is just to practice it. Trial and error as it is with any thing in life. Please remember to handle all of your fish with great care and a tender touch for a high survival rate upon their release. Looks like the bottom line for the next few weeks is if the weather holds out and continues to be above average with warmer days the flats fishing here should just continue to improve. The water clarity should hopefully continue to clear up as well, so this will just make sight fishing the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River even better as time goes by. This is what it is all about. Again Happy New Year and I hope to see you out on the water. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: drcfishmaster@cfl.rr.com Visit us at: http:www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com/ Captain DREW Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:36:28 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The past several days the fishing in Mosquito Lagoon has been about as good as it gets. The month overall has been up and down with some fantastic sight fishing and some days when the fish were few and far between. The warm and calm weather as of late has certainly been to the angler's advantage as the fish have been happy and tailing. The dead calm days have made the fish easy to spot but they are also easily spooked by unnatural noises. I saw hundreds of fish spooked by squeaky shoes on the deck alone. Be extremely aware of your noise discipline as you approach tailing fish. With water temperatures in the morning in the high 60's and near 75 by day's end, the fish are aggressive and will eat even large baits. Unfortunately, the water is still not crystal clear like it should be this time of year. It is clear enough to see the fish though. Most of the month, we experienced extremely low water levels. The water has risen this past week and with it came tons of floating grass that had been washed up on the shore. Weedless jerk baits are a necessity when the grass gets to be too thick. Color has not seemed to be too important as we have caught fish on a variety of shades. Presentation, however, is very important. Trying to catch tailing redfish means you are casting at a stationary target but your bait must get within a foot or less of them or they will not see it. Ray had an excellent day on the Lagoon before he had to go to a job in Iraq. He landed double digit redfish, mostly on the 3" DOA CAL tail and a 1/8 ounce jighead. Joe wanted to try his hand at fly fishing for redfish. A steady 10 mph wind was a bit much for him to overcome with the fly but he did manage several nice reds on the 3" CAL. Jim fished Mosquito Lagoon with me the following day. He threw the fly all day long. We tried feeding some uncooperative black drum. We never convinced one to bite. Jim used a small tan shrimp imitation fly of his own creation to catch several redfish. Mike was my next fly angler last week. We began the day throwing a bendback to some very shallow schools of redfish. While he came close a number of times, 10 feet more on his fly cast would have resulted in some hookups. Again we tried a multitude of flies on some black drum. The only bite he got ended when the leader broke on the hook set. Mike was able to get his first redfish to eat a fly he tied on a #4 hook with some orange/brown chenille, small lead eyes, and a tan wing. With shots at hundreds of fish throughout the day, we called it a success. This Monday I took a trip to the St John's River for some fly fishing for shad. While others I spoke to reported catching 30-40 shad, I caught that many fish but only 8 or so were the target species. The rest were a mixture of crappie, bass, bluegill, sunfish, and redbreast. The shad are there, however, and it seems to be a good run of them this year. Tuesday, I fished with Jeff and Jim on their first flats fishing trip. We found the black drum a bit more willing to cooperate and even got a double header. Tailing redfish were our next target. The tails were easy to spot as the water was smooth as glass. Soon we had tail in every direction. With lots of floating grass to deal with, I elected to go with a weedless CAL in melonback color. A Woodies rattle inserted near the tail helped the fish find the bait. The next few hours were filled with shots at hundreds of reds and some bent rods resulted. We ended the day completing a Mosquito Lagoon slam by using the DOA Deadly Combo to catch numerous seatrout off the outside edge of the flat. Wednesday was nearly a carbon copy of the day before. The only improvement was we had much clearer skies making it even easier to spot the fish when the sun came up. Rick and Cynthia started off the day bringing a few black drum to the boat before we moved on to tailing redfish. The first red came on a DOA shrimp but the weedless CAL bait proved to be a better choice with the heavy floating grass still around.In addition to landing numerous redfish, both caught a seatrout as well to complete a double slam for the second day in a row. As long as the weather remains stable, the fishing will continue to be outstanding. Should a cold front blow through and drop the water temperatures significantly, the fish will drop off the flats for several days. If you must fish during those times, target the deeper edges of flats and sand troughs with jigs. As long as the water remains warm, however, the fish will be happy, schooling, and feeding. Capt. Chris Myers Mosquito lagoon Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:36:05 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The Banana River Redfish bite has been excellent with good numbers of nice slot sized fish eager to bend your rod. They have been schooling in ditches along mangrove shorelines. Bass Assassin's have been productive in the "Electric Chicken" color. Mirrolures have been working good as well. A few Snook have been showing up as well and these fish are ranging from 4-7 lbs. With the nice weather we have been having this year, the fish have been feeding well throughout the day. It's a great time of the year to get out on a mild day and enjoy world class fishing on the Banana River!! Catch 'Em Up!! Capt. Rob D'Andrea Hooked On Fishing Charters www.orlando-fishingcharters.com HookedOnFishingCharters Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:35:34 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Can't beat the weather In the Mosquito Lagoon we took a few flounder in our mix this week on Gulp shrimp fished slowly on the bottom. Our targeted fish was trout but every now and again you would get that almost signature bite. Not much pull in the battle until you go to lift the flatty off the bottom. Then they seem to get the drift that something is going on out of the norm. You can take the flounder on many colors Gulp puts out but the rule of thumb is match the hatch. We have caught our share of trout this week also but there were no gators caught even though we got to see a few throw our baits. I like fishing soft baits whenever I can. I seem to cover a lot of ground with the soft baits where live bait you spend a lot of time in the live well. That is the place I least want to spend my time when it is cold out. We caught about thirty fish last Saturday and most of the trout were over 2 pounds. I had one angler throwing Gulp Jerkshads on one side of the boat and the other throwing shrimp and the Gulp out fished the live shrimp. Gulp really does out fish live bait. This does not surprise me though; it is not the first time it has happened and not going to be the last. The reds have been happy on the Mosquito Lagoon flats with waving tails on the major feeds. They were bunched up tight since the water dropped out. The water level has been extremely low. If you see your Gulp going to splash in the middle of the school it is better to abort the cast and try again. You can do this by cupping the spool and yank back. If you find your reds are spooky toss a Gulp Shrimp way in front of the fish and let it sit till you feel the bite. If you’re not Gulping you’re not grinning! Remember: Think like a fish to catch fish. Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:34:23 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR January 22, 2012 Inshore: Here we are in the middle of winter and the weather is more like springtime this year. As the warm, mild conditions continue, the fishing has continued to be fantastic out on the water. A wide variety of fish are being caught both offshore and inshore by anglers. It's been a wonderful and productive month! I had the pleasure of fishing Laine Pruitt for the Treasure Coast Casters tournament this week. Laine caught a lot of fish this trip. He turned in a sea trout, two mackerel and a nice redfish for the tournament and took third place in the Middle School division with his redfish. It was a fun outing with a lot of fish caught. The trout bite continues to be very good in three to five feet of water. DOA CAL jerk baits in Arkansas Glow has been very productive on the trout. We have fished the west shore to the south of Fort Pierce with good success. Redfish are still hanging on the flats and around the mangroves. Laine caught his slot fish in less than ten minutes for the tournament. CAL grub tails are good artificial lures for redfish in winter. The spanish mackerel have moved back into the turning basin and channel. Shiny lures are the best for those fish. Work them fast to get your results. Pompano have been heavy in the inlet this week. Just look for the forty or more boats around the inlet area and you will know where they are. Most are using jigs tipped with clams, but Doc's Goofy Jigs also work great on the pomps. We have skipped lots of them around the river this week as well. Sheephead and black drum are around the bridges and structure this time of year and many anglers have been targeting them with live or dead shrimp. It's been a lot of fun out there and you have a good variety of species to fish for....especially when the weather has been so cooperative! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some recent catches out on the river.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:34:12 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Welcome to the Nature Coast home of phenomenal fishing and wonderful January weather. That’s right! January is spoiling us during this early start of the New Year with weather that normally is synonymous with late March and early April. How can you beat high 70’s, NO Humidity, and World Class Fishing? I tell you how you can beat it, you get out on the water and enjoy as much of this Postcard weather as possible. Obviously, when Mother Nature spoils you with World Class weather like we are experiencing at the moment certain fishing patterns take hold that are neither expected nor anticipated. The arrival of the Giant Black Drum is an instance that I have been preparing for all year, but with every coming day it looks like these fish may be arriving early in anticipation for a winter vacation along the Nature Coast. The earliest I have witness their high profile arrival was 2 years ago in early February. That being said we have already landed our first Giant Black Drum which bottomed out my 30lb Boca Grip on January 7th. To say this was expected would be a lie, but a welcome sign of things that are expected to be on the way. February is normally the time frame when we target these hard charging GIANTS, but with our recent weather patterns indicating a very warm winter all things look to be a GO for targeting these Black Drum during the end of January. Over the next few weeks my boats will be loaded to the brim with all sorts of baits and flies ready to tempt these hard fighting fish including oysters, shrimp, crabs, and even a number of different patterns I have been working on for months. By far these are the most special fish to come into the shallows during our winter time frame and they make great practice for anglers looking for a warm up before our Tarpon push in May and June. As great as the anticipated Black Drum action is going to be, it’s the Redfish that seems to be making all of the early headlines this year. Normally, during the month of January these fish can be a little sporadic and picky to put it nicely. That being said, the warmer weather has impacted Redfish schools more than any other targeted species over the recent weeks. Schooling fish normally are not common during this time of year but during recent trips I have witnessed over a dozen different schools of fish from 10-30 fish schools. Again this is an unusual instance for this time of year, but it’s definitely a great sign of things to come during the remaining “winter” fishing months. Along the Nature Coast the months of January and February are normally considered the perfect time for maintenance and improvements for the approaching fishing season. Well for all of you anglers that are ready for the prime time, now is the time to get in on some early exciting fishing action along the Nature Coast. Huge Schools of Redfish, 40lb+ Black Drum, and Weather that will make all of your Northern Relatives sick is what the Nature Coast has to offer this month. So hurry up and get your gear and boats serviced NOW is the time to hit the water before everyone else figures out the same thing. Capt, Kyle Messier (352) 634-4002 kylemessier@yahoo.com WWW.FLORIDAFISHINGADVENTURES.COM WWW.CRYSTALRIVER-FLYFISHING.COM Capt Kyle Messier Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:33:19 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Another fun year of fishing has begun here on Mosquito Lagoon Florida. So far this January 2012 has seen great weather conditions with cool mornings and some fairly warm days, schooling Redfish have been great fun sight fishing targets, casting select size live shrimp to the visible waking and pushing fish on the shallow flats. Most of these Reds are in the slot size up to 27” with a few fish over the slot being caught also. Winter pattern has most all the fish bunched up together which makes for some of the best sight fishing of the year, most shallow water schools can have from 50 to 500 Redfish swimming together which makes for a fantastic fishing experience. Here are a few pics from a couple of recent charter trips including a shot of a Redfish triple with all 3 clients catching a Red at the same time. We have also been catching a few quality Seatrout which also live on our grass flats on Mosquito Lagoon. Some trips we catch many Trout fishing drop offs and deeper sloughs which concentrate the also schooling Specks this time of year. Best bait for Trout can be live shrimp and Gulp shrimp jigs hopped along the bottom in the right spot. With the mild winter we are having, my Backcountry mixed bag fishing trips have been lots of fun with schooling Trout and Bluefish being the main targets of late, can be non stop catching with this easy and fun style of fishing. Also at any time in the mix we can catch Black Drum, Sheepshead, Flounder, Redfish, and usually a few other different species of saltwater fish. As we are out catching fun saltwater fish we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, ORLANDO, KISSIMMEE, DISNEY WORLD, COCOA BEACH, EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. Saltwater Inshore Fishing. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com website> http://www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:56:06 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR January 8, 2012 Inshore: January has been very mild so far. The first cold front of the year cooled things off a little, but not enough to stop the fish from biting. The river has been alive with good reports of catches lately. We have had lots of fun out on the water so far this month! The mackerel bite was hot most of the week around the turning basin in Fort Pierce. We had several days of 40 plus good size mackerel using just about anything shiny on the high tides. Lots of action and great table fare. Mark and I had a fun day with them. Captain Joe, Wayne and I had another good day. The bluefish have also moved into the area in great numbers around the beach, jetties and inlet areas. You can expect to see many ladyfish and jacks around the river as well. Pompano are biting much better and we have caught some on each trip out. Around the deeper flats are some great areas to target the pomps. Doc's Goofy Jigs are great pomp lures. The bite along the surf will also be improving on whiting, pompano and bluefish. The redfish bite was fantastic this week. We had one day of nine reds and seven on the next. Most have been slot fish with a few shorts mixed in. Mark Amorello was down from Mass. and we had fun with nine reds up to 24 inches. Most of the reds have come on DOA CAL grub tails. Craig, Frank and Charlie had a good mixed bag on their day, too. The reds were cooperating for them with seven up to 24 inches. Hopefully, January will continue to be mild and keep the fishing hot around the Treasure Coast. It's been a productive month so far, so get out fishing soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some recent catches out on the river.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:44:00 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Here we are with another year going to the past. I hope 2011 was great to everyone and that 2012 brings even more enjoyment to your life. Now lets talk some fishing we have finally experienced our first major cold front of the year which has cleaned the water up dramatically. With the strong north winds that has came along with the passing fronts has pushed alot of the water out of the northern lagoon system,has forced alot of the fish out of the creeks into deeper water. In the past week or so I have been seeing schools of redfish anywhere from five to two hundred in some places just keep in mind when there is no water on that grass flat that you usually fish those fish had to go somewhere . I have been catching these fish on a variety of baits from Aqua Dream spoons to live shrimp. The trout bite has been just as good with large numbers being caught on soft plastics and popping corks while the larger fish are still looking for that live finger mullet. The FWC has also announced that there will be no closed harvest dates on sea trout for 2012 which tells me that the population has came back twice fold in the past years. Another great benefit to the winter months is not just the water clarity but the water temps, this is a time of year that you can sleep in a little because most of your fish are not really turning on until later in the morning as the flats start to warm up. With that being said look for the redfish schooling on the shallow mud and sand flats later in the morning gathering the warmth from the sun and the larger trout can be found holding in the sand holes on the shallow grass flats doing the same. Good luck be safe and have a happy 2012. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:42:01 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR We finally got a great weekend to get out with family and friends on some great seas. They were 1 to 2 waves and the king fishing could not have been any better a 2 per angler limit was easy to get! Whether we were fishing trolled ballyhoo or droping back sardines on the drift, the result was the same...FISH ON! We got to see some of the finest smoker kings skyrocket through the water to get to our baits. Some of them came out of the water over 10 feet! So, for us it was an all around great fishing weekend! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:40:13 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR December 26, 2011 Inshore: January Fishing Forecast The past several years, January has been a cold month around the Treasure Coast. Hopefully this will be a mild winter and you won’t have to worry about the water temperatures as much this year. Fishing in deeper water will provide you with better results on most days. Working your lures and baits much slower will also give you more success. Fish tend to become lethargic in cold water and are slow in moving to strike at a bait. Finding water that is a couple degrees warmer than the surrounding area can also give you an edge on finding fish. We had great results last year on fishing deep sand holes on the flats that were being warmed by the sun. We will certainly be doing that again this year. January is typically a windy month. You might enjoy one or two days a week that is calmer, but expect it to be windy. Using the right ramps can make your day a little easier in dealing with the weather. There are many ramps around the area that allow you to launch depending on wind direction. The river can be rough some days, but you can still fish most days if you plan your trips carefully. It is a great month to fish in spite of weather conditions that might not be to your liking. Bridges will continue to produce sheephead, black drum, croakers, sand perch and bluefish. Most of the anglers on the catwalks prefer live or frozen shrimp for these fish. The inlet and turning basin will be full of bluefish, jacks and mackerel this month. Live or dead bait on a jig head will give you plenty of action along with silver spoons or shiny lures. Around seawalls, channel edges or deeper structure you can find grouper for catch and release action in January. Snook action around the jetties and bridges will be active mostly at night for anglers using feather jigs, TerrorEyz and live bait. Snook closed on December 15th, so it will catch and release on them. Redfish can be found around docks and sitting on the flats on warm, sunny days. DOA shrimp, Terror Eyz or CAL jerk baits work great for wintertime fishing. Docks will be loaded with sheephead in January with nice sized fish. Pompano fishing will depend on water temperatures for their location, but they will be in the area throughout the winter. Surf anglers will be targeting these fish on days when the beach is fishable. Flounder should be found around the jetties on the beach side and on sand flats around the inlet. If you can find warmer water on the flats, you will most likely find trout feeding in those areas. Last year, we were rewarded many days as the sun would warm up a patch of water and get the fish actively feeding. CAL jerk baits were very successful on the trout. Ladyfish will be all over the river for fun action for the little ones. January Tips: Dress for the weather. We might get one or two days each week that might be warmer, but most days will be on the cooler side. There can be a 30 degree swing in temperature on some days. Dressing in layers can keep you comfortable throughout the day in January. Once you become cold, it's hard to warm back up again. Keep yourself comfortable and enjoy some good fishing in January. Stay warm and safe and enjoy the winter! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:36:57 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Here it is the 3rd week of December and we are still having 75 to 80 degree days, the warm weather has kept our fishing pattern in a late fall transition pattern with winter cold water not quite here yet. We do have small schools of quality Redfish up to 28 or more inches and loose knit groups near mullet schools. Seatrout catching has been good during this closed season month, the open season starts again on New Years Day. We have had some great sight fishing for Reds on the calm mornings casting shrimp or mullet chunks to the small schools as they push wakes in shallow calm water. Small “runt” Reds are schooling in some of the deeper sand sloughs, holes and creeks, they make for great fun with catch and release fishing these scrappy little fighters, a gulp shrimp jig bounced on the bottom are a good choice for these fish usually having some Trout mixed in with the little Reds. We have been also having great mixed bag trips which is a fun easy type of fishing, in the Indian River Backcountry at the north end of the Mosquito Lagoon, this type of fishing is for Seatrout, Redfish, Bluefish, Flounder, Ladyfish, Black Drum & other saltwater fish. On the average Backcountry trip we may catch around 10 different species of fish. You never know what will bite with this type of fishing, mainly drift fishing while free lining live shrimp on light tackle make for lots of rod bending and drag pulling. Fun for experienced anglers and an easy way for less experienced anglers to be successful at catching lots of fish. Come fish with me on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon Florida. I offer either flats fishing targeting Redfish on the flats, which can be a little more challenging type of fishing, as we hunt for the fish on the grass flats of the lagoon waters, and Seatrout on the drop offs and sloughs. As we are out catching fun saltwater fish we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on every trip. We will pick the best choice of which type trip will be the best for “catching” on your day out with me depending on your preferences for a fun day. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH and ORLANDO, FLORIDA. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 email> EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com website> http://www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:36:40 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Merry Christmas! and Happy New Year! December 19, 2011 Inshore: As we near closing out 2011, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that 2012 is prosperous for you all. We have had a lot of fun this year out on the water. Made a lot of new friends and saw many of our old friends again. I look forward to lots more fun and action again in 2012! We had a very nice week without as much wind and lots of sunshine to warm up the river. Water temps are in the mid to high 60's and the fish have been feeding. A variety of different species have been on the flats and shallow water fishing has been very productive for us. It's been fun! Jim and Patty were out on a gorgeous day on the river and caught lots of fish to keep them busy. Fishing sand bars and the flats provided us with lots of nice sea trout along with the usual jacks and ladyfish. Jim even caught a big sheephead off the flats to start the morning. Patty ended up the day by catching three slot redfish to Jim's one slot red. Trout season will open up on January 1st and the bite has been good. DOA shrimp, Terror Eyz and live bait have worked very good on the flats. Most of our fish have been in three to five feet of water. The redfish have been in shallow water. Fishing mangroves or pot holes on the flats can find a good redfish bite lately. The population continues to improve each year and you can find many more anglers seeking a battle with a redfish. The inlet has held Spanish mackerel, bluefish and jacks that will hit shiny lures on the incoming tides. Bridges, docks and structure will be holding sheephead and black drum that can be caught on live or dead shrimp. I've heard of some flounder and pompano, but the bite should continue to improve as the water temps continue to fall. It's been an exciting week so plan on getting out soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some recent catches out on the river.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:29:11 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The story so far this December has been one of weather and water. Neither one have been cooperating. The weather has been less than optimal for sight fishing. While there have been a few days with light winds and sun, there have been many more with one or both of those factors working against us. This time of year, the waters of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River should be crystal clear. Unfortunately, that is not the case in most parts of the Lagoon system. The water temperatures are still hovering above 65 degrees and the bloom of exotic algae that plagued us most of the summer and fall is still lingering on. To see the fish, you need both sun and clean water, a combination that has been hard to get lately. The good news is that there are redfish around and they have been more than willing to eat well placed lures and flies. To start the month off, I had fellow FFF Certified Casting Instructor Dan Boggs on board for what I was hoping would be one of the best fly fishing days of the year. The fish had been tailing well the week before and I was certain Dan would be able to hit the target. We arrived to find winds sustained at 19mph, chilly temperatures, and plenty of clouds. Not only do redfish not tail as much in the wind, it is more difficult to spot them when they do. Needless to say, the tailing fish were nowhere to be found. Dan's father reeled in the only redfish of the day. A few days later, I was joined by fried Rick for a day of fun fishing. We spent the first part of the morning exploring miles of water that held very few fish. After much searching, we found some clean water and plenty of cruising redfish. The black redfish worm fly and the watermelon holographic DOA shrimp were pounced on by most of the fish that saw them. While many of the fish we saw were digging in the grass feeding, we saw very few tails break the surface. The following morning, I returned to a slick calm flat to find schools of tailing redfish in every direction. The first cast of the day with my 5wt flyrod resulted in a redfish eating my brown and gold bendback fly but the fish broke off. I tied on a green and silver bendback and got 4 bites on the next 5 casts but no hookups. I inspected the fly and discovered the hook had broken just below the eye on the first bite. I grabbed my black redfish worm and quickly began hooking, and landing, fish. About 45 minutes later, the tails all went down, the fished moved off, and I never saw them again. I spent the remainder of the day scouting for some places to fish on what I knew was going to be a windy charter the following day. Scottish angler, Brian, joined me for another one of the days of 20 mph winds we have had. To go along with the wind, we had morning temperatures in the 40's. The water temperature had dropped thirteen degrees overnight. It was the last day of his trip, however, and he wanted to give it a try. His preference was fly fishing but, due to the wind, he decided a spinning rod might give him a better chance. Unfortunately, none of the fish I had found the previous day were in wind protected areas. We were the only boat in sight when Brian began getting bites on his weedless rigged three inch DOA CAL. For some reason, the fish were not getting hooked so I switched him to a four inch CAL in golden bream color. We were fishing in about 2 feet of slightly cloudy water with both grass and sand patches. A Woodies Rattle in the baits seemed to be helping the fish locate the small lure. Brain caught redfish on the 3, 4, and 5 inch CAL baits. The bite was consistent and he even got out the flyrod and made some blind casts with a brown crab pattern. He landed his flyrod redfish and turned some poor weather into an excellent day of catching. This week's weather was even less flats fishing friendly with gray skies dominating the days. Steve and Hank joined me on the Lagoon for some sight fishing. The winds were light for a change but the clouds were thick in the morning. Unable to find any tailing fish we tried some trout fishing while we waited for the clouds to clear. I tied on a couple DOA Deadly Combos and we began hitting islands, bars, and dropoffs. They caught a dozen or so and we suddenly had a break in the clouds. We raced off to the flats in search of redfish. We had just located a decent concentration when the clouds. Unable to see the fish until we ran into them, they were forced to change tactics to blind casting for the rest of the day. Both guys had several bites from redfish but failed to set the hook and they never managed to land one. When the weather cooperates and the fish are tailing, the fishing is excellent. During periods of clouds and wind, finding the fish can be a challenge. Hopefully, as we move towards what is traditionally the coldest time of the year in Florida, the algae bloom will clear and more areas will be open to sight fishing. Clean water and blue skies are at the top of my Christmas wish list. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:28:56 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR With the holiday season upon us the main focus is gathering presents and scheduling dinners. But do not neglect the water this time of year this can be one of the best times of year to be on the Lagoon. As the cold fronts move south east across the state the water begins to cool allowing alot of the algae to die off and give us crystal clear water conditions. With the water becoming so clear that you can sight fish your choice of species and literally watch eat your bait if presented correctly. This is the time of year that we start to see our redfish and black drum schooling in large numbers anywhere from ten to three hundred sometimes more. As the water starts to empty in the Lagoon look for these fish to be holding in deeper holes on the flats and on edges of bars. They can be taken on several different baits from small soft plastics to live shrimp there is a couple things to remember with the water being so clear stealthyness is a must and slow your bait retrieval down to a minimum. This is also a good time of year to target larger trout by casting to the pot holes on the shallow flats these fish like to lay in them for the warmth that they give off in the middle of the day. Just remember as the water cools these trout will move slower to conserve energy so this go's back to a very slow retrieval is key. This is also a excellent time of year to target flounder in the northern zone of Mosquito Lagoon toward Edgewater and New Smyrna. I like to use a small Aqua Dream shad body with a 1/8 oz jig head or a 1/4 oz spoon and a slow retrieve along the bottom. Don't get surprised if you think you have hung a oyster bar or bottom and the line starts to move this area is known for large doormat flatties. Good luck and be safe. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:27:28 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR December 6, 2011 Inshore: While windy weather continues to blow around the Treasure Coast, the fishing has been great along the Indian River lately. Water temperatures continue to fall in the low to mid 60's and finding a few degrees of warmer water can add to your success this time of year. You can expect the winds to be there most days. Its been fun out there! Had several old friends out this past week along with some new ones to have some fun out on the water. We found a large variety of fish on most days to keep us busy. Most of our fishing has been in five to ten feet of water. As water temps continue to fall, we move to deeper water and fish drop offs, channel edges, docks and bridges. DOA Terror Eyz has been working great when fishing the deeper water along with live baits. We've found redfish, snook, trout and drum under the docks along with many other species. Bridges have held the same, plus grouper, sand perch and snapper. Our best bite has been on the incoming tides. Harbor Branch, Bear Point and Middle Cove has been good for the trout and redfish bite. Don't forget they are still out of season this month. Lot of last minute snook anglers are fishing the bridges and jetties for that slot fish. The bite has been good at night on the incoming tides. Live bait, feather jigs and Terror Eyz have all worked well. Remember that snook season will close December 15th. The inlet has been holding lots of mackerel. There are some good size fish in the turning basin that are willing to hit a shiny lure. The bluefish are moving into the river and should be feeding around the inlet now. Pompano are along the surf and the river. It's been hard to fish for them with all the winds, but they are out there. A few reports of flounder around the jetties means they should be moving in soon. It's been great fishing out there, so get out soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some recent catches out on the river.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:25:04 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR December Fishing Forecast: Here it is December already and the Holidays are almost upon us. Where has this year gone? I must say it has been a great year for fishing all along the Treasure Coast. Both inshore and offshore have provided anglers with many great fishing adventures. Hopefully, this winter will be milder and the fishing great for everyone. December brings on the winter months and changes fishing tactics on the river. The water temperatures continue to fall and your fishing must adjust to the weather. Water temps can dictate where you fish. Finding water a few degrees warmer than normal can mean the difference in catching and fishing. We will get many days of breezy winds that will hinder getting to some favorite spots out there. That's one of the reasons I love fishing in this area....you can always find somewhere to fish! Not only does the cooler weather affect the fish, it also requires us to dig out the ol' winter fishing clothes. I’m not too proud to get out the long johns on a cold winter day. It can get pretty chilly some mornings! Trout and snook will be targets throughout the winter. Although trout season will remain closed through December and snook season closes December 15th, many anglers will still play catch and release with them. Fishing around bridges, docks and inlets can bring great action with snook hanging around the deeper waters of the river. Using live bait, DOA Bait Busters & TerrorEyz, jigs and bomber lures can help you catch one worth a photo opportunity. Trout will tend to hang around the deeper cuts of the river. Move off to three to six feet of water for trout. Live shrimp on popping corks or DOA Deadly Combos will work the best for them. I love to work DOA CAL jerk baits this time of year on the flats. You can also find snook and redfish hanging around those areas as well. Pompano have already arrived in the area and not only provide great fishing action, but fantastic table fare. Spanish mackerel and bluefish will continue to hang out in their favorite haunts of the river. Fish the inlet, turning basin and channels for them. Jack Crevalle will be traveling around in packs chasing bait all over the river. Flounder should arrive soon and hang around the inlets, docks and sandy flats of the river. Ladyfish is a great way to spend a few hours with the kids on the water. The bridges will be holding sheephead, black drum, croakers and sand perch for those anglers. Live or dead shrimp is always the best bet from the catwalks. There is a good variety of fish to target on any given day in any kind of weather conditions. Redfish can be found around local docks during the winter months and a live shrimp or DOA Shrimp can entice them into striking. Don't forget about the deeper cuts along the mangroves for redfish and snook in December. Using stealth is essential when fishing the shallow waters for redfish. We had very good success at finding the reds in shallow on sunny days on the grass flats. A mild winter will have them feeding in the shallows this month. Winter fishing is already here. Change your tactics with the weather and follow the water temperatures more closely to make your fishing more productive. The fishing on our Treasure Coast continues to improve each year. If we all do our share to protect our rivers, we can insure the future generations will enjoy the same experiences we have been blessed with. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:22:39 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Flat fish on the flats The Lagoon has been producing redfish on the flats using Gulp shrimp in the natural color. The shot above is Steve and Mike with two of fourteen reds they took on this morning. With all the wind sight casting was a bit of a challenge this week so blind casting was the sure bet. We drifted across the sea pasture (flat) fan casting ahead of our drifts with good success. To add to your success make sure your lure (Gulp Shrimp) does not settle down in the grass before you start your retrieve. Use a weedless hook if you just can’t get the timing down, not to let your bait sets in the grass and gets globed up. I will guarantee that you will have a better chance catching a redfish on a bare hook than a glob of grass. A good flat to start with is the one with all the big mullet on it. Reds are scattered in with the mullet and don’t be surprised if you catch a mullet on the Gulp baits, we have caught five so far. Trout are also on the flats but in Volusia Co. they are closed till January 1st. Use a hook remover on these fish and handle them as little as possible. Ponce Inlet has been giving up some big redfish and some nice snook, but the waves have kept most anglers away from the rocks. The big reds are back in the lagoon as well. It should be good all this next week with the seas calming. Mangrove snapper sheepshead and black drum are a few other species you will catch near the rocks. Offshore has been totally shut down due to rough seas. Then again this week is going to be calmer and the offshore boat has been screaming for attention. You should be able to catch some flounder in the river with your Gulp shrimp rigged with a jig head in 1/4 oz wt. Bounce your jig over the bottom in little hops and use Fire line so you can feel everything. Kim caught her first flounder on a Johnson silver minnow dragging it over a white sand hole. If you fish for them you will catch them. Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me and I will guarantee you do, 386 314 5656 Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:22:29 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR A warm spell in mid November brought back fall fishing patterns after a flash of winter type conditions early in the month here on Mosquito Lagoon Florida. Redfish continue to be in very small schools, loose knit groups of fish, and singles. Mullet has been my bait of choice, either small live finger mullet or fresh cut, sight fishing on some of the beautiful clam mornings, and fishing sand holes, edges, and grass flats on the windy days of which we have had plenty. Redfish catches have varied from a dozen plus an occasional Trout on some of the pretty days to only 3 to 6 Reds on some of the tough weather days. Some fun fishing still on backcountry mixed bag trips, lots of Trout and the seasonal arrival of Bluefish to the local backcountry waters. Here is a cool shot of a pair of Bald Eagles I took the other day on Mosquito Lagoon. Come fish with me on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon Florida. I offer either flats fishing mainly targeting Reds, which can be a little more challenging type of fishing, as we hunt for the fish on the grass flats of the lagoon waters. With winter approaching the patterns are changing with cleaner water and more sight fishing opportunities. The Redfish will begin to school up as the waters chill, which is what sight fishing flats anglers look forward to each winter. This is also a good time of year for my mixed bag trips which is a fun easy type of fishing, in the Indian River Backcountry at the north end of the Mosquito Lagoon, this type of fishing is for Seatrout, Redfish, Black Drum, Sheepshead, & other saltwater fish on most winter time trips. You never know what will bite with this type of fishing, mainly drift fishing while free lining live shrimp on light tackle make for lots of rod bending and drag pulling. Fun for experienced anglers and an easy way for less experienced anglers to be successful at catching lots of fish. As we are out catching fun saltwater fish we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and many different bird species on just about every trip. We will pick the best choice of which type trip will be the best for “catching” on your day out with me depending on your preferences for a fun day. MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH and ORLANDO, FLORIDA. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Flats Sight Fishing, Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. CALL ME ANYTIME AT 386-689-3781 CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME – FAIR PRICES Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide 386-689-3781 website> http://www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:22:06 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR If you enjoy catching lots of big trout, now is your time of year. This week I was fortunate to have my guide friends from Charleston, SC visit me. They did not have a lot of time so we decide to do a quick trip out of Dunedin. We spent a little bit of time looking for white bait, but it was not there. I did not feel like going out and looking for it on the beach, but I have heard that it can still be caught out there. Without white bait, I knew it was going to be an artificials day. We started in some grass near a spring, but the grass had bloomed and the pot holes were not there. Not to mention that the over cast skies and low tide made it even harder to see them. We picked a few trout here and there and then moved on. A few miles north, we found some cleaner water and more salt and pepper style pot holes. This spot had some keeper fish on it. Our baits were jigs, Mirro-deans, and mini Zara spooks. I tried going back into the rivers and canals looking for snook but the tide was so low and that made it difficult. So we kept traveling north. By this time, the tide started coming and we found some fish in the 3 to 5 ft range. Here we caught trout, lady fish, Spanish mackerel, flounder and blue fish all on jigs. As the water moved up on the flat, so did we and that is where our 3 to 4 lb trout came from. My friends from SC had a blast. Having guided up there for 5 years, I understood why they were so excited about our trout. In Charleston, they catch redfish like how we catch trout on the west coast of FL. I love catching snook, but trout make for great days this time of year. Captain Rick Reddick Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:20:51 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Today was a special day for me, as I got to take my dad Peter out fishing. We don’t get to do that very often because we both always seem to be “working “on boats, instead of enjoying them. Not today though, as we took a day off and went fishing on our 36 foot Invincible center console boat. The night before, we had informed a few of our friends about our plans, and Bill, Russell, John, and Darin quickly agreed to round out our crew. That night I also put together two dozen live bait leaders, snelling VMC 5/0 circle hooks onto 16 foot sections of 30 lb Sufix® Invisiline™ fluorocarbon leader. In the morning, we picked up six dozen goggleyes from T & T live bait and ran north 30 miles to just offshore Boynton Beach inlet. We put up the kites, and as soon as we got the baits in we hooked up a double header sailfish, landing one out of the two fish. By 10:00 a.m. we had released another four sails and lost one. The outgoing tide had the current running at the inlet by this time so we reset the kites right in front. It didn’t take long before we hooked another sail, then another. We now had released six sails and lost two. Every time we set back up in front of the inlet we got a bite, so we kept jumping and catching sailfish. We ended the day with 10 for 12 on the sails. We also caught 10 nice mahi-mahi up to 20 lbs, a couple of blackfin tunas, a king mackerel, two silky sharks, and a barracuda. We ended up catching over 30 fish. Not too bad! Tight Lines , Capt David Ide 954 761 8045 www.ladypamela2.com Email Us ladypamela2@bellsouth.net ladypamela2 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:19:13 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR November 14, 2011 Inshore: Another windy week passes along the Treasure Coast. It's that normal November that brings good fishing and challenging weather to get out there. The fish are biting as long as the winds don't keep you from it. Offshore has been rough most days and fewer boats are heading out on the ocean. I have seen a lot of the offshore boats doing inshore fishing this week. We will get a few days a week that present good conditions, but expect wind most days out there. We have a good bite on the river on the days we could venture out. A good variety of fish have been on the flats to keep us busy. Chris, Dustin and Lance caught jacks, pompano, redfish, sheephead, trout, ladyfish and snook up on the flats along with a variety of other species to round out a fun day on the water. A root beer Terror Eyz has worked well for a variety of fish. As the water cools off and the fish head to deeper areas, it gets down to them and they have a hard time resisting it. Try one along the deeper edges of the flats or under the docks and you should have some good results. The pompano have moved into the river and you can try live bait or a Doc's Goofy Jig for them. As the weather lets the surf angler get back out, expect a good bite along the beach. Black drum and sheephead are heading into the river and the bridges, docks and structure should become more productive for those fish. We have even caught some nice sheephead up on the flats this week. The night bite for snook has remained good for those anglers. Terror Eyz, feather jigs and live bait have all worked well. A lot more anglers have been hitting the local freshwater areas for a great spec bite recently. Have fun and get out fishing! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:43:05 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Nov 2011 As the cold fronts start to move through the central Fl area the trout and redfish are transitioning into there winter time patterns. Look for the redfish to be holding in the deeper pot holes and sloughs in the early morning. As the days moves on and the sun gets higher look for the redfish to move on the shallow flats and into the sand holes for warmth. These fish can caught on a varity of artifical and live bait from live shrimp and cut bait to Auqa Dream spoons and soft plastics. The key to any of these baits is a slow presentation slower the better as the water starts to cool. This time of year brings the cyrstal clear water conditions which is great for sight casting redfish but also makes it easier for the larger trout to see you. The trick to landing these large gator trout are stealth and long accurate cast. I have always said your largest trout will be your furthest cast. Look for these fish to be holding on shallow mud and sand flats soaking up the warmth in the late mornings and afternoons. These fish can be caught using smaller baits like live finger mullet and small soft plastics. Good luck and be safe. Capt Patrick Rood www.spotntailcharters.com patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:42:41 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Fishing is good on the Mosquito Lagoon! The past couple months have brought some tough fishing conditions to Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River. A severe algae bloom clouded the water making sight fishing difficult, if not impossible, in most locations. Most of the fish retreated to deeper water. If you could see schools of fish along the edges of sandbars, they responded well to the DOA Baitbuster and the BFL 5.5 lures. Some schools of big redfish were roaming around the Mosquito Lagoon and the northern Indian River Lagoon and they prepared for the spawning season. Mid October brought two tropical systems to central Florida which dumped over 15 inches of rain. Water levels in the Lagoon system shot up over two feet. The water has since receded some but is still high. Ranald was visiting from Sweden and wanted to experience some fly fishing for redfish. The only day he could go was on the tail end of the second storm front. With winds pushing 30mph, there was no fly fishing but he did catch 5 quality redfish. On a positive note, the water temperatures are coming down and the algae is clearing up. This week, I saw quite a few areas with crystal clear water and many more that are getting better. Not all of them held fish but there were a lot of fish spotted. Most of the fish were digging in the grass and mud, a sure sign they are feeding. Indeed they were as some nice reds came to the boat for a quick photo. One of the best things to present to tailing redfish is a fly. British fly angler Warren did just that. He used a black fly of his own creation similar to the black redfish worm . Warren landed several redfish, had a few more bites, and made some excellent shots at fish throughout the morning. The only thing that brought and end to the catching were the clouds that moved in and stole our visibility. Lee and Rose also got in on some of this week's redfish action as well. As the water temperatures stay below 70, more areas of the Lagoon will continue to clear up. The water should begin dropping soon as we move into the winter pattern. Winter means schooling and tailing redfish and hopefully the return of the black drum. Fly anglers will continue to do well with small crab and shrimp patterns. The DOA shrimp should be the go to lure for those using conventional gear. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:36:45 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR November 7, 2011 Inshore: While the winds continue to blow along the Treasure Coast, the fishing has been good when you can brave the conditions to get out on the water. We had a lot of fun out there this week and look forward to lots more this month. Expect more windy weather in the future and be careful when you do get out on the water. John was down from Colorado on one of those windy days. He caught a lot of jacks along with three redfish to top off a good day on the water. Mike, Timberly and Ron had a variety of fish, including jacks, ladyfish, trout, redfish and a couple nice pompano. Alex and Rae Lynn were also from Colorado and enjoyed a day of big jacks along with a trout and redfish on another windy day on the water. Rae Lynn battled a 20+ pound jack on light tackle for a long time before it finally broke her off near the boat. Don't forget that trout season is closed November and December each year. Handle the trout carefully and release them unharmed. We have found most of our fish in four to six feet of water lately. The water temps have dropped and you need to move out to the deeper parts of the flats for success. Live baits, DOA shrimp and top water plugs have all worked well on a variety of fish this week. Try seawalls for some great fun with nice size jacks and other species that are feeding on the bait schools. Docks have been holding snapper, sheephead and redfish for us. Lots of areas that are usually fished have been limited due to strong winds of late. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island all can give you places that can be fished while avoiding the brunt of the wind. Since the water has cooled off, remember to slow your lures down. Fish will be slower to react as the water continues to cool down and the successful anglers will be the ones that have slowed their retrieves down the most. The snook bite around the jetties and bridges has been better for night anglers this week. Live bait, Terror Eyz and jigs have all been working. Lots of reports of black drum around the bridges have many anglers heading out to the catwalks to fish. We should have more sheephead heading into the river soon as well. Pompano fishing will continue to improve around the river. The surf has just been too rough for most anglers to dare and try to fish the beach. While it is a great time of year to fish the river, its also a challenging time of year in dealing with the daily weather conditions. Have fun, but stay safe out there! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:34:13 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The chilly water fishing pattern is starting here this November on Mosquito Lagoon, the water temperatures are dropping, water clarity is improving and getting clear again. Had a great charter this morning with Harold and Dan from Jupiter, Florida, here is Harold with a nice 25” Redfish. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Nov12011HaroldRed.jpg And Dan with another nice Red. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Nov12011DanRed.jpg They caught 19 Reds total, with about half of them being slot sized fish and half were smaller “runt” Reds, lots of fun catching going on. Here is Lisa with a nice 4 pound Black Drum caught on one of my Backcountry mixed bag trips recently, and some other photos of recent clients with Redfish. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Nov12011Drum.jpg We know winter is approaching when the White Pelicans return to Mosquito Lagoon from there summer home in the northern Rocky Mountains. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Nov12011Pelicans.jpg MY BOAT COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATES 1 TO 4 ANGLERS Located close to DAYTONA BEACH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH and ORLANDO, FLORIDA. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide. Also Eco-Tours, Sightseeing, Bird Watching, Photography Trips. http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/CaptMichaelSavedow/Nov12011Red3.jpg Capt. Michael Savedow 386-689-3781 website> http://www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:33:18 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR November Fishing Forecast Inshore: Just as October proved to be a windy month, you can expect that November will also continue on that same windy note. We are in the middle of our winter transition and you can also count on cooler temperatures that will start the thermometer sliding when it comes to the water temps as well. The days will remain nice and warm, but the nights will become cooler this month. It’s time to change your fishing tactics out on the water. Trout will continue to be a target of many anglers. The trout bite will be good on the flats, but you must move to the deeper areas as the temperatures cool the water down. Look for them to be in three to six feet of water this month. My favorite lures are DOA shrimp or Deadly Combos when trout fishing. Don’t forget to fish the sand holes on the flats. Many are much deeper than the flat and you can expect some nice fish to be hiding in them while waiting for that easy meal to drift by. Harbor Branch is especially productive for me during this time of year as well as the Midway Road area. The pompano have already returned to the river and will be a favorite target for anglers. When fishing the surf, use sand fleas or clams and the same in the river. Don’t forget to try a Doc’s Goofy Jig for the pomps. Many are located when they skip behind the boat wake. Keep your eyes open for them. The snook bite will continue to be good, especially at night. The inlet, jetties, bridges and docks around the river will be holding snook. Lighted docks are very popular when night fishing. Live baits, Bait Busters and Terror Eyz are very popular for snook fishing. Don’t forget the spillways when the water is running over them. They can be another very productive area for snook. Redfish can be found hanging under mangroves during the day and will strike a DOA shrimp or CAL jerk bait. You might also find some hanging under some of the docks around the river. A gold spoon can be another good lure in winter for hooking up on a redfish. Docks and bridges will hold black drum, sheephead and the sand perch should also show up this month. Live or dead shrimp always works best on these fish. I love fishing docks this time of year. You just never know what might be lurking under one. I fish my lures from up tide of the dock, so that it will stay under the dock. You only have to twitch it and can fish it much longer that way. It’s always a challenge in getting a fish out from under one, but the excitement is well worth it. You should still find some flounder around on the sand flats of the inlet and river. The mackerel, bluefish and jacks will fill up the inlet this month. Most shiny lures will work on these predators. You can also find them hanging in the channels up around Harbor Branch. It might be windy out there…..but the fish will be feeding! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe, Captain Charlie Conner http://www.fishtalescharter.com email: captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:31:38 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Windy conditions prevailed again this week around the Treasure Coast. We were able to get out fishing, but the winds made it challenging for us. The forecast is for more of the same this week. Otherwise, we have had some cooler days to enjoy the sunshine. Carin, Melissa and Charlie joined me on one windy day. They caught a variety of Trout, Jacks and a nice Pompano. Pat and Ed joined me on another windy day that provided Jacks, Trout and a few Snook on a challenging day of weather. Two of my favorite anglers, Frank and Turner, along with Keith and Cai were back in town. It was an even windier day for us. They managed a lot of Jacks and even caught Sheepshead, Snapper and Croaker to finish their day. The water has remained chopped up and dirty around most areas of the river. Once the winds slow down, you should see it clear up pretty fast. There is lots of Baitfish all around the area and the Jacks have been feeding heavily on them. We have had luck around the docks, but they have been blown out lately. Harbor Branch has been the most productive for Trout recently and you can usually find a spot to get out of the worst of the winds there. Bear Point has also been productive for us when you can fish the area. Don't worry, the winds will give us break soon. We get these conditions every year, but being the spoiled Floridians that we are....we expect great weather every day! It will die off and you can enjoy some great fishing soon. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:40:57 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well the bait run is in full swing even after all of this tropical storm type weather. It only took one throw of the cast net to have enough bait for the day. The finger Mullet were everywhere! In fact the bait was so thick I think the predatory fish had a hard time finding one that was attached to our hooks. At first it was the usual, a Bluefish here a Catfish there. gcookilaBIG RED The Hook Up10/16/2011 Canaveral InletThen it happened… the water erupted with a huge wave of water and the bait flew out of the water in all directions. TARPON…in the 100 pound range. Then he hit the surface again and we started throwing top waters at him and put some livies on the bottom. It wasn’t a minute and a bottom line went screaming. I grabbed the pole and tightened down the drag a little. I thought to myself, this has to be a Tarpon! So, I waited for the aerial show to start…but it never did. It just kept taking line. I warned my partner Pat we might have to pull anchor and take chase but I finally gained a little ground on the fish…pump and reel, tighten the drag some more and pump and reel. gcookilaBIG VERY BIG Another BIG RED10/16/2011 Canaveral Inletgcookila43 Inches 32 Lbs Bull Red10/16/2011 Canaveral Inlet I was shaking so much from the excitement because I still didn’t know what I had. After about 10 minutes it swirled on the surface and I could see the beautiful golden color of his back…a bull Red…way over slot size, but would prove to be the biggest one I have ever caught. We got the net out and my buddy Pat scooped him up. Into the boat for a few pictures, measurements, and he was back into the water. He took a little reviving but swam away with great vigor to produce many more Reds for years to come! Who says you have to go to Pamplona to be in the running of the BULLS. All you need is a 5 inch Mullet and sturdy line and pole. Anyway we had a few more hook ups but none as big as the first bruiser. Even though it was too rough to head offshore this past weekend I had a catch of a lifetime and as always a good time was had by all! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:10:52 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: The usual October winds continued to make it challenging to fish many of the favorite areas on the river. All the rain really dirtied up the river and definitely affected the bite. As the water clears back up, the fishing will improve as well. Todd and Lauren were back again this year. This year, they also came down to get married. Congratulations to you both! We had a slow bite with the conditions, but caught fish anyway. Rosemary, Dave, Ali and Nick had a better day with Trout, Bluefish and Jacks to keep them busy that morning. On a windy day, Melissa, Carin and Charlie caught Trout, Jacks, Ladyfish and even a keeper Pompano to round out a challenging day. We had a lot of fun out there this week! The Trout bite has been improving later this week. A windy forecast for the week keep the water chopped up for now, but the Trout will feed on the outgoing tides for us anyway. DOA Shrimp, CAL Jerk Baits and live baits should continue to be productive for us. Lots of Jacks around the river can keep you occupied most of the day. They will hit just about anything you throw at them. The Pompano are back in the area. They will move into the river and will be feeding in four to six feet of water on the flats. The power plant and middle cove are always popular areas as well as Sailfish Flats down to the south. Doc's Goofy Jigs, clams or sand fleas are good choices when fishing for these tasty fish. Snook fishing has been good at night if you could stand the conditions to fish for them. The winds have made it hard to fish the jetties, but you can bet the hard core anglers will be out there. Spillways will be productive areas whenever the water is running over them. TerrorEyz is very popular there. It has been hard to fish for Reds lately with the choppy conditions. Try around the mangroves for now and fish the flats on those calmer days. There is still lots of bait schools around the river, so fish around them, too. You will find the water temperatures somewhat cooler than prior to the recent weather. The transition into fall weather continues on the Treasure Coast. It's a great time of year and even better now that the winds and rain have left us! Take some time and get out fishing. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Nick with a couple fish he caught this week. fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:01:12 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Captain DREWBIG - 45 Inches 25lbs Red DrumOctober 2011 Oak Hill - LagoonWell several weeks of weather changes have come and gone leaving us with optimal conditions for flats fishing. The temperatures have dropped and then come back up and are leveling off comfortably now. The water levels were high and now, after the massive rain storms we just had, are even higher. Not long before it drops for winter. The water clarity should start to improve with the fresh water added and a mixture of conditions happening stirring things to say. This has the fishing going up and then coming down, then going back up again. However now that we are back in a steady weather pattern I see the fishing improving tremendously and eventually we should be in a sight fishing paradise once again throughout all of the flats here in the east central Florida area. The weather will start to cool down as well. Making for a typical Florida fall/winter day on the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River, perfect! Next thing you know we are in the winter months of Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River fishing. This means world class sight fishing on the crystal clear grass flats. This is why the lagoon is known as the Redfish capital of the world. The past several weeks brought in numerous great days of fishing trips and produced some very nice catches along with it. Redfish have been the staple of most trips. Along with this a few Spotted Sea Trout, Flounder, Ladyfish and Black Drum have been mixed into the days catch. A few Tarpon have been spotted here and there but they have been hit or miss ever since the bad freezes we had the past two years. A few of my clients, Rob, Darryl, Mitchell, June, Tom and Aaron just to mention a few, had outstanding days on the water. The top baits and lures used have been the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Baitbuster, live finger Mullet, mud minnows, D.O.A. CALs, D.O.A. BFL 5.5, black crab flies, mullet flies all on 8 weight fly rods and small live blue crabs. The blue crabs I have been using were all hand caught and are in the size range of a silver dollar and used in combination with a 3/0 circle hook. These are gold to Redfish. All fished light tackle on Stradic & Sustain 2500's/4000's mounted on St. Croix Legend Elite rods. Line and leader go from 10 pound braid to 15 with roughly 20 inches of 15-20 pound fluorocarbon leader. The waters we have been fishing have basically been the entire Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge areas. There were days we stayed in the New Smyrna, Edgewater and Oak Hill area and then days we fished the south end near Titusville in the lagoon and the river. On a few occasions we fished the west bank of Mims, the areas near the railroad bridge in Titusville, the north end of the Indian River there in Scottsmoor and the north bombing range in search of the big bulls that have been all over the area. The big bull Reds have been in a spawning mode and are throughout the deeper waters here. When you find them try the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Baitbuster. Throw it in front and past the lead fish. A steady retrieve bringing it across them will entice a bite or ten. Do not slow it down or let it sink. It is not normal for a bait fish to stop for a predator. Hang on and have fun. Please be sure to handle these and all fish very carefully as to get them released safely and quickly for a higher survival rate. Also do not hold these fish vertically. Hold them horizontally if you have too. It is better for them this way. Practice catch and release, the future of this fishery depend on all anglers. Not just one. The tactics and techniques are basically unchanged. Search the flats early and look for signs of bait and bird activity. Tailers should be found early and throughout the morning time in grass flats where Mullet are present. Approach fish easy. Do not rush it. I have stressed this before and will stress it again. Take your time and be stealthy about it. Use your push pole as much as you can. Be sure not to cast on top of your fish as they will spook. Watch the noise levels in the boat too. Also please, give your fellow angler plenty of room. Do not crowd up on top or run your boat too close to others as it will scare fish away. There is plenty of water to fish out there. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com Cell 352-223-7897 Captain DREW Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:18:31 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Wow what a blow we had last week. No name, just strong wind. The fishing was shut down for a day but back on track the next. I had Luke, Scott, Terry, and John out for a gusty day and caught twenty+ fish. We took shots at everything we could. We sight casted at six Redfish that were tailing. OK we caught six of the Reds we had shots at. The only reason we got to do that is we went in the lees of the islands. We caught the Reds on Gulp Shrimp in the natural color, hooked Capt. Joe style, so your bait will suspend. The fish were real aggressive trying to build that layer of fat before winter. Most of the Redfish we are catching are in the 22 to 26" size because the big fish are spawning. I know where they are but we have not been targeting them. We also caught Jacks, Ladyfish, Black Sea Bass, Flounder and Trout. We rigger our Gulp with a jig head to get down to these fish in the deeper water. You can always tell when it is hunting season. The waters clear out for the winter and open a lot of territory up to fish. Look for the bait pushing and pitch your jig past them and work it through the school. If you keep getting nailed by Ladyfish let it sink and work the bottom column where the Trout and Flounder are. Catch those Trout now before the month ends, because the season is closed in Volusia County in November and December. Flounder are here so get you some while the getting is good. Remember think like a fish to catch fish, or just call me. Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:59:40 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR With summer coming to a end and fall upon us things in the Lagoon system has started to change. The larger Redfish have started to spawn look for large quantities in the Indian river lagoon and south mosquito lagoon along with large numbers in the inlets. We have also recently had a low pressure setting on top of central FL for a few days dumping high amounts of water into the lagoon system in the upwards of 12" to 13". With that being said look for Redfish and Trout cruising the flooded grass and flats in search of new feeding opportunities. These fish can be caught on soft plastics rigged weedless and sight casted using live shrimp look for tails and cruising fish. The Tarpon bite has started to slow down with most of the larger fish migrating back south for the upcoming winter but you can still find some juveniles holding around the bridges and inlets feeding on bait pods. As fall and winter moves forward look for the water to start to clear as the temperatures start to drop with each passing cold front. These upcoming months are my favorite time of year to be on the water clear water and cooler weather ads up to great fishing. Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:45:37 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The seas finally settled down, with a light chop to start the day, and glassy by the days end. We were a little bit handicapped to start the day, with a launch scheduled from the CCAFS. Port Canaveral would actually be closed 45 minutes prior to launch. We made it out early enough to beat the closure. We did however have a large area of ocean closed until they cleared the range. To remain legal, we ran South East, South of Pelican Flats before turning East to troll (Pelican Flats was in the security zone, and closed). We put lines in at 80' and worked east. The water was pretty clean, compared to 80' at 8A, which is still very dirty. On the trip with us was a local couple (Daytona) and friends from the Midwest. Also, and along again was Joseph Harrell of Big Tail Adventures to shoot some videos. We were using Trolling skirts made at Fisherman's World in Port Canaveral, as the basis of the video. Only some very scattered weeds were seen until we hit 120', where it thickened up a little. A pod of fast moving Spinner Dolphins were seen moving our way, and we had a hookup. Not a big fish, but enough to get the skunk off the boat early. This was a small False Albacore Tuna or "Little Tunny". The area was fishy, with some scattered weed and flying fish, so we kept lines in the water, and fishing continued. ACME Ventures FishingNice Barracuda9/10/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreACME Ventures FishingNice Barracuda9/10/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe worked the area a bit, and with no other interest, we continued east. We were still in the security restrictions, so we could not move North much more. Some more scattered weed and fliers, so we started to make a circle around. It was nearing launch time and one of the lines went off. It was a Barracuda, but since that was one of the target species my guest wanted, this was a good thing. As the Cuda was being worked in, a second line went off. This was no Cuda however, as line screamed out quickly. This fish got a couple hundred yards of line out by the time it slowed down. We got the Cuda in the boat, and pic's taken, then turned our attention back to the big fish. By now the launch had occurred, and we could see the rocket racing upwards, and just then the fish on the line revealed itself, Sailfish! ACME Ventures FishingRocket Launch9/10/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreACME Ventures Fishing72" Sailfish9/10/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore We could see the jumping sail and rocket in the same view. That was really special. This was a very healthy fish, and a real surprise to my guest as to how hard it fought. After the first angler tired out, a second took their turn, then a third, and finally a fourth before the fish made it to the boat. ACME Ventures FishingTag Team Sailfish9/10/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore The fish was still not completely wore out at the boat, so we did a real quick pull out of the water for pictures, before reviving and releasing. This certainly gave my guest something to remember. Lines were reset, and by now we could work north. The vein of weeds and flying fish ran basically due North, so we followed for a while. More Cuda's were caught, and we made a call to work deeper. We passed a few area's with sparsely scattered weds, but no action. We pulled lines in a made a run deeper. We did find more weeds at 220', but no real edge, and hard to troll thru without constantly clearing fouled lines. A bottom site we neared had a boat on it, and they did not seem willing to share the space by making drifts past, so we ran North some more. We found our first real weed line, so lines went out, but as has been the case recently, the bite really dropped off after lunchtime. My guest wanted to stop by the reef to see if the bottom bite was on or not. We were already towards the north, so we headed to 8A. The water was really dirty, and the bite was pretty much non-exist ant. We had a little bird find the boat, looking for a break. It was not shy at all, and was willing to eat out of our hands. It took turns hopping from person to person eating a bit, before finally continuing its journey to wherever. With fish in the icebox, and a catch of a lifetime for my guest, we headed in. We had been seeing what looked like a large balloon drifting out from the shore, and it finally landed in the water. We decided to make a pass by before heading to Port Canaveral to Clean Fish. It was a large cluster of party balloons. You never know what you are going to find out here! ACME Ventures FishingOffshore Bird9/10/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing2 Barracuda9/10/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:25:21 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR We have been having some fun fall inshore fishing charter trips here at Mosquito Lagoon this October, with the high water this time of year, we are targeting Redfish close to shorelines and on grass flats which are now good depth of 12” to 18”, many of the flats which held fish during the early summer now have deeper water over them, encouraging our north lagoon fish to seek out the shallower water that they prefer to feed in. As temperatures start to become milder here in East Central Florida, some of the Reds are starting to school together, and will only group up more as it finally gets cooler come November. Here are some pictures of happy clients with Redfish from some of my last few charter trips on the flats. Also a picture of me with a fly caught Red from a scouting trip with a fellow guide which we found a school of tailing Redfish which just begged to be fly fished. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:31:22 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well for the first time as I went out I had a newly engaged couple on the boat, Ralph and Megan. I wanted to make this a memorable one so as we broke the inlet at Cape Canaveral we joined hands I asked God for a bountiful safe fishing day and I thanked for the many blessing in our lives. I also prayed with them to bless their future union of marriage… If I HAD BEEN A FEW MORE MILES OUT I WOULD HAVE MARRIED THEM RIGHT THEN AND THERE… HAHAHA! But blessed with a bountiful fishing day we were! gcookila2 Lbs Blue10/2/2011 Cape Canaveral JettyAs we started to head out we saw dozens of diving birds on the bait pods right past the jetty, so we decided to concentrate right there. However, after 30 minutes not one fish in the boat. Then we hit the jetty to try and pick up some Spanish Mackerel that were hitting the day before. Again, even with live Mullet as bait not a single taker. Not knowing how Megan would deal with the choppy seas we headed out to some deeper water. Once we got past the northeast shoal, we saw the winds change from the northeast to an eastern direction and the seas got calmer. So for about 30 minutes we ran and looked for some good fishing sign, first it was some weeds then bam! an awesome color change. It went from a green teal ocean to a royal blue in an instant. Not a minute past that color line I saw flying fish scattering everywhere. So out went the naked Ballyhoo: one deep, one short and one medium length. As soon as I got done setting out the short line I saw a rooster tail of water spring from the ocean and ripping from right to left; flying fish scattering, again. gcookila15 Lbs Mahi-Mahi10/2/2011 Northeast Cape Canaveral"Dolphin," I shouted and headed straight to them. We watched our spread for another minute then it happened, a swing and a miss, then a taker. Fish on! gcookilaBig Enough To Eat 2 Nice Dolphin10/2/2011 Northeast Cape CanaveralThe aerial show is always awesome by Dolphin (AKA Mahi-Mahi). Ralph was the first at the short pole and it was great to see him get a work out. I didn’t know who was more excited him or his fiancé, who was cheering him on. I cleared the other two lines, as Ralph got the fish boat side, and with a flip of the gaff in came the first nice fish of the day. A few high fives later and it was back to work.gcookilaEating Size King Mackerel10/2/2011 Northeast Cape Canaveral We set out the same spread and within minutes the deep drop sounded. In to the hands of Megan went the pole. We stuck her in the fighting chair as we cleared the lines. This time it was Ralph’s turn to yell words of encouragement to his beloved. Five minutes later the fish was boat side and in the fish box. Megan whipped her brow and sat at the front of the boat catching her breath, saying, “The next one is yours!” It is amazing how much a fish can wear out a person, even one in great shape. Another 20 minutes went by then another short line took off. This time into the toothy mouth off our resident reef Cuda. A short fight ensued and he was in the box too. But there was more to come. We decided to head back to where we first caught the Dolphin and run the same line. As soon as I made the turn and straightened out the lines we were on the 65 to 80 foot ledge, the port medium line took off. The fish, right away, was air borne flipping his beautiful blue, green and yellow body through one wave and into another. He sounded down for a minute then back to surface again for another show. After clearing the lines the gaff was out again to land another Mahi. One head shot and into the ice box she went. gcookilaBack Dive Cooling Off10/2/2011 Northeast Cape CanaveralThen they wanted to try some bottom fishing to finish the day. But first a quick dip in the ocean to cool off. Megan flipped backwards into the water. I just happened to catch her mid air and it was a cool shot. Once she was back in the boat she said she hopes there were no Sharks where she jumped in. With a couple of chuckles we said, well it is the ocean!”, and on our first drop a 3 foot Shark came up; then another and another! OMG was her response, and we finished up with a few short Snapper and Black Sea Bass, but a good time was had by all! gcookilaEating Size All Kinds10/2/2011 Northeast Cape CanaveralUntil next time, pray for good company and good fishing! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:24:31 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Another week of wonderful weather and great fishing action out on the Indian River! We should enjoy the same conditions the rest of the month! The river is full of Mullet and the fish have been feeding heavily. Have fun and get out fishing soon! I had the privilege of fishing for the Michael Shields Memorial Inshore Fishing Tournament again this year. It's a great event for a wonderful cause... The Boys and Girls Clubs of Martin County. I had Eric and Alex Weider again this year on the boat. We had a fantastic time out on the river. Alex and Eric teamed up for a day of Redfish and Trout action. 7 year old, Alex, just missed the big Redfish of the tournament by one inch! Already looking forward to next year. Joey, Steven and Nick joined my this week for an adventure on the river. After a morning of Trout and a big Jack for Nick, we went up on the flats to look for Redfish. The guys weren't disappointed when we came up on a nice school of upper slot fish. Joey missed two Reds and Steven landed two big fish to end a good day on the water. Joe and Barbara also were out with me on a day when a variety of fish were willing to cooperate. They had fun fishing both docks and the flats on another beautiful day on the Indian River. The Trout bite has picked up this week. Most fish are in three to five feet of water and hitting on CAL Jerk Baits, DOA Shrimp or live bait. Redfish schools are still cruising around the river in one to three feet of water. DOA Shrimp, CAL Grub Tails or live bait has all worked in hooking up on some nice fish. The Snook bite continues to be good at night around the jetties, docks and bridges of the area. Live bait, feather jigs, DOA Bait Buster or trolling a diving plug has all worked good for nighttime Snook. We are catching more Flounder this past week. It should continue to improve through this fall. Live bait, CAL Jerk Baits or DOA Shrimp has all worked well. You can still find Snapper and Sheepshead around the docks, bridges and channel edges this week. Live or dead shrimp are best. There has been some good Tarpon, Snook and Jack action at night around the jetties as the schools of finger Mullet move in with the tide. The turning basin and inlet has been flooded with Blue Runners, Bluefish and Jacks that are all feasting on the bait schools. It's been a productive month on the Indian River! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 10 Oct 2011 02:35:00 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR gcookilaNice Sharks9/25/2011 8A NorthWell we got out both days this weekend and both were pretty productive. Most of the action was on the bottom for a change. We started Saturday watching the sun rise as we hit about 15 miles out and started to troll and didn't even get a bite. So out out to the weather buoy we went. Three short hits later we decided to come back in and do some bottom fishing. Immediately we got into the the Black Seabass. However, only 1 out of 10 was a keeper. Then the Sharks came in and really started to give us a run for the money. Even though we had on 50lb leaders their sharp teeth made short work of our mono. Switching to wire leader did the trick and we had Shark steaks for later. Then we decided to go chase some bait pods and cast spoons into the Tuna that was busting through. gcookila FISH ON! HOOKED UP9/25/2011 8A NorthBrandon and Ralph really had a time of it and 5 monster fights ensued. It was really nice to see those two big guys sweating so much from the action! All where caught in about 80 feet of water. Brandon even got so excited with all the action he delivered a blow to my back with the 3 ounce spoon leaving quite a bruise! Luckily no hooks were imbedded and we finished the day on a very high note. As far as the eye could see the Tuna and Jacks where crashing the bait pods. All we had to do was drive up kill the engines and start casting, then FISH ON! The following day I took out Andrew, my first mate comrade. This boy knows how to fish. We saw pelicans diving on schooling Mullet coming out of the port so with cast net in hand he threw like a champ. With 4 throws we had all the live bait we needed to do some more bottom fishing. gcookilaSmall Snapper9/25/2011 8A NorthgcookilaSmall Snapper9/25/2011 8A NorthWe went back to 8A north and right away started catching Snapper and Black Seabass. The sizes where small but we had a great time. Then throw a few Shark in the mix and it was a really good work out for both of us. The live bait was also a plus and between re-rigging due to the Shark and a couple of times getting rocked up by who know s what...we stayed busy for 4 hours just bottom fishing. Anyway until next time, go fishing with some friends and make a weekend of it!gcookila Normal Sharks And Tuna9/24/2011 8A and Weather bouy gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:46:39 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR October Fishing Forecast – Treasure Coast October marks the transition into the fall weather patterns along the Treasure Coast. You can expect temperatures to begin to cool down somewhat into more comfortable days to enjoy the outdoors. Water temperatures will begin to slowly cool off as well. It's a fantastic month to be fishing! The fall Mullet run will continue to dominate the area as large schools of finger Mullet fill the beaches, inlets and rivers of the area. You can expect lots of big fish to be feeding on them both day and night. Snook fishing will be best during the night hours on the higher ends of the tides. Live finger Mullet, Croaker and Pigfish will be the best live baits to use. DOA TerrorEyz, Bait Busters and feather jigs will be good artificial lures to use for Snook. Try around the jetties, turning basin and bridges as well as many of the deeper docks around the river. Lighted docks are especially productive when fishing at night. Redfish have continued to be a wonderful fishery for us this year. Each year has seen their population increase and many anglers have enjoyed the experience of fishing a large school of Reds this year. October will continue to be a productive month for those who seek Redfish on the flats. DOA Shrimp or CAL Grub Tails are two of the best choices for Redfish along with a variety of live and cut baits. The west shoreline south of Fort Pierce is always a good area when looking for Redfish. The Trout bite will be good this month. Get out early with a top water lure for some exciting action on the river. Switch to a DOA Shrimp or CAL Jerk Bait later in the mornings. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Middle Cove are all great areas to fish for Trout around the Treasure Coast. Look for some Sheepshead, Black Drum and Snapper around the bridges, docks and channel edges. The surf will be alive with Jacks, Snook, Bluefish and other predators, who will all be chasing the bait schools along the beach. It's another great month to fish along the Treasure Coast! Have fun and get out fishing soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:46:19 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: It was another fun week out on the water. Wonderful weather and lots of exciting action for us. We should continue to have nice conditions for anglers to enjoy the fishing around the Treasure Coast this month. Have some fun soon and get out fishing! Redfish continue to feed on the shallow flats. The fish we have caught have been in the upper slot range and some going up to 30" lately. DOA Shrimp, live shrimp or cut baits have all been working at getting a nice sized fish to bite. Fish slowly and move quietly across the flats when looking for the Reds. Capt. Joe Ward and myself got to enjoy a play day out on water and found a school of over a hundred Redfish in front of us. The Trout bite has slowed somewhat this week. Most bites have come in four to six feet of water on DOA Shrimp. Things should get back to normal quickly as the water quality improves. It has been murky water around the river and the Trout don't usually like those conditions. Snook fishing continues to improve for night anglers and the daytime fishing is also getting better. My 3 year old grandson, Brody, caught his first Snook this week while fishing with Grandma Eva, Aunt Vickie and his mom, Dena. He was so excited about his catch! Jacks are all over the river, inlets and beaches and feeding heavily. A top water lure in the morning can get you in on the fun action with these fish. There have been a few reports of Flounder around some of the sand flats and this should only get better as the month goes on. Snapper have been around bridges, docks and channel edges. Live or dead shrimp works great on them. September has been a great fishing month already. As the Mullet run continues on the Treasure Coast, get out along the beaches to enjoy the fishing along the surf. Snook, Jacks and other predators are out there feeding as the bait schools work their way along the beach. It's a great month to fish! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Fishing action from this week on the Indian River.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:25:51 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR With the end to another summer in sight, we start looking forward to the cooler fall weather ahead and let's not forget the clear water. The south Lagoon system and IRL has had an algae bloom for the last couple of weeks causing very poor visibility, which is making for difficult sight fishing conditions. With that being said, target the bait pods, bars and points for Redfish and Trout along with you occasional Ladyfish. Under these conditions, I like to throw a top water plug in the early morning and switching over to a Aqua Dream Spoon or spinner bait later in the day. Tarpon can still be found in the early morning throughout the ICW and around the causeways in New Smyrna Beach. These fish can be caught on several different baits, but I would start with live finger Mullet or Pigfish on a out going tide then moving to a diving plug later in the morning. Look for the mature Redfish to start migrating out the inlets in the upcoming months to spawn. This always makes for a great time. Be aware of weather conditions and other anglers while fishing the inlets, under the wrong circumstances it can be tricky and dangerous. Good Luck Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:21:13 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: We have enjoyed some fantastic weather lately along the Treasure Coast. It is still warm outside and the afternoon rains continue, but the mornings just cannot be beat when it comes to fishing. We have had some good days out there on the water! Jim and Andrea were out on a day that promised lots of rain, but we managed to get in just before the clouds burst for another afternoon of damp weather. They caught a variety of fish on the flats, including Redfish and Trout. Ron, Mike and Timberly had much nicer weather and boated a large variety of fish as well. They caught Redfish, Trout, Flounder, Snapper, Sheepshead among other species that inhabit our area. It was another fun day out there! Sunday, I helped out with the first Teen Angler Tournament of this season. Maxwell Higgins and Michael Williams were my anglers for the morning. We fished a number of areas and ended up finding a large school of Redfish. Each of the guys caught an upper slot fish for the tournament. Michael won first place in the middle school division and Maxwell won first place in the high school division along with the biggest fish award. Congratulations guys! It was the first time either of the boys had seen a school of Redfish. Most of the Trout have come in four to six feet of water this week. DOA Shrimp and live bait have accounted for our Trout. Redfish can be found moving across many of the flats on the high end of the tides in one to three feet of water. DOA Shrimp and live bait has worked well on hooking up with an upper slot Redfish. We have found Flounder on some of the sandy flats and you can still find plenty of Snapper around the channel edges and docks of the river. Snook fishing the bridges and jetties at night has been productive on the first part of the outgoing tide. Feather jigs, TerrorEyz and live bait has been the best choices for anglers. The Mullet run going off in the inlets and the bait is flooding into the river. The predators are moving in and the fishing will continue to get better as the fish will be feeding heavily the next few months. It's a great time of year to be fishing! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Fishing action from this week on the Indian River.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:12:29 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR You know sometimes you really have to scrape the bottom of piggy bank to go fishing...so with a less than a 1/4 of a tank of gas, off to the jetty we went. We took a few dozen shrimp, poles and a positive attitude. We went to the northern side of the north jetty and threw out the anchor. gcookilaSmall Mangrove Snapper9/3/2011 Canaveral North JettygcookilaSmall Ladyfish9/3/2011 Canaveral North JettyBites came right away and before long we had bagged numerous small species: Whiting, Croaker, Mangrove Snapper, and Ladyfish. We decided to go for bigger game so we chunked up a Ladyfish and put out a big pole on the bottom. Then Andrews’s pole started to sing, so with 10 lb line on a little Bass pole the fight was on. It was give and take for quite some time and as soon as he would gain some ground the fish would take back the yards of line Andrew had gained. It was like the fish was just stuck to the bottom...so after 20 minutes of this Andrew tried to muscle the fish off the bottom. Snap went the line and no fish was seen. (The way the fish acted it was probably a Ray or big Flounder). Then 30 minutes after that the big pole went screaming. I picked it up and worked the fish to within 20 feet of the boat. Snap when the 60lb leader and a lead weight missile came soaring at me and hit me in my elbow! Man that hurt...and by the way the line was shredded and the Shark had a nice Ladyfish chunk to enjoy. gcookila5 Lbs Black Drum9/3/2011 Canaveral North JettyIt was now Uncle Jeff's turn for a nice fish, "fish on!" he yelled and in came a very respectable Black Drum off the point of the jetty. We caught fish after fish that morning (most on the small side) and by 1:00 pm the bite stopped. It was also refreshing to see that you don't have to burn a lot of gas to have a good fishing day! Till next time, take the family fishing and “FISH ON!” gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:56:02 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: The fall Mullet run is in full swing around the Treasure Coast this month. Schools of finger Mullet continue to filter into the river around the inlets bringing lots of hungry fish to feed on them. It's a great time of year to fish the river, inlets and beaches of the area and find lots of action. Have some fun this month! Snook season opened September 1st and many eager anglers headed out to fish the jetties, bridges and docks around the river in search of that slot fish for dinner. Using live bait, feather jigs, Bait Busters and TerrorEyz can get you into some of the action. Fish slowly along the bottom and around the rocks for your best opportunities. Don't forget that top water lures at night or early mornings as well. You can bet a lot of anglers will be out this month. Trout and Redfish action continues to be good around the area. Live bait, DOA Shrimp and Deadly Combos are great when fishing for Trout. Redfish are willing to take CAL Grub Tails, DOA Shrimp or live bait on the flats. Most of the Redfish have been in one to three feet of water and keeping the noise down is essential to get close enough to cast at schooling Redfish. You can still find Snapper along channel edges or around structure. There should also be Flounder showing up as the Mullet run continues this month. Try a DOA BFL Lure around the Mullet schools. It swims as good as any Mullet and can entice a big fish when fishing the edges of the schools. You can find Tarpon action around the inlets and jetties. Fishing at night in these areas will give you the best chance at hooking up with a top water lure, BFL Lure or live bait. September starts the transition into fall and the temperatures will begin to get back to normal. Continue to watch for afternoon thunderstorms and have lots of fun fishing this month! September Fishing Forecast - Treasure Coast September is always an exciting month to fish along the Treasure Coast. Anglers eagerly await the arrival of the annual fall Mullet run. The beaches and rivers will be filled with Mullet and you can find lots of predators following the bait this month. Look for Tarpon, Snook, jacks, bluefish and many other species feeding on the Mullet this month. Top water and suspending lures work fantastic in September. Try a DOA Baitbuster or Big Fish Lure while fishing around the large schools of Mullet. It's a great time of year to fish early mornings along the beach. The fish will be cornering the bait along the surf and action can be fun and exciting. Snook season opened again on September 1st. Anglers have been eagerly awaiting the chance at keeping a slot fish for dinner. A few things to keep in mind while you are anxiously getting ready for the start of the season are making sure your license and Snook permit are not outdated. Know the slot size, which is 28” – 32” and a one fish per day limit. Check your rods, reels and fishing line. Don’t lose that keeper fish because of something that you could have avoided by a little preparation. Remember that there will be lots of anglers heading out the first several days of the season. Have fun and be safe! You will be able to find some Redfish schools this month as they gather up to head out to the ocean. Look around the shallow sandy flats for them to be feeding. DOA Shrimp or CAL Jerk Baits can coax them into biting. Trout will continue to bite around the usual flats like, Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island. Deadly Combos fished on the edges of the bait schools will find some action with Trout and other species. Snapper can be found along channel edges and around structure. Sheepshead, Drum and Snapper can be caught on the catwalks of the bridges. Live or dead shrimp will find the fish. September Tip: Fish the bait schools! It's easy to spot the bait this time of year. If you don't find bait around your favorite fishing spot, you will most likely not find many fish there. Move around if you need to in order to find active bait. Fish love this time of year and they are out there gorging themselves on the bait in anticipation of the coming winter months. Early mornings can be exciting on the flats. You can find big fish in shallow water around the bait pods. It has been a long hot summer and finally temperatures will begin to mellow out and water temps will get back to normal. It's a great time of year to be fishing! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:28:06 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing8/31/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWith a trip that I was going to be able to fish on, I was all ready to go. I may be offshore a hundred times a year, but rarely get to do much actual fishing myself, so this was a Fun trip. We had members of LeeNoga.com (Shrimping Forum) on the trip, along with Joesph Harrell of Big Tail Adventures to shoot a video for a fishing show. Trolling was the main game plan, however there was some uncertainty in the water quality following the hurricane. ACME Ventures Fishing8/31/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreACME Ventures Fishing8/31/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe ran fast out to 120', to take a look. Water was pretty dirty, but nearing structure, we deployed lines anyway. Last trip out before the storm, we caught Kings and Mahi here. About 20 minutes into the run, heading east, the water started clearing, and a Fish was on the line. First up was Mark. This fish took a couple hundred yards of line before the fight could even begin. It was a long hard fight, with a little progress made, and more line back out. as progress was being made, and about 20 minutes and halfway in, the line went slack. We really don't know what it was, but large King or Wahoo is a likely fish. Back to fishing we went. ACME Ventures Fishing25lbs Wahoo On Gaff8/31/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe continued East towards the weather buoy, with a few Cudas caught and released. The Buoy got no results so we continued east. A lone Flying fish, the first seen this trip, had us make a circle around, and it payed off. The drag screamed, and it was Toms turn at the rod. This proved to be a long battle, but patience prevailed as a nice Wahoo was in the boat and on ice! Fishing continued, with more Cudas being caught. ACME Ventures Fishing30lbs Barracuda8/31/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreAnother big hookup came, and it was my turn at the rod. This was a good sized fish, but only a few minutes into the fight it started to get easier...Cuda. It was good sized however, in the 35lb range, so still a good fight. Photo taken and released, we continued east. A weak weed line, the first of the day, was found at 220'. We worked it a little while with nada, so we ran deeper to 260'. Water was clean Blue, but little sign of bait, so we decided to run back to where we catching fish. The bite seemed to really fall off, even the Cudas stopped biting. We found some flyers, but the water was getting dirty, and we were getting nothing. To the reef we went, but with the dirty water, we did not know what to expect. It too was pretty dead. With dark clouds to the west, and time getting late we made our run to Port Canaveral. We did catch a lot of fish, and where the icebox did not reflect Quantity, it did have Quality. We cleaned the Wahoo, bagged it, and started thinking about how it was going to taste for dinner! ACME Ventures Fishing25lbs Wahoo8/31/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 07 Sep 2011 23:35:00 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The water has been extremely high even before the storms rolled buy. The Reds have been tailing on some of the flats I have been fishing in the lagoon. The fish we are catching are feeding only when they get turned on. Just get the moon right or in front of the pushing front and the fish will start feeding. Watch the Mullet, when they start to jump, pick up your rod, not your sandwich. It’s not that when you are eating your lunch the fish knows you are off guard. Hunger pains are the alarm when you should fish your hardest. Fill your pocket with trail mix and keep casting. I have been tossing a Gulp Shrimp or Crab in natural color at the tailing Reds. You have got to make a good shot or you will not get the bite. If your cast is off (aka BAD) retrieve fast and take another shot. If you are going to line him, wait 'til he passes then retrieve fast and take another shot. If you line him he will be gone. A little deeper, Flounder have been eating between Trout bites when we are bouncing Gulp Jerk Shads on the bottom. We have been catching Trout for the most part, nice fish to four and five pounds. But we have been catching everything else as well. Grouper, Whiting, Snapper, Jacks, Ladyfish etc. Jerk Shad Powerbait is a little tougher so you will get more bites before you have to change out. Change your retrieve speed as well as color if you are not getting bites. When I am bouncing jigs off the bottom I like a little moving water if possible. If you are fishing the north end or the woods line up the beginning of the outgoing. Work jerk baits under and around the mangroves as well as on the sand bottom. Snook and Redfish will be under them after the sun gets high. To fish the mangroves you will have to change your hook to a wide gap with a weight on the shaft. This way you can bury your hook so your bait will skip under the mangroves. Also it will allow you to get your bait out when you cast in the mangroves. A hard hook set is required when fishing this style hook. Tarpon are still around on the beach and in the lagoon, I have been seeing them everywhere. Remember think like a fish to catch fish, or just call me. Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:34:38 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Boy Irene sure messed things up offshore. I went out three times this past week and only yesterday did I start to see activity. Diving birds led me to the Baitfish, which led me to the little Spanish Mackerel. There were not any size to them so back into the ocean they went. They were crashing on what looked to be Pogies so I was throwing a small 2 ounce spoon and landed about ten for the fun of it. They were moving around in a tight bait ball cloud and the cloud would scatter every time a predator would crash the party. It was quite a sight to behold. gcookila17 Lbs. - 45 In. Barracuda/8/31/2011 Cape CanaveralThe only big fish landed was my buddy the Barracuda. I was trolling three lines when the short starboard pole went off. It was a naked Ballyhoo in 82 feet of water. That Cuda came charging in from the port side leaving a wake in its path. It was really cool to watch. As soon as he hit, he made a run and launched himself in the air about 4 feet and gave a spectacular show, tail dancing out there. If you have never been offshore by yourself believe me it is a chore to land a big fish by yourself. Reel the fish, put on gloves, steer the boat, try not to tangle lines, reel the fish, get out the gaff, move other poles out of the way, reel the fish. Patiences is the best way and it all came together to bring the toothy critter boat side and into the cooler. Had it not been the middle of the week I would have had a buddy or two with me to help out. I did see a nice Wahoo come in back at port by fishing guide Mr. Wile E Coyote! Great guy and we swapped stories as we cleaned fish. He went a lot farther offshore to get his, with his customers, but that is a story for him to tell in his report. Anyway I will be back for more! Hopefully with a fishin' buddy next time, gas prices are killing me...LOL gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:15:30 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR With weather going downhill after this trip, we made the best of the nice seas. The day would be cut short with afternoon storms, but we caught fish up till then. The ride out was full speed ahead, with 40mph and dry. The weather buoy was out target to start. We dropped lines at 120' with the first sight of Flying Fish. It took a little while, but fish finally found our bait. Water temps were still a little cooler than the past several weeks, so no Cuda, but rather a nice sized King Mackerel. ACME Ventures Fishing5 lbs. False Albacore Tuna8/23/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe made a few more passes around the area and had a few Ballyhoo killed without a hookup, so we started trolling East towards the Buoy. At the Buoy we had a few more hit and runs, pulling drag, but breaking off without taking the hooks. The Ballyhoo was so cleanly stripped off the double hook bait that it seemed I was tempted to add a treble to the tail, but I never did. We found some scattered weeds at 130', and spent a little time there with only a Little Tunny to show for. Finally we headed back West to where we got the King. ACME Ventures Fishing42" King Mackerel8/23/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreSame area, and another King on the line, and in the boat. We worked the area and lost a few more baits, until we got a hookup with some color and an ariel display, Mahi! The fight was nearing the boat, when out catch got slammed from below, and thrown out of the water, It lost about a foot of length, but still fought to the boat. We landed the fish, and added it to the icebox, less its back end. We never got any sniffs on the other baits that remained in the water, and we did make a few more passes around the area, hoping for another Phin, or perhaps whatever ate part of our Mahi, either a Large King or Wahoo. With nothing happening, we headed into the reef to do a little bottom fishing. ACME Ventures FishingBig Storm8/23/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWinds and seas were near calm, and the heat was brutal. We had mixed results at 8A, but did have a few big pulls on our mid water bait, that never hooked up. A real dark line of clouds was rolling towards us, and severe weather statements were coming over the radio, both for the storms bearing down from the East, and for lightening to the West. We pulled anchor, and made the run to Port Canaveral to clean fish. It was a quick ride in at 42mph, and we got in just as the winds picked up. It got real choppy in the Port, and the rain hit just as we tied up. A gallon bag full of Mahi, and three of King, and we called it a day. With the seas expecting to be very rough, we cancelled the next trip but are hoping a few days off of fishing pressure will make the fish want are bait all the more so, next time we can make it out! ACME Ventures FishingKing Mackerel And Mahi-Mahi8/23/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:33:55 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Despite a forecast of 1-2' seas and light winds, winds offshore were 15-20 all night, but out of the west, seas managed to stay 2-3' 20 miles out. We headed out of Port Canaveral early to do some trolling. Water temps have dropped a bit, and we hoped that would make for a better bite. ACME Ventures Fishing30" Barracuda8/16/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe ran Southeast towards Pelican Flats. At the reef, we set lines out, and made a pass down the length of the reef before heading east. Not long after turning east, the first fish of the day was on the line. It was something we have seen hundreds of in the past few weeks, and would see many more times this trip, Barracuda. It was a fish however and what we came out to do. We continued deeper, and caught more Cuda, until Flying Fish got thick at 130'. Water temps were right at 80deg, several degrees cooler than what we have seen on the last several trips. We worked the area, picking up a few more Cuda until we had a double hookup. The fish quickly showed us what they were with an ariel display, Mahi! Though not big, they were keepers, and the other lines stayed out until the fish were in the boat, but no other followers were around. ACME Ventures Fishing39" Barracuda8/16/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe reset the 2 lines and continued working the area, with more Cuda hooking up. Finally we had another double hookup, and again they took to the air. With no other followers, we boated them and continued on our journey. One real good hit ran line out unlike a Cuda, and perhaps this was a Wahoo. It was big, fast and toothy. Our Islander skirt came back with all the mylar shredded. Lines were reset and we continued. ACME Ventures Fishing10lb. Mahi On The Line8/16/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCuda was all we seen the rest of the day, so we headed east again to 220'. A nice Rip was there, and we worked it, with no results. It seems the 130' depth was where most of the bait was, and the predators followed. Storms were forming to the west, and tracking offshore, so we headed in, and managed to weave our way through the showers, arriving back at Port Canaveral in sunny conditions. 4 Mahi were cleaned and bagged, and guest were planning for a big fish dinner. Hopefully these cooler waters will remain a while, and help the bite out a bit while trolling. ACME Ventures FishingMahi-Mahi8/16/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:26:26 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The Summer Bite on the beaches has been good all month. The seas have been calm. The Bonito are right on the beaches feeding on Glass Minnows. You can find them all morning, they are great on light tackle. If you like to fly fish here is your chance to pull off 70 yards of backing on the first run. Tarpon are also south of sebastian inlet feeding in the surf. look for the surface action. Chunks of Mullet on the bottom are producing hits. Capt Randy DuMars 407-908-8498 www.fl-fish-guides.com Capt Randy DuMars Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:40:18 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: August has turned into a fantastic month around the Treasure Coast. Great fishing action along with beautiful weather has made for lots of fun out on the water. You still will have to contend with the usual afternoon chances of rain and thunderstorms, but getting on the water early can provide you with some great fishing this month. Get out there early and have some fun! Redfish have continued to feed in the shallows and allowed many anglers to experience some thrilling action on the Indian River. Our best day came when Joel and Craig went out on a fishing adventure with me. We came upon a school with at least 100 fish in it that were eagerly feeding and tailing across the flat. Craig caught the first Red that was 28" and released it. We came upon Reds most of the morning and the guys ended up with nine hookups and landed five Redfish from 26" to 28". Travis, Carol and Stan joined me to celebrate Travis' birthday. Travis' goal was to catch a Redfish that day. He succeeded with a nice upper slot fish that day. Herman was out with me on a day that the winds kept us from reading the flats. We found the fish several times, but couldn't get into casting distance of them. It was a fun week to be fishing for Redfish! There has been a good Trout bite up north of Fort Pierce. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Round Island have continued to hold Trout. Herman caught a good number of Sea Trout including a Flounder on the flats. Travis, Carol and Stan caught their share of Trout as well. DOA CAL Jerk Baits have been working very well for us this week. Work your lures slowly for a better success ratio. Live bait and top water lures can also get you some Trout on the flats. There has still been a good Snapper bite along the channel and around structure. I had several reports of a good Snook bite around the jetties this week on live bait, TerrorEyz and Bait Busters. A lot of Snook are holding up around the rocks of the jetties feeding on the many bait schools in the area. The fall Mullet run is in full swing now. The river is getting flooded with large schools of finger Mullet and the fish are eagerly gorging themselves on the plentiful supply of food. It's a great time of year to try a DOA BFL Lure around the Mullet schools. It swims better than a Mullet and can get you some great strikes on the flats. Have fun and get your gear ready for Snook season! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Fishing action from this week on the Indian River.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:12:23 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR gcookila48 Inches 25 Lbs King8/20/2011 8A Reef CanaveralWell it did not take us long to get a hook up. My buddy Brandon had put out a spoon and I put out a naked Ballyhoo. Before we could get the third pool out we had a hook up on the spoon. A respectable 6 lb. Tuna. My buddies eyes where a glow! The fishing dark shadow had left him and we where in for some good hookups today! Next we set out a chugger and another naked Ballyhoo; 15 minutes later the short line went screaming off..."tighten the drag a little or he will spool you", I shouted! Well Brandon got him under control and we started to chase him down, but in the process I got two other lines way twisted up. The huge smoker King came boat side and the gaff went in. Into the fish box..."Oh no the fish box was not big enough!" HAHAHA! and high fives! gcookila36 Inches King8/20/2011 8A Reef CanaveralThen the lines that where twisted up went off I jumped to the pole and started to hand line the fish in. Thank God for gloves. Two minutes of hand lining and the lines went limp. I came to find out that another of his buddies had hit the chugger while we were messing with his brother. Oh well 2 for 3 nor bad. After a re-rigging session and 3 more naked Ballyhoo were spread out with anther spoon. An hour went by and the deep center went off on a naked Ballyhoo. Another Tuna came to the side and in the box. 30 minutes later a friendly Barracuda decided to join the mix and literally swam straight to the boat. I could barely keep tension on the line. Talk about effortless fishing. Another hour later we hit a school of Tuna two poles went off, one was a short strike and the other the fish was hooked up. Again, Brandon made short work of him and two the boat he came. I stuck him with the gaff and boy did I hit a blood vessel! He painted the boat...but into the cooler he went. Boat clean up came next and more re-rigging. We had two more strikes one on the spoon and one on Ballyhoo with in an hour and we where about to call it quits when the port short line went off and a nice run ensued. I was up and a good valiant effort by my foe but it was just not his day. The King came boat side and my comrade Brandon nailed him with the gaff! We trolled for another 30 minutes but no takers...it was time to come in.gcookilaVarious Sizes Kings & Tuna8/20/2011 8A Reef Canaveral Until next time...get out there and bring home a smoker! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:38:02 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Fantastic weather around the Treasure Coast this week has allowed for some great fishing action around the area for most anglers. We have been hitting the water at first light and getting off by noon, just before the afternoon rains begin to move into the area. It's been a great week out on the water! Redfish have been on the flats in good numbers for us and we have had some exciting action out there. Brian and Brad had a good day fishing a school of Redfish and caught a number of good Reds. The brothers had a lot of fun with their $1 bet on who would catch the next fish! Jim and Debbie were out with me and we again found the Redfish in the shallows on both days. Schools up to 100 fish have been out there and it is certainly exciting to see those upper slot fish swimming just in front of the boat. DOA Shrimp or live bait can give you some exciting action if you happen on one of these schools of Redfish! Trout action has been good most days. Ron, Mike and Timberly had a good day of fishing for Trout. We couldn't find any Reds that day but did catch some nice Sea Trout. Brian and Brad also had a good day using DOA Shrimp and CAL Jerk Baits on the Trout. We have been fishing both north and south of Fort Pierce and having success in both directions. Find the bait on the grass flats and you should find some Trout. Snook season opens in a couple weeks and anglers are eagerly anticipating the chance at a slot fish on September 1st. Bridges, inlets and jetties will be good areas to target with DOA TerrorEyz, live baits and feather jigs. It's catch and release for now, but soon you might find that fish to put on the table. There is still a good Snapper bite around the river. Docks, bridges and channel edges are the usual Snapper haunts, but we have caught a number on the flats as well. Debbie boated the largest that was 14" this past week. The surf continues to hold Whiting and you should also find Bluefish and Jacks around the beaches this time of year. There has also been a lot of Ladyfish for the young anglers to keep their rods bending. It's been a lot of fun this week! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 14 Aug 2011 21:30:17 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The water level in the lagoon system has started to rise over the last couple of weeks and the schools of bait have moved in thick. The pods of Tarpon have shown up along the the beach and in the ICW. Look for them rolling in the early morning and late evenings under calm conditions. These fish can be taken on plugs and live bait, just be sure to position your boat for easy access to the fish and hang on they have been ranging from 20lb to over 100lb. The Redfish and Trout bite has been good early morning and late evening due to the rising water temps in the middle of the day. Look for he Redfish to be tailing on the shallow flats early and moving to the deep pot holes and edges later in the morning. These fish can be caught on a variety of baits but my go too baits are Aquadream Spoons and soft plastics for artificial and Pinfish for live bait. The best Trout bite has also been early morning targeting the bait schools with top water plugs. As the water gets warmer in the late morning look for the Trout to move into 3ft to 4ft of water holding over the grass and pot holes. These fish can be caught on twitch baits and live Pinfish under a cork. If fun and explosive strikes are more your style then look around the see walls in the ICW for schools of Jacks. These are a great fighting fish and when they get active they will eat anything. Top water baits are always a good choose for these fish and hang on there has been some large ones caught lately. Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:15:24 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing8/07/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWeather was a real question mark for this trip. The Tropical Depression was forecast to start heading east the night before, but the morning of the trip it was still drifting north. Data from the weather buoys were not too bad, so we continued with the fishing plans, and headed out of port bright and early. Not knowing how long the weather would remain safe, we started at our deepest target, the 20 mile buoy. Only two days before, we found Wahoo nearby, so we were hoping for some action. ACME Ventures Fishing10lbs Barracuda8/07/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWeeds were found, and flying fish, so lines went out at 120'. It took a while but a fish finally came. It was not a Wahoo, but not a Cuda either, this was a King. Being big enough to take a few runs pulling drag, my guest were happy with the plan. Fish came in, and went on ice, and back to fishing we went. ACME Ventures Fishing25lbs King Mackerel8/07/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThe next fish would repeat itself several times before we decided to hit the reef for some bottom time, Cuda. We caught several Barracuda, and had a few short strikes killing the tail half of the Ballyhoo, with no hookup. As we were about to pull lines in, a good hit came, and the drag really screamed. We were hoping for at least another King, or better yet a Wahoo, but it wasn't. It was not a Cuda either, but a good fighting large False Albacore Tuna.ACME Ventures Fishing18lbs False Albicore Tuna8/07/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore This fish gave the angler the best fishing fight she ever had, and any Tuna in the 20 pound range is a good fighter. ACME Ventures Fishing8/07/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreInto the reef we went. Anchored up, everyone went fishing. The bite was really slow, as reef standards go. Even the Seabass bite was slow, and this trip was the first ever in this location with no Grunts or Pinfish caught. There were a lot of reef Sharks there however, and several were caught. A few of the larger good eating Atlantic Sharpnose were retained to add to the icebox. An undersized Blacktip was also caught, but far from the 54" minimum size. The 20kt winds we had out deeper were nonexistent at the reef, and the heat made it miserable. With fish to clean, we headed back to Port Canaveral, to both take a break from the heat, and beat the building storms. ACME Ventures FishingAtlantic Sharpnosed Sharks, False Albacore, Kingfish8/07/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 13 Aug 2011 06:54:37 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Weather like this is hard to beat, except for the heat. Water temps were really up this trip, with 88° being seen....... at 7:00am!! We were on a weather buoy trip. We headed east towards the 20 mile buoy, and at 120' it looked fishy. Scattered weeds and flying fish. The warm water temps were the only question mark. Normally with water this warm, the only fish willing to bight is Cuda. ACME Ventures Fishing18lbs Wahoo8/04/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreLines went out, one on the downrigger, and 2 flatlines. About 20 minutes went by and we had a hookup. It was a nice fight with a few runs to let my guest hear a drag scream. The fish was worked to the boat, and into the icebox it went. No Cuda here! Wahoo was on the boat. Lines were reset, and on we went, working the area, again all was quite, until another hit. We worked this fish, but apparently it was not well hooked, and came undone before we could gaff it. 1 for 2 on Wahoo to start the day. With a little more trolling resulting in nothing, we headed to the weather buoy to make a pass. Weedlines were stacked running north-south from 120' out, every 1/4 mile or so. Water temp at the surface near the buoy was close to 90 deg, and it was still early! The current at the buoy was ripping at over 3 kts. The buoy actually had a wake off the back of it! No fish hanging under it, so we made a few passes around the area, and headed towards structure. ACME Ventures Fishing12" Almaco Jack8/04/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreACME Ventures Fishing14" Tripletail8/04/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreAt the 125' artificial reef, the current was at 2 1/2 kts., so drifting was hard to keep the lead anywhere close to below the boat. Rather than fighting it, we opted to take them to an area were it was a little easier. Off to 8A we went. On the way in we found a crab trap marker with about 20' of rope attached, with weeds clinging to it. We set a Ballyhoo on the downrigger and made a few passes, with no action. There were fish on it however, hundreds. Mostly there were small Almaco Jacks, but a few Tripletail were there also, though a little too small to keep. These fish were hungry. With a silver spoon on the line, they instantly hooked up, sometimes even jumping as the lure got near the water! The Tripletail also were interested, but not nearly fast enough to get past the Jacks. We played for a while and moved on. Though a few dozen boats were already at 8A, including 3 party boats, we found one of my favorite spots open, and we anchored up. This was only a half day trip, so we were able to give them another few hours of fishing. The usual was caught here, Black Seabass, Trigger, Shark and Red Snapper. Though my guest really wanted to catch Mahi, a Wahoo was really a much better catch. Well he did get to catch Mahi anyway. Schoolies showed up at the boat, and quickly took a lure. They were small, but they were Mahi, and his first catch of one. Being on the small side we let them go to grow to our 15 to 20 pound fish for next spring. ACME Ventures Fishing18lbs Wahoo, Triggerfish8/04/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreBack to the docks, and fish cleaning we went. 1:00 pm, and Wahoo, Seabass and Trigger were bagged and ready for cooking. A nice half day trip! Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:03:54 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: August lives up to its reputation of hot, humid weather with lots of rainy afternoons. It's been a hot month already and it is important to take precautions whenever you are on the water to keep yourself hydrated and protected from the sun's rays. It's been great fishing so far this month and should continue to produce good catches. Plan your trips early mornings or late evenings for your best chances at success. Trout and Redfish have been the best bite this past week. Slowly working the shallow flats can find some nice size Redfish feeding in a foot or two of water throughout the day. I fished one school in the middle of the morning in about two feet of water. DOA Shrimp, CAL Grub Tails or live bait can get you hooked up on one of these upper slot Reds. Trout continue to feed in shallow early and move out to deeper water as the sun warms up each day. Watch for the sand holes on the flats for your best opportunities. DOA Shrimp continues to work well for Trout. The watermelon/holo (425) and clear/holo (382) have worked best for us. Docks, bridges and channel edges have been producing Snapper. Some nice size Mangroves have been caught lately. Live or dead shrimp works well on these tasty guys. The surf has continued to hold Whiting along with some Jacks and Bluefish that have been patrolling the edges of the beach. I had John, Kirk, Dan and Jenny out this past week. Jenny out fished everyone with a variety of fish. After catching Redfish, Trout and a variety of other fish, Jenny landed a big 24" Trout to finish out her day on the river. I went to pickup my granddaughter, Chloe, for a day on the river with grandpa, but she felt sick so I missed out on a fun trip with her. I did fish a school of Reds that were all in the upper slot size. The inlet has been full of Glass Minnows and you can be assured that Ladyfish, Blue Runners, Mackerel and a host of others are out there feeding on them. It's lots of fun, especially if you have kids aboard. Dan and Jenny spent some time battling fish after fish. We had a fun week out there! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Jenny with her big Trout.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:46:20 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR August is here and it has been a fun summer of inshore saltwater fishing in Mosquito Lagoon and New Smyrna Beach. Redfish have been consistent with several good Reds and Trout on most of my flats fishing trips. We are still fishing around the many big Mullet schools which abound on Mosquito Lagoon this time of year, attracting the game fish early in the morning. After the sun is up we switch to sight fishing the flats, when the water visibility becomes better. Mixed bag river fishing trips are always fun for an easier type of fishing with lots of action. Here are several pictures of happy clients with their fish caught over the last couple of weeks. Capt Michael SavedowNice Redfish8/1/2011 Mosquito Lagoon Capt Michael SavedowNice Redfish8/1/2011 Mosquito Lagoon Capt Michael Savedow35 Lb. TarponSummer 2011 Mosquito LagoonWe even had a surprise 35 lb. Tarpon landed by Nathan recently after an hour fight on light tackle on one of my mixed bag trips. Capt Michael Savedow27 in. Trout8/1/2011 Mosquito LagoonSight fishing on the beautiful Mosquito Lagoon flats, targeting Redfish and Seatrout, can be challenging, and very rewarding, when you hook up with a drag pulling Redfish or Trout. Good for experienced anglers or less experienced anglers looking for a new fishing challenge. Summer will be winding down into autumn soon. Fishing on the grass flats by sight in 1 to 2 feet of water is loads of fun. I pole the boat over the clear shallow waters hunting for fish. As we are out catching fun saltwater fish we also see lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins and Manatees on just about every trip. For those who prefer a more laid back trip, the Indian River Backcountry is great this time of year. On trips to the north end of the Mosquito Lagoon, mixed bag of Seatrout, Redfish, Black Drum, Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, & other saltwater fish. On the average Backcountry trip we have been catching over 10 different species of fish. You never know what will bite in the Backcountry, mainly drift fishing while free lining live shrimp on light tackle. Make for lots of rod bending and drag pulling. Fun for experienced anglers and an easy way for less experienced anglers to be successful at catching lots of fish. Capt Michael SavedowNice Jack8/1/2011 Mosquito Lagoon Capt Michael SavedowNice Trout8/1/2011 Mosquito Lagoon Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:04:22 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing8/03/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreGlassy seas and calm winds made for a beautiful ride out of Port Canaveral. My guest were coming from Daytona, and got a late start, so as we were running east, the fish had already began their bait pod attacks. These were primarily False Albacore or Tunnys (most people mistakenly call them Bonita). There were thousands of them crashing bait pods all over. We decided to take advantage of a little catching time before heading to the reefs. ACME Ventures Fishing8lbs False Albicore Tuna8/03/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreAs is the habit with these fish, they go into a feeding frenzy for a minute or two, then disappear, popping up elsewhere to start over again. Using a Silver Gator Spoon, any cast into the frenzy was an instant hookup, and as with any Tuna, it is a good fight. Several hookups happened within only minutes, so its was a good start to the day. I have never had any guest injury on my boat in 3 years running it, until this trip. A it was a very scary and stressful incident. Fortunately it turned out to be much less serious that originally thought. The crew for the day was a couple with their 11yo and 5yo sons. The father did a lot of fishing back home, and the older son regularly joined him. When casting a lure Dad's rule was for his son to stay at his side. I had gotten another fish hooked up for mom to fight when an ear piercing scream was heard. While Dad was casting, the older boy had left his dads side, and gotten hooked in the face as dad was casting. The first thought dad had was it was hooked in his eye. We quickly cut off the other fish, and put a wet towel over his face, and proceeded in. We were only 4-5 miles out, and we called into the Coast Guard, to report the injury and request for an ambulance to be waiting at the dock. We went HOT, at about 50mph in, including the port (I informed the CG we were coming in hot), and despite not taking long at all to reach the dock, the paramedics were there waiting. The wet towel kept the lure from dangling, and kept his face shielded until the paramedics go to his. Once they pulled it off, and flushed his face, a relieved look came on their faces. It was not in the eye, but only a skin hook just below it. Though it was still a scary, stressful and no doubt painful experience, this was MUCH better than originally thought. The the lure, still attached was taped up, and off to the hospital he went. Though screaming all the way in, once paramedic's told him it was all ok, and not that bad, he calmed right down. Certainly not the way anyone wants to end a fishing trip, but given that we originally thought it was much worse, it really was a good ending all things considered. Dad not doubt felt bad about it, but he too had to breathe a deep sigh of relief of hearing it was only minor. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:44:25 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR I headed out late in the afternoon to catch the evening Grouper bite. We left out of Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. I had my laptop hocked up to navigate from, just knowing that we were going to get our limits of Mangrove Snapper and Red Grouper. Gag Grouper and Red Snapper are now closed so we were going for what we would be able to keep. We passed the sea buoy around 4:30pm, and headed due west. Half way there my laptop with all our numbers on it crashes and we start to scramble to pull the trip together. We decide to head out to some flat bottom in 85’ of water. After looking around for an hour, we find some fish holding on the hard bottom. I am a die-hard anchoring captain. I hate drifting. I will motor or power fish when the situation is right. That being said, Red Grouper tend to be spread out on flat bottom so anchoring is not always ideal. We decided to power/drift fish, and it paid of well. The current was not running too strong and the wind was about 10 knots out of the south. We set up a slow drift and on the first pass we caught a few short Red Groupers and one keeper. We did it again and landed another Red Grouper. Within one and a half hours of finding this spot, we had our limit four man limit of Red Grouper. Offshore fishing has been very good. There are more fish out there than I have seen in my lifetime. If you can get out there and get your Red Grouper and Mangrove Snapper—do it. Captain Rick Reddick Tampa Fishing Charters | Tampa Fishing Guides www.captainrickreddick.com info@captainrickreddick.com 813-787-0249 Captain Rick Reddick Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:50:42 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Hot afternoons and thunderstorms is the norm for August. You can bet it will be warm out there. Plan some early mornings to fish so you can be home before the heat of the day beats down on the Treasure Coast. We had some fun trips out on the river this past week. Christina, Raphael and their seven year old twins, Javier and Daniel, were out for some fun on the river. The boys caught out fished mom and dad catching quite a few Trout and other species. They are great boys who love to fish. John, Eric and Mary were out for a fun day. Mary caught her first Redfish on the first cast of the day. They went on to catch quite a few Trout. John caught the largest Trout of the day and Mary ended up her day with a big Bluefish. We had a great time on the Indian River. Trout continues to be a good bite on the grass flats. DOA Shrimp, Deadly Combos and live baits have all produced Trout around the river. We have found several Redfish schools up on the flats. You have to be wary this time of year and keep the noise down to be successful. DOA shrimp or CAL grub tails will work to get them in the mood on most days. The Snook fishing has been a little slower in recent days. Most of the fish I have heard about have been coming from the spillways the past week. A root beer Terror Eyz will work great when fishing those areas. Snook season opens September 1st....finally! Take some time this month to check your equipment for Snook fishing. Better be ready rather than wonder why you lost a big fish when the season begins. Make sure to check your fishing license. Do you need to purchase a snook permit? It's much cheaper than facing a fine! Have a fun and safe month on the river. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:13:13 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR LADY PAMELA I Today the Lady Pamela I had a full day charter for daytime Swordfishing. We left the dock at 7 am in the morning and were going to return at 4 pm, a long day on the water, but we wanted to catch a big Swordfish to bring back and hang at the dock for Jim. We rigged a few Bonito strips and squids on the 15 mile run out. When we got to the Sword grounds, we had the reel ready to go so we dropped in 1800 feet of water off the double 0 mark, our first drop. It didn’t take 20 minutes and we had a bite but we lost him. So we made three more drops. While we had our Sword bait on the bottom a whole school of Mahi-Mahi swam up to the boat, 80 plus fish. In one hour we caught 45 Mahi-Mahi great day for our customers, one fish after another on lite spinning rods, but only 20 keepers. The rest were to short to keep so we let them go. It was a long day, no Swordfish but lots of Mahi. LADY PAMELA IV On the Lady Pamela IV we had two half day charters. In the morning we caught lots of Kingfish and Bonitos on the troll and some small Blackfin Tunas. In the afternoon trip we had Marcus from Venezuela and his family. We started the trip out trolling and caught five nice size Kingfish up to 15 lbs. and four Bonitos. Then all of a sudden one of the planer rods bent over an stared ripping drag off the reel faster than normal and a nice Sailfish started dancing all over the ocean. Leo cleared all the lines fast so Paul could start backing down the boat to chase the Sailfish. It was a good 15 minutes before landing the Sailfish. It was six foot in length and we tagged the billfish then let him swim away so we can catch him another day. Great job to Marcus from Venezuela. Marcus owns his own charter boat in Venezuela, never catches Sailfish, but he told me they catch a lot of big Tiger Sharks there. LADY PAMELA III Adam and Joe had the all-day Dolphin Thursday trip today. Joe said it was definitely an exhilarating all-day of catching Dolphin today. They found weed lines from 650 foot of water all the way out to 980 feet and Joe said that he couldn’t even get two lines out for most of the trip. They caught 60 Mahi-Mahi on the 8 hour trip today and only got to bring home 12 Mahi-Mahi the other Dolphin where too short to keep. But it was great that there were 15 people and all 15 people got to catch 4 fish each, that’s what makes a good trip. Tight Lines! Capt. David Ide Lady Pamela II Sportfishing Charters Fort Lauderdale, Florida www.ladypamela2.com ladypamela2@bellsouth.net 954-761-8045 ladypamela2 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:05:07 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR This trip had a boatful, with 6 guests onboard. It was a reef fishing trip, to 8A. As we were leaving the inlet, it looked like a "Rodeo" at the mouth of the port with at least 25 boats tightly clustered. With Tarpon, Jacks and Shark following the bait pods, many opted to fish close to shore for these fish, and the bait used also was close to shore. We headed straight to the reef and set anchor. Keeping 6 guest busy, especially with 4 young ones onboard is a lot of work. Chum went out, and lines went down. Despite the bite being pretty slow by typical reef standards, we still likely boated 200 fish for the trip. A lot of Grunts and short Sea Bass made it the bulk of the catch, but some dinner sized fish including Triggerfish and Sea Bass were put in the icebox. Shark and Cuda were also on the days list of fish fought. The catch seemed to come in 'waves' with periods of dead interrupted with 15 minutes of a hot bite. A couple Sharks were caught, the first cut the line after the leader was tended, so it was an official catch for the young angler, and his first Shark catch. Another Shark (Sharpnose) was boated, but she apparently had Pups in her, so we decided for a release to add more to the reef population. A large Barracuda was spending time around the boat, but not interested in anything artificial. A live Pinfish, and live Grunt was offered, and also it turned away from it. Finally a small Sea Bass was caught (on the lightest tackle I had on the boat (6-12lb spin), with a Jighead (no wire). As it came around the boat, the Cuda saw this and quickly hit it and released. Mortally injured, the Sea Bass stayed in the water, and the Cuda got a better grip this time. Drag peeled, and the rod was handed off to my guest. The fight was only a minute long but the grin on the anglers face lasted much longer. The Cuda never got too the hook, but merely had a good grip on the Sea Bass. Good enough for it to eventually bite through, leaving only the head to come in with the hook. Having gotten a nice meal, we did not see it again. Despite a slow bite, we still had some nice action, and took some fish home for a meal. Back to the docks we went to clean fish. Also, despite what I call a slow bite day, once back at the docks, the young ones hit the A/C of Fishermen's World while I cleaned fish. They commented on how wore out they were from the days fishing, and had sore arms from all the fish brought in! Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 29 Jul 2011 02:30:50 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR This was a trolling trip, and nice flat seas allowed a 40mph ride out to get started. We ran Southeast towards Pelican Flats and deployed lines to make a few pass's over the reef. Using rigged Ballyhoo, we were able to cover the area faster than had we used live bait. With no bites in a pass up and down the length of the reef, we headed east towards deeper waters. ACME Ventures Fishing25 Lbs Barracuda7/21/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreAt 100' we crossed scattered weed, and instantly had a fish on. It was a Cuda, but the Biggest fish my guest had ever caught, so this was a good thing. In the boat, pictures taken and released, we continued on. With a couple passes around the area, we went east again. ACME Ventures Fishing15 Lbs King Mackerel7/21/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreIt was not long before another weed patch was crossed, and another fish on. Another Cuda, but considerably larger. Another pic, and released fish, and on we went. The next fish was a little better. Both larger, and more desirable for taking home to eat. We again crossed into a weed patch when the line got hit. This fish proven to be a King, Mackerel that is! at 30-35 pounds, this had everyone pulling in a fish now having caught their biggest fish ever, so all were happy. Another couple minutes, and another King, then another. With more than enough meat in the icebox, I gave them a choice of working their area until we limited, or moving on to see if we could add some Variety. Since they were not looking to fill their freezer, the choice was to head deeper. ACME Ventures Fishing20 Lbs King Mackerel7/21/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreA very nice looking weedline was found running North-South, so we decided to follow it north. There were a lot of Flying Fish, and other bait along the line, in addition to many turtles. The only game fish we kept finding however were Cuda. My guests were fishing more for the fight than the food, so this was not a bad thing. Despite nothing but Cudas, we decided to stay the coarse the rest of the day. Nearing the days end we visually saw some schoolies, though they were not in the eating mood, which is a real surprise. A last bite finally had a Mahi on the line of better than schoolie size, but managed to come undone before getting it to the boat. In the end we found fish, caught fish, took fish home for dinner, and all had a great day. ACME Ventures Fishing20 Lbs King Mackerel7/21/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 29 Jul 2011 02:10:42 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR This 20 mile weather Buoy trip was like most trips recently, supported by nice weather and calm seas. Great water temperature swings are still being found, and this trip was no different. At the buoy one fish is almost a certainty, Barracuda. This trip had it as a target species, along with any other fish willing to cooperate. ACME Ventures Fishing7 Lbs Mahi-Mahi7/20/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreOur youngest angler was on his first offshore fishing trip, and got to catch a lot of "First Time Fish". Mahi would be his first deep sea catch. Not a big one, but a keeper, and just the right size for him to fight. Cuda were present, and a good size one was caught and retained by my guest for mounting purposes. Other Cuda were caught and released. At 125' we found a mixed bag at the structure, including Sharks, Sea Bass, Vermillion Snapper, Trigger, ACME Ventures Fishing15 Lbs Red Snapper7/20/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreRed Snapper, Grunts, and even Lizardfish. And this is while anchored in one location! The better sized, keepable reef fish have really been thinned out. In part this is due to the unnecessary regulations on some of our more abundant fish, and also Commercial Divers have been filling their boats with these desirable fish, quickly thinning out the reefs of keepers.ACME Ventures Fishing15 Lbs Atlantic Sharpnose Shark7/20/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore ACME Ventures FishingSharpnose Shark, 30 Lbs Barracuda, 2 Triggerfish, Red Snapper, Mahi-Mahi7/20/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreOn the run in, a large area of cool water was found, bottoming out at 68 deg, with a sudden spike to 87 deg as we neared 90'. The bottom where we have been fishing does not seem cold, but these upwellings are apparently having a dramatic overall impact on the bite. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 29 Jul 2011 01:37:55 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures FishingFISH ON! Reeling in a Mahi-Mahi7/15/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThe weeks weather could hardly be better.....Well maybe a little cooler, but still very nice. Calm seas and light winds means full speed ahead on our trip out and in. That means more time fishing. This trip was primarily trolling, with Mahi the primary target. An obligatory trip by the weather Buoy was made, and fish that my clients said they wanted is typically a sure thing in summertime, Cuda. ACME Ventures FishingFighting A 10 Lbs Barracuda7/15/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreIt did not disappoint, with the first pass an instant hookup. The youngest angler took the rod, and despite a smaller Cuda, this being his first offshore trip made it seem bigger than it really was. Since they intended to retain the Cuda, in the boat and on ice it went. Some people are fearful of eating Cuda because of Ciguatera poisoning often associated with Barracuda. What is not realized is most longer living predatory fish can have this, including Grouper and Snapper. This is usually found further south, in Bahamian and Caribbean waters. It also is most always associated with using the fish whole, head on. This toxin resides in the brain and intestines, not the flesh, so filleting the fish eliminates the risk, as with other game fish. If you like King Mackerel, well, Cuda is very similar. It was time for the second angler to get a fish. Line went down, and well away from the buoy, it was fish on. We were hopeful this was something else, but it was another Cuda, just bigger. Fish in and on ice. We now opted to make a few wide passes around the buoy, and work our way deeper. We headed east. No weeds, debris or rips were seen, but every so often we would see what amounted to a handful of small weeds, and at each of three times we saw such, we had a Mahi hookup. First was a little "Peanut". After making a few circles in the area with nothing, we continued east. Again, a couple weeds were seen, and fish on. This time it was a more worthwhile fish, perhaps 12-15lbs. We worked the fish east, since we had a cargo ship bearing down on us, and about halfway to the boat, after a nice ariel display to reveal itself, off it went. The area was worked a little while and again we headed east. Finally a schoolie was boated, but nothing else was seen in the area. We pulled lines and throttled up heading east again, until at 300' we ran into a nice collection of weeds. Well into the Gulf Stream, the current was ripping, with our cruise speed into the current at 2mph, and when we turned north, we were at 10mph! The weeds were being scattered somewhat by the current, but there was a lot of it from 300' to 320', and a lot of fliers. The only problem was there was nothing else there fish wise, at least that was willing to show itself. We spent a lot of time working the area, since it looked very 'Fishy', but no results came from it. We finally opted to head and away from the Cobalt Blue water to hit the reef a little before heading in. ACME Ventures FishingMahi-Mahi, 18 Lbs Barracuda, Kingfish7/15/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreMy guest has fished offshore before, out of the Carolinas and the Gulf coast, but never hit the brilliant blue waters of the Gulf Stream. Its hard to describe how "Blue" it really is, and with perfect weather, it was a great day offshore, despite going 1 for 3 on the Mahi. Some Sea Bass were caught at 8A, and back to Port Canaveral we went to clean fish. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:13:19 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing10 Lbs Atlantic Sharpnosed Shark7/13/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThis trip was simply reef fishing. We get to 8A, find a nice spot and set anchor. Its very affordable, with the engines silent all day also! Having been very slow the past few days in the afternoon, there was a little concern with what the morning bite would hold. Though the Sea Bass and Trigger bite was still not great, it was better. Another fish was on the reef that my guest really wanted to catch, Shark! And ones they could keep. The Atlantic Sharpnose Shark were here all day, and besides being a great fight on light tackle, they are also very good eating. They may not be the fighter that King is, but they do taste better! Everyone got to catch Shark, and were happy about that! ACME Ventures Fishing35 Lbs 48" King Mackerel7/13/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe did have a nice King hit our flat line also, a nice 30 lb fish, that makes for a nice fight on spinning tackle while anchored up. We also had 4 Cobia come to the boat, but despite being curious, refused everything from live to frozen to artificial. It was questionable if they were keeper sized anyway. Manta, Eagle and Cownosed Rays were seen by the boat at one time or another this trip. We also had what was likely a Goliath Grouper grab a live Grunt and run into the ledge. Eventually we retrieved the line, with hook straightened. It was a good drag peeling while it lasted! To the docks and cleaning fish we went. A lot of meat was bagged up, and sunburned and sore arms left as a reminder of the days adventure. ACME Ventures FishingSharpnose Sharks, King Mackerel And A Triggerfish7/13/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing5 Lbs Toadfish7/13/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:48:04 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures FishingReeling In A 15 Lbs Barracuda7/10/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreHaving been a week since the last trip, I was hoping for a repeat of a good trip. The weather buoy area had been holding nice fish in recent weeks, but a change took place. Cuda were about the only takers, despite finding some scattered weed and Fliers, just Dolphin(Flipper) and Turtles, but not much else. These two trips were not trolling trips, but merely a few hours trolling the weather buoy area, then anchoring up at the reef to fish the bottom.ACME Ventures Fishing15 Lbs Barracuda7/10/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore ACME Ventures Fishing5 Lbs Triggerfish7/10/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreGetting to 8A after the heat had built must have had something to do with a slow bite, even for Seabass!!! Of course even when the Seabass is slow you can always get some at 8A. Add a Trigger here and there, and at least a good meal is had. There were a few Sharks caught, but small Blacktip, up to 30 pounds, but short of the required 54" Fork Length for a keeper. Later in the day as we were prepared to leave it looked like a few of the boats slow trolling the reef for Kings were starting to have some success. One boat however, which appeared to be federally documented, and perhaps a dual permit holder, was catching some smaller Kings, gaffing them, measuring, and when too short, releasing, well, more like disposing of them. That also occurred with a few Sharks. The afternoons are really heating up, and with winds dying, it can be miserable. Another Good reason for an early start! With two different groups but very similar trips and results, I'm doing only one report. The 40 mph ride is a real hit with the kids. I put the bean bag chairs up on the front step, and they get a real thrill ride, plus free air conditioning! Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:48:50 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well here we go again. Summer time is most definitely here in the central Florida area. The weather has been outstanding here the past weeks with a great outlook for the future as well. HOT! Very hot days by any definition can be the best way to describe it. With afternoon thunderstorms coming most every day this leads to a normal pattern for Florida with great charters in the mornings and a good afternoon to get ready for another day of fishing come the following morning. The fishing here in the New Smyrna Beach area as well as the Edgewater, Oak Hill, Mims, Scottsmoore and Titusville waters has been the focus of attention for inshore flats fisherman. Redfish, Trout and Black Drum are the main attraction. There is no better place to be saltwater fishing than that of the inshore grass flats of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River. Known as the Redfish capital of the world, this is a sight fishing paradise. Redfish and Trout have been the main focus here with a few Black Drum scattered about the waters of the Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Searching the grass flats for baitfish will be your key here this time of year. Finding the Mullet, Pinfish and other baits you will find the predators that follow them. Redfish will be feeding early and throughout the morning in extremely shallow waters near the bait pods. The key is stealth when approaching these fish. You may have to work your way towards these fish from large distances so be prepared to take your time. If the fish are tailing be sure to have a soft presentation when making a cast to them as not to scare everything around them. Throw past them and in front of them far enough for this to happen. The flock of bird theory will take place if you make a mistake. You see ten thousand birds in the air and one turns left; they all turn left. As this will happen learn from it. The DOA Shallow Runner Bait Buster, live small blue crabs, cut Ladyfish or cut Mullet/Pinfish will work. As another great choice of baits I do like to use every now and then is a live hand caught mud minnow on a 3/0 circle hook. Redfish and Trout cannot resist this. Along with the Redfish you will come across a stray Trout or two as well. Of course you will catch a Ladyfish or two with this tactic. As always please be sure to handle the fish you land with extreme care as to get them back in the water very quickly for a higher survival rate. Catch and release does improve the quality and ensures a better sport fishing experience here on the Mosquito Lagoon. As the first key to a successful inshore sight fishing experience here on the Mosquito Lagoon and the flats of the Indian River it is of the utmost importance for a few things to take place. First is an early start time. You want to beat the heat mainly and get that golden moment as the sunrise breaches the morning sky. This is in a way like a hunting trip with the only difference is you are not killing anything but stalking them with patience and stealth. Getting there on time is very important. So give yourself plenty of time here to make good decisions and allowing for changes in the game plan. Second thing is to be sure to give your fellow anglers a very wide gap between you and them. I cannot stress this enough. If you arrive to an area that you want to fish and within “reason” there is another boat there just look elsewhere. What is within reason? Stay 800-1200 feet away. On the water this is really not much at all. This is so simple. What happens is too many people are seeing other anglers hooking up and just moving right in on top of them. These anglers usually have worked hard in getting on the fish and into a good position just to have someone else make a “noisy” mistake. Now I realize that quite a bit of these scenarios are not done on purpose but by not knowing. Treat these waters like I said as a hunting ground and they are turkey or deer everywhere. You cannot put two hunters 100 feet within each other and expect to have a good experience. Basically apply the first come first serve theory or the early bird gets the worm. There are thousands of acres of fish-able waters out here so there is space. Respect others. They will respect you. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com Cell 352-223-7897 Captain DREW Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:05:45 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Well, after getting quite a bit of much needed rain to the Treasure Coast, I had to add mowing the grass to my weekly list of things to do! At least, it looks like Florida again around here instead of a desert. Mornings have been fantastic for fishing. Calm to light winds make it comfortable and fun to be on the water. Get out early and you can be off the water before the afternoon rains move into the area. Trout fishing continues to be good on the river. Top water, Deadly Combos, DOA Shrimp and live baits have all proven to work well on Trout. I had Gus, Mark, Andrew and Christopher on the boat. Andrew out fished everyone and even caught a nice keeper Mangrove Snapper to top off the day. Grandpa Gus did catch the largest Trout of the day. Six year old Christopher caught his fish early and decided he wanted to be my mate for the day and helped me out a lot! We had a fun day out there. Try Queen's Cove, Harbor Branch and down around the power lines for Trout action. Fish along the docks for a chance of a Snook or Redfish. Some big fish have been patrolling those areas. Top water early followed by DOA Shrimp or CAL Jerk Bait can help find success. The recent super low tides have waned as the recent full moon pulled up the water levels for now. The water has warmed up nicely and the fish are hungry. Lots of anglers have been gearing up for the coming lobster season and you can expect lots of boats on the water as the season approaches. Many boats have begun pre-diving areas in anticipation of that first day of the season. We had going to spend a couple days with my buddy and his family and go scalloping on the gulf coast. It's lots of fun if you have never done it. Have fun this week on the Treasure Coast! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:50:37 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Lagoon full of Monsters and lots of Bait Fishing in the mosquito lagoon has been good for the most part, with a low every once in a while. But no low for Aiden Anderson, he and Dad, Mike, and brother Michael, fished for Big Redfish with me. Aiden had never caught a Redfish until he came and fished with me that morning. His first Redfish ever was a 52-inch fish, Wow that is a big fish. I told him your brother and dad caught 42 fish last time they had fished with me, but non that big. He did an awesome job and whooped the fish quick. For the big boys use some groceries like a big Pinfish or a big Gulp Squid. I find that if you have a lot of flashing Baitfish(as we do now), a spoon will get their attention. The Reds will snub you on some days so change your lure and your retrieve speed when that happens. Now that the shuttle has blasted off, the whale tail and other flats will give up its share of big Reds. The Reds have been steady going and the Trout bite has been on fire most days. Pigfish are the perfect size for bait now and the Gulp Pogys are working well when you can't get Pigs. We took just as many on gulp as the other guides did on Pigs. Ladyfish, Jacks, Flounder and a Mangrove Snapper will make up a mixed bag of fish when you jig Gulps. Some Tarpon are around and they can be caught in the old east channel as well as the jetties, the channel and at the mud basin in the lagoon. Troll big plugs or live Mullet for best results or just Power Pole down and fly a kite. It is a good time to Mangrove Snapper fish the river and jetties. I like to catch a bunch of small Pinfish or white baits and anchor up on a good spot. Use just enough lead to hold bottom and wait for the bite. Let him eat it because the first run is him moving away from the school. Then he will eat your bait, then set the hook. Mangrove Snapper are smart and if you dive with them you will understand everything that is going on when you fish them. Jigging Gulp has got us the most Flounder bites in the lagoon, some have been big but most of them are small. Snook can be taken in the channel on the docks, at the jetties and along the mangroves in the backwater. Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me! I will guarantee you will, Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 16 Jul 2011 14:35:40 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Trolling for Mahi 18 miles dead east of Sebastian Inlet with two zuckers feathers and two naked Ballyhoo running 6.2 knots. Caught a 5ft white marlin on naked Ballyhoo which was relased boatside. 30 minutes later hooked a 7 ft white marlin on a purple/pink zukers feather and after a tiring 40 minute battle, fish was released boatside. Tackle used was two Shimano 15 TLD lever drags filled with 20lb Ande on Penn standups. Water temp was 83 degrees (was running 79 before the dropoff) and depth was about 280ft. Continue trolling many weedlines but no sign of any Mahi... all in all a great day. jkfowler3 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 16 Jul 2011 07:44:23 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The summer heat has definitely arrived and the Trout bite has arrived with it. Look for the large schools of finger Mullet that have moved into the lagoon system to be holding large numbers of Trout with them in the early mornings. You can target these fish with topwater plugs, soft plastics and with live bait. As the sun gets higher in the sky, move to a little deeper water along the edges of the flats and bars to target these fish. The Redfish have started their summer time patterns look for them breaking up from the large schools and pushing up on shorelines and around bars looking for easy meals. This time of year, I like to throw Aqua Dream Spoons and top water plugs to find them and switch over to a soft plastic for something more subtle. These fish can also be caught on live bait; live finger Mullet, shrimp and Pinfish are some good choices. I have started to notice the Snook bite is starting to come back around after the freeze a year ago, just remember these fish got hit really hard so handle with care to keep our population thriving. The Flounder bite is really good right now almost every trip out my clients have boated a flatty. This time of year they are not huge but have had some twenty inch fish in the boat. The Tarpon are moving in thicker as the month goes on and should be in full affect by the end of the month. Look for them rolling and chasing bait early in the morning around channel edges and deep passes. Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 16 Jul 2011 06:25:42 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR This weekend, I was about trying out the new boat, so we didn't want to too far offshore, just incase some thing was not functioning properly. The new 21 ft Chris Craft Carolina hull and a 175 HP Mercury did it job and brought us to the fish and back. gcookila10 Lbs. Bonito7-9-2011 Cape CanaveralWe trolled skirted and naked Ballyhoo that where purchased double rigged from Bionic Baits at the Fishermen's World Bait Shop. My buddy at the bait shop introduced me to a small metalic mini islander, only 5 inches and sure enough it was on the first rod that went off! My better half, Kimmie, hit the chair and the fight was on. She had never caught an offshore species and she was amazed at how hard these fish fight. I had to clear the lines because her foe decided it want to race back and forth crossing all lines. After about 10 minutes the fish got boat side decided it didn't like the boat and pealed off another 30 yards of line..."Oh bleep bleep bleep..." Kimmie had to work to get all that line back again! Next time it was done and a quick gaff and right in the fish box. Next it was Ms. Amanda's turn and hers was a Barracuda on a naked Ballyhoo on the short line. In to the chair she went and she did a great job working the fish. It came closer and closer until we could all see it. When she asked what it was and I told her she didn't want it in the boat with her because of the teeth! Hahaha the fish was released and thus no pictures...but a great job by the 13 year old young lady! gcookila9 Lbs. Each Bonito7-10-2011 20 miles Offshore Cape CanaveralNext was Mr. Jacob Gamble's turn. The fish hit on the far back chugger and yet another Bonito, slightly smaller began to battle. A few grunts and a little sweat later and the Bonito was in the box. Then it was my turn and we picked up another Bonito off the same school. I have included a few pictures and we will be back for more next weekend. FISH ON! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:47:49 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Summer weather patterns keep anglers watching the radar most days this month. Lots of much needed rain has greened up local yards and it looks like Florida again! Watch the weather as many afternoon thunderstorms have been into the area each day. We have had good weather when getting on the water early and heading back to the ramp at noontime. The morning have been very nice on the river. Trout has continued to be our best bite. We had a couple days with the recent cold water influx that made it more challenging to find the bite, but we have continued to have good luck when Trout fishing. DOA Shrimp in the clear holographic has been outstanding on the flats. Mike and Lisa caught all of their fish on the shrimp. We have been fishing them slowly along the bottom and also jigging them under a popping cork. Both ways have been very productive. We again found Trout with Cliff on a day that provided cold water and a challenge to find a good bite. Capt. Pat Wells was down this week and we found the Trout to be feeding along with lots of Jacks that all devoured the DOA Shrimp. We even landed a fat 36" Snook hanging around the docks down south of Fort Pierce. The action is picking up and we should have another good fishing week ahead. Its a great time of year to work a top water lure in the early morning. Trout have been feeding on the many bait schools around the river and working a top water lure can get some explosive action. Harbor Branch has been our most productive area up to the north. Bear Point and the many docks to the south have also provided us with lots of action. Drink plenty of liquids and use lots of sunscreen to make sure the end of your day is just as much fun as the beginning! Have some fun and get out fishing soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some of this weeks action with DOA Shrimp... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:17:51 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR gcookila39 Lbs Dolphin7/2/2011 East of MelbourneWe had a slow start to a morning and began trolling in 110 ft. We had 6 lines out on 3 skirted Ballyhoo and 3 naked Ballyhoo. Finally after 2 hours we had the left outrigger pop off and and we where provided with a grand ariel show by a great bull Dolphin. Immediately, I put the pole in the hands of our youngest crew member, Andrew Gamble, and he was in for a fight! Even on a 50 wide the Bull Dolphin began ripping off line. It was a little give and take for a while so we had to put the fighting belt on Andrew and sit him down in the chair. After 15 minutes the the young gun was tired and his arms where calling uncle. But like a true contender, he got the bull boat side and with the a flip of the gaff the nice bull hit the fish cooler. Extremely tired and arms pulsing from the battle our young commorade had a smile from ear to ear and high fives all around, as this was his first dolphin ever and a nice one at that! gcookila17 Lbs. Bonito7/2/2011 Northeast out of Sebastian InletWe trolled on for another 30 minutes and hit a school of Bonito and had a triple hook up. One came to the boat pretty quickly by the hands of Mr. Kalob and the second one broke off. The thrid however made a snack for a group of porpoise (dolphin). The porpoise attacked the hooked fish and began ripping off line...not wanting to injure the porpoise we followed the giant until we got him boat side and cut the line. It was the first time any of us had ever seen a porpoise hit a hooked fish... gcookila7 Lbs. Dolphin7/2/2011 15 miles out of Sebastian InletThen it was back to trolling and two small schoolie Dolphin hit about 10 minutes apart and both came in in no time...then it was time to start trolling back west. We must have gone over school of Barracuda because we caught three in about 15 minutes. 2 where very small and one was about 40 inches. We unhooked all boat side for them to fight another day. gcookila31 Keepers From 4 Fishermen Sea Bass, Tuna And Dolphin7/2/2011 Off Melbourne 25 miles offshoreThe sun was getting hot so we decided to hit a Seabass hole in about 80 feet of water and with every drop there was a hook up. We caught over 70 Seabass and 27 where keepers...we used squid and butterfly jigs with 2 hooks. Many doubles where had and we all actually got tired of reeling them in after about an hour and decided to call it a day. I don't know who makes the rules regarding the quanities of fish but Seabass are definately more plentiful than I have ever seen...NOTE TO THE FEDS! gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:14:49 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing15 Lbs. Mahi-Mahi7/03/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWith a motor glitch on the ride in the day before, I was able to fix the problem, but not 'til first thing Sunday morning. As such, we made a late start, at 8:00 am from Port Canaveral. With the problem fixed, and the boat running better than ever, we blasted out. First stop was at 8A for a quick pass dragging lines. With no boats there it was simply an opportunistic try. With no action, out deeper we went. This was not a trolling trip, but a Weather Buoy trip, where we pull lines from 120' to the 20 mile buoy and around the area a few hours, then head in to anchor up and reef fish. We found Fliers at 120' like the day before, and set lines out. Many boats were in the area, so we worked the perimeter. after a half hour, drag peeled, for the first fish was on. A nice ariel display, and slowly working it in, a solo Bull. With no followers, we boated it, and re-deployed the line. Another half hour or so, same area, another nice Mahi took the line. Again, same procedure, slow retrieval, with other lines adjusted around it hoping to get a second, but another solo fish. In the boat and back to fishing we went. ACME Ventures Fishing33" Bull Shark7/03/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreAnother period of time went by with no action, so we worked towards the weather buoy. A very well pronounced north to south running rip was found with a hundred yard wide highway of glassy water, and weeds stacked nicely on the west edge. As we neared it, one line got hit, but not big fish. It was a fish however, and in it came. This was a Sharks, and once in the boat the angler got to hold one for the first time, despite having caught them before. ACME Ventures Fishing20 Lbs. Wahoo7/03/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreInto the "Fish Highway" we went. A little quite a first, with several boats in the same area. First hit was apparently a Mahi from the look of it coming across the spread, but no hookup. We worked a circle around the area, and had a Sailfish bat at the bait, killing the Ballyhoo, but never hooking up. Again we continued to circle the area and this time our deep line was hit and run without a hookup. The site was real "Fishy", but we did not have anything to show for it. Finally with the deep naked Ballyhoo redeployed, we passed the area again and it was Wahoo on. The angler who boated this fish was on the rod each of the previous misses, so this was a good redemption! Only one more fish, a Cuda was caught here. We had a rain shower bearing down on us, and had to decide to head north or south, and keep trolling, or hit the reef. Since this was not really a trolling trip, and each of the three guest had boated a nice fish, to the reef we went. The action has been much the same on the reef's when hitting the bottom. Seabass everywhere. They caught several nice fat Black Seabass for the icebox, and likely about a hundred that were too short. With several fish to clean we pulled anchor, made a few more drifts, and headed in. Typically from 8A to Port Canaveral we cross the shoals with 6' or more of water. This trip we saw 2.5' at one point! On a serious note, but with a happy ending. While at 8A fishing, a fishing boat, one that we had seen earlier called into the coast guard that it had found a cooler and floating debris from what appeared to have been a boat. Another call shortly later from them stated that 3 people were taken onboard, safely, that were on this boat. It was apparently a 19' boat that had a major transom failure, and obviously not enough built in floatation. Having never heard a distress call it makes me question if they had a VHF onboard. They told the Coast Guard that the had been in the water about 2 hours before the fishermen picked them up. It may have been a happy ending, but certainly stresses the need for safety gear. I always have an "Overboard Bag" with me when I go out, even if on someone else's boat. It has a portable, waterproof VHF, and GPS locator Beacon, drinks and snacks. It's in a floating bag also. Such a kit on this boat could have kept them from floating 2 hours in the water, wondering if someone was going to find them. For less than the cost of gas they spent for the trip, they could have had that. In the end they were fortunate that a lot of boats were out, and ran across their debris field. This may have been a happy ending, but a little precaution could prevent what often ends in tragedy. ACME Ventures Fishing20 Lbs. Wahoo And 2 Mahi-Mahi7/03/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:52:32 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Despite forecast only a day earlier of 3-4' seas the weekend turned out to be great, with seas at 2' or less. A few showers and one thunderstorm had to be dodged, but no problem. This trip had a local angler with his 2 sons and a nephew. The Nephew had been on a Inshore charter the day before with another Captain, and the "Skunk" stayed on the boat the whole day....Not one Fish! Not gonna happen offshore! This was primarily about trolling, but some reef fishing was also in the plans. Lines went in at 120' when Flying Fish appeared. We worked the area well with no real success, so we made our way, dragging lines to the weather buoy. Just outside the buoy in 145' a weak weed line was found, and it did not take long to have a fish on the line. This was a Cuda, but after not seeing a single fish on his charter the previous day, this was a welcome sight and fight. ACME Ventures Fishing15 Lbs. Mahi-Mahi7/02/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreLines continues to seek fish, and after another 30 minutes, another fish, this time our youngest angler took the rod. Only minutes before he found himself getting bored, and wanting to head to the reef, but with fish on and rod in hand, he now liked trolling! A solo Bull was on the line and we took our time hoping for a follower, but like so many the past few weeks, this too was a loner. Into the boat it came for a first Mahi catch for this angler. More time trolling with little action until another line took off. This fight stayed in the water, so not a Mahi. Just outside of gaff range, the shape and color said Wahoo, but a little inexperience and slack line gave the fish a "Get out of Jail" card. Still it was a good fight for the young angler. With showers and lightening in the area, we trolled north, with little action, and finally made the call to hit the reefs, and allow the young ones some unlimited catching at 8A. Our 5 second rule, once the bait hits the bottom proved true again, and they had a blast bringing fish up. ACME Ventures Fishing15 Lbs Mahi-Mahi & 5 Seabass7/02/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreNot the best fishing day, but any day with nice weather and some fish caught is a good day. Back to Port Canaveral we headed. My port motor had a few "hiccups" on the way out, and I came in on one motor. Despite being slow for my boat, we still made 22 mph on one motor! With a charter the next day, I hoped for an easy fix, and it was. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:23:32 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: As the rainy season settles in on the Treasure Coast, you can expect each day to provide an opportunity of rain and thunderstorms. Luckily, we managed to skirt all the weather this week to find some great fishing action along the Indian River. Morning will generally be calm and the weather systems will build in the early afternoons. Getting out early can give you lots of opportunities to get in some good fishing time. I had the privilege to attend the DOA Outdoor Writers Event again this year. It was great to see old friends and make some new ones. I had Pete Barrett one day and John Irwin the next. We found the Trout eager to bite on the DOA Shrimp in various colors. The lighter colors worked best for us. Pete topped off his day with a nice tarpon on a DOA TerrorEyz. John and I landed four Reds and numerous Trout. We had lots of fun on the river! The rest of the week also provided us with lots of Trout action on the grass flats. Using a combination of DOA Shrimp and live bait, we caught lots of Trout this week. John and Paul landed some big Trout on their day fishing the flats. The father and son teams of Brian & Clay, Mike & Shane and Wes & Chase all had fun on the Trout flats. Clay, Shane and Chase all out fished their dads this week. We even found a few nice Jacks to add to the fun on some days. Most of the grass flats are holding good numbers of Trout. We fished the majority of the week south of Fort Pierce to the power lines. The water that direction has remained remarkably clear with all the recent rains. Up to the north has been a little more on the murkier side, but we found Trout biting as well. Get some fishing in soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some of this weeks action with DOA Shrimp... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 05 Jul 2011 09:27:06 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Water levels have finally started to rise here on Mosquito Lagoon as our long awaited summer rainy season has arrived with regular afternoon rains. Most mornings have beautiful calm conditions with a little coolness in the air for the first couple of hours after the rain the evening before. The higher water on the flats will open up much more fishable water for me as grassy shallows which have only had a few inches of water over them the last few months now are deep enough for the Redfish and also us in my boat to be on the prowl hunting our prey. Also these newly flooded areas are flush with Redfish food because they have been to shallow for the fish to graze on for so long now allowing for many baby crabs, shrimp, and marine invertebrates to grow un harvested by the Reds. The last couple of weeks since my last report have seen many good trips with Reds on the flats by targeting the large Mullet schools which gather in shallow water to avoid the Dolphins and larger predators of deeper water. Also when available, fishing live Pigfish baits for Seatrout on the drop offs, edges, and holes. My Indian River Backcountry mixed bag trips have been loads of fun with lots of action from Trout, Jacks, Ladyfish, and sometimes a couple of Black Drum, Flounder, Reds, and more with 10 or more species of saltwater fish on most backcountry trips. As we are out having fun catching fish we will be seeing lots of wildlife up close and personal near the boat with Dolphins, Manatees, and many types of water birds on every trip. Here are some pictures of clients from the last couple weeks trips with some beautiful Redfish and Seatrout caught here with me on Mosquito Lagoon and Backcountry. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 05 Jul 2011 01:43:32 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: July brings hot weather, chances of afternoon rains and Fourth of July parties. Oh....and lots of great fishing out there, too! Watch out for afternoon thunderstorms this month. Mornings on the river will bring action at first light on top water lures for Snook or Trout along the flats. They will seek deeper water as the sun rises. It’s a hot, but very productive month around the Treasure Coast. I will be fishing along the mangroves for Snook and Redfish with DOA Shrimp, CAL Jerk Baits and top water lures where the water will be 2-3 feet deep. Trout will move to deeper flats in 2-6 feet of water and will most likely hit Pigfish, DOA Shrimp or Deadly Combos. Look for the Trout to move to the deeper edges of the flats as the sun warms up the water. Fish the sand holes on the flats! You will find the bigger fish sitting in these holes waiting on the tides to bring the food to them. Redfish will continue to hold up on the flats. Read the water as you move across the flats and look for any activity that might be a school of reds. Gold spoons, soft baits, like DOA Shrimp or CAL Jerk Baits will work best for them. Search along the docks during the day for Snook or Redfish hanging around there as well. It’s a fantastic month to be fishing! Bridges will be producing Snapper, Drum and Sheepshead during July. Live or dead shrimp will be hard for them to resist. Watch the tides and fish the slower sides of them for best results. Whiting will continue to be in the surf with the occasional Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel. There will be larger Snapper in the river around structure and along channel edges. Sharks will be patrolling along the beach also. The Glass Minnows will be flowing into the river in huge schools. Watch for these bait schools and fish the edges for your best action. Areas to fish in the river for July: Bear Point, Queen's Cove and Round Island. South of Harbor Branch will be a great area to work for Trout in the mornings before the sun heats up things. The flats in front of the power plant taper off to 3-5 feet and will be holding Trout during the day. Live Pigfish are the favorite food for Trout this time of year. It’s time to set the traps to feed these hungry fish! Try a DOA TerrorEyz during the day also for Trout. The west shore down there will be good areas to search out Redfish. Channel edges will be yielding Snapper on structure. Tripletail will be around channel markers and pilings to the south towards Jensen Beach. Have a fun month out there! Holiday Safe Boating Tips It’s hard to believe that July 4th is just around the corner and that means lots of picnics, celebrations and boaters. Holidays always bring out the usual boaters along with lots of new boaters and those that only go out a few times a year. A little common sense and preparation can make your holiday on the water a fun adventure and not a befuzzling mess. Here are a few common sense tips to help get you ready for that enjoyable weekend. Prior to the Holiday:1. Make sure all batteries are in good working condition and fully charged.2. Gas up the boat.3. Start your motor before you leave the house.4. Stow as much gear, etc in the boat before leaving.5. Check the trailer early enough to have the time to repair lights, tires, etc. At the ramp:1. Get your boat ready before pulling into the ramp. (All equipment on board - lines ready)2. Back in - launch the boat - move the boat out of the ramp area - get parked and back to the boat.3. Move out of the ramp area quickly if you are waiting on others or getting things stowed.4. If you have problems, get out of the ramp area. Don’t tie up others for your problems at the ramp. On the water:1. Know the rules of the road and use common sense and courtesy.2. Don’t be aggressive on the water. Allow plenty of room to other boats and slow down around heavy boat traffic.3. Remember, your wake affects others. Again, common sense and courtesy.4. Obey the laws! The signs are their for a reason, so just follow the rules and everyone will have an enjoyable day.5. Don’t drink and drive! Have an experienced boater to be the designated driver for that day.6. Courtesy goes a long, long way!! Back at the ramp:1. Don’t tie up a ramp while you get your vehicle. Most likely, someone is already getting theirs and should have first rights to pulling their boat out.2. Patience is a virtue….someone said. Don’t be in a hurry. You will get your boat out, just wait your turn.3. Pull well away of the ramp area when securing your boat and gear. Allow others the courtesy of pulling their boats timely. 4. Make sure everything is secure for a safe trip home from a wonderful Holiday weekend on the water! Check with your local Coast Guard Auxiliary and take a safe boating course if you haven’t already … it will open your eyes to boating. It’s nothing new or bizarre, just simple things to help yourself and others around you to have a great Holiday Weekend! Have a safe and fun Fourth of July! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some of this weeks action with DOA Shrimp... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:09:45 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The morning was slow, only Seabass. We picked up and decided to troll after 3 hours with no hits, it went off. After bringing a Sailfish to the boat we boated seven Mahi and a Wahoo. Deep Water Charter Port Canaveral 321-507-2245 www.deepwatercharter.com deep water charter Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:37:45 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Great weather for fishing. West winds are starting to stack up some weeds offshore, and they proved to be somewhat fishy this trip. NE of the weather buoy some tightly scattered weeds proved to be just what the icebox needed. We started around the perimeter first, and the results came slowly, but good. First fish in was a 15 lb. Mahi. Like the last few weeks of fishing these anglers had never caught a "Phin", and made it the target species of the trip. No company with this catch, so lines back to work. ACME Ventures Fishing66" 50 Lbs. Wahoo6/19/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreAnother half hour, and the line goes off again. It did not seem too big till the angler put some bend in the rod, then a couple hundred yards of line peeled. This fish was not a jumper, but still we waited till we seen the colors to know what we had. It took a while with our Dolphin rigs to finally work it to the boat, but the Blue stripes was a very welcome sight. Wahoo in the boat. This 50lb fish made the day for these guys, and we still had time to fish. Another Another pass around the area with no results, so we decided to cut through the weed field. A little time passed, and a lot of cleaning fouled lines of weed, but another hookup. Another Mahi was on the line, dragging weeds with it. As we got it near the boat we saw it had company. The second fish did not take the other lines, so a pitch rod went to work. It looked, it followed, but nada. Other offerings were put in front of it but it turned its nose up at all we offered, and eventually made its way off. We sent lines back out, working the weed field some more with no more action. ACME Ventures Fishing36" 15 Lbs. Mahi-Mahi6/19/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreFinally we headed to 8A to see if we could pick up a King or two to make a Slam. One line down, another out the back, and into slow gear we went. 20 minutes into the run, the downrigger released, and drag went out. This fish came to the surface and went airborne. A nice 20 lb. bull Mahi was on the line. We worked it to the boat, and about a foot short of gaff range it decided it no longer wanted to play the game, and unhooked itself. Big smiles were on the anglers faces despite the loss of this fish. With lobster red sunburnt skin, they were ready to return to port and clean fish. Several gallon bags of fish came from these few fish, and very good eats at that! Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:07:36 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR gcookila18 Lbs. Mahi-Mahi6/18/2011 North of Sebastian InletStarted trolling at about 110 ft until we found the weed line. Didn't have a bite for the first two hours. We decided this week to add stinger rigs to our trolled Ballyhoo. Sure enough the first strike was short and we had a hook up. Fought the Mahi for about five minutes and an it just came off...got the Ballyhoo in to check it and sure enough the treble hook was straightened out. Size 2 treble and straightened out! We kept going and had a fish on again at about 240 feet. It ripped off about 50 yards of line and just came off again. This time there were 2 size 5 J hooks still intact with a Ballyhoo head. Now I was starting to get frustrated but we saw something bobbing up and down in the water. It was a palm tree limb, so we trolled by it...BAM...fish on!!! 2 minutes into the fight the left outside outrigger goes off... fish on 2...a double! We fought both at the same time and tried not to get them tangled with the other three lines we had out. Keeping the boat moving in a straight line and landing mine first, into the fish box it went. Then it was on to help my buddy Pat with is huge Mahi. The fish would get close to the boat and we could see a couple of his buddies coming in by him. We threw a jig at them but didn't have any takers. After about 20 minutes Pat finally got him close enough for the gaff and the fish box. gcookila18 Lb. And 21 Lb. DolphinJune 18-25 miles out NE SebastianOnward we went to find that tree limb we we saw bobbing in the water and we went NE and found it. We got close again and the right outrigger went off...fish on only to have it come off. We trolled for another 2 hours until we had another hit on a skirted Ballyhoo and a 10 lb. Mahi came in lickety split. We missed two more with in the hour and decided to come in and call it a day. All in all a decent day with plenty of action and the double on made the day a little special. gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:39:32 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR krauterstein29" Redfish6/19/2011 Cocoa Beach Thousand IslandsOn the water at 6am. 3 Trout, biggest was 22" and a 29-inch Redfish. The 2 big fish were caught using poppin corks with live Pinfish. Everything else was sweet topwater action. Pin to Win! krauterstein Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:11:45 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR gcookila52 Inches 34 Lbs. Mahi-MahiJune 5 Northeast of Sebastian Inletgcookila7 Fish Day Good Day Mahi And TunaJune 4 Northeast of Sebastian InletMan the fishing has been the best I have seen in a while. The Mahi-Mahi have been on fire. I wish I could say I have brought all in the boat, but I am averaging about 60% hook up to landing ratio. Over the last two weekends I have boated 8 really nice keeper Mahi, 4 Tuna, and 1 King. Most of which have come on trolled naked Ballyhoo with double hook rigs from Bionic Baits. I have caught one Mahi on a chugger with Ballyhoo and the King was on a deep diving plug. The Tuna bite has been in 80 to 95 feet of water while the Mahi have been anywhere from 110 ft. to 240 feet. The King came in 65 ft. Trolling speed has been 6 knots. All cathes have been trolling Northest out of the port and we start in the morning at day break. By 1:00 pm the bite slows and we might pick up one or two hits. We have also had numerous short strikes where we ending up bringing in half a Ballyhoo, but hey that is why they call it fishing and not catching. Also, had a wire leader snap right at boat side on a Mahi that was well over 20lbs. I am going to start putting a stinger rig on the back of the Ballyhoo this weekend to try and knab some of those short strikers. gcookila 29 Inches 15 Lbs TunaJune 5 Northeast of Sebastian Inlet gcookila Various Mahi And TunaJune 4 Northeast of Sebastian Inlet gcookila Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:10:51 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR A wind direction change knocked down the seas, and we averaged 38mph out and in, which gave us more time to fish. Fishing was nice also! This trip was all trolling, and Mahi for a fish fry was the target species. We only found 3, but those three were 50 pounds of fish, so a lot of meat. First fish came soon after lines went in. This was the smallest of the 3, but still a nice fish. It was the anglers first Mahi also Next fish was a little bigger. Another first time Mahi catch. It took a half hour to find it, though in the same general area. All the fish were solo's, with no other observable fish with them. ACME Ventures Fishing27lbs Mahi-Mahi6/13/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThird Mahi was the largest of the day, between 25 and 30 pounds. Again it took some time to find it, but eventually it came. We continued working the area a while with a few hit and misses, and finally moved on. The rest of the time out deeper was around the weather buoy, and only Cuda and a Remora were caught there. ACME Ventures Fishing10lbs King Mackerel6/13/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe decided to finish the day trying to pick up a few Kings for my guest new smoker. We caught 2, in one pass down the length of 8A. Both fish were first time King catches for the anglers. We ended up with several gallon sized bags full of fish, and tired but happy anglers at the end of the day. That about all you can hope for when you go out fishing! ACME Ventures Fishing2 Kingfish And 3 Mahi-Mahi6/13/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:55:38 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well, the seas were still high, but the winds dropped, and it was fairly smooth sailing. We even had glassy seas on the ride out, and stayed dry all day, which was a nice change. A father and son were on this trip, and much like previous trips, Mahi was a target species. This was not really a trolling trip, but we would drag lines an hour or so out near the weather buoy. ACME Ventures Fishing20lbs Mahi-Mahi6/12/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreFirst fish came much like the past several trips, same time and place. A nice 20 pound cow. That was it however for the Mahi. Cudas whacked the bait a few times, and we headed to 8A. Arriving at 8A, we really did not intend to fish for Kings, but dragged lines down the reed till we hit out bottom spot. Only a minute after lines were in, a King was on. Lines redeployed, and another. That was it, so bottom fishing we went. ACME Ventures Fishing12lbs King Mackerel6/12/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreA commercial boat had been diving the reef all week, and the pickings seemed thin, so I began wondering if there was a connection. The flat winds also had us in a different weather pattern, perhaps affecting the bite. We did catch Sea Bass, but with one of the two anglers now feeling the effects of the rollers, we pulled anchor, and slow trolled towards port picking up a final King. Back to Port Canaveral, and the cleaning station. With enough fish for a fish-fry they had planned, they were happy and ready to eat. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:57:00 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing48" 32lbs Mahi-Mahi6/11/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreSeas at 5-6', winds 10-15! But the fish don't mind. Needless to say, it was sloppy, and we were soaked, but fishing we did. The pattern we've seen continued, with the first and biggest fish comming first, at at a particular location. This time it was a 30+ pound Bull. This was fought by the youngest member on the boat. The second Phin we boated came in near the weather buoy, with our second youngest angler. This 20 pound Cow added nicely to the Bull already on ice. ACME Ventures Fishing42" 20lbs Mahi-Mahi6/11/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreOur next oldest angler had his fish on the line, and as the age of the angler increased, the size of the Mahi came down. A 7 lb. Phin was now on ice. Our elders anglers turn came, but the fish decided after an acrobatic show, it no longer wanted to play our game, and ended the fight abruptly. We dragged lines a little longer, with no additional intrest, so we moved around a bit, and still all was quiet. We motored in to 8A, made a few slow passes dragging lines, and made some drifts over the ridge to pick up some Seabass. Despite elevated seas, we caught nice fish. Our ride in with following seas was fast, but very wet. To the Port and cleaning tables we went. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:59:17 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Catching has been great the last few weeks here on Mosquito Lagoon, I have had many fun Redfish and Trout trips on the flats with up to 8 to 10 Reds on some trips along with many Speckled Trout on some trips also. We are targeting the Reds mainly with fresh cut Mullet baits which can make for an easier style of fishing for anglers with less flats fishing experience. When available we may try live Pigfish for the Trout off the edges of the flats. My Backcountry mixed bag trips have had nice summer action with lots of fish and fast action, although a smaller average size of fish, what makes this style of fishing so fun is the constant bites from many species of saltwater fish. Here are a few pictures of clients with fish from the last couple weeks trips. Some nice Redfish from the flats. From the Backcountry a nice Black Drum and Trout. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:07:52 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Summer weather has certainly arrived. We did have some windy days this past week, but the temperatures are definitely on the warm side. A little breeze is always welcome on those warm days! Plan on early mornings or late evenings for your best fishing chances. This week I enjoyed some super company on the water. Gaylen and Matt caught Trout, an oversize Redfish and a variety of other fish. Ron, Mike and Timberly found mostly Trout with a Redfish in the mix. John and Johanna had fun on the Trout flats. John, Tim and Larry also found mostly Trout on their day. Larry out fished everyone on his first fishing trip. Rick and Roy caught a variety of fish with Trout being the top catch of the day. Trout has continued to be the best bite on the river. Most of our fish have come in two to five feet of water and a lot of times they have been found just on the edges of the grass flats. DOA Shrimp and CAL Jerk Baits have proven to be successful on the Trout. If you are using live bait, get out the fish trap and catch some Pigfish this time of year. They will give you a much better chance on the Trout than even shrimp. Fish them under a popping cork for best results. Johanna caught the largest Trout of the week with her 26" fat gator Trout. Queen's Cove, Harbor Branch and the west shoreline on the south side of Fort Pierce have all been productive for Trout. We did manage a few Redfish earlier in the week. You can find some hanging under docks or out on the flats. We had several break offs under some of the docks. Lots of Snook are holding under the deeper docks, but can present a challenge in getting them out from under the maze of pilings. There are still plenty of Sheepshead in the river along with Mangrove Snapper. Check under docks or around the bridges for some of these tasty characters. It's a great time of year to be fishing the Treasure Coast! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some of this weeks action... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:38:01 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR May was a great month with large numbers of both Trout and Redfish being caught and so far June is looking just as good if not better. I have had many days with double-digit numbers on Trout with a lot of the Trout over twenty inches, which is a great sign considering the freeze from a little over a year ago. These fish can be taken several ways from soft plastics under a popping cork to free lined live bait. Target the deep sloughs and sharp edges of the flats along with the oyster bed edges. Low light situations will work best but if fished slowly, I have had many twenty plus inch fish caught in the middle of the day. The Redfish bite has also been strong there are still larger schools and pods of ten to twenty fish out there to target. But a lot of them have started their summer pattern and broke away from the schools to feed on their own. With the influx of Mullet in the lagoon system look for these Redfish to be swimming with the Mullet schools, not only to feed on what they stir up off the bottom, but also for the protection. These fish can also be caught several different ways from top water to live bait, just remember with the water temps increasing, take time to release these fish healthy. I have been keeping an eye out for the elusive Silver King (Tarpon). I have found some moving through, but not in great numbers, yet it should be a matter of days before they start to show. While looking for Tarpon, I have ran into a lot of schools of Jacks which always make for a great fight. When these fish get triggered they will eat almost any thing, in this case my favorite bait to use is a Aqua Dream Spoon. I always have a rod rigged with one for Redfish in the boat so its easy to grab in these situations. Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:18:03 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Another day, another Dol-PHIN, or two, or three..... Though not a trolling trip, we did drag lines for an hour or so, from 125' to the weather buoy. This resulted in a nice 20 pounder (Mahi) a Cuda, and a few misses. Seas were rough, but we managed 25 to 30 mph out, though with a lot of splash. Our plan for the balance of the day was reef fishing. ACME Ventures Fishing6lbs. Triggerfish6/09/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe headed to 8A to see what was on the reef besides bottom game. Anchored up and chumming the waters, the fishing began. Two days earlier a 13 Mahi were caught with this approach, though all but four were small schoolies. The bottom is always active, with nice sized Triggers and Sea Bass filling the icebox quickly. Most of the Triggers were caught on a small vertical jig. A surprise catch on the vertical jig was a large Flounder. We have caught small ones here before, but never this large, right on the ridge. ACME Ventures Fishing22lbs. Mahi-Mahi6/09/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThe Remoras were a real obstacle with a half dozen waiting for anything we put in the water, but we managed. Our flatlines were quiet most of the day, aside from the stray Remora finding the bait. First non-remora was a schoolie that took the bait. A quick release, and lines deployed again. Only one more Mahi showed up the rest of the day but it was a 15 pounder right at the boat. One of the flatlines was quickly reeled in and in "cane pole" fashion bait was placed in front of it, and "Fish-On"! Now it wanted far away from the boat, and we hoped the fight would show up another, but it must have been running solo. Into the icebox it went. Our ride to port was fast but wet. A USCG Cutter wanted to do a safety stop in the 4' choppy seas still about 10 miles out, but settled for the boats name and number, and sent us on our way. To the Port, and cleaning tables we went. 3 trips so far for the week and 19 Mahi. 4 more trips to go in the next 5 days, so hopefully the pattern will continue, and maybe a few real lunkers can be found! ACME Ventures Fishing22" Mahi-Mahi6/09/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:06:01 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing10lbs. Mahi-Mahi6/07/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThe forecast for 1-2' seas not quite accurate, but still quite fishable. Our days plan was reef fishing at 8A. Arriving early, we found ourselves alone on the reef, and made a pass up and down the ridge before setting anchor. A small "schoolie" took the bait and was released to be a 10-15 pounder in a few months. ACME Ventures Fishing16" Mahi-Mahi6/07/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe set anchor and proceeded to pull Sea Bass up. We got chum in the water and deployed flatlines also. By now other boats began arriving at the reef. First 5, then 10, then 20!!!! It was busy, with most slow trolling for Kings. We seen a few brought in, but most were on the small "snake" size, including one woman we watched fight one for what seemed like a half hour, only to come in as a 24 to 30-incher. We had Remora around the boat most of the day, and we saw several caught while others were slow trolling also. Our chum line produced a nice steady supply of Mahi, though most were small "Schoolies" We kept the four biggest fish of the day, and allowed the others to grow a bit. A few small "Peanuts" were also caught, showing the appetite on these fish willing to tackle a large Sardine, when they themselves are not a whole lot bigger! In all we went 13 of 14 for the day on Mahi. The brother of my client is David A Wirth, an associate of the IGFA. We got to fly his Catch and Release flag several times today. Next trip is only a day away with Mahi the target, and trolling the gameplan. Good reports were comming in from a little deeper, but 8A sounds like a fall back if nothing is found. We pulled anchor with a dozen schoolies still around the boat. Despite 2 of the 4 anglers not taking the seas well and resting most of the trip, we still managed a nice collection of fish for the icebox. ACME Ventures Fishing12lbs. Mahi-Mahi6/07/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 11 Jun 2011 23:24:32 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The Dolphin bite has been very good for us. We have averaged most days with four fish and a few good size ones at that. Seems like as they move thru the area we will get on them for a day or so and then it slows down some until the next bunch move in. The bite does not shut off but instead just slows down some. A lot of the fish this year are bulls which like to battle a little more than the ladies (sorry girls, just the facts). I have watched a couple guys take a long time to get the fish to the boat but then there are fish like yesterday that struck a bait right behind the boat and was over the side in five minutes. Along with the Dolphin are some nice bottom fish and we are seeing a lot of Scamp Grouper coming up. Scamps are the best eating of all the Groupers in my opinion and are not that common to catch. We have seen some big Gag Groupers at the tables as well, which make great sandwiches. Sea Bass are now back in season so they are always abundant and easy to load up on. Right now there is still a 15 fish limit per person so you can fill a box quick with them guys. There is plenty of fish out there so don’t wait to go. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:50:57 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Sunday, a lot of action but the fish would not hold the hooks. We had some really nice fish come out of the water and throw the hook back at us. Guess they are learning. One run spooled a Tiagra Reel twice and after recovering the line the second time it just came off. Dang Wahoo are famous for that. We did boat one nice Fin with some other stuff like Flounder and Sea Bass and some nice fighting Bonito. Good weather, good folks, and a fun day that can not be beat!! Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:46:14 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: We enjoyed a long weekend vacation last week with our five year old granddaughter, Chloe, and good friends, Pat, Kara, Dalton and Ethan Wells down in the Florida Keys. The weather kept us from enjoying the fishing, but we had a nice relaxing time enjoying the sights and sounds of the Keys. We had only one short chance to fish and decided to catch some dinner around the Bahia Honda bridge just before the winds set back in to make it difficult to try and be on the water. Ethan, Dalton and Chloe enjoyed fishing around our cabin for Grunts and Snapper to have some fun with. It was a fun trip for everyone! If you can't fish for Tarpon....then at least go to Robbie's in Islamorada and feed them. Again the kids had a wonderful time with the big fish that inhabit the marina there. A trip to Key West with Grandma and Chloe led us to the Key West Aquarium. Chloe had lots of fun around the many species they have there. She even got to touch a Sand Shark. It was a nice to get away and spend some good times with our friends. Back to work tomorrow in search of the fish around Fort Pierce. The Trout should continue to be biting in the early mornings on the flats. Getting out early can make your trip much more successful. As the sun warms up the flats each day, you will find the Trout moving into deeper water. Fish the bait schools. Lots of Glass Minnows are in the river and fishing the edges of the bait can be very productive. Try a DOA shrimp fished very slowly and you should have good results. Redfish don't mind the warmer water and you should be able to find them throughout the day. Fishing docks this month can be very productive for many species. Snook, Jacks, Redfish and others will be hanging under the docks for an easy meal. A DOA Shrimp or TerrorEyz can find some nice sized fish under some of the docks. It's a great time of year to fish the Indian River! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:38:54 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing12lbs Mahi6/04/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreFSFA Offshore Slam Alan, his daughter Kaci, and myself started early out of Port Canaveral at 4:30am, and had lines in the water a few minutes after 6:00am near the 20 mile buoy. Within minutes the first fish was on and in the boat. It was a small, but keeper Mahi none the less. This seemed a good sign. There were already a handful of boats in the area, so we made our way by the buoy for a few passes, and then headed for our target area. A half hour after passing the buoy, lines went off. It was a double hookup this time, with Specilist and FishingChick working their fish in while I cleared lines. This was her fist Mahi. 2 more fish in the boat, and high hopes of more to come. It was a while as we worked North before the next hookup, but a large Phin had the drag peeling, a few acrobatic moves, and seconds after I got the rod in hand, it was over, hook out. This was likely a 25lb fish, and what would turn out to be a possible 3rd place fish. Another half hour of nothing and a repeat performance of the last lost fish. Lines stayed in and patiently we continued. Radio traffic was light, and many reported little or no fish boated, so we were doing OK. Again drag started peeling and it was my turn on the fight. This fish did not take to the air at first, and had speed, so we were really hoping for Wahoo. This was the biggest fish of the day, and we cleared lines finally getting it to the boat. It was a clean catch and release Sailfish. Not a tournament fish, but a good bonus catch. I may have caught the smallest Mahi, but at least I could claim the big fish of the boat for the day. The balance of the trolling was fairly quiet. We went 3 for 5 on Mahi, 1 Sail, and had 4 mystery fish kill the Ballyhoo without the courtesy of taking the hook. We drifted along the bottom a few times hoping for a quick Grouper, but did not dedicate much time to it, and the results showed. With time running out, we made a slow troll at 8A hoping for a King, or to see a Cobia, but nada. Dropping to the bottom however, the Sea Bass were on the line within 5 seconds. Back to port we went. We decided to go through weigh in in case the junior category was light on participation. There proved to be 3 fish posted ahead of ours, so to the cleaning tables we went. With a couple gallon bags full of Mahi and a first Mahi catch, it proved to be a nice day on the water, though the real prize would have been..... well the prize money! Maybe next time. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:53:12 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR For the most part we should be on a steady pattern through the summer in the Mosquito Lagoon. The Pigfish (bait) are getting about three weeks from being perfect size and the Trout bite on them has been good. I don’t use them as much as some but we have great luck imitating the Piggy. Gulp Pogies work well this time of the year and if you bounce one off the bottom you will catch some Trout. We do almost every time we use them. I had Henry Schmidlin and son in law Jay out for several days in the Lagoon. Daily, they caught some nice Trout with Redfish and some fast action Ladyfish, most of the Reds were large slot or over. The weather slowed the bite on the last day, I think it blew about twenty five knots. We had to get the crow bar out to get the fish to eat. But it kept us off the coast for our Cobia fishing that has been put on hold for to long. Most of the reason I have not posted a report in a while is Kim and I were down in the keys, it is easy getting lost in the islands. We fished nine days that we were there on the 25‘ Hydra Sports. Trolling was a little slow on the first few days, we caught eleven Dolphin up to 10#, one 14# Wahoo, two Bonito, two Blackfin Tuna and a Tripletail. This was the best day trolling. We would always come back in to the patch reefs and catch everything, too many species to list. On a few days we fished the 60 to 80 foot reef. We caught 10 Yellowtail Snapper, a 30# King on the flat line in the holder, several bar Jack, three Grouper to 18 #s and two Mutton Snapper up to 13#s. Mentioned were the fish we caught anchored and chumming for about three hours. We caught many other smaller fish in the mix. On the last day fishing I had my brother Pete join Kim and I for some rock fishing and snorkeling. Pete caught a real nice Mutton Snapper but the high hook went to Kim for a trio of big Grouper, Amberjack, and a 150# Goliath Grouper in less than 30 minutes. She was whooped and I had to give a little assistance the last few pumps. The fish was over five feet long and as round as a 55 gal.drum. I guess I did good with a mutton, and two nice Grouper in the box. Again we caught many other smaller fish in the mix. It won’t be to long before we head back down. Back in the Mosquito Lagoon we had the water level come up and spread the field out and that can be good and bad. Good if you know where the fish are and bad if you don’t. LOL Good thing we do! Catching oversize Redfish was the request the first day back along with some fish for mama to cook up for the guys after a long day on the water. We ended up with six over slot Reds, along with some Trout and Redfish for the table. When Ma is happy everyone is happy. Flounder have slowed a little but the Tarpon, Ladyfish, Jacks, Grouper, Cobia, Tripletail, have picked up. Remember think like a fish to catch fish or just call me! I will guarantee you will, Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:36:00 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing20 Lbs Cobia5/30/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreI've gotten behind with fishing reports, so before the busy summer season starts I thought a little catching up would be good. Spring rolled in with a good Cobia migration, and the Cobia really have hung around nicely. King Mackerel which were on fire in January have tapered off but hopefully will pick up again. ACME Ventures Fishing20 Lbs Mahi-Mahi5/30/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreMahi hit the area a few weeks back, but quickly thinned out for now. They are still here, and a 58 lb fish was brought in out of Sebastain recently. These fish migrate, and follow the bait, so they will likely be around all summer. Red Snapper are more abundant than ever, and aggressive. Due to a broken fishery management system they, along with our most abundant fish, Black Sea Bass, are closed. Sea Bass reopens June 1, but with a 5 fish per person limit.ACME Ventures Fishing15 Lbs Red Snapper5/30/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore We've seen Mahi, Sailfish, Blackfin Tuna, Kings, Sharks and more on recent trips, and with a tournament coming up, the FSFA Offshore Slam, June 4, hopefully we will find more. A thermocline driving cool water down below a few weeks ago pushed some structure fish like AJ's and Red Snapper high in the water column. We had trips where AJ's and Large Red Snapper were at the boat, fighting over bait! ACME Ventures Fishing20 Lbs Greater Amberjack5/30/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore This report represents several trips, but I'll get back to a report per trip starting with the next charter. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 31 May 2011 00:04:07 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: May has been a wonderful month for both weather and fishing around the Treasure Coast. Lots of great action on the flats and lots of fun out on the Indian River. June should prove to be yet another fantastic fishing month around the area. Have some fun and get out there fishing! We had a mix of both Redfish and Trout the past week. Most of our action has been north of Fort Pierce on the usual flats around Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Round Island. We have had our best success with DOA shrimp and live bait for the Trout and Redfish. Two colors we have recently added to our arsenal have been the 332 - red glitter/chartreuse and 408 - red/gold glitter. Both have proved to be great colors for the Trout. Greg and Alan were out on a day where we found Trout and Redfish on the flats. Vater and sons, Max and Ludwig, from Sweden had fun with the Trout bite. Ludwig even landed his first Redfish on the trip. Roy and Steve were out to celebrate Steve's birthday (a surprise gift from his wife, Robin) we had to search for the Trout bite with the cold water that had moved into the flats, but found them up north and had some good catches to finish off a great day of weather. June Fishing Forecast Summer has arrived and you can bet on hot afternoons and lots of great fishing action around the Treasure Coast during June. The mornings will be calm and it is certainly to your benefit to get out early to beat the afternoon heat. Being on the water at first light is worth the effort to watch the sun rise. Expect a chance of afternoon thunderstorms each day…we could sure use some rain around the area this year! It’s a fantastic month to fish. Inshore will provide lots of Redfish, Snook and Trout action on the flats. Get those top water lures cleaned up and plan an early morning to get some of that explosive action in the shallows. Switch to DOA shrimp or a CAL jerk bait as the sun warms up to continue your success. Watch for bait schools on the flats and you can be assured there are fish nearby. You can expect the fish to be feeding shallow early and move to the edges of the flats as the sun rises. Look for sand holes on the flats! Fish are traditionally lazy and love to sit in a sand hole and wait for the tide to bring the food for them to ambush. You should be able to find plenty of Redfish around the shallows. The population this year has been outstanding and they have been growing all spring. Lots of schools will be feeding on the flats, so be on the lookout for them. Most will be slot size to just over the slot. I love using a DOA shrimp while fishing for Reds. Try along the mangroves as well. Lots of fish will move under the mangroves as the sun heats up for the day. Trout will be on the grassy flats and feeding on the same food out there. Move out to three to five feet of water as the day heats up to continue your action. A Deadly Combo can provide inexperienced anglers with lots of fun learning to fish artificials. Don’t forget to fish the docks around the river. Lots of big fish will be hanging around many of the docks along the Indian River. Live bait, TerrorEyz and DOA shrimp can find some exciting action in June. Harbor Branch, Queens Cove and Bear Point will all be hot spots for action all summer. Snook will provide lots of action around the bridges and jetties this month. Night anglers will be heading to the jetties for catch and release Snook and maybe some Tarpon action. Top water lures, feather jigs, TerrorEyz and Bait Busters can all get you in on some fantastic action. Handle the Snook carefully and release them quickly and safely so that they will be there this fall. Jacks will also be hanging around the inlets and give you some rod bending activity. Make sure you take plenty of water with you. It will be hot out there. Drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself hydrated and reduce the risk of heat stroke. Slather on lots of sunscreen! Sunburn isn’t a good feeling at the end of the good day of fishing. A little common sense and a few minutes can a big difference. Make that part of preparations for your adventures on the water. It will just make a great day even better! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some of this weeks action... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 30 May 2011 23:34:37 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Hit it pretty hard yesterday. We trolled everything in the boat just about everywhere (from 110 to 230ft) but could not put a 'Phin in the boat. Talked to a few guys on the radio that had about the same luck. Around 2 o'clock, we ran back in to hit a few bottom numbers. We did well catching about 6 highly endangered Snappers (that all went back safe and sound) and we also found a nice Seabass hole with some monsters in it, we plan on hitting that one again next week. My buddy t-bird had the hot rod of the day and shut everyone down when it came to talking smack with a real nice Flounder. We also landed a couple of nice Lanes. The bottom really saved are trip. Seas were decent (some big swells) and the water didn't really clear up til about 140. BUDMAN Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 25 May 2011 13:45:52 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Mother Nature has been good to us this month. Lots of nice mornings to get out and enjoy the water. Light winds have made it a wonderful time to watch the sunrise and have some fun on the Treasure Coast. Plan your trips carefully and expect it to be hot and sunny each day. Drinks lots of fluids and use plenty of sunscreen this time of year! This week found us doing a lot of Trout fishing. The full moon and recent cold water influx into the river had changed things up on us, but we were able to find a good Trout bite around the river. The water temps are back to normal and the bite has improved since then. Cynthia and Joe were out on a day that we hunted around a bit and finally found a good Trout bite up north of Fort Pierce. Cynthia had the lucky rod that day and caught a nice variety of fish. Sonny and Tom also found Trout up north on the flats. Queen's Cove and Harbor Branch were our best flats that day. Jim, Audrey and Tony were also out for some Trout action and found a Redfish in the mix that day. We had lots of fun out there this week! Trout continue to bite on DOA shrimp, CAL jerk baits and live baits. We found Trout both north and south of Fort Pierce, but our best bite was up to the north. While looking for Redfish, we found that the Bluefish had moved into the flat and they were plenty of them around this past week. We found fish hanging around the docks, but they just weren't about to come out from under them. We had a number of strikes and several break offs this week. Snook fishing at night around the bridges and jetties has continued to provide success to the nighttime anglers. You can also find some big Snook hanging under the docks around the area. We missed several this week from under the docks. The bridges are still holding some Sheepshead and Snapper. Lots of Blue Runners are cruising around the river along with big Jacks. It's a great time of year to fish the Treasure Coast! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 23 May 2011 09:06:54 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Redfish are taking up residence in their summer locations as the water temperatures and levels have risen on Mosquito Lagoon. Large schools of Mullet are gathering on the newly flooded flats to escape predators in the deeper water, making for good feeding by Reds and Seatrout on the smaller size Mullet and the other small marine critters disturbed from their hiding places by the Mullet milling about on the grass flats and edges. Our great summer live Baitfish the baby Pigfish are starting to appear and will be one of the go to baits for Seatrout through the season. On a couple of recent Redfish hunting trips on the flats we had good success, with my long time clients Gene and his son Vince from Ohio, we caught 5 Reds up to 30” on a last minute afternoon charter, pictured is Vince with the largest Red of the day. On a morning Redfish trip yesterday, we caught 7 Reds with the largest being a top of the slot fish of 26.5”. The fishing style I use for summer Redfishing is a mix of sight fishing and location angling depending on the prevailing conditions presented by the weather, such as wind, sun or clouds, etc. The Seatrout bite in the Indian River backcountry has also remained really good on my mixed bag fishing trips, drift fishing the drop offs and channels near Edgewater. Here is picture of new client Darla with a great Trout she caught on recent trip out with her family on one of my mixed trips, they also caught 5 other keeper Trout along with dozens of other fish as Jacks, Ladyfish, and more. Also a couple other pictures of clients with their fish from recent trips. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 18 May 2011 09:24:23 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: It's great to see summertime weather around the area. The winds have been much milder and the sun has been shining. We have enjoyed some super fishing action this week on the Treasure Coast. May is always a great month to be on the water. I had John, Don and Brian on a day that found the Trout being cooperative. John even learned how to fish the DOA shrimp and caught his first Trout on it. Pat and Gwen was out for a fishing adventure. Two of the nicest ladies you could ever meet. Both love to fish and each one caught their share of keeper Trout. Gwen even landed a big Redfish to top off the day. Wayne was back in town and we had a morning of Trout and Redfish action. He missed several big fish, but landed to upper slot Reds from a nice sized school and a number of nice Trout that morning. Wayne learned how to fish the DOA shrimp that day. It was a fun week on the water! The Trout action has picked up and the fish have been mostly right in the slot or over slot this week. DOA shrimp, live shrimp and CAL jerk baits continue to produce some good Trout on the grass flats. We have fished mostly north of Fort Pierce lately and had good success up that direction. Most Trout have been taken in two to five feet of water in a number of usual Trout haunts on the river. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove and Round Island have all been kind to us on the Trout bite. Redfish have been steadily holding in the shallow flats and we have encountered several nice schools around the river. DOA shrimp, CAL paddle tails and live baits will all work to get you hooked up on a slot Redfish. It was enjoyable to watch Gwen, who is a young 85 years old, battle a 7 pound Redfish on light tackle. We have had some good fun this week. There are also lots of Bluefish still around the river. We encountered some on our adventures again this week. Snook fishing is improving around the Fort Pierce area. Nighttime anglers have found a bite around the jetties and the docks around the river have also held Snook. Bait Busters, TerrorEyz and live bait have all worked on catch and release Snook. The bite will continue to improve as summer sets in on the area. It's a great time of year to be fishing! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some photos of this weeks action! fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 16 May 2011 10:58:16 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR May has finally arrived and the summer heat has arrived with it. With that being said make sure you use protection while on the water this summer from the sun and the heat. I recommend a lot of fluids and sun block along with cool clothing. The water temps in the lagoon are in the mid to upper 70's and rising which has triggered a great Trout bite. Look for the large schools of Baitfish moving through the lagoon system and you will find Trout and Redfish not far away. These fish can be caught on several different baits from live finger mullet to soft plastics but my favorite bait this time of year would have to be top water plugs. I have had several clients in the past few weeks take many large Trout and Redfish on top water plugs fishing the edges of bait schools. With the water temps still rising means the Tarpon are on there migration north so keep your eyes open for them to start moving in the inlets and around the bridges in the next few weeks. These fish can be taken on either live bait or artificial just look for them to roll on the surface and present the bait in front of them for your best chances to hook up. Good luck and be safe! Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 10 May 2011 22:59:31 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Headed out in almost flats seas and never slowed down until we hit 30 miles out. Dropped the Dolphin rigs back and was hammered before we could finish. Ten minute fight when the line pops and the green monster swims away. It happens, but the good thing is there are some big fish out there now. Worked the rest of the day which was suposed to be a mix trip of trolling and bottom fishing. The client did not want to stop trolling as he boated seven nice Mahi and lost at least another twelve. That's fishing and with the good comes a few that get away for a variety of reasons. We watch one fish go crazy for about ten minutes as he kept jumping out of the water with a $20 skirt hanging out of his mouth. I think he was just trying to show off his new bling attached to his face. The Dolphin bite is on and seems to be some really nice size fish. Get out there and get you some, Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 10 May 2011 17:11:04 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Started fishing May 9 at 9am. Went due-east to the gulf stream and fished 140 to 200 foot depths. Water temperature was 78 +/-. There was some grass but no defined weed line. Water color was blue. Trolled all Ballyhoo. Got consistent strikes through 2 PM. Boated 11 nice Dolphin from 12 to 32 pounds. gnebeling Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 10 May 2011 16:27:11 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR May 1, 2011 Sunday morning, Rusty and I went fishing with a couple of repeat clients out of New England. Mike and Katie go out with us a few times each year for the past 7 years and have great success on every trip. On the way out we picked up a dozen Google-Eyes and began trolling in front of Ft. Lauderdale with seas of 2-4 feet and winds out of the SE at 15-20 knots. We hooked up some Bonito and decided to kite fish; every year Mike and Katie catch a Sailfish with us and we didn't want to break tradition. Mike did mention that he'd like to hook into a Hammerhead Shark and we also put out some big baits over the side to oblige. Ask and ye shall receive! It didn't take long before he was sitting in the fighting chair cranking on a Penn 130 reel with a strong, 8-foot Hammerhead on the line pulling in the opposite direction. A Boston native, Mike is a very loyal client and they are lucky to always catch some cool fish while they are out with us. While this is happening below us, Katie and I hook into a Mahi-Mahi from up in the flying bridge. After letting the Shark go free and retrieving our hooks we finish the fight from up top and put a 10-lb. Dolphin into the fish box. The conditions were still good to keep the kites up and our good fortune continued as another Hammerhead took the bait. The 6-foot fish gave us a battle on the 30-lb. test line before breaking off and sending us back to port with more memories of Ft. Lauderdale sportfishing. May 2, 2011 This afternoon we had Lady Pamela 1 with Capt. Keith and Randy and Lady Pamela 4 manned by Capt. Leo and Dave trying to out-do each other for company bragging rights. Both boats were out around 1PM, with LP1 starting out with trolling, and Leo on the LP4 sending up the kites. The surface baits did their job and it didn't take long before we had a nice Sailfish hooked up. Like a ballerina with a pointy bill, the Sailfish leapt and danced over the waves trying to throw the hook and get free. A half-hour later the crew had the fish next to the boat, attached a tracking tag and released it back to the depths. Leo and Dave also caught a few Kings and a fat, 30-lb. Blackfin Tuna for later consumption. The Lady Pamela 1 trolled around and filled the box with Bonito, King Mackerel, and Mahi-Mahi before calling it a day. Tight Lines and Happy Cinco de Mayo! Capt. David Ide Lady Pamela II Sportfishing Charters Fort Lauderdale, Florida www.ladypamela2.com ladypamela2@bellsouth.net 954-761-8045 ladypamela2 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 06 May 2011 23:39:14 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Another fantastic month of fishing on Florida’s Mosquito Lagoon this past month! The Mullet have invaded the area and the Redfish know it. They have been feeding heavily in the early morning making for some great topwater action!! The water temperatures have warmed up also making for a solid Trout bite as well the last few weeks. Live Mullet or chunk Ladyfish has been the light tackle bait of choice for Redfish. Sight fishing cruising packs or single tailing Redfish with a shrimp on a circle hook will also work. If you want to try artificial lures the DOA bait-buster and GULP jerk shad are still producing really well on the Trout and Redfish. The ever faithful small blue crab continues to produce some quality Black Drum when you locate fish. Try fishing the edges around 3-5 of depth and hold on. I like using a circle jig with the crab helping to keep it on the bottom where those larger Drum are lurking. The Trout fishing has really been on fire along the deeper edges where bait is concentrated. A live Mullet, Croaker or jerk Shad should work well. Look for areas with some depth and a bit of current and you’ll surely find Trout. The topwater chug bug is still producing well in the wind or under low light conditions with a nice 6 pound fish landed this week by Ron from Orlando. Lot of great trips this past month with some great clients happily catching Redfish, Trout & Black Drum on the Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River and surrounding area. I love this time of year and look forward to fishing with all my clients from this month again real soon! Please feel free to like us on Facebook at Hotfish Charters - Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide Captain Mike Bales 352-255-8175 mikeluvs2guide@yahoo.com Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charterswww.hotfishcharters.com Michael Bales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 03 May 2011 13:53:29 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Finally, the windy months of March and April are almost behind us and we can look forward to the great fishing weather that May has to offer us on the Treasure Coast. Other than the usual windy days, it has been a pretty mild winter and spring has arrived. Look for warmer temperatures and a little less blustery days. As the water temperatures climb, the fishing will steadily improve on the river. It will provide fantastic mornings for top water and lazy afternoons to drift the flats. May is one of my favorite month on the water! This past week, we had another fun time out on the river. Tom and Eric were out this week with me and caught two nice Redfish along with a good number of Trout on their adventure. Bob landed himself a gator Trout while fishing on one of those windy days on the river. Brian and his 11 year old son, Brian, caught some quality Redfish and another gator Trout on the water. I had Timmy and Max on the boat for the Teen Anglers Championship Tournament. Max and Timmy caught Redfish to weigh in. Tim also landed a slot Trout and big Sheepshead. Congratulations go out to Timmy Esgro for winning the Teen Angler of the Year for 2011! It's a great time of year! Redfish will be our main target throughout the month of May. The past several years have bought us schools of slot sized Redfish along the Indian River. Most of the fish we have caught have been in the 18 to 30 inch range. They have been sunning on the flats and May gets their blood pumping and turns on the feeding. I always have three lures ready during May…DOA shrimp, CAL jerk baits and top water lures. Gold spoons will also be a great addition to the arsenal when fishing for Redfish. As the fish school up, look for them around the edges of the flats. Most of the river here on the Treasure Coast has been holding Redfish and you should be able to find some on your favorite flats. I tend to enjoy the east side of the river, but we have found many on the west side as well. Snook fishing in the early mornings will bring some rod bending action as they head up on the flats for an early morning or late evening meal. Top water lures, Bait Busters and DOA shrimp are all great lures to tempt a Snook into biting. Docks will also hold Snook lurking around for an easy meal. Live shrimp is also a great bait to drift around the docks. In the inlet areas, try around the seawalls and bridges with live bait, feather jigs or deep diving plugs. I love early morning for great Snook fishing opportunities! Trout will continue to feed on top water at first light and live shrimp on popping corks during the day. As the sun rises, they will head off the shallows to deeper water in the two to four foot range. We have had some nice gator Trout of late and should see some still in the river in May. I have had great success with CAL jerk baits, DOA shrimp and Deadly Combos this year in place of live shrimp. Both sides of the river have been productive in early mornings. Winter fishing for Trout has been good this year and spring should continue to give you some great action. Bridges will hold the usual Sheepshead catch, while Snapper will be moving into the river along with Flounder. Jacks will be patrolling the areas and creating havoc all over the river. Beaches will produce Whiting with still a few catches of Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish. Tarpon will begin their trek into the river and you can start looking for them in the St Lucie River, Big and Little Mud areas and into the channels of the river. May is a great month to fish the Treasure Coast….plan on a trip out on the river soon! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some photos of this weeks action! fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 03 May 2011 11:22:38 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR April has had a great steady bite and super weather with Seatrout continuing to be my main attraction. However with summer coming soon we will be hunting Redfish again on Mosquito Lagoon. The Reds will begin to spread out in small schools and single fish again as the water warms, fishing with live and fresh cut Baitfish will become the main technique for Reds. The flats of Mosquito Lagoon will be alive with large schools of Mullet which attract the attention of Reds and Trout as the grazing Baitfish flush shrimp and baby crabs out of the grassy bottom making for easy meals for the game fish. Backcountry mixed bag fishing also remains good through the summer for a more easy going style of fishing catching lots of different types of saltwater fish. Here is a picture of clients from recent charter trips, Lorin with a great Seatrout and Dr Ray and Jeff with a double on hard fighting Jack Crevalle. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 02 May 2011 09:17:11 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Went looking for Sea Trout this morning. Didn't find any, SW wind made fishing difficult when suddenly a nice big Flounder ate my Mirrolure. Bon Appetite! chased32951 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:21:47 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Headed almost due East and began trolling at 25 miles (western edge of the Gulf Stream). Water temperature went from 74 to 77 degrees. Quickly got a strike but no hook up. Performed two circles and then headed east. Waves were 3-5 feet but long interval so trolling at 6 mph was no problem. Got all the way to 550 foot depth with no strikes. Pulled rods and went back to starting position. Soon got an 18 pound Wahoo. About 15 minutes later hooked an 18 pound cow Dolphin on a long line (really far back). As we were pulling it in hooked a twin 18 pounder and then a 25 pound bull. There were only two of us so I got the two in and my partner was still working the first one. I re-baited and let the line out and caught a third 18 pond cow. Now we had four big Dolphin flopping in the boat so stopped and got them in the cooler. Trolled for another 45 minutes and caught one more Dolphin at 8 pounds. Started fishing three Ballyhoo and three lures but all fish were caught on Ballyhoo. gnebeling Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:34:48 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Headed out for a half-day of fishing which turned into a full day. Seas were snotty but doable, so we hit the buoy line looking for Kings or Cobia and had one short run from Mr. Kingfish. Turned and headed to 8A to see if they were there but found no one home there either. We did have a screaming run off a cedar plug on the way there but never was able to slow it down. At any rate it was a very slow day and we could not manage to find any fish who would eat. Worked the troll for a bit and thought that was going to get hot as Neil was deploying the second line and a Dolphin ripped it out of his hand. Boated that little guy which was only about ten pounds. It was getting late and I was concerned about catching anything for the rest of the day so I pulled out the trick bag and we headed to a spot I have not worked in a long time for some flat fish. Finally something wanted to eat and we ended the day with 20 Flounder kept and many returned to the floor. The smallest was around 7 pounds with the largest going over ten. We were also able to add verillions for some color. The seas laid out nice in the afternoon making for a great ride in. The Flounder are here and are getting real close to the beach. They were all caught on live Pogies, go figure. Water was dirty most of the day and about 74 where ever we went. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:28:27 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The flats fishing has been excellent this month here in Mosquito Lagoon. The weather has been about as good as it gets as well. Schools of Redfish have been roaming the flats and Trout have been working Mullet schools in slightly deeper water. A couple weeks ago, Mike and his son Steven took a day of their spring break vacation to target some Redfish. Both landed several nice Reds with the 3" DOA CAL getting the most bites. Josh and his father Tony enjoyed some great Redfish action using a DOA CAL with a spinner blade. Clouds moved in and made the sight fishing tough so we got out the Deadly Combos and ended the day catching multiple Trout. After having to cancel our trip several times this year due to bad weather, Robert and his son Matthew finally hit some perfect weather for sight fishing the flats. We saw hundreds of Redfish throughout the morning and both guys landed their biggest one to date. We spent the last hour or so Trout fishing in 2-4 feet of water and had some non stop action with the Deadly Combo. Larry enjoyed some excellent sight fishing last week landing numerous Redfish and Trout on both DOA shrimp and CAL baits. We encountered huge schools of Reds both tailing and cruising. This week, Greg and Toby started off the morning with a big school of happy and aggressive Redfish. Greg hooked up on his first cast as a fish chased down his DOA shrimp as he skimmed it along the surface. Seconds later, Toby had a bite as well but missed. He was soon hooked up, however, and they caught double digit Redfish. A dozen or so Seatrout were also caught and released before we called it a day. Chad and Larry saw hundreds of Redfish during their day on Mosquito Lagoon. Some were tailing single fish and some were big schools of 200+ fish. It took a while to get the casting dialed in but both guys were able to catch Redfish as well as plenty of Trout. Chuck and his son Zach found the sight fishing more challenging than they expected. We saw Reds all throughout the morning but none had been landed by noon. Their luck changed at the end of the trip with an action packed stretch of multiple fish over 15 pounds coming to the boat. Yesterday was the toughest day of the month. After getting a late start, we found boats in all the spots that had been producing Redfish consistently. After searching for an unoccupied flat, we encountered some small groups of Reds but none of the casts quite hit the mark. We changed gears and moved out to the deeper water for some Trout fishing. While we managed to catch a few in each spot we went, it was far slower than it had been on every other day this month. While April was outstanding for Redfish and Trout, May should bring some additional variety to the Lagoon. The first Tarpon will begin to appear and some schools of Ladyfish and Bluefish will show up as well. Watch for schools of Glass Minnows in deeper water to signal the arrival of the other predators. Trout fishing will remain consistent with most of the fish found in areas where Mullet are present in 2-4 feet of water. Many of the schools of Redfish over twenty pounds have been missing in action. The few that are around get fished from dawn till dusk by multiple boats each day. Fortunately, there have been plenty of 10-15 pound fish which put up and excellent fight on light tackle. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:18:36 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR I hit spot 11 today, arrived just after 11am. There were a couple of other anglers north and south, I talked to one of them and he had been out for a couple hours with only a single Whiting and small Bluefish. I brought some clams and dead shrimps, neither produced. The surf was very rough and I could see the pelicans fishing a lot further out than I could even think about casting to. I didn't see any sand fleas in the sand either, usually not a good sign. Packed it up around 3pm, everyone else that was fishing earlier was long gone. Justin Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 23 Apr 2011 21:57:30 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR April 12, 2011 The fishing here in the first 2 weeks of April has been off the charts. Every trip out, we land a wide variety of fish such as Cobia, King Mackerel, Wahoo, Mahi-Mahi, Blackfin Tuna, and Sailfish. The morning trip started with some trolling to the south and everyone got in on the action, reeling in large Bonitos and Kings and having the time of their lives. We were heading towards three shipwrecks, lined up on the bottom at 98, 110 , and 190 feet of depth where we could put out some live Blue Runners and bullets. One Bonito was sent down to about 70 feet and the rest were used near the surface. After about 20 minutes we were hooked into a nice Barracuda and a Jack Crevalle. That spot yielded a couple more fish before Captain Pauly ran the boat to the wreck at 190 feet and caught a huge Almaco Jack. On the afternoon trip we left the dock at 1PM with 6 people on board, a group of guys who owned a bunch of NAPA auto parts stores from, you guessed it- Napa Valley, California. The group wanted to catch a Shark and we set to catching some fresh, live baits. Armed with a few Kings and Bonitos, Leo set them up with 3 monster hook rigs and prepared for a fight. We went to 350 feet and put our entire spread out in hopes of attracting a sea monster. In less than a 1/2 hour there was a large, 9-foot Hammerhead Shark racing around behind the boat. Unbelievable...... the fish wouldn't bite! He must have seen something he didn't like, but we weren't going anywhere without him. There we were right off the coast in the gulf stream current waiting for that Shark to return for an hour before we got the BITE! It took another hour to fight this brute up to the boat where the guys saw that it was not the Shark from earlier, but a huge, 12-foot Hammerhead! This strong giant weighed every bit of 400 lbs- the catch of a lifetime! After catching that beast we headed to a wreck in 220 feet of water right outside of Port Everglades, and finished the day with an Almaco Jack and an under-size Black Grouper that we released. April 13, 2011 Our fleet - Lady Pamela, Lady Pamela 3, and Lady Pamela 4 all set out this morning and caught live baits for a day of Ft. Lauderdale's finest fishing. I was at the helm of the Lady Pamela with Pauly as 1st mate and a split party of six on board. We trolled for the first few hours and hooked up a double-header Kingfish with the first baits we sent over. I thought they'd keep biting but didn't get another King, just some Bonitos. We continued south, and as we got down by Hollywood I saw some Ballyhoos getting up. I was up in the tuna tower when I saw a Sailfish and yelled down to Pauly to grab a spinning rod. With a live Blue Runner as bait Pauly made a perfect cast in front of the Sailfish. Fish on! It was not the fight we wanted as the Sailfish thrashed and jumped and eventually pulled the hook- no more Sailfish. Further south we made a drop on a ship wreck in 190 feet and caught a lesser Amberjack and a Cobia, ".... nice fish!" April14, 2011 Captain Pauly and Leo had a couple of split groups today and a couple of Hammerhead Sharks. The morning trip caught a Hammerhead, a mixture of big Bonitos, a 15-lb. King Mackerel, Blackfin Tuna, and some cero mackerel. The afternoon trip was a group from New Jersey with similar results. Using some of the fresh Kings and Bonitos, the Sharks were caught in about 350 feet of water straight out of the channel markers, a pair of beautiful 8-footers. April 14, 2011 - All-day Drift Trip Our all-day Dolphin trip turned into an all-day Snapper trip! Captain Adam was fishing the Gulf stream, maybe 5-8 miles offshore and in 230 feet of water. A couple of Mahi-Mahi were caught on the troll along with 4 Bonitos, a King Mackerel, and 4 Blackfin Tuna during a slow morning. We moved south against a steady, north current to some ship wrecks, using Ballyhoo, Bonito strips, and squid as bait. Bingo! It was action and more action with the final tally at over 80 vermilion snapper brought on board. The filet table got a workout and our clients got plenty of delicious fish to take home. Tight Lines! Capt. David Ide Lady Pamela II Sportfishing Charters Fort Lauderdale, Florida www.ladypamela2.com ladypamela2@bellsouth.net 954-761-8045 ladypamela2 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:55:04 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: Mother Nature provided us with wonderful weather this week and it looks like it will continue for a while. I think that the winds have finally lost their grip and summer has arrived on the Treasure Coast. We had some very good days out on the water this week. Steve and Lil Sauter were down on vacation from Myrtle Beach and we had three days fishing for Redfish, Trout and Snook. Lil battled with some nice sized Reds up to 29" and Steve did his share with the Reds as well. Steve topped their Trout fishing with a fat 26", but I do believe that Lil caught the most. Steve landed one Snook out of a number of break offs at the docks. We had a lot of fun out there on the river. Greg, Joe and Chris had a good day of Trout fishing. They also landed a Snook and a couple of Redfish to their total as well as a variety of fish from the Indian River. Teen Anglers Brad and Laine were on the boat for their monthly fishing tournament. Brad had two nice Trout to weigh in and Laine had a nice Trout and Redfish for his catch. Brad took first place and Laine won second place in the Middle School division. Congratulations guys! Trout have been a staple this month. Most flats have held good numbers of Trout and lots of them have been good sized fish. CAL jerk baits, DOA shrimp and live shrimp have all caught good numbers of fish for us lately. Redfish have been in shallow water. Most were caught in two feet on low tide and were just sitting on the flats. CAL jerk baits, DOA shrimp and live shrimp have continued to work well for our Redfish bite. We have found Snook hanging under many of the docks to the south of Fort Pierce. It's always a challenge to hook one and get it out from under the docks and we have had some exciting fun this past week on the docks. Mackerel, Jacks and Bluefish have been around the inlet and jetties. Sheepshead and Snapper have been the main focus on the docks and bridges of the river. The surf has provided anglers with Pompano, Whiting and Bluefish this week. It's been a great week out there! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Fishing this week on the Indian River.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:38:53 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The start to spring is in full effect in the northern lagoon with the water warming and the influx of bait scattered across the flats. With the amount of Mullet that are in the lagoon system the Trout have moved in with them along with the Jacks. Throwing top water plugs to the large schools of finger Mullet can produce strikes from both of these predators. Don't forget about the Redfish they can also be found mixed in with the larger row Mullet feeding on what they stir up off the bottom. These fish can be targeted using a variety of baits this time of year, from soft plastics to top water but my go to bait is a aqua dream spoon. If live bait is your choice of presentation then live shrimp, cut bait, Pinfish, or live finger Mullet will work not only the Redfish but all three species. As the water keeps warming keep your eyes open for the Silver King to start moving in. The large groups of Tarpon should be reaching us in early may but some times smaller pods show up early. Look for these fish to be rolling around bridges and inlet areas as the larger pods appear they will be following the bait up the beaches. Good luck and be safe. Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:20:07 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR We left the dock Thursday morning with a mixed group from New York, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas for our weekly Dolphin trip. Clear, sunny skies, temperature in the eighties, and calm seas of 1-2 feet added up to another great day of Ft. Lauderdale fishing. Artificial lures, Ballyhoo, and fresh-cut Bonito strips were used on the troll and down on the wrecks to catch fish during the course of the trip, at depths of 100 to 350 feet. It was a nice assortment at the end of the day - 22 Mahi-Mahi, 7 Red Porgy, 3 vermillion snapper, 9 Triggerfish, Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel, and Bonito. Great weather, great fishing! Tight Lines! Capt. David Ide Lady Pamela II Sportfishing Charters Fort Lauderdale, Florida www.ladypamela2.com ladypamela2@bellsouth.net 954-761-8045 ladypamela2 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:12:11 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Started Friday night with a Shark trip boating a nice five foot Spinner Shark. Man those things can fight. When we pulled her into the boat thru the back door it was obvious to see she was about to drop a bunch of babies so we took a couple of pics and released her unharmed. Saturday found us on the Kingfish hunt and once we arrived on pelican it was game on or actually more like fish on. After dropping a bunch on the box it was off to the Cobia hunt. Several fish were spotted with many missed shots but before we finished we boater two fish. One was 20 plus change and the other just over thirty five. Sunday started out about the same, Kingfish everywhere with one surprise Dolphin for color and then on to the Cobia. Fish were a little harder to find but we did hook up and boat one 36"+ fish. We ended a nice half day with five Kings, one Dolphin, and a 36"+ Cobia. Check-out the pics on our facebook page. The fish are there so come get ya some!!!!! Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:21:24 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: April has continued to bring some fantastic weather for us. Calm winds have been the norm lately and we have certainly taken advantage of it to enjoy the fishing out there. The temperatures have been warming up....but I love this weather! We have a lot of fun out on the river this past week. The river was flooded with Mullet over the weekend. Everywhere we looked you could see school after school of finger Mullet entering the river. It's gonna be some good fishing! I must say that my highlight this week was spending some time with my wife, Eva, and the grandkids, Chloe and Brody, out on the river to celebrate our anniversary. Chloe is an avid angler and caught her biggest fish to date with a nice Jack that gave her a battle. It was nice to spend some time with the family! I spent a day up in Sebastian with my buddy, Pat, and his two boys, Dalton and Ethan. It was Ethan's first trip with the guys so we made sure he had a good time fishing for Ladyfish on the Sebastian River. It appears that what was once two man adventures have evolved into a four man group for the future! We had a lot of fun enjoying the river and the weather. Trout has been our mainstay lately. There have been some big Trout on the flats and we have enjoyed our share of them. I had Bob and Mark who landed some nice Trout on their day o the water. Tony and his buddy, Ron, had some fun out there with some nice Trout and Redfish. Brad and his uncle, Sam, also found their share of Trout. Brad had the hot hand with the Trout that day. CAL jerk baits, DOA shrimp and live shrimp are all hot items to fish for Trout this time of year. We continue to fish the usual grass flats around the river and have caught Trout on every flat we fish. We are still finding Redfish hanging around the flats. Still a lot of shorts, but we have run across some slot fish. Sam boated a nice slot out on the flats. I have run upon a couple nice sized schools that are forming, so summer should be very productive on Redfish this year. DOA shrimp, CAL grub tails and live shrimp all will work to get you that Redfish this time of year. Some big Jack are filtering into the river with the Mullet. We have caught some and got busted off by some as well. The docks are great places to fish for Snook and Jack in April. TerrorEyz, Baitbusters and finger Mullet can give you a challenge on getting a Snook or big Jack from underneath a dock. There are still some Pompano and Flounder being taken around the inlet and beaches of the Treasure Coast. Bridges have been holding Sheepshead, Snapper and some Black Drum. April is just a warm-up of things to come in May! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 A few of this weeks fishing.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:20:38 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR This was a long tough weekend but we were able to find a couple of fish. We started Friday night with a Shark trip and within the first hour we went one for two on big Spinner Sharks. We did boat a nice 6 foot Spinner after a long 30 minute fight. Saturday found us looking for Dolphin but the seas kicked up a little made it hard to fish for the guests. We ended Saturday with three nice Dolphin and a couple missed shots. Sunday came and found us back out but this time hunting the Kingfish bite. It was not going to work even though the seas had settled down a bit. By mid day we were looking at one 25 pound King in the box and a couple of empty hooks from knockdowns. A quick run into the beach and we found the Cobia within minutes. Lost a 45 plus fish at the boat but the next 25 pound brown fish went swimming in ice. A big ray popped up and we pulled one off that fish. There were about ten Cobia on that ray however he descended into the water before we could feed another one a hook. Sunday’s tally was one king and two Cobia with some missed shots at nice fish. The fish are there, come out and get you some! Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:56:08 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: April has arrived bringing in much needed rain to the area and some windy days to deal with. We did manage to get out on the better days and stay home on those nasty ones. Fishing has continued to be good as long as you can get to the area that are productive. Expect more of this kind of weather this month as the transition into summer continues..... Walter and his grandson, Bill, joined me on one of those windy days. We finished off fishing in one spot and the guys caught 15 Redfish and one nice fat 25" Trout to top off the day. Wayne, Bill and Will had a windy day to deal with. We began by catching Trout on the flats till the winds blew us off and ended up around the turning basin to finish off the day with all the Jacks you could manage. Chuck treated his son, Charlie, and friends, Tommy and Stevie, to a morning of fishing the Indian River. The boys had lots of fun catching Trout while the winds would let us fish. We moved to the docks and boated Jacks, Sheepshead and a Redfish to end the morning. Scott and Donald finally was able to get out with me early one morning after having to cancel two days already and found the Trout willing to bite. Donald's first cast with a top water was rewarded with a nice, fat Trout. It was good to finally get them out on the river! Greg and Suzanne enjoyed a much better morning of weather and we were able to get to a number of spots around the river to fish. Suzanne bested Greg for the day with two healthy Redfish and one big, 24" Trout off the flats. Greg was blasted by a nice Snook under the docks that just was not going to come out that day. It will be waiting for him next year!! It was a good week out on the Indian River! Queen's Cove continues to prove successful for us on Trout. Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and live bait have all been good Trout baits. When possible, the flats along the west shore, down south of Fort Pierce, have also been good Trout areas. They have been eating well and are fat & sassy! Most of the Reds have been short, but you can tell they are growing quickly and will be the big ones of summer. We have found them in quite a few areas, sitting on the flats and eager to eat a CAL jerk bait, DOA shrimp or live bait. Some big Snook have been creating havoc around many of the docks. Just ask Greg about the one that gave him a lesson in dock fishing! Live bait, DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz are all good Snook baits around the docks of Fort Pierce. Bridges have been holding Sheepshead, Jacks and some Snapper. There are lots of Jacks and Blue Runners running around the inlet and turning basin. We are in a transition month, but the fishing has been very good out there. You can get out most days if you use the wind to your advantage. There is lots of places to get out of the worst of the winds and have fun out on the river. Have a great week! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some photos of this weeks action fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:57:46 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Reds All Over I have been so busy, it’s been a while since my last report. Been busy catching fish, lots of fish. Mostly Redfish, they are schooled up with fish chasing bait like schools of Jacks. The finger Mullet have been pouring on the flats and the Reds and Trout are all keeping track. The bigger Trout bite has turned on around the Mullet schools. You always see escort Trout when you fish the schools of Reds but they are here in numbers. It is a good time for top water plugs, but I usually stick to something that is going to catch my client’s fish, GULP. You can cast a Gulp shrimp fifty times and still have it at the end of your hook when the Pinfish are chewing. That is if you could keep the fish off your Gulp for fifty casts, LOL. But a real shrimp will only last about three casts because the Pinfish tear them up easily. More time casting and fishing rather than baiting hooks. The best thing to do is cast in front of hundreds of Redfish and you won’t have a Pinfish problem. That is exactly what Izzy and Jacob Rabinsky did for hours. Tossed baits into hundreds of fish. Jacob is definitely hooked on the sport and I can’t think of a better place for a young man to spend time. These father and son trips are my favorite; it is such a pleasure for me to see parents spending Quality time with their kids. They had a blast and can’t wait to come back and catch some Cobia with me this month. Speaking of, we have been catching some south of the inlet on 6” Gulp squid in the amber glow color. I also recommend the 4” Gulp crab in the molting color but make sure you use a weight to control the cast. Hook them to a circle hook and you have the best chance to catch one. The Cobia got a lot of pressure down at Cape Canaveral last month. Some of the reason is that so many species are closed offshore that the pressure is on the Cobia fishing. I wonder if the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council thought of that. Plus the bottom fish that are open offshore are hard to catch because the Red Snapper are so thick it is harder to get bait past the them. I don’t know where the SAFMC got there data from but it is not from someone that knows how to fish. OK I will get down now. The Cobias were on the Rays, but now most of them are on the bait pods. Look for some Tripletail while you are fishing for Cobia and check all the weed lines that you come across. The bait is here off the beach and the Kingfish, Jacks, Tarpon and Sharks are right behind them. Back to the Mosquito lagoon, Chris and Evan Cofland joined me for a morning trip and caught many Redfish and Trout. I have watched his sons grow up fishing with me for many years and it is such a great bond for parents and kids to fish together. They had four double headers on fish over the slot, to finish the day. I also saw the biggest school of Pompano in the lagoon I have ever seen, so that is a good sign. Book your spring and summer trips early so you get the dates you want. Remember think like a fish to catch fish or just call me! Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:33:25 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR After another outstanding week of fishing last week, the weather took a turn for the worse this week forcing several trips to be cancelled. Five inches of rain fell during the week causing the water level in Mosquito Lagoon to rise dramatically. Some of the Redfish schools are beginning to disperse, some seemed to have vanished altogether, and others are still holding the same areas they have been frequenting. Trout fishing has been improving each week. They have been both aggressive and good sized. Last week, Brian and his son had a tough time both seeing and casting to the Redfish. Fortunately, the Trout were willing to cooperate and both used the DOA Deadly Combo to catch numerous fish. Rich and Pat had an excellent day targeting Redfish. The most effective bait was a DOA 3 inch CAL tail with a spinner blade. This setup accounted for double-digit Redfish as well as some double hookups. The following day, I was on Mosquito Lagoon with Doug and Jeremy when a thick fog bank moved in on top of us. That did not stop the fish, though and both guys used 3 inch CAL tails in watermelon holographic with and without the spinner blade to land double-digit Redfish for another excellent day of catch and release fishing. Scott from South Carolina had shots at schools of Redfish throughout the morning with his flyrod. After some instruction and practice, he was able to get the black redfish worm to the fish and hooked his first Red on fly. This Monday we had to cancel due to thunderstorms, but Tuesday I was able to get on the water with Rob from Wisconsin. It was his first saltwater fly fishing trip and we spent much of the morning working on casting. Heavy clouds made spotting the fish difficult until they were just a few feet away from the boat. He did land several Seatrout using a clauser minnow fly but no Redfish were landed. After two more weather cancellations, I was able to get out Friday with Rico and Chris. We had high winds but clear skies which allowed us to spot hundreds of Redfish throughout the morning. Again the spinnerbait proved to me the most effective. The Trout fishing was steady with multiple fish landed with the Deadly Combo. Last April brought excellent tailing Redfish action to Mosquito Lagoon. Hopefully, it will be just as good this year. Now that the Trout fishing is becoming consistent, there will always be the chance to bend a rod even if the sight fishing for Redfish proves to be too much of a challenge. With more and more Baitfish arriving daily, the Ladyfish, Bluefish, and Jacks should not be far behind. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:53:25 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Backcountry fishing has been really great this March here on Mosquito Lagoon, we have been targeting the northern Lagoon backwaters at Edgewater. The spring shrimp run has the game fish keying in on live shrimp which has been our bait of choice on light spinning tackle. Spotted Seatrout have been one of the main targets with several slot sized Trout in the 15” to 20” range on most trips, also on some trips a couple of nice keeper size Black Drum or Redfish. The Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, & Bluefish have also been biting well which keeps the action fast on most trips. Here are a couple of recent fish pictures of clients. Chris was out with her husband Ray on a great fun trip with lots of fish, she is holding her best Spotted Seatrout of the morning in this pic. The other picture with one of the Black Drum caught on a Backcountry trip a few days ago. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:05:15 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Excellent fishing continues on the Mosquito Lagoon this past month as schools of Black Drum and Redfish continue to roam the shallow water flats and backcountry bays of the Indian River system and surrounding area. The Mullet have started to flood in as the water temperatures continue to rise and the sunny spring time days have made for some excellent sight fishing conditions for wary Trout and Redfish! Live shrimp and live Mullet have been the light tackle bait of choice for Redfish. Sight fishing schools of Redfish with a shrimp on a circle hook or circle jig head has been the ticket. Also setting up within reach of cruising schools and letting a live Mullet do the job has been very effective. Either technique makes for some exciting and explosive takes. The DOA baitbuster and GULP jerk shad have also been producing equally well for those who prefer targeting these fish soft plastics, try using gold or gold glitter and black. Fishing deeper edges with a circle jig and shrimp or small blue crabs have been producing a strong Black Drum bite as well, with most of the fish in the 3-5 pound range and the occasional 10-12 pound fish. Onto Trout fishing for the light tackle angler, the topwater bite has really turned on along the deeper edges or shallow flats where bait is congregated. A fresh Live shrimp or a live Mullet will also work very well. Look for areas of 3-5 feet of water. The topwater chug bug or rapala skitter walk in the early morning should produce strikes when worked around these bait pods. Its like the old saying goes, “when you locate bait, you locate fish” - Especially this time of year. Fly fishing patterns still consist of kwans, toads, and small black or olive crabs. These sunnier days have made for some excellent flyfishing! A client the other day from Indiana landed 6 on fly with several other follows, takes, and more than a few break-offs! A great day on Mosquito Lagoon with the fly-rod. The winds were light and the fish were tailing happily. Too many great trips this past month to list them all. It seemed to be the month of double hook-ups with many of this months photos reflecting that. Several days this month were spent fishing hungry schools of Trout, tailing Redfish and deeper water Black Drum. I love this time of year and look forward to fishing with all my clients from this month again real soon! Please check us out on Facebook at Hotfish Charters or at my website: www.hotfishcharters.com Captain Mike Bales 352-255-8175 mikeluvs2guide@yahoo.com Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charterswww.hotfishcharters.com Michael Bales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:49:24 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR fishtales25" RedfishMarch 2011 Indian RiverInshore: March might have roared in like the lion that it is noted for, but the latter part of the month has favored us with fantastic weather. Even on the windy days, you can still get out and enjoy some great fishing. April promised to bring us even better fishing and weather! Paul and Jack were back to visit the area this week and we found some good fishing in spite of a windy day out there. Young Jack ended up with nine Redfish and four Trout for the day. Peter, William and Henry were out and found Redfish, Trout, Sheepshead and Jacks in the mood to bite on their day on the water. Scott, Michelle, Donald and Victoria had an enjoyable time on a sunny afternoon adventure. Catching Redfish, Trout, Jacks and Sheepshead, Victoria topped off the day with a four foot Bonnethead Shark that gave her quite a battle. We had lots of fun out there this week! Treasure Coast Fishing Forecast - April 2011 As March blows out of the area, you can plan on plenty of windy days in April. It’s a transition month as the weather progresses from spring into summer patterns. Warm days will bring the water temperatures up into the 70’s and that means great fishing conditions around the Indian River. Plan on getting out early in the morning on the flats before the wind wakes up later in the day. At least the winds won’t have that cold chill as April settles into the Treasure Coast…. Redfish and Trout will be active around the flats. They will be shallow early and gradually move to the edges of the flats as the sun get higher in the sky. Look to areas like Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island for Trout to be feeding on the flats. On a calm morning, break out the top water lures and switch to jerk baits, like a DOA CAL 4” Arkansas Glow. Shallow running Mirrolures will also entice the Trout into biting. Don’t forget to use the Deadly Combo for more exciting Trout action on the grass flats. There has been a lot of Redfish activity throughout March and it should make April a fantastic month. We have a very good population of Redfish this year. Redfish can be found on sandy flats around the docks or try the Moorings and Bear Point for a chance at a nice size Red. DOA shrimp or CAL grub tails in root beer or glow colors are great ways to find a Redfish along with a trusty gold spoon. Snook will be around, but not the main target this year since they are out of season. They will be feeding as the water warms. Catch and release them carefully as the water warms. Docks will hold Sheepshead, Jacks, Redfish and many other species. I like either a DOA shrimp or TerrorEyz around docks. Fish them slowly to keep them under the dock as long as possible. Drop a live shrimp or Pinfish under a dock as well for a great chance at hooking up. There are many great areas to fish so plan on getting some fishing in this month. Bridges will continue to hold Sheepshead, Jacks, Bluefish and some black drum. The big Jacks will be invading the river this month. Maybe not great to eat, but a tough battle on light tackle. The inlet will continue to hold Bluefish, Jacks and Mackerel. While April might be a little windy, it a great month to fish the Indian River. April is the first month that fish can enjoy good water temps and they will be feeding heavily around the flats. Early morning can bring lots of good results this time of year. It was a milder winter this year and the fish are anxious to enjoy some warmer weather…..and so are we! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some photos of this weeks fishing adventures! fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:07:04 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: What a fantastic week of warm, sunny weather around the Treasure Coast this week. Not much wind to deal with has allowed us to fish all around the river and most days found the fish in the mood to eat. You can expect the winds to pick back up, but enjoying that break was outstanding! We spent this past week fishing south of Fort Pierce on both sides of the river. Bob, Tony and Mark were back this year for another adventure on the river. It was a variety of Redfish, Trout, Sheepshead, Jacks, Pompano and Snapper to keep the guys busy reeling in fish that day. Ron and Don were out the next day for Trout, Sheepshead, Jacks and Pompano for their day on the water. Doug and Tony caught 12 Redfish among some Trout, Jacks and a nice Pompano. Joe, Anthony and Tom had another variety of Redfish, Trout, Sheepshead, Jacks, Grouper and Snapper. To finish off the week, I volunteered for the Teen Anglers tournament and had Chad and Max on the boat. Chad checked in a couple Trout, a Mackerel and a Snapper for his catch and won third place in middle school. Max missed a couple keepers, but ended up with a Bonnethead Shark to keep his rod bent for a while. We had a fun day and caught a lot of fish around the river. DOA shrimp, CAL jerk baits, Deadly Combos and live shrimp have all worked great out on the river this week. Most of our fish have been hanging in the sand holes on the shallow flats. The water continues to warm up and the fish have been feeding. It's a great time to fish the Indian River! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 This weeks fishing photos... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:18:17 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The fishing in the Mosquito Lagoon has been outstanding this month. Except for a few windy days early, the weather has been perfect as well. Most of the Redfish are still in schools although some flats are beginning to hold singles. During this transition period between winter and spring, the fish have been moving around. Some spots may hold hundreds of fish one day and none the next. Find the right spot and catching dozens of Redfish is easy. The fish have been biting well with the DOA shrimp and the 3 inch CAL bait accounting for the most bites. As always, casting is the key and the better you cast the more you will catch. Trips have been too numerous to detail each one so I will hit some of the highlights. Lionel and Terry started off the month and we had an excellent day with huge schools of Redfish around the boat. Both guys used the 3 inch CAL to hook up with some nice Redfish. Brothers Dan and Mark spent the day casting at Redfish from 30-34 inches. The silver mullet 3 inch CAL was the only bait they used all day. By this week, the water temperatures had climbed into the 70's and we had calm winds and blue skies. Ed and his son Eddie enjoyed some great Redfish action throughout the morning. 12 year old Eddie did an excellent job casting to and catching all of his own fish. Jimmy spent two days fishing Mosquito Lagoon. Day one was tough with many of the fish having moved from the flats where they had been the day before. We finally found an area holding some tailing singles. He hooked one on fly but it broke off and quickly followed up catching two on a DOA shrimp in watermelon holographic. Yesterday started off the same with several spots holding no fish at all. We finally came upon some large schools and the catching began. With more excellent weather in the forecast, I expect some great fishing next week. This time last year was when the fish began tailing consistently. Spring is also an excellent time for fly fishing for both tailing and schooling fish. More and more Baitfish are returning to the Lagoon each day. As a result, the Trout fishing should begin to improve and topwater baits will begin to become effective around the bait schools. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:13:24 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Oh my, someone spilled the beans about Cobia and they are everywhere. We started seeing fish today from two miles south of the port all the way south of Patrick A.F.B. I counted at least a dozen which has been the daily routine this whole week. Our biggest fish this week went 54.1 pounds and took forty minutes to boat. Today we had one on for about 20 minutes which would have easily beaten that fish but the line broke into the fight. What a pig. It is time to get your jigs, live bait and whatever you want to try and get out there. Start looking just outside the port in 40 feet of water and slowly drive south. make sure all eyes are on the water they will pop up right in front of you. Good luck and good hunting, Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:34:28 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: This week, two of my favorite anglers, Frank and Turner Mullins, were down again this year to share an adventure with dad, Keith, and Cai out on the Indian River. We were faced with very windy days, but the boys were up for a challenge and caught lots of Trout, Sheepshead and Jacks this year. 8 year old, Frank, was writing about his adventure and I put him in charge of this weeks fishing report. The following is his report of their couple of days out on the river. The Fisherman's News - March 5th Fort Pierce Dear Readers, We are in a boat on the Indian River. It is breezy, there is a blue sky and sunny waters. There are no boats, but us. We have caught 13 fish already! Shrimp and baitfish are the best bait. One monster of a fish keeps stealing our bait. Never, ever put baitfish and shrimp in the same tank, baitfish eat shrimp. Turner, my brother, just caught the monster stealing our bait. Cai just caught a catfish and a pinfish. We are in a slow speed zone. Well, today seems to be coming to an end. Well, tomorrow, I will write more. Tomorrow, I will catch a lot of fish and I will catch a big, huge fish. I will catch a big, big, big fish. I will catch one, a truly good fish. Sincerely, Frank Mullins The week was the usual windy March weather that we expect to see. We were rewarded most of the week with a great Trout and Sheepshead bite out on the river. By weekend, the water had cooled down just enough to slow the Trout bite on Sunday. Socrates, Marteen and Jeremy were out with me earlier in the week. Mike, Gill and Pascal were fishing over the weekend. Keith, Cai, Frank and Turner enjoyed a nice but windy day of fishing. Eric and Jeff had the only calm day out on the water, but after the cold front the Trout bite had slowed, but the Redfish were out there feeding for us. We did happen on one nice school of Reds that we couldn't get close enough to cast. Our best areas for Trout have been Bear Point and Queen's Cove in two to four feet of water using either live bait or DOA CAL jerk baits. Our Redfish also came by using the CAL 4" jerk baits. Docks are holding plenty of hungry Sheepshead, Bluefish and Jacks. We have kept busy reeling in fish when we could get around just about any of the docks this week. It was a challenging week for sure to fish around the steady winds of the month. It won't be long until summer has arrived and things will calm down again. There are plenty areas to fish that are out of the driving winds and the fish continue to bite as long as the water temperatures have warmed up. Have fun and get out fishing! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing and Be Safe Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 A couple photos from this week...8 year old Frank Mullins, who did part of this weeks fishing report, Socrates and Jeremy with a couple Trout from their adventure! fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:36:15 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR As the northern states are still getting pounded by snow and foul weather it seems that the spring weather is in our very near future here in Central Florida. With spring weather brings spring patterns for our fish like the influx of bait, a little higher water and my personal favorite spawning Trout. While were on that subject this is a great time of year to catch some very large Trout but with that being said they need to be handled with care do to the stress they are already going threw. I like to fish the grass flats with pot holes and lots of bait working either a popping cork or a top water in the early morning. As the sun rises a little higher in the sky, I will move to 3 to 4 feet of water working soft plastics and twitch baits. As for the Redfish they can still be found in schools roaming the flats looking for a easy meal . Do not neglect looking in the schools of Mullet for Redfish mixed in. They may not be actually feeding on the Mullet but what they are stirring up off the bottom. I like to target these fish in several different ways you can start with live shrimp, cut bait and live Pinfish. For artificial I like to use soft plastics, aqua dream spoons and hard baits, either twitch baits or top water. And now for a little beach action,if you have the ability to make it out of either Canaveral or Ponce Inlet you target Cobia. Look for a nice calm day with a lot of sun this is a run and gun style of fishing. You want to look for Rays cruising or jumping and the Cobia should be traveling under the Rays. A long casting rod with a buck tail jig or a large swim bait is a good choice. Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 13 Mar 2011 23:55:15 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Spring has arrived early this March 2011 in East Central Florida, water levels are up on Mosquito Lagoon as well as water temperatures. Redfish schools have spread out through the flats among the islands in the northern Lagoon with the higher water. Schools of Baitfish are starting to return from the south and along with them, migrating game fish coming back into our backcountry area. We are also having a great early spring Seatrout bite, along with Bluefish, Ladyfish, and also a few Flounder. The backcountry fishing will only get better as calendar spring finally arrives and the mixed bag fishing will get into full swing. A couple of pictures from 2 recent charter trips, Richard with a great Redfish from his trip with his friend Jim, they caught quite a few good reds on their day. Other picture is Brian and Otto with a Redfish double, also from a great trip with several Reds. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:58:28 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The Cobia are here and today they were on the ridge east of the port on a very nice color change. Seems the water temp came back down and chased them out a little more. For the last two days they have been caught in the same place, 55 to 65 feet of water straight out of the port. There were a lot on Rays today and the biggest fish I know of was about 49 pounds. Next week end will sure be busy if this weather lays down. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:02:35 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore: March has certainly roared in like its reputation for being windy. Most days have been challenging at best to get out on the river. We did miss a couple days this past week when it was just out of control. When you can get out fishing, the bite has been fantastic on the flats. It's that transition time of year when the water finally hits the magic temperature and all the fish are hungry. We have enjoyed some good days out there! We have enjoyed a very good Trout bite this week and some nice sized ones as well that have been over the 20" mark. Live shrimp on popping corks, DOA CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos have kept us busy on the Trout flats. The CAL's have been working wonderfully to get the Trout in the mood to eat. Ron, Mike & Timberly, Keith, Cai, Turner & Frank and Scott & Craig all had fun out on the flats. Some days it was a workout to fish the areas in all the winds, but the fish have continued to cooperate. Most areas that we fished have been producing Trout. Harbor Branch, Queen's Cove, Round Island and Bear Point are just a few of the spots that we have fished with good results. The Redfish are biting around the mangroves when you were able to fish them. We also managed a couple nice Flounder on the flats as well. Docks can keep you busy with Sheepshead, Jacks and other species as the winds will let you fish them. Bluefish and Mackerel are still being taken around the jetties with some Redfish and Flounder around those areas. March is always a good fishing month, but always a windy month to keep you guessing. Getting out early will generally give you a few hours to enjoy the water before the gusts set in for the day. Use the islands and shorelines to find the areas that are fishable. Have fun and be safe out there! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 A few photos from this weeks fishing... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:25:14 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The fishing on Mosquito Lagoon & Indian river this past month continues to be some of the best I’ve seen in years. Large schools of Black Drum and Redfish continue to make their presence known cruising the shallow flats in search of food. There is nothing better than sight fishing to tailing Redfish in the mornings on a calm grass flat as the sun rises over the ocean. The weather has switched into spring mode with warmer temperatures and sunny days in the forecast, making the fishing even better! Schooled Redfish can be caught using spoons, jigs,and of course a live shrimp. If you are targeting tailing fish, try a circle jig tipped with a live shrimp. Be sure to cast ahead of the feeding fish and work into his feeding zone trying not to spook them. The jig will allow for more distance and the fresh shrimp will provide the scent need to entice the strike. Fly fishing patterns of late consist of oliver sliders, kwans, and small black or olive crabs. I have also been using the MONIC series clear fly line with great success on sunnier days. A leader of about 10ft tipped with some 8-10 lb flouro-carbon and a small crab should be the ticket. Onto Trout fishing for the light tackle angler, try using small paddle tale grubs or DOA shrimp rigged to a 1/8 or 1/16 ounce white or red jig-head. The Trout bite will continue to remain consistent fishing the deeper edges or anywhere you locate bait. Look for the Trout to be packed in along drop-offs or sandy edges where there is some current. A frisky Live shrimp bounced along the bottom or a live mullet should also work. If you fish an area with no success, pick up and move to another area as these Trout are highly mobile creatures. If you locate one Trout, there are surely more in the area. As the water temperature rises the Trout bite should get really hot! Try throwing a topwater chug bug or skitter walk along the deeper bars this time of year in the early morning if you are looking for a gator! Great trips these past weeks included CJ and Joe who caught their first ever Redfish and then some!! They boated double digit Redfish each on their first trip to Mosquito Lagoon! Ed and Jim and Joe all had a really great time on the lagoon catching Redfish, Trout, and Black Drum! I look forward to fishing with these guys again. I hope to see you on the water soon, feel free to check us out on Facebook at Hotfish Charters or at my website: www.hotfishcharters.com Captain Mike Bales 352-255-8175 mikeluvs2guide@yahoo.com Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charterswww.hotfishcharters.com Michael Bales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 04 Mar 2011 09:34:57 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Today our game-plan with calm seas was to head deep for trolling. In only 45 minutes we were 30 miles out and at a pronounced Rip running North-South. We worked the line South for most of the day, using a variety of offerings, from islanders, skirted and naked Ballyhoo, and large diving plugs. No activity was seen. Many boats were out, and a lot of radio activity but light catch reports. The catch reports seemed to be in closer in 120-140' waters. A lot of Cobia reports, with some catch's were also heard. A common theme both on the radio and back at the docks was that despite good numbers seen, hookups were not reflective of the number seen. ACME Ventures Fishing23" Red Grouper2/26/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreACME Ventures Fishing20" Blue Runner2/26/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe finally made the call to come in and hit the reef. By the time we got into Pelican it was mostly empty. Apparently those still hunting Cobia had moved in to 50' waters (as we would see on the way in). We anchored up and started catching. Lane Snapper and Trigger were the icebox additions, despite limitless Sea Bass and Vermillion Snappers being caught and released. We had a few large Blue Runners circling the boat, and we played with those on light tackle. Finally nice color was seen on the surface coming towards the boat. Mahi. Three of them in the 10lb size. everything was offered from Squid, Sardines, a couple different jigs, and even a small live Pinfish, but they took a look and left. We chummed and managed a few return passes, but same result. A nice Red Grouper was brought up to get its picture taken before being forced to release it due to the closure. About ready to pull anchor and head in, what looked like a 5 to 5 1/2 foot Cuda slowly came towards the boat. I scrambled to find tackle to offer it, so as to allow my guest a good fight. The pace picked up when as it got a little closer its Blue Color and Vertical Stripes told us it was a fish we really wanted........Wahoo! We were still anchored, and I didn't want to have my spinning rods spooled, so I pitched a large vertical jig, rigged with wire and worked it by, It looked a few times, but finally swam away. We had no live bait left, so anchor came in, and we trolled the area, but nada! ACME Ventures Fishing31" Tripletail2/26/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreHeading in we found a floating tree, and as always stopped to look. A nice sized Tripletail was hanging on it, so we pitched artificials to it, with no results. Then we tried a squid on a jighead, pulling it in front of it. Nothing. I finally bounced it off its head, and got its attention, and the fight was on. I handed the light tackle off to my guest for a nice fight. Back to shore we went to clean fish, with a nice bonus addition to the icebox on the ride in. With the weather as it was this trip, beautiful conditions, it was worth the ride without bringing fish home. Some nice fish was a "Perk" however! Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:10:39 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing Forecast - March:March has arrived on the Treasure Coast and, traditionally, we can expect windy conditions along with some rain clouds. It might dictate where and when you can get on the water, but at least we aren't cutting holes in the ice to fish! Water temperatures will continue to rise and the fish will be actively feeding on the flats. Winter has been kinder to us this year and the fishing has been very good so far. Take advantage of the good days and get out fishing..... Brad and family were out this past week and we found the fish around the docks as well as the Trout bite getting ready to take off. Later in the week, I had Brad & Family, Dave & Matt, Greg, and Chris & Darren. The Trout bite has improved, but the winds kept us from getting to some of the better spots to find some nice Trout. We had fun in spite of windy days! As the sun warms up the water again, look for fish to travel into the shallows to feed. Trout will continue to be most prevalent in the deeper grass flats in two to four feet of water. Those anglers using live shrimp on popping corks, Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and top water will have the best chance at hooking up with a Trout. I like to fish the edges of the shallows where the water drops off to these depths. You can find some Trout on the flats early, but they tend to go deeper after sunup. Depending on weather conditions, there are many areas to fish. Round Island, Bear Point and Harbor Branch are always popular to fish in March. Redfish will get more active this month and you can find some tailing on the flats in early mornings. Top water, DOA shrimp, CAL grub tails or gold spoons are good choices for finding a spot tail on the flats. Don't forget to fish around the mangroves also. So far this winter, there has continued to be a good Redfish population around the river and the fishing has been good for them. I tend to like the east side of the river for Redfish, but you can find them on the west side also. Work your baits slowly along the bottom for best results. Learn to read the water so you don’t miss what is happening around you. Anglers will continue to target Snook around the inlets, docks and bridges on the Treasure Coast. Live bait always works best, but feather jigs, TerrorEyz and BFL lures can also get you hooked up. Most of the action will be at night with best results on the high ends of the tides. As the water warms up around the area, the Snook action will liven up also. Those fishing the flats can also find Snook feeding early or late in the day. Fish the mangroves during the rest of the day. Top water, twitch baits, TerrorEyz or CAL jerk baits can do the trick in March on the flats. The Pompano bite has been better this year. More fish have been caught south of Fort Pierce and they should be around this area throughout March. Whiting, Bluefish and Pompano will be hanging around the beaches this month. The inlet will be holding Spanish Mackerel, Jacks and Bluefish. Jack Crevalle and Ladyfish continue to haunt the river and provide fun catch for all. Bridges should give up catches of Sand Perch, Sheepshead and Black Drum on live or dead shrimp. I think we are all ready for spring to arrive here on the Treasure Coast. It won't be long! Take some time to check all your equipment now and be ready as the weather improves to get out on the water. Make sure your reels are in good working order. Check your rods for broken or cracked tips and guides. How old in that line?? Get ready now on some of the windy days, so you will be ready to head out to the water! Have a great March for fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 A couple photos from this windy week! fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:28:16 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing27" Red Snapper2/23/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreLight winds, calm seas and a 40mph ride out to 8A reef to take 2 guys down on vacation from Canada for some reef fishing. They were not wanting to take any fish back with them, just catch a lot. It was a half day trip, and a little over a hundred fish were caught. Most 'Red' or 'Black'. No Cobia were seen this trip despite a few Manta's nearby. ACME Ventures Fishing3" Black Sea Bass2/23/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThe nice weather on the ride out quickly turned into a choppy and hazy day offshore, with a washing machine like agitation. No sun was seen 'til we were on our way in. We did catch many of the abundant closed species, while targeting keepable fish. Most Sea Bass caught were in the keeper size. Sea Bass like Red Snapper are both abundant and aggressive. They are more than willing to "Bite off More Than They Can Chew". ACME Ventures Fishing12" Black Sea Bass2/23/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreSome are caught "Sharing a Hook" with a friend! Only 2 hooks, but 3 fish! Many smaller Red Snappers were caught this trip, but a few lunkers were around. We managed to accomplish what they wanted, catch a lot of fish. We did have one big hit that did not make it to the boat. A squid was laced on a hook on our large setup, and held about 20' off the bottom. I dropped it down to the bottom before bringing it up to check the bait. A 12" Sea Bass quickly inhaled the whole squid, and hook itself. On the ride up it was grabbed, rod bent over (130lb class rod), and drag peeled on the 6/0, till it let go. The Sea Bass came up obviously crushed, but without teeth marks. Big Grouper? Big Cobia? Oh Well, a 30 sec adrenaline rush is always a good way to wake up the crew! ACME Ventures Fishing30" Red Snapper2/23/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreCaptain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:54:31 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing13" Black Sea Bass2/14/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreHUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of Fish CAUGHT...............BUT.........all except a hand-full of them were either RED or BLACK!!!!!! This trip was taking a couple guys from the cold country out to do some fishing on the reef. 8A was our spot for the day. We started at my favorite break in the ridge line, which usually keeps fish moving through from the low side. This trip however the bottom current was a little different, and the setup did not work as good. All we were getting was Black Sea Bass, lots of them, and nice sized. Using "Chicken" rigs with 2-hooks, we usually pulled 2 up at a time. The big problem is that Sea Bass are quickly becoming so abundant that catching anything else is very difficult. Our target species on the reef this trip was Trigger, and we know they are there, but before the bait reaches the bottom, a Sea Bass is on! I cannot imaging the Black Sea Bass population without harvest being allowed, they already dominate the ocean floor. We finally pulled anchor to drift different parts of the ridge, and about everywhere we went, same thing......Sea Bass. You would think Grunts would be the nuisance fish, but every once in a while we would catch one, and it was actually a nice change from the Bass. ACME Ventures Fishing20" Red Snapper2/14/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe finally hit a spot where Trigger was found, but Sea Bass rapidly took over, then the Red Snapper started coming up. These were not as big as we were finding here a couple days ago, but keeper sized fish were caught. I kept working a line on a light tackle spin setup to give the guys some fight, and a nice sized ARS finally beat the Sea Bass to it for some drag peeling.ACME Ventures Fishing18" Red Snapper2/14/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore As we were ready to head in, with seas nearly flat, and winds calm, 2 Cobia were seen cruising, so we drifted towards them. A bait was offered, and they took a look, but headed to the bottom, not to be seen again. Water temp at 8A was 65deg when we first arrived, and hit 67 by the time we left. Still a little cool. We did see a few Mantas putting on an aerial display, and a Sailfish do likewise. There was a lot of small bait in the area ('fry' sized), so it was bound to gain a few followers. With Sea Bass and Red Snapper closed, Vermillion Snapper and Shallow water Groupers closed for seasonal closures, Deep Water Groupers closed beyond 240', what is left for us to take home for dinner? In a month or so the waters will warm, and Pelagic's will show, but the fishery managers are already scheming to make drastic changes to that, despite NO DATA to support any overfishing at current limits! At least our boat has the speed to move around from site to site to try to find something we can keep. So, We will Catch all We Can, and Keep What We are Allowed, and hope that someone in the Government Grows a Brain! Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:24:33 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR In the Mosquito lagoon the past few weeks the fishing has been phenomenal. We have been catching between 25 and 80 fish on our 6-hr trips. That is Redfish, Trout and Flounder. The Reds have been bunched up in the thousands along the flats edges. Because the water has been so low they had no choice but to be on the edge. Along with them are the big Trout that escort schools of Reds. Most of the time when you get on a school alone, they will be calm. If you push them and stay on them they will get nervous and won’t eat. Let them swim their pattern and intersect them with lean cuisine, aka Gulp shrimp, on a hook. Yesterday I had a great client out with me Fred Bergert, he fished solo and kept me busy in the pit unhooking fish and fixing baits. I bet today his wrist is sore from all the fish he caught yesterday, after about thirty fish he said don’t you want to catch a few. Larry Hadley, Alex, Matt, Mark and George from Missouri switched off for two days in the boat. They caught 58 fish on one trip bouncing Gulp jerk shads and shrimp off the bottom. Trout, Reds and small Flounder were the three species they caught. Most of the Flounder are on the small side and about every three you will get a good fat one. Black Drum are also eating well but I have not fished them in a few weeks. If you are having trouble finding fish or just catching the fish you find, it’s not a bad idea to hire a professional to show you a few tricks. Remember think like a fish to catch fish or just call me Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:01:00 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR 30" Red Snapper2/09/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWith decent weather we ran out to deeper water to see what the surface temps looked like, and fish the wrecks. We trolled lines when conditions looked promising, but with temps still on the cool side, the bottom got most of our attention. We hit 5 bottom sites on this trip from 200' to 70', and Red Snapper were at everyone of them. These were not under-slot sized fish, nor even barely legal ones, but hefty "family sized" fish. In all we likely boated 200-250lbs of this very abundant fish. I had 3 avid anglers on the trip this time, including a Charter Captain from the Great Lakes. Of corse our warm water tropical species fight much harder pound for pound than their cold water cousins. 25" Red Snapper2/09/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreLike most of my guests, they get a chuckle out of the fisheries reasonings for closing these fisheries. After todays catch, they like some many other hundreds of thousands of informed anglers simply shake their head in dismay! 27" Red Snapper2/09/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThere were enough Red Snapper to go around for all, so I even got to do some Catching this trip. 21" Mangrove (grey) Snapper2/09/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThere were other 'Fish in the Sea' fortunately, which we could bring home, though on this trip, not as abundant, nor as large as these Red Snapper. We did bring back Black Sea Bass, Triggerfish, and Mangrove Snapper. There were some big fish we hooked up on the trip. One proved to be a 5' Stingray caught in 80' of water. This was cut loose after getting it to the boat. Two other bigger fish took live Pins and made screaming runs (on a 100lb rod with a modified 6/0, and 80 lb braid). Despite a drag set tight, the fish peeled line, and apparently took it to the rocks, rubbing through the 80lb braid. Even though these fish were never near the boat, my guest had the adrenaline rush that our waters often provide. A few of the stranger looking fish we have were caught including Lizardfish, and this Toad Fish.14" Toadfish2/09/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore The winds picked up as the day went on, and the ride in was a little choppy and wet, but in all it was a great day on the water. Even though these "Overfished", "Rare", "Nearly Depleted" fish like the Red Snapper and Black Sea Bass dominated the day, the Red Snapper all had to be released, and in only a few days, the same will hold true with the Black Sea Bass. Until the problem gets fixed, we'll keep Catching all we can, and Keeping what were allowed. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 27 Feb 2011 23:00:39 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Significant changes have taken place over the last few weeks but the one thing that has remained consistent is the excellent fishing on the flats. Just ten days ago, we were still experiencing frost in the morning and water temperatures in the low 50's. This week, the water was reaching 70 with air temperatures hitting 80. The white pelicans are flying off signaling an end to winter and the Baitfish are getting more plentiful by the day. Huge schools of Redfish can be found roaming the flats with some having over 500 fish in them. There have been few, if any, days in recent weeks when we have not seen nearly one thousand Redfish per day. On one of those aforementioned frosty mornings, Canadian anglers Juha and Linden joined me on Mosquito Lagoon. Despite the cool temperatures, the fish seemed happy and they landed twenty Redfish between 5 and 8 pounds on three inch DOA CAL jigs. The following day, Don joined me for a solo trip. He tarted off with the fly rod and within minutes, Don hooked up with his first Redfish on a black crab fly. It was a great start to the day and it only got better. Don switched to a CAL jig to get a bit more distance and battled ten more Redfish from 8-15 pounds. The fishing was so good I couldn't resist grabbing the flyrod and hooking into one myself. Don ended the day with some shots at 20-30 pound fish but was unable to convince them to play. The next day brought clouds and rain. Fletcher started off hooking up with a Black Drum from a school of tailing fish. Our second spot held lots of tailing Redfish. He had several bites but was unable to hook up. Near the end of the day, the sun made an appearance and we spent an hour following a school of giant Redfish. Unfortunately, the casts never quite landed in front of the school. Bob and Darryl were with me the next day, We had more clouds but at least it did not rain. We had tailing Redfish in the morning and fish to 30 pounds late in the day when the sun came out. Both guys landed a few Reds on CALs but visibility was tough much of the day. Last Friday was picture perfect. Light winds, clear skies and warm temperatures made for some excellent sight fishing conditions. Everywhere we went the fish were happy and hungry. Will caught around twenty Redfish on a variety of lures including several colors of DOA shrimp, CAL's, and even had a few bites on a Baitbuster. His first fish of the day was around 15 pounds and his last weighed in at 19. Sunday I had a fly fishing trip with Jed and Joan. We encountered some huge schools of Redfish in the morning. Even with large schools, cast placement can still be very important. Coming from small Trout streams at home. Jed was not able to quite reach in front of the schools. They soon spooked and fled the flat. We moved to another spot holding a slightly smaller school and hooked up with a few fish on the spinning gear. Near the end of the day, we had some shots at some slightly larger fish and got one of them to eat. Russ and Judy had some fly fishing shots at schools of Redfish over 500 strong first thing in the morning. We could get within 50 feet of them but the casts did not quite reach far enough and the fish soon took off for deeper water. We had one large Redfish hooked up momentarily but it came off. We tried some Trout fishing along the deeper edges of the flats. It was not red hot action as it will be in a couple months but they did land several. Ray and Linda had shots at the giant schools of Redfish early Tuesday morning. Ray landed one on a black crab fly. Our second stop produced a couple more fish and then we spent the final hour targeting large Reds which they saw but did not catch. Wednesday's trip brought clouds, fog, and high winds to Mosquito Lagoon. Kacy and Jessica quickly landed three Redfish before the wind really began to kick up. We briefly considered packing it in but decided to bundle up and keep going. That decision paid off with Kacy landing two Redfish between 15 and 20 pounds and Jessica catching the biggest fish so far this year, a 48 inch Redfish weighing 32 pounds. The next day, we were back to the perfect weather, Sunny, warm, and calm. The big schools of fish eluded us in the beginning of the day but John jr. finally broke the ice with a beautiful Redfish with a 7 weight rod and a black #4 Clauser Minnow. A couple hours later, we hit the gold mine with some huge schools of happy Redfish all to ourselves. Every cast that landed in front of the fish resulted in a bite and both father and son had some fast and furious action. A prior commitment forced them to have to leave the fish biting. Hopefully, we have seen the last of the cold weather for this year. The fishing for Redfish will remain excellent and the Trout bite should get better each week. This is still an excellent time for fly fishing as the Redfish are still eating small crabs and shrimp. Spin fishing anglers should stick with the smaller three inch baits for the most consistent bite. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:37:53 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR We had a couple of 9 year old boys with mom and dad who just wanted to catch some fish. We took them to a little hole just off the beach and told them to hold on. Five hours into it Mike lost count of the fish he had caught after forty nine. The Whiting are so thick on the beach you could use a cast net. The water was calm with the west wind so there are no worries about it being too rough and the fish will hit just about any bait you can drop. Using very light tackle it is a blast to work these little guys. Most are around 12 inches but there are some big ones and a few little guys. Almost all of them were released to battle another day with a few kept for dinner. These trips are easy to do and you don’t have to get up yesterday to be there on time. Makes for a fun easy day of fishing. Check out some of the pics on our our facebook page and sometimes not so offshore. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:17:12 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR PJ42 Inch Black Drum2/20/2011 Banana RiverTook boat out for second time and tried a few different places. Tried looking for tailing fish on some flats around the hospital but didn't find anything. While driving under bridge we saw a guy fighting a fish and decided to stop. Shrimp caught Grunts and sailors for the kids and gulp shrimp were too much for the Trout for us. I downsized my rod to make the 8 to 14 inch Trout more fun and thought I got stuck during a cast only to realize the line was moving. About 20 min later, and about 200 yards of drifting and trolling motor work I landed my first Black Drum. 42 inch, but didn't have a scale to weight as I just bought the boat. The next day we went back to the same spot and caught a few more Trout, but the wind picked up and blew us out. PJ Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:51:39 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing Report: Warm spring weather has made for enjoyable outings all around the Treasure Coast. While the air was warm, the water temperatures continue to struggle towards warmer conditions. The bite slowed somewhat later in the week, but you could still catch Sheepshead around the docks. Our Redfish bite slowed a little, but we were still able to catch a few in spite of cold water. We had some fun out there with Sheepshead, Redfish and a variety of other fish to keep us busy. Duncan Haley was in the area and we spent some time remembering high school days and catching up on the years. Only one Redfish that day, but it was nice to see him again. Brad's son was out with him and his grandfather, Gary and caught two Redfish on his first two casts. Tom and Becky caught a variety of fish on their trip around the Indian River. To finish off the week, I spent a couple days in Sebastian with my buddy, Pat Wells and son, Dalton, on a camping trip on the islands. The water is very cold up that direction, so we ventured into the Sebastian River to find more Ladyfish and Jacks than Dalton could handle. On a windy day, we stayed out of it and enjoyed some fun fishing that day. Trout should begin to bite very soon. We are just waiting on the temps to rise a few more degrees and the river should become alive with fish. CAL jerk baits always work well when Trout fishing. Most of the action has been around bridges and docks with Sheepshead, Bluefish and a good variety of others. Our Redfish has been mostly around the dropoffs of some of the flats. Live baits and CAL jerk baits have worked best. It's still a transition period on the river and as temperatures continue to improve, so will the bite. Spring is almost here! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:10:06 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Headed out with hopes of running south for Cobes but the seas were in our face and we did not want the bumpy ride so out to the 27 we went. Spent the morning with a slow bite, I think because of the moon. As it warmed up, the bite also warmed up and we boxed numerous Lane Snappers, Triggers and red porgies from the deep. After a couple hours it was time to move out further. The water looked good for trolling so out went the spread and with in 3 minutes the first rod goes off with mr. fin jumping like a fool. That fish pulled off but gave me some ideas. Before we were done we had five fins in the box and had brought about a hundred more to the boat swimming around us. These were not the usual Feb. peanuts but some good fish. The biggest went around 20 to 25. You will have to see them on our facebook page as the picture processor I use has gone away. The seas were nothing but big rollers and we ran in at about 35 knots. Go get them this week end guys!!! Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 19 Feb 2011 13:03:43 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing Report: Winter is gradually losing it grip on the Treasure Coast. Still some cold fronts to deal with, but they have only been bringing a few nights in the 40's and the days have been quite sunny and warm. You can expect that the winds will still be blowing, but we will have plenty of days to get out fishing! I had Evelyn, Mike and James on the boat this past week. We found a good early bite that slowed once the latest front worked its way into the area. They caught some big fish that day and we enjoyed being out on the river. James boated a nice 27" Redfish to top off his day, while Evelyn caught a 25" Redfish and a 28" fat gator Trout. It certainly gave her a battle that she will remember! Trout have been feeding out there if you can find any warmer water or bait around the flats. We have been fishing those types of areas and having success. Live baits, CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos are on the top of my list when it comes to Trout. We have found our Redfish in similar areas and willing to hit the same lures. The Reds have been much more willing to bite than Trout lately. The docks and bridges have held lots of Sheepshead this month. Live or dead shrimp continue to produce fish. The inlet and turning basin have held Bluefish, Jacks and Mackerel. The best action has been around the jetties. I had several good reports of Flounder around the sand flats and back side of the jetties. The surf has been producing Whiting and Pompano. Most of the Pompano action has been south until the water temperatures warm up to bring them farther north. Clams, sand fleas and shrimp have worked well along with Doc's Goofy Jigs. It can be a challenge with the windy days, but there are plenty of place to fish if you use the winds to your advantage. Getting out early is one way to get in some great fishing time before the winds set in for the day. Have fun and enjoy the fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Evelyn and James with their big fish of the day! fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:34:41 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Well the winds are doing it again so we could not do the offshore thing today. Instead we loaded up a box of squid and a stack of light tackle and went to the beach to fight big one and two pounders. The Whiting are so thick it does not take long before the come looking for the stinky squid being dragged across the bottom. We fished it for about 4 hours around 200 yards off the beach and were able to put 59 nice Whiting in the boat. Many little guys were thrown back to come back next year. These are easy trips which can go very cheap so if you want to put some Whiting in your freezer give us a call. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 09 Feb 2011 08:42:02 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The start of Feb. 2011 is looking really good with mild temperatures and active fish. There have been large numbers of Redfish found through out both Mosquito and Indian river lagoon systems. They have been in schools from the hundreds to singles spread out across the flat in the heat of the day. I have also came across a lot of tailing fish in the past month which is a great sign of them searching for food. My clients have been catching them on several different baits from cut Mullet, Ladyfish and shrimp to auqa dream spoons, soft plastics, dark colored flies and even top water plugs. The Trout bite has been just as good as the Redfish bite with large amounts of schooling Trout and the occasional five to six pounder. Most of these fish have been holding in about three feet of water until the sun gets higher in the sky. The larger fish will move up on to the flats in search of food and warmth find the white sand holes and you will find them. With the clarity of the water you need to make your cast very long in order to bag one of these trophy Trout. The go to baits would consist of live Mullet, shrimp under a popping cork, soft plastics, or my favorite top water plugs. We have also had some large schools of Black Drum in the southern end of the lagoon holding on the bars and large depressions. These fish will act almost like Redfish so it can be easy to be fooled you may catch your self throwing spoons to school of Black Drum a couple of times before realizing that they are not going to eat. These fish can be caught on shrimp or crab pattern flies or the real thing is even better you may want to hang on there are some biggins down there. Good luck and be safe! Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:55:18 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR We have had some beautiful calm mornings this early February 2011, allowing for some great Redfish sight fishing on the schooling Reds here on Mosquito Lagoon. On the days with more breeze in the air I have been taking clients into the protected backwaters for good Seatrout fishing, on these trips we have also been catching good numbers of smaller size Reds and a few nice Flounder. On one recent Redfish trip my regular client Fernando from Miami had an exceptional morning, he caught approx. 25 Redfish with 5 of them over the slot limit maximum of 27”. We had the good fortune to fish on 2 different very cooperative schools through the morning, in the late morning with the sun up in the sky allowed us the see the great school of Reds right next to the boat in the water like a big aquarium. A sight we won’t soon forget. Yesterday on another trip we had a windy morning, so I chose the protected waters, my 2 clients caught a total of over 50 Trout, smaller Reds, a few keeper Flounder in the mix. Here is a sunrise picture of Fernando with on of his big Reds, and a picture of me with a Fly caught Redfish while on a fun day trip with one of my guide friends. As Florida spring time arrives and the water begins to warm up a little, we will also start to do backcountry mixed bag fishing trips again for Seatrout, and Redfish, but also catching Bluefish, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Jacks, Ladyfish, and more species. You never know what type of saltwater fish you will pull up. This style of fishing on the mixed bag trips is mainly drift fishing and bottom fishing while free lining live shrimp and Gulp shrimp on light tackle which make for lots of rod bending fun. Good for experienced anglers and an easy way for less experienced anglers to be successful at catching lots of fish. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:12:01 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The flats fishing lately has been good, provided you find the right spot. With the fish mostly in schools, it can be either feast or famine. Some flats are holding schools of fish numbering in the hundreds while others have no fish at all. As is usual in the winter, weather is the most influential factor. Clouds and wind make spotting fish next to impossible. Sunny days allow you to spot fish from long distances. DOA shrimp and three inch CAL tails along with spinnerbaits have been the most effective lures the past couple weeks. Fly fishing has been very good as well with black redfish worms or brown, black, and olive crabs getting bites. Last month, Rick and I shared a day of fun fishing for Redfish and Drum in Mosquito Lagoon. I started the day with a Redfish on a green bendback fly. The rest of the day we spent targeting tailing Black Drum with numerous crab and shrimp flies. We landed quite a few fish, lost several more, and had plenty of opportunities. A few days later, Rick and I were at it again. The sun was scarce making sight fishing difficult. This time the Redfish and Seatrout were more plentiful than the drum. We both caught plenty using three inch DOA CAL tails. Steve and Tony took their first trip to Mosquito Lagoon earlier this week. The cloud cover was heavy but we had smooth water and warm air making for a pleasant day. We encountered several schools of Redfish and Drum and both guys landed some nice sized fish before the wind picked up. The following day Jesse and his father-in-law Bruce had another day of good weather and great fishing. They had consistent shots at Redfish throughout the day and had some good catch and release action. Anglers can expect the schools of Redfish, Drum, and Trout to remain for the next couple months. Crystal clear water makes the fish easy to spot and it is not uncommon to see nearly 1,000 fish per day. The catch ratio is directly connected to casting accuracy. The better you cast, the more you will catch. During periods of cooler weather, slow down your presentations and look along the deeper edges of the flats for the fish. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:55:17 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing Report: It was a fantastic week around the Treasure Coast. Both weather and fishing cooperated to make for some great fun out on the water. Warm days in the 80's can make you forget that it is still wintertime around the area. Hopefully it stays that way for a while! I had Ron, Mike and Timberly out this week and we found the fish were hungry and feeding around the edges of the flats. They teamed up for a dozen Redfish, some nice Trout and a lot of other fish to round out their day. Ron landed a 25" Trout to top off his catch, while Mike caught a 22" Redfish and Timberly had a battle to land her 25" Red. We had a lot of fun out there on the Indian River! The water continues to warm up and so are the fish. Warm water and Baitfish can only mean that the predators are nearby. Fish around bait when you see it and you should have some success. Trout and Redfish have been the best action around the flats. Fishing in two to five feet of water with Deadly Combos, live shrimp and CAL jerk baits can help you find where the fish are feeding. You should find Trout on most flats by now. Drift fishing across the flats can speed up finding where the fish are feeding on any given day. Snook fishing should begin to pick up soon as the water warms up to their liking. We should also see the big Jacks invading the river. There are still some Flounder being taken on the back side of the jetties and all the Bluefish and Mackerel you can handle around the mouth of the inlet. The turning basin in Fort Pierce has also been full of Blues and Jacks. Shiny lures or shrimp on jig heads can get you in on the action. The tackle shops have been having a run on silver spoons this month! The Sheepshead and Black Drum have been all over the river. Fish the docks, bridges and structure to find some big Sheepshead this time of year. Live or dead shrimp can get you in on the bite. The surf has been good for Whiting and Blues with most of the Pompano action being to the south of Fort Pierce. Try walking along the beach with a top water lure at first light and see what you can catch! February has already been a good month and it has just started. Get out soon and enjoy the weather and the fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Timberly with her 25" Redfish and Ron with a 25" Trout. fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:47:33 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing16" Black Sea Bass2/04/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWhats it like to fish in a Cloud? We found out Friday with 2 corporate Jet Pilots who were on a layover in Melbourne. Leaving the Port in near "White-Out" conditions we figured it would burn off by mid-morning. We were wrong! We planned to run deep right off the bat in search of the Wahoo bite, but with the visibility at 100', we stopped at Pelican to drift it a while to give the fog a chance to clear. At Pelican, we found fish everywhere, most ones we could not keep, and hundreds that we will not be able to keep in less than 2 weeks, Sea Bass. Vermillion Snapper are very abundant also, but unless you are a commercial fisherman, you must throw them all back! Triggers and Sea Bass were in the icebox. A half dozen Cobia's followed up a Sea Bass for a surprise visit, but took a look at a live Pinfish, Squid, Sardines and jig we had before heading back out of sight. Only one looked like it was a keeper size, but at least they are still holding in the area. A few Manta's were seen jumping when we got a little break in the fog to see out more than a few hundred feet. The Sea Bass are on the hefty size, the largest this trip was 19"! ACME Ventures Fishing27" 16lbs Snowy Grouper2/04/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe finally decided to work our way out a little deeper, looking for color and temperature changes. With the fog we decided to not go past 300', since we had to manage our time and leave enough for a reduced speed return to port. We found temperature breaks, but unlike a couple degree break in the spring and summer that signals a possible location to find fish, these were drastic. At one upwelling, we went from 72 deg to 49 deg!!! We did work line in a few of these breaks at locations were a weak and scattered weed-line was present, but no action. We made a stop at some bottom structure and found more fish that we cannot keep, and a nice Snowy Grouper which is keepable if caught inside 240' (and applicable waypoints). Out at 200' plus the fog started lifting around 2:00pm. but halfway in to port, it grew thick again until it was at 100' or less visibility. Despite RADAR and a good chart-plotter reduced speed is still a wise coarse of navigation to follow. Seas for the day were not bad, winds stayed light, no doubt allowing the fog to remain. It did keep the temps down, which actually was nice, however running in heavy fog is much like running in a very light rain, you get wet! Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:32:24 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The fishing on Mosquito Lagoon & Indian river has been nothing short of amazing these past few weeks! Schools of Redfish in large numbers are roaming the shallow water bays and backcountry mangrove shorelines searching for food during the warmer periods of the day. They have aggressively been feeding on shrimp, Mullet, gulps and well placed fly patterns that imitate the same. We have certainly had an erratic weather patter for this time of year, but the forecast is for clear skies and mild weather for the next coming few days. For fly patterns , I have been using small merkin type crabs in olive or black. Purple Worm sliders are also working well for those sometimes finicky Black Drum. When targeting these fish, I prefer low light or overcast conditions. The Redfish and Black Drum have been schooled up in some massive numbers as well this week. I had a chance to fish a charter with no boats around and probably 500 fish tailing around the boat. This school was a mix of both Red and Black Drum. It still gets the heart rate up to see such a site in the early morning!! Taylor and Madison from Utah caught their first ever Redfish and then some!! They had a great time boating double digit Redfish each on a half day trip!! The Trout bite continues to do well fishing the back creeks in the New Smyrna beach backcountry ion areas with 4-6 feet of water. Look for the Trout to be bunched up along oyster bar edges and sand sloughs with some current. Catches of 30-50 Trout are not uncommon this time of year. Water temperature is the key here, pay attention to the time of day, the tide (however small) ,and water temperature for greater success while Trout fishing in the Mosquito Lagoon backcountry. With the next few days of mild weather the bite should remain consistent. I hope to see you on the water soon or call us to book your Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide trip. Captain Mike Bales 352-255-8175 mikeluvs2guide@yahoo.com Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charterswww.hotfishcharters.com Michael Bales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:41:02 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Pounded down to Wabasso Sunday morn on my boat to see what could be found. Boy am I glad I did. Sheepshead, Weakfish, Sea Bass, Bluefish, Sea Bream and other species answered the call. As soon as the jig hit bottom, another fish was hooked. The bait was thick and every few minutes another species was caught. Left the fish still biting, as we'd run out of shrimp. chased32951 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:07:32 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing Report:While winter is still around the Treasure Coast and weekly cold fronts will continue to bring cool nights and lots of windy days to the area, fishing will still be good out on the water. Water temperatures can dictate where and how you might fish on any given day this month. When the water is cold, fish the deeper cuts and drop offs of the river. Sunny days will bring fish up in shallower waters to feed and the bite can really get hot out on the flats. The Trout bite picks up very nicely in February. CAL jerk baits and Deadly Combos are exciting ways to Trout fish with artificial lures, while live shrimp on popping corks are the ol’ standard way to Trout fish out on the river. Redfish can be found in shallow flats around mangroves and islands. On warm sunny days, the Reds will sit around the mangroves and soak up the sun. Finding some along an island will bring some good rod bending action to anglers this month. DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits can find some hungry Reds hugging the mangrove lines when fished very slowly. Docks are a great way to find plenty of fish waiting for something tasty to drift under them. Sheepshead will be plentiful around the river and the larger fish will be coming into the river to breed. Live or dead shrimp around bridges, docks and structure can provide lots of action in addition to some great tasting fish. Sand Perch and Croakers should also be hanging around the inlet and bridges during February. Pompano around the surf and on the deeper flats of the river can be taken on CAL grub tails, Doc’s Goofy Jigs and shrimp or clams. Bluefish, Mackerel and Jacks will continue to haunt the Baitfish around the jetties and turning basin. Shiny lures will keep you busy. There should be some Flounder around the back sides of the jetties and on sand flats around the inlet area. February is a transition month on the river. Winter has been much kinder this year on the Treasure Coast. We have enjoyed more normal winter weather and the fish bite has been good for us. Winds will still be blowing and the water will begin to gradually rise in temperature. Fishing your lures slowly will certainly give you more action on the river. Fish tend to be sluggish in the colder water. Working your lures or bait slower along the bottom will give the fish more time to react to it and result in more bites for anglers. Have fun this month and get out fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:13:05 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The Seatrout fishing has been great this January 2011 on Mosquito Lagoon. We have been targeting the deeper holes and sloughs with Gulp shrimp jigs and live shrimp fished right on the bottom in the cold 50’ F water conditions. On most trips the last couple weeks the fish count has been from 40 to 75 fish, mostly Trout, also a good numbers of fun small size baby Redfish, with a few Flounder and Black Drum thrown in the mix. Most trips have had several or more keeper Trout with many smaller Trout also in the count. Lots of fun fishing on light spin tackle and mostly artificial lure fishing. On the low wind days we are also targeting the shallow flats Redfish schools, a fun but challenging sight fishing tactic for better size Redfish. Here are a couple of pictures of clients with the winter Seatrout we have been catching this month. As Florida spring time arrives and the water begins to warm up a little, we will also start to do backcountry mixed bag fishing trips again for Seatrout, and Redfish, but also catching Bluefish, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Jacks, Ladyfish, and more species. You never know what type of saltwater fish you will pull up. This style of fishing on the mixed bag trips is mainly drift fishing and bottom fishing while free lining live shrimp and Gulp shrimp on light tackle which make for lots of rod bending fun. Good for experienced anglers and an easy way for less experienced anglers to be successful at catching lots of fish. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sun, 30 Jan 2011 21:04:26 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing Report: Ol' Man Winter has been a little more kinder to the Treasure Coast so far this year. The normal cold fronts continue to cross our path each week, but not that fish killing cold weather that we experienced last year. A couple more weeks and we should begin the transition into spring. Expect normal windy days out there with an occasional calmer day or two to enjoy the weather. The Trout bite has been good as long as the water temps stay in the mid 60's or better. Hungry fish around the flats have been good for anglers using Deadly Combos, live shrimp or CAL jerk baits. The Arkansas Glow color has continued to produce Trout on a small jig head. Fish in two to five feet of water to improve your chances at finding the Trout. Redfish have been hitting the shallows on sunny days and can be found around docks and mangroves this time of year. Snook fishing has been pretty quiet lately with the jetties being the best spot at night. I had a good number of reports of good Flounder fishing around the back side of the jetties and on sand flats around the inlet this past week. The inlet continues to be full of Bluefish, Jacks and Mackerel for anglers using shiny lures. Around the bridges, docks and structure you can find plenty of Sheepshead, Black Drum and other species who inhabit the waters. Pompano have been taken along the beach and in the river, but mostly south of Fort Pierce. Sand fleas, clams and shrimp have been the baits of choice for those tasty Pomps. Herbert was in town from Austria doing some work and decided to have a fun day fishing on the river. Trout, Sheepshead and Black Drum kept him busy on the Indian River this past week. Have some fun this month and get out to enjoy the great fishing action around the Treasure Coast! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 A couple photos from this week.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:04:37 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR This is the week I am usually snowboarding the slopes of WV but there are fish to be caught and faces to add smiles too. Well, after the water got colder the fish moved deeper and so did we. Me and my Gulp that is. Bouncing Gulp baits on the bottom produced many fish for Kevin Pace and Anthony. They caught 65 Trout, 5 Redfish and 4 Flounder on light tackle. This type of fishing is one of my favorite ways to fish. On almost every cast in the right spot you will catch a fish. The next day was the same type of trip for Michael Denner and Don. They caught over sixty fish and I mention to Michael, watch, I will hook one on just a hook. I caught one on the first bounce of the button then Michael caught the next 12 without bait. Every day is not like this but when it is it’s awesome to catch so many fish in such a short time. I want to mention this again as I do when catching large numbers of fish that we are to release unharmed. Always use a dehooker when releasing your small Trout that you are not going to keep. DO NOT TOUCH THEM WITH YOUR HANDS. DO NOT USE A RAG TO HOLD A TROUT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO RELEASE. If you have to hold a Trout to dislodge a hook or something wet your hands before touching him. If you will do more harm to the fish trying to remove the hook, just cut the line. One other thing you can do to your jig is crimp down the barb to minimize damage. Remember think like a fish to catch fish or just call me at 386 314 5656 or visit my website. Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:08:06 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR It has been another month of tough weather. We have been able to get out a few times and when we did it was off the hook fishing for the most part. There was a day or two they would not feed but the rest of the month it was great fishing. Red Snappers and Groupers are out of season but they are everywhere and easy to catch when they are on the feed. Last weekend we brought up around 150 Snappers that went all the way to 20 pounds!!! You can get your picture with them and take measurements to have a mount done. When it has been too rough to get out we have worked the beach and on Saturday the 22nd over 100 Whiting were caught. These were some big fish and it was great to work some inshore fish. On light tackle these fish are a blast and fight like dogs. We can offer these trips at a much lower rate and if you have kids, they love this type fishing. It is calm, only 500 yards off the beach, on anchor, and nonstop action. Next month we are hoping to see the return of some more stable weather so that we can get out and beat up on some Wahoo, Sailfish, Kings and whatever else wants to join us for dinner. If you are thinking about a Mahi trip this year in May or June, I would suggest booking early as we are already locking in dates. Stay warm and we’ll see you on the water, Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-810-FISH www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:20:11 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Pomps are still scarce but the Whiting have been consistent on the beaches. My bro and I caught 10 in an hour yesterday on clams. When seas calm after the weekend we'll be back for more. chased32951 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 24 Jan 2011 23:49:54 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Today I had four guys from Ocala drive down for a partial day of bottom fishing out of Port Canaveral to 8A reef. The weather was forecast to be nice, so we expected a quick ride to the reef to get the day started. Though a little windier than forecast the seas stayed decent all day. Once Anchored the fish started coming up. The current was much stronger than normal for this location, and we had to double up the weight to keep lines from getting tangled. The Sea Bass must have looked like cockroach's scurrying around the bottom, as the catch of them numbered 200-300 for the day. There was some size to them however with many in the 14" to 16" size. A lot of "Barely Legal's" were released during the 5 hours we were out. Triggerfish were at the reef, though only a handful were brought back. My guest were having a hard time getting the bait down slow enough to to give the Triggers time to come off the bottom and get it before the Sea Bass hooked up. ACME Ventures Fishing25lb Cownose Ray On The Line1/20/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreACME Ventures Fishing25lb Cownose Ray1/20/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreThe big catch of the day was a Ray. It also was caught on the lightest tackle, a 6lb rod, with 6lb braid, using a 1oz jig-head tipped with squid. It took a while to tire it enough to get to the boat, but it finally did, and was released unharmed. The ride in found a large weed cluster in which the first few seconds of investigating saw a few Tripletail. We offered a jighead with a squid head, but no interest. We could have tried artificials, but we had a lot of fish to clean, and my guest still had a long drive home. Another boat behind us said they stopped and tried for a while with everything they had (except shrimp which they did not have), and there was no interest despite seeing nearly 10 fish. ACME Ventures Fishing16" Black Sea Bass1/20/2011 Port Canaveral Offshore50 fish brought back meant a lot of cleaning, and hundreds of fish caught meant sore arms and a fun day of deep sea fishing out of Port Canaveral. Captain Henry "Wile E Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 24 Jan 2011 23:45:33 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing Report: We have enjoyed a much more normal winter lately. Cool nights and nice days have allowed the water temperatures to remain in the 60's. This time last year, we had that horrible winter storm that killed so many fish around the state. Luckily, it hasn't been as bad so far this year. A few more weeks and it will begin to warm up and transition into spring around the Treasure Coast. Lots of fish have been biting all around the river. Sea Trout on the flats in three to five feet of water on live shrimp, I found a nice Trout that was willing to hit a CAL jerk bait on the flats. Deadly Combos and CAL jerk baits. Redfish on the flats taking DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits. I was out earlier in the week and found a small school tailing in some shallows around one of the many sand bars of the river. Hooking up on three, I got two to the boat before they moved on. A CAL jerk bait in the Arkansas Glow color had them biting. Sheepshead, Black Drum and some Snapper have been hanging around the bridges, docks and channel edges this month. Live or dead shrimp has worked best on these fish. Pompano have been taken around the jetties, beaches and on deeper flats in the river. Doc's Goofy Jigs are the most popular lures for Pompano, along with shrimp, clams or squid. The surf has also held its share of Whiting and Bluefish. The inlet has been full of Blues, Mackerel and Jacks that are willing to take anything shiny. With the winter being much more cooperative this year, the fishing has been outstanding in the river. Get out and enjoy the water while the sun is keeping things much warmer. Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 A couple Redfish taken on the flats this week. fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:03:57 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The last couple of days have been pretty fruitless. The wind has been steady and cold with the highs only in the 40's. I was able to see a really nice Sheepshead at the fishing pier but no bites on live shrimp. I fished during the low and rising tides as well as a few other anglers. Several had said they had hooked a few Reds over the past week before the really cold weather hit. At the boat dock where I have been staying I have seen quite a few Mullet and Bass. I did see a couple of wild hogs on the banks of the river as well as a river otter. I hope it warms up a bit to bring in the fish. Will be heading home to Virginia at the beginning of the week. Alan Old Clunker Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:13:58 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Here we are at another new year and the start of another fishing season and so far so good. With the cooler weather has brought clarity to the inshore waters which adds up to exceptional sight fishing. We have been finding large schools of Redfish in numbers of up to a hundred throughout the lagoon system. If you take your time and position yourself correctly targeting these fish can be a breeze. These fish can be taken on several different kinds of bait like shrimp, soft plastics, cut bait and worked correctly I have been catching large numbers on the Aqua dreams spoons. The Trout bite has also been exceptional. I have been finding these fish to be holding on the edge of the flats in about three feet of water mixed in with schools of Mullet in the early morning. As the sun gets higher in the sky and the flats start to warm the larger Trout have been moving up on the flats to the sand holes to gather warmth. These fish can be caught using small suspending plugs, soft plastics, live shrimp and Mullet. Just remember patience and placement is the key to catch one of these trophy Trout. I recommend a very slow retrieve on artificial and let the live bait just do what it does best. Now lets finish up with Flounder. They have moved into the back waters of Edgewater in great numbers and can be taken two different ways. One way is gigging them, this is definitely a challenge and a lot of work, but when they are in as thick as they are very satisfying. Then there is rod and reel. These fish can be targeted with baits on the bottom. For artificials, I would recommend a soft plastic with a 1/8 oz jig head and for live bait a shrimp rig on the same jig head and a slow retrieve along the bottom. Good luck and be safe! Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:12:20 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing Report: Well, we have another new year just started and at least it began much better than last years freezing weather. Nice mild, but windy days have allowed anglers to get out fishing on the river most days. We have even enjoyed a few calm days out there and the fishing has been good so far this month. Water temps have warmed up into the mid 60's and you can find lots of hungry fish around the river. Channel edges and drop offs around the flats have been productive. My wife, Eva, joined me for a quick trip on the water this week and landed a nice Pompano for dinner that night. Ron, Mike and Timberly joined me mid-week and we found Bluefish, Trout and even a big Mackerel on the flats just off a sand bar. John, Jeff and Jim went out on a windier day just after the cold front. The flats were not as active, but fishing docks provided the guys with lots of action and a good variety of fish, including Jacks, Drum, Sheepshead and Bluefish. We had a good week on the water! Fishing CAL jerk baits or DOA shrimp on the flats can find Trout when the water is back up into the mid to high 60's. Deadly Combos are also excellent to find the Trout on the flats. Fish in two to five feet of water. Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island have all been productive. Reports of Redfish have been mostly north of Fort Pierce on the west shore using DOA shrimp or Gulp baits. Docks have been loaded with Sheepshead, Black Drum and assorted species to keep you busy. Live shrimp, TerrorEyz or DOA shrimp are all good choices around the docks. The jetties and inlet have been full of Bluefish most days. Shiny lures and live shrimp have all worked well around those areas. Lots of Jacks and Ladyfish have been all around the river lately. Some Pompano around the surf and jetties have provided some good meals for hungry anglers. Bridges and catwalks are a great place to look for Sheepshead and Black Drum. Keep your fingers crossed that we won't have more freezing weather this month. The fishing has been great and mild conditions will keep the fish feeding. It has been a great start of the new year! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:49:25 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Happy New Year!! Is it 2011 already? Time sure does fly. The new year's fishing on the lagoon has been nothing short of fantastic. Record catches of Trout and Redfish have been the norm over the last few weeks of charters. Huge schools of Redfish are in the Mosquito Lagoon and North Indian River, large schools of Trout & Black Drum have also been spotted all month long. The cooler weather in late December made for some interesting and exciting days on the water. However all in all the bite has been exceptional. The Trout were eating as well. Look for them in the sand sloughs or near soft muddy bottom during periods of cold weather. If you locate one Trout, there are surely MANY in the area. Try throwing gulps or DOA plastics for these holed-up fish. During cooler periods, I have schools of several hundred Trout! Many in the 17-20” range. Water levels have been extremely low allowing for some great sight-fishing conditions when the sun is up. Fly fishing should continue to be good using small offerings such as worm flies or crab type patterns. Warm winter afternoons with light breezes can make for exceptional tailing conditions on the flyrod. Charters these past few weeks Included Martin and His Brother Christian, Ninh from Virginia, Mark & Paul. Also a special new year’s day fishing trip with my son Alec. He is my favorite fishing partner!! Have a great week and I hope to see you on the water soon! Captain Mike Bales 352-255-8175 mikeluvs2guide@yahoo.com Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charterswww.hotfishcharters.com Michael Bales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:59:50 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Light winds, calm seas, and fair temperatures makes for a great offshore, whether fishing or just riding. Our trip was to Pelican today to bring back some of the best tasting fish in our waters, Trigger. The ports cruise ship flotilla was a bit different this week with the Carnival Pride making a port of call as well as P&O's Adventura which we passed on our way out. The big news was Disney's new "Dream" which is making Port Canaveral its home port. Another "Flortilla" was seen this trip, this was a group of 50 or so boats that converged on a small piece of real estate on the north end of Pelican flats. Primarily Commercial King boats, a few recreational anglers looked to be in the mix. ACME Ventures Fishing36" King Mackerel01/05/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreOne pass by this area resulted in 2 fish boated, and one lost. Had we stayed we could have limited fairly quickly. I gave my guest that option, but they wanted to anchor up and drop lines. Kings are fun to fight, but there are better tasting fish in the area. ACME Ventures Fishing38" King Mackerel01/05/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe worked to keep the bait up off the bottom to avoid so many smaller fish, and this did work, though some Sea Bass were still caught. When a keeper is brought on board, its difficult to let it go, so we ended up with a handful anyway. A few Manta's were seen putting on a high flying show, but no Cobias came by the boat for a visit. As we were about to pull anchor, several schools of Little Tunnys (Bonitas as many people mistakenly call them), moved into the area. We made our ride in to port at 40mph to clean fish. A day of reef fishing results in hundreds of fish caught, with many shorts released, and a very messy boat, but also happy and wore out guest! Captain Henry ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:55:07 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Not the greatest of conditions offshore, but better than the past Friday. We could at least see over the waves, despite the 20mph winds and very choppy 3-4' Seas. The only other days available for my guest were Thursday and Friday, which were forecast to to be much worse. With 5 guys having little to no offshore experience the seas quickly emptied the stomach's of 3 of them. They pressed on, and insisted staying the whole day. Only two guest spoke English, so a lot of translation took place. We were planning on trolling the Pelican area for Kings, but after the chumming episodes, we decided that it would be best to anchor and keep the boats movement limited to one direction. While all anglers were able to say they caught fish, some still spent more time with their head overboard than fishing, or even sitting upright for that matter. Triggers were flooding the reef, with average sizes about 18". We quickly found them biting higher and higher, until finally the were hitting the bait only 30' below the boat. This certainly limited our bait stealers, and smaller Sea Bass which was nice since the Triggers provide not only the best tasting fish in our waters but also a handful more times the meat than the ever present Sea Bass. ACME Ventures Fishing18" Trigger01/03/2011 Port Canaveral OffshoreWith all but one of the 5 guest content to sit and "Enjoy the View", I started hooking up fish for them, and handing off the rod to each of them. This added about 30 nice sized Triggers to the catch. Flatlines added a few more fish, and also a few lost. A King and Shark was brought to the docks, and a few Kings were lost. Despite being sick, they all were looking forward to planning another trip, though perhaps into spring when the seas start to settle down. Captain Henry ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:16:14 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR With intel gained the 2 previous days, we had hoped for some good fishing Friday. The conditions the previous 2 days were very different. Wednesday I saw 18deg leaving my house, and 36 upon arriving at the port. Seas that trip were fair, and it was full speed in and out. Thursday was perfect. Light winds and nearly flat seas. Not only was the air temp up, but water temps were up 3-4 degrees in some areas. Though we were at Pelican flats with a group bottom fishing, we heard a few reports of Mahi being caught to the Southeast. ACME Ventures Fishing400lb Sunfish (Mola)12/31/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreThen came Friday. As I last checked the report Thursday night, the forecast was still for 3-4' and winds in the afternoon 10-15kts. Well that was not exactly, or even close to being accurate. Winds were already closer to 20 by midnight, and stayed like that all day. We decided to push on, with this being the only day available for my clients trip. We were going to head for the weather buoy, with the water temps over 72 deg there, but stopped at 8A due to the wind and waves. We saw one manta there, and a Mola-Mola. Its was a little too rough to sight fish to see if any Cobias were on the reef, and even drifting was difficult, trying to keep lines straight, and the bow into the waves. We finally anchored, and caught a limit of Sea Bass. A few ARS were also caught. The weather kept calling out the forecast, as 3-4' seas and winds 10-15, but when you are standing on the deck of your boat, and when in the trough, you are looking UP at the white capping peak of the wave nearing you, with winds 20-25, well... I've been out in conditions less than this when small-craft advisories were up. While out, one of the party boats showed up, and as we were ready to head in, around lunchtime, a small, 20' open center console, without a T-top to even hang on to showed up, with 3 guy's on it! Capt. Rick from SeaTow was telling me later when we were in port, that he had to do a rescue tow on a small boat that was up at Hetzel Shoals. There was a lot of activity on the VHF, but not about 'Fish Tales', most were calls to SeaTow, or USCG reports of boaters in trouble. Not a great fishing day, but we did fish, and managed a limit on Sea Bass, which meant a lot of cleaning. Next week hopefully we can find some nice weather for a few more trips. Captain Henry ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:23:28 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing13" Lane Snapper12/30/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreAnother day, and my how the weather changes...for the better. Calm winds, flat seas, warmer temps. We headed straight to Pelican Flats, where only 15 hours earlier many Blacktip Sharks were caught. Well, water temps had warmed by nearly 3 deg, and no Sharks all day! There were however MANY ariel displays of leaping Manta Rays over the reef. We saw at least a dozen jumps this trip. Where Manta's are, Cobia usually follow. We did have a few free swimmers approach the boat, but they were not interested in eating. We had live Pins, Sardines, Jigs, and Squid to which they looked and moved on. The only thing we did not have is a speargun! ACME Ventures Fishing18" Trigger12/30/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreTrigger, Sea Bass, and Lane were the order of the day. A lot of Vermillion Snapper were caught and released. Kings were on the reef, and I offered to pull anchor and slow troll for some, but the were most happy to stay put and keep reeling fish in. This trip was made up of a grandmother with 2 of her daughters, and 2 grandchildren. Their other deep sea fishing charter experience was in Cozumel, where they caught 1 fish the whole trip! We caught a few hundred this trip, so I guess they were happy! Captain Henry ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 08 Jan 2011 15:31:08 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR It was COLD. I left my house with the thermometer reading 18deg! At the port it was 36deg as we left, but managed to rise into the 50's offshore. 5' swells were no issue with light winds. With 4 local guys on this Deep Sea Charter from Orlando, we all were cold to start the day. We headed deep looking for a rip that showed up on satellite imagery. Found it at 180' with weeds, dozens of Turtles, a Mola Mola (Sunfish) and Birds. Only problem.....No Baitfish, and no FISH! We worked the area, switching colors on the skirts, and nothing. Water temp was cool at 67deg. ACME Ventures Fishing54" FL Blacktip Shark12/29/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreFound weeds at 200' to 240' and at least saw some fish. We found some Oceanic Triggers hanging with the weeds and Spinner Sharks. We caught some of the Sharks for fun, but not long enough to keep. Finally we headed to Pelican Flats. Sea Bass, Triggers and Catch and release Vermillion were caught. Sharks were here also, but Blacktips. We caught several, with one keeper sized meeting the 54" fork lenth. Lots of meat of that one! The other Blacktips ranged from 42" to 48", but with some weight to them gave a nice fight ACME Ventures Fishing54" FL Blacktip Shark12/29/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreWith 30 to 40 pound of good meat from the one fish, the days net total yield in meat was positive. When properly bled immediately, and cleaned correctly, Shark is some of the better eating fish in our region. Captain Henry ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com Deep Sea Fishing Charters Port Canaveral - "Wile E Coyote" 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 08 Jan 2011 15:17:05 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR December turned out to be the coldest in recorded history here in central Florida but we still managed to have some excellent fishing. While the cold snaps were frequent and severe, they were not as prolonged as last January and I have not seen any significant fish kills. The water is crystal clear and Redfish, Black Drum and huge Seatrout can be found in schools throughout the Mosquito Lagoon. Both fly and light tackle anglers can expect some spectacular days on the water. During mid December, I made a trip to Mosquito Lagoon with fellow guide Capt. John Kumiski on a frigid morning. With the water temperature at 46, we did not expect to find any happy fish. To our surprise, the fish we found were a bit sluggish but happy to eat our flies. During several hours of fishing, we landed 18 Redfish with 13 of them on fly. We used mostly black or olive redfish worms or crab type patterns. The following day, the weather had warmed significantly and I took a canoe trip with friend Capt. Charlie Imwalle. We had an excellent day targeting Redfish and Black Drum on fly. Mid-month charters brought varying levels of success. We saw plenty of Redfish on each trip but they were very shallow and required quick accurate casts to get a bite. The past week, another strong cold front drove many of the fish off the shallow flats and into deeper channel, sloughs and edges. Even with water temperatures at the beginning of the week in the lower 40's, the fish were often fighting over the baits. Malcolm and Wayne were visiting from South Africa and wanted to try targeting some Redfish. They had an outstanding day of catch and release action landing at least twenty Redfish and several nice Trout on 3" DOA CAL jigs. The following day, I was joined my Maureen with her son Michael, 12, and Brittany, 17. It was another banner day with thirty Redfish landed and released. The following two days were a bit tougher due to thick cloud cover. We saw plenty of fish but many were nearly under the boat by the time we noticed them. At the end of the day on Thursday the clouds finally parted but the wind began picking up. At our last stop before heading in, Fred talked me in to making a few casts with him. A nice Trout was willing to eat my 3" CAL. Friday, we barely saw the sun all day but we did see hundreds of fish. Ray got a Mosquito Lagoon slam landed several Redfish and Drum, along with a couple Seatrout. This month, anglers should expect more top notch sight fishing. Weather is the most influential factor during the winter. Because of the shallow depths of the Lagoon system, water temperatures can go up or down significantly in a short time. Sudden drops will chase most of the fish off the shallows but they will return as soon as the water warms. Small lures and flies are the key to success. The colder the water, the slower the presentation should be. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:38:46 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Well, it looks like the Kings have moved on but we are finding some Cobia moving in. We had a chance at an 80 pound fish on the back of a leather back turtle and he actually took two jigs which he broke off. The third bait was a live bait and he inhaled it only to spit it back out. He just decided not to eat anymore so he moved on. Man what a fish. There were several other Cobia caught as well that day on different boats. The bottom bite has been good for various other fish but with Snapper and Grouper now out of season for a while you have to settle for smaller but just as tasty bottom guys. The Amberjacks are always an alternative as well and will kick your butt with a great fight. It is time to come and get some of these fish off our hands so lets go fishing soon. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-366-8347 www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:09:14 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Well, it appears that we just might be in for another cold winter here on the Treasure Coast. Night temperatures have plummeted into the 20's and 30's once again and that will certainly keep the water colder than normal for this time of year. Hopefully, we won't see the fish kills like last year around the state. We will be fishing deeper water for some time now, but action can be exciting in some areas of the river in January. Water temperature is very important in January for your success on the river. January is typically a windy month. You might enjoy one or two days a week that are calmer, but expect it to be windy. Using the right ramps can make your day better. There are many ramps around the area that allow you to launch depending on wind direction. The river can be rough some days, but you can still fish most days if you plan your trips carefully. It is a great month to fish in spite of weather conditions that might not be to your liking. Bridges will continue to produce Sheepshead, Black Drum, Croakers and Bluefish. Most of the anglers on the catwalks prefer live or frozen shrimp for these fish. The inlet and turning basin will be full of Bluefish, Jacks and Mackerel this month. Live or dead bait on a jig head will give you plenty of action along with silver spoons or shiny lures. Around seawalls, channel edges or deeper structure you can find Grouper for catch and release action in January. Snook action around the jetties and bridges will be active mostly at night for anglers using feather jigs, TerrorEyz and live bait. Snook will remain closed this year until September. Redfish can be found around docks and sitting on the flats on warm, sunny days. DOA shrimp or CAL jerk baits work great for wintertime fishing. Docks will be loaded with Sheepshead in January with nice sized fish. Pompano fishing will depend on water temperatures for their location, but they will be in the area throughout the winter. Surf anglers will be targeting these fish on days when the beach is fishable. Flounder should be found around the jetties on the beach side and on sand flats around the inlet. If you can find warmer water on the flats, you will most likely find Trout feeding in those areas. Last year, we were rewarded many days as the sun would warm up a patch of water and get the fish actively feeding. CAL jerk baits were very successful on the Trout. Ladyfish will be all over the river for fun action for the little ones. January Tips: Dress for the weather. We might get one or two days each week that might be warmer, but most days will be on the cooler side. There can be a 30 degree swing in temperature on some days. Dressing in layers can keep you comfortable throughout the day in January. Once you become cold, it's hard to warm back up again. Keep yourself comfortable and enjoy some good fishing in January. Stay warm and safe and enjoy the winter! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Thanks and Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:31:22 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR December 2010 has brought early winter conditions to East Central Florida with several below freezing nights and very cold water temperatures before the first day of winter. I am pictured with a frosty morning Redfish taken on a scouting trip right after the cold spell began. After the Reds and Trout got used to the cold water temps down in the high 40’s and low 50’s on the cold mornings, our early winter pattern of schooled up fish in the sand sloughs and pockets began to be the go to fishing style. On the beautiful sunny post cold front days we are also finding larger sized Redfish schooled up on the shallow flats looking for some warmer water in the sunshine. Lately I have had several charter trips with catches of 50 to 100 plus fish, mixed Redfish, Trout, and a few Flounder mainly from the sand sloughs. Most of the Reds have been “fun to catch on light tackle”, smaller fish around 15” to 20”, but many of the Trout have been quality fish up to 17” to 20”, with lots of smaller sized mixed in also. These numbers of fish are exceptional for fun catch and release fishing, but the Seatrout season will reopen after New Years Day so we can start to keep some for dinner again. The trip catch numbers of fish will begin to be lower at some point through the winter as the big totals as of late are the exception not the rule. But fun fishing will continue here on Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River. The other picture is client Steve from Connecticut with a beautiful 14 spot Redfish. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:18:28 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing21" Trigger12/25/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreThe days weather started great out of Port Canaveral. Wind was flat, air was crisp, yet mellow, and most importantly, seas were calm. Actually they were about 5', but as 12 sec long period swells. It was a 40mph ride out. I was taking the boat out to diagnose an issue with the Port Motor before a potential busy next week of Charters. I found the problem, and its a simple fix, so good news. On to Fishing. Heading to Pelican Flats, about 2 to 3 miles to go, a few square miles of heavy bird action, and bait crashing was taking place. It was likely that these were Tunnys, but it merited a stop. A few Ballyhoo were set out, and a path was weaved around this party. No takers however. These fish were all fairly small, and the bait they were hitting were Glass Minnow sized. We could have used some small lures to catch them, but I was after Good Eats. On to Pelican. One pass up and down the length of Pelican resulted in 2 shreadded Ballyhoo, but no hookups. There were several commercial boats working the area, and I was really more interested in sweet meat anyhow. I anchored up at one of my favorite spots, and got started. Although only there about 4 hours, a lot of Good Eats were brought back. Several keeper sized, but smaller Triggers were released to grow some more, but these came home. I had a friend with me on the trip, but he was only really interested in big fish, so forsook catching any of the smaller game. I would get a Pinfish every once in a while and pass it off to him for bait, but he was content with waiting and relaxing. I however, was content with nonstop up and down with my small bottom rig, and filling a cooler with Trigger, Sea Bass, Lane, and a Shark! A dozen or so Vermillion Snapper were also caught and released since they are closed until the end of March. Wind switched to the SW around lunchtime, and really started to pick up, so we only stayed till about 1:30, and then crashed some waves on the ride in. A lot of fish means a lot of cleaning, but its worth it! Captain Henry ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:09:35 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Oh man, they are here. Although the seas have been somewhat bumpy, we are smacking the fish like a red haired step child. Last friday, I took a couple guys out and after an 18 mile run we dropped a couple Kingfish lines and within an hour we had our 8 fish limit at least twice. I found that we could only keep one rod in the water as they were grabbing everything we offered them. This is great fun on very light tackle and a nice fight. The guys got tired of that so off to the bottom it was and no sooner then the first bait hits the bottom it was on for the rest of the trip with up to 15 pound Red Snappers comming over the side. We vented and released everyone of them as they are out of season right now, but I can tell you there were some sore arms. Take a look at our face book page to see some shots and a video of the action. It's time so don't let the weather scare you, Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-366-8347 www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:44:50 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Joe PorcelliBIG Trout!12/04/10 Mosquito LagoonNow that winter is totally kicked in the fish have come out of their transition period and into winter mode. The water is cold and clear moving fish a little deeper. We have had a few cool mornings but the days have been very comfortable. For several days we had no wind and you could see tailing Reds for a long long way. The shrimp and crabs are in the sand and the Reds are seeking them out, that is when the tail comes up. We have been tossing 3” Gulp shrimp in the nuclear chicken and natural color at them and they have been Gulping them down. The alternative is the Johnson silver minnow in 1/4 oz size. Jeff, Cameron and Meagan Hand joined me for a morning trip and caught some really nice fish on these baits. If you don’t get a reaction on one lure try something else or just adjust your retrieve speed a little. John Gazelt and Myers caught thirteen Reds and three big Trout on the same lures (Gulp and Johnson spoons). They had a great time picking out fish and catching them. The bigger Trout are on the flats and they make easy sight casting targets. Look for the fish in the sandy areas and don’t go by one without tossing a Gulp in it. If you look real close you will see Redfish rubbing the sand it these holes. Flounder are also thick in the lagoon these days and we took some nice ones this weekend. Bounce a Gulp shrimp in Natural color right on the bottom and work a clock pattern. You may think it is just weeds when you feel the fish weight on your line. The smaller Trout are also bunched up in deeper holes and if we wanted to, we could catch dozens of them in each spot. But I want to wait a few more days until trout season opens up and we will catch a bunch I am sure. It is not uncommon for us to catch over a hundred Trout in a day. Most of these fish are smaller undersize fish but every eighth fish is a keeper. The bigger Trout are shallow but this quick action is hard to beat. Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me, I will Guarantee you do. Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:02:09 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR How I long for the days of........well almost any other month of the year, when seas are decent at least as often as they are poor. Working a schedule for fishing to match the weather is difficult, and when there are only a day or two in a week where the offshore conditions are decent, or even safe, make things rough. We sailed out of Port Canaveral a little after 6:00am under overcast skies, and the little peek of the sun we saw on our run out would be the last we would see of it, until our ride in......as it was setting! Rain was the order of the day. We managed to fish around the heavy stuff, but still light rain was there all day. First stop of the day was at 8A for some live bait. We were stopping to pick up some Grunts to take out deep, but were having a hard time finding them with all the small Sea Bass beating them to the bait. We did manage to boat a few keeper Sea Bass and nice fat Trigger for the effort. Finally we got our bait, and headed out a little deeper. At 120' we drifted the structure, with ARS being there. A sonar hit of a school marking, netted ARS, so we knew we were going to have a hard time getting much else with them around. A few Porgys were added to the icebox. Out to the 20 mile weather buoy for a few pass's dragging lines. Boats were already there, and only one hookup was seen. Not really sure what was taken, but looked to be a King or Cuda. We made several circles around with only one hookup as we passed the Buoy. The Drag screamed, and Kevin grabbed the rod for the fight. This was a monster, with line continuing to peel. I slowed the boat, and the fight lessened. The catch was indeed big, perhaps as big as our boat! Once unhooked from the "buoy", we headed for deeper water. ACME Ventures Fishing16" Vermillion Snapper12/18/10 Port Canaveral OffshoreA stop at a 170' wreck did not mark any fish, but with a boat on our next target, we worked it for a while. We limited on Atlantic Sharpnose Shark here, and moved on to City's Barges. Again no fish marking, but lines down anyway. A few baits came back bit off, before a hookup was made. This fish had a little more fight in it than we had all day, so a little action seemed to be heating up. The fish was finally brought to the boat, and it was a fat Cuda.ACME Ventures Fishing50" 30lbs Barracuda12/18/10 Port Canaveral Offshore Though only 4' long, this fish had been eating well. With rain continuing, and wind picking up, we opted to add some more good eating fish to the icebox. We caught a lot of the other "Red"" Snappers at these locations also, Vermillions. These though excellent eating, are sadly closed for recreational anglers from November to March, so sadly they were all released. We headed in to 120' and one of the artificial reefs, and dropped baits. Several more Porgys were added to the collection, as well as another fat Trigger. The radio reports we heard all day really did not have much action taking place. We were out as deep as 240', or 33 miles out, and never hit clean Blue water nor any weeds. Boats out as deep as 600' only reported some widely scattered weeds, and not much catching action, so we chose not to spend the time chasing shadows or blind trolling. We finally made our way to port right around sunset, with the boat to load, fish to clean, and a lot of cleaning up to do yet. It was a long wet day, but food was brought home, and everyone caught fish! King Mackerel are still thick at the 80' reef's, with water temp's still in the 70's. We managed to add a King to the catch, however this was from another angler exiting a party boat, that did not feel like cleaning it. Oh well, He got the fun of catching it, and We get the fun of eating it. Take'em any way you get them! Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:17:14 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Intense weather patterns are moving Redfish and Spotted Seatrout the past several weeks back and forth from the deeper waters to the shallow grass flats depending upon the temperatures that are going on during the cold fronts we are experiencing. Along with the winds, backcountry waters throughout the entire Mosquito Lagoon have been the most active and allowing you to find seclusion from mother nature. Weeks of great sight fishing have been producing extremely good numbers of Trout, Redfish and the occasional Black Drum. With water levels dropping for our routine of winter fishing it is causing the Redfish to start to school up in their famous winter schooling patterns. Shallow back country flats will be your best bet for sight fishing and flats fishing here in east central Florida. As we get more and more cold to cool fronts moving into the area the Redfish bite will take off. Days of gin clear water are at our doorsteps. Top choices of tackle and tactics this time of year have included live blue crabs in the size range of a silver dollar or so along with a select jumbo shrimp. These choices are easily rigged onto 3 feet of 15-20lb leader with a 3/0 circle hook. A well placed cast across and in front of tailing Redfish with a soft retrieve to the Redfish will most definitely produce some of the most exciting action of the holiday season. Do not be shocked or surprised if you should reel in a nice Trout. They are in the darkness awaiting and watching at times. Winter sight fishing on the Mosquito Lagoon is by far the best in the state of Florida. For those of you using artificial's your best choices this time of year for either bigger Trout and Redfish(both fish should always be handled with extreme care for higher survival rates. Trout must be released at this time of the calendar year as well. It is the law here in this region.) will include the D.O.A. shrimps or CALS. pretty much all of the colors will work. Try a natural looking one is my choice. Either rigged weedless or with a jig head should work fine in the clear water. However as always take in mind your approach to these fish among the flats. A stealthy slow attack will always produce higher quality days. Try to always approach your targets from your poling platform at greater distances. This will allow you a quitter approach and a better line of sight to your targets. Please also do remember your fellow anglers out there as well and be aware that the Mosquito Lagoon does have to pole and troll zones within its boundaries. Smaller schools of Black Drum are moving about the flats as the warming of the sun tends to intensify their appetite. A small blue crab(size of a quarter) on a 2/0 circle hook should do the trick well. of course a shrimp placed within sight of them should work well too. They are very high strung so take your time with them. Watch for bait pods and birds feeding with signs of activity mixed in as well. I want to wish everyone out there a very safe and happy holiday season. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Light tackle fishing guide on the Mosquito Lagoon, specializing in fly fishing or spin fishing for redfish, trout, snook and tarpon. www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com drcfishmaster@cfl.rr.com PO BOX 881 Edgewater, FL 32132 Cell 352-223-7897 Office 386-210-4082 Captain DREW Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:54:05 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR It's December and the colder weather has set in and that means the sight fishing inside the Mosquito Lagoon is on fire. The water temps on the flats have dropped with the passing cold fronts forcing the fish into their winter time pattern. Redfish, Sea Trout, and Black Drum have all made their way to super shallow water to sun themselves and forge on the small shrimp and crabs. Anglers have been sight fishing the fish with small plastics baits, and spoons with great success. The pods of Mullet, larger Pinfish, and Pigfish are gone and the fish inside the Mosquito Lagoon will focus on small crustaceans for the next couple of months like shrimp and small blure crabs. The shrimp run has busted lose driving the these fish crazy. On most days anglers will spend the day being poled around in crystal clear water less than a foot deep sight fishing for these wonderful game fish. On calm mornings anglers can look forward to fishing tailing, and milling around the flat's. These fish tend to run in the 4-20 range. The Black Drum are schooled up on the flats and they are always suckers for a well placed live/dead shrimp. Sea Trout are still closed until the first of the year, but anglers are still able to land many fish in the 3-8 pound range on the edges of the flat's on small top water lures. I want to thank all the anglers that fish with me this year, and I look forward to seeing you again next year. Last years hard freeze was a tuff one for us here in Florida, let's hope we don't have a repeat winter. I only have a hand full of dates open for the next couple of months so give me a call before there all gone. Captain Shawn Red Zone Charters www.OrlandoSaltwaterFishingGuide.com Captain Shawn Williams Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:56:32 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: Alright, so winter has set in and it appears that we might be in for another cold season. Well, let's hope not! One cold front has passed and another is fast approaching the Treasure Coast. As usual, they seem to hit us on the weekends and only allow a couple days a week to have a chance to get out on the water. Better get those cold weather clothes out and ready! The anglers who fished the past week found a good nighttime Snook bite around the jetties and inlet. Live bait, feather jigs and DOA TerrorEyz have been working best for Snook anglers trying to get a slot fish before the season closed on December 15th. There is only a few days left. There has been a good Redfish bite on the west shoreline both north of Fort Pierce around Harbor Branch and south around the docks. Live bait, CAL jerk baits and DOA shrimp have all worked. There has also been some good size Reds taken around the jetties recently. Trout are catch and release this month, but there have been Trout taken on the deeper cuts of the flats on popping corks. Pompano and Whiting have been biting along the surf when fishable on shrimp, sand fleas and Doc's Goofy Jigs. Sand Perch, Sheepshead and Black Drum have been caught off the bridges and catwalks this week. Dead shrimp is always the best bait choice in these spots. It's gonna get cold again next week, so dress warm and plan on fishing in deeper water for the best results. Afternoons can find fish moving up shallow to get warm and always a possibility of a Redfish or Trout in the shallows on a sunny afternoon. Have fun out there! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 13 Dec 2010 10:52:54 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Tis the season for cooler weather. As the cold fronts start to move through Central FL our fish will begin there winter patterns. The water has already started to drop and also clear up. Look for the Trout to be holding in the deeper sand holes early in the morning and moving to the shallow flats as the sun gets higher in the sky. The Redfish can be found holding on shallow sand holes and mud flats soaking up the warmth from the bottom. There is one good thing about this time of year though! You can sleep inn the water doesn't start to warm until late morning. Good luck and stay warm, Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:38:44 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Winter has arrived early here in Central Florida. With temperatures the next couple days twenty degrees below normal fishing will be best during the middle of the day. For the past couple weeks, wind and clouds have been our biggest challenge. The Redfish have been tailing and willing to eat. For most anglers, casting in the wind makes accuracy difficult. Fortunately, the Seatrout bite was outstanding prior to the latest cold snap. On a cold, windy and rainy morning last month, Ralph, and Sal caught too many Trout to count using a DOA Deadly Combo. With no rain gear, the cold drove them to call it quits early. The middle of the week brought some nice weather with sun and light winds. Danny had shots at Redfish and big Trout throughout the day. He hooked several nice Trout on five-inch Cal's. Thanksgiving day, Paul and his daughter Ashley, visiting from California, had a great morning catching dozens of Seatrout with the Deadly Combo. We went on to the flats and found some schools of tailing Black Drum along with scattered Redfish. Paul landed the biggest fish of the day, a nice Black Drum. By Saturday the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Teen anglers Conner and Austin were hoping for some Redfish and wanted to go despite the poor forecast. The morning began cloudy but calm and the Redfish were happy and tailing. Conner landed a Redfish right off the bat. The rain soon began falling and the wind picked up. With no rain gear to wear, both guys tried to stick it out but the cold got the best of them and I took them in. Since it was so early, I went back out to see what I could find. Spotting the fish was tough but I did find some groups of happy tailing Redfish and landed five on three-inch Cal tails. Last week Dean and Doug fished with me on another blustery day. With plenty of sun, spotting the fish was the easy part, casting was tough. Both guys landed a nice Redfish and had plenty of shots throughout the morning. After their five hour trip, I went back out to do a bit of sight fishing myself. Within an hour, six Redfish to 32 inches were landed on a 3" CAL tail and a black 1/4 oz jighead. The fish are definitely hungry and eating. Friday, Mike and Ian braved some high winds on Mosquito Lagoon. Sight fishing was not working out for them but blind casting paid off with a few Trout, some Redfish and several Black Drum. So far this week, high winds and cold have kept me off the water but things look to be improving as the week goes on. The Redfish and Drum will continue to form their winter schools. Casting at schools means your accuracy does not have to be as good as when casting at singles. However, spook one fish in the school and they will all take off. Sometimes they stop and settle down, sometimes they do not. Approach schools with extreme caution and stealth and pick your shot carefully. Small baits such as the DOA shrimp and crab are my pick when the winds are light. When it starts blowing, a three-inch tail on a jig will cast better. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:20:53 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: Looks like winter has really decided to set in on the Treasure Coast. Cold nights and windy days have been the norm lately and it appears that it will be here for a while longer. That will certainly continue cooling off the water and make it challenging to fish this month. Hopefully, it will warm back up soon and bring the water temps up to a normal level again. Joe and Derrick joined me for a morning fishing just before the latest cold front invaded the area. It was windy out, but we were able to find fish and have a good time out there on the river. The father and son team found a variety of fish to catch, including Black Drum, Sheepshead and Flounder among the other species out on the flats. It was a fun morning! Some of the better bites around the river has been Black Drum around docks and structure on live or dead shrimp. Sheepshead and Sand Perch around the bridges on the same baits. Whiting and Pompano along the beaches on shrimp, sand fleas and Doc's Goofy Jigs. Trout have moved into deeper flats and you can find some catch and release action on Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and TerrorEyz. Docks have held some Redfish on the deeper docks around the river. The Snook bite at night has been good around the jetties, bridges and docks of the inlet. There has also been some Tarpon around the jetties at night. Daytime on the inlet has produced Bluefish, Mackerel and Jacks on shiny spoons and lures. Some Flounder has been taken around the inlet on the sandy bottoms. It's a good time to fish....just plan on some cold days out there! It takes a little more time to get ready for fishing adventures this time of year. Dressing in layers to deal with cold temperatures in the early mornings and coping with a 20 plus degree swing in the thermometer as the sun comes up is an important part of preparing for the days fishing. Being comfortable can make a trip much more enjoyable this time of year. It's time to dig out the ol' long johns and coats.....winter has officially arrived on the Treasure Coast! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Joe with a nice Flounder for dinner! fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 06 Dec 2010 09:06:01 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR December is almost here and I have had some great trips during the end of November on the Mosquito Lagoon. On a charter with cousins Frank and Joe, from West Palm Beach and Pennsylvania respectively, we caught 10 Redfish including the 30” beauty Frank is holding in the picture, also caught several Seatrout along the way. On another trip a few days later Donovan and his friend Doug from Daytona Beach caught 6 big Reds along with 8 more smaller ones. Here is a picture of them with a double they landed at the same time on this chilly windy cold front day. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:06:32 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR By Captain Tom Van Horn December's Fishing Outlook: When the weather is nice and the seas are fishable offshore, solid concentrations of Kingfish will be holding on the inshore reefs and wrecks in 60 to 100 feet of water. Several prime locations to target December Kingfish are the north end of Pelican Flats and 8A reef out of Port Canaveral. The Kingfish bite should remain steady as long as water temperatures stay above 74 degrees. When near-shore waters approach the 70-degree mark, start looking for Cobia and Tripletail along Port Canaveral buoy line and the shallow waters just off the bight of the Cape. These two species normally hold around floating structure, but they also have a tendency to free swim once the water temperatures warms up in the afternoon. Inshore, both Redfish and Sea Trout will remain in the skinny water as long as the water temperatures stay warm. Inshore fishing is best once the sun warms the water a bit, so sleep in and enjoy a good cup of coffee before heading to the ramp. Fish in protected areas and sunny spots, and look for fish to be holding in sand pockets until the sun gets overhead. Also, now is also the time of year to target tailing Black Drum in the Banana River Lagoon No Motor Zone. If the ocean conditions are a bit too rough, good concentrations of breeder Redfish will be holding in the inlet passes of Ponce De Leon and Sebastian. Try drifting the passes during the falling tide bouncing live Pinfish off the bottom. In the Port Canaveral shipping channel, work the edges of the channel using the same technique. Remember these are oversize Redfish, so please step up the size of your tackle to lessen the stress of the fight, and release them with extreme care to be caught again on another day. Snook fishing will also remain steady around Sebastian Inlet as long as the water temperatures stay warm. It is best to target inlet Snook during periods of slack tide fishing live Pigfish, Pinfish, or Croakers at night in the channel under the A1A Bridge. Snook season ends December 15th, so if you enjoy a Snook dinner once in a while, don't hesitate. Another notable species worth mentioning when speaking of inlet fishing is Flounder. Depending on surf and lagoon temperatures, the Flounder migration can stretch into December, with stragglers filtering through the passes all month. If the winds are westerly, concentrate your efforts along the beach, and look for Pompano to begin moving off the inshore flats to the deeper troughs along the beach. Also look for schools of Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel shadowing pods of Glass Minnows and other bait is the surf. To target both Blues and Spanish, watch for birds working bait pods, and through small jigs like the D.O.A C.A.L. and spoons with a fast retrieval to avoid cutoffs. On the upper Saint Johns River look for the American and hickory Shad runs to commence near the end of the month, and intensifying in January and February. Shad fishing is one of the most overlooked fisheries in Florida, and a fun fish to catch on both fly and light tackle gear. Remember, Sea Trout are out of season from November 1st through January 1st on Florida's east coast, so if you catch one, please handle and release it with extreme care. In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who fished and worked with me this past year for your business and friendship, and I am looking forward to spending more time on the water with you. Also, now is the time to purchase your 2011 gift certificates at and receive 50.00 dollars off of the standard rate by either replying to this news letter or by calling me, so purchase a charter in advance for yourself or that certain angler close to your heart, and go fishing with them. As always, if you have any questions or just need information, please contact me. Happy Holidays, and good luck and good fishing, and God bless, Captain Tom Van Horn Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters and Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando captain@irl-fishing.com www.irl-fishing.com 407-366-8085 office 407-416-1187 on the water Visit www.mosquitocreek.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins! Upcoming Seminars and Events: 2011 Central Florida Shad DerbySaturday, December 11th - 10: 00 - 12:00 PM, Shad & Crappie Derby Anglers Registration Meeting at Mosquito Creek Outdoors. Free Seminars instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers and Charlie McCullough, Preparing for the Shad Run & Crappie Season, anglers giveaways and more, located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com. January 1, 2011 Derby starts at safe light. (Both shad and crappie derbies)Saturday, January 22nd 11:00 - 2:00 PM, Free Crappie Rally at Boat Tree Marina Sanford, Free Seminar Instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers and Charlie McCullough, Catching American Shad & Crappie. Event includes sponsor displays, giveaways and a raffle with all proceeds going to Anglers for Conservation (AFC), Hook Kids on Fishing Program. Saturday, February 12th 11:00 - 2:00 PM, Free Shad Rally at the Jolly Gator Fish Camp adjacent to CS Lee Park in Geneva, Florida - Free Seminar instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers and Charlie McCullough, Shad Fishing Tactics Event includes sponsor displays, giveaways and a raffle with all proceeds going to Anglers for Conservation (AFC), Hook Kids on Fishing Program.February 28th 2011 Derby ends at sunset. (Both shad and crappie derbies)Saturday, March 5th at 12 Noon: Shad and Crappie Derby Awards Ceremony at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka, Florida. For more details on the 2011 Central Florida Shad Derby, go to www.cfshadderby.com. MosquitoCoast Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:07:49 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The Weather. Its a big factor when planning an offshore fishing trip any time of year, but especially as the north winds begin their annual advance. My clients had a 4 day window, to go deep sea fishing and we waited until the last moment to decide which day to go with. Saturday it was, and despite how rough the conditions were, it was still likely the best day. The ride trip out, despite the wet ride, and chop was not that bad, and a 35mph cruise had us out 33 miles from Port Canaveral for our first stop at an AJ hole. Despite no fish marking, we dropped down bait, and made passes. Finally we had a hookup, but not where you would normally expect an AJ, hanging above the structure, but on the bottom. As we passed the wreck, I had them drop the lines to the bottom, and thats where the hookup came from. Perhaps something had them hanging in the structure, hiding their sonar image. Several more pass's were made with only the one fish caught. Rain started and the winds picked up, so we decided to move on to try some more sport fishing.fun. We headed northwest towards the 20 mile buoy, Now at at slower pace of 25mph, with the winds shifting from west to north, and increasing in intensity, we took the pounding seas as they picked up. With the buoy in sight in the distance, we crossed a weak weed-line. A bluewater eddy was seen on satellite a couple days ago in this area, but with the strong westerly winds, it had pushed the good color out past 200'. We set out 2 flatlines, and one on a planer, with Wahoo colors, Purple and Black. about 10 minutes into the run, the deep rig went off, and the run was very Wahoo like. Unfortunately it did not last, with only a shredded bait being retrieved. We continued on, towards the buoy, with on more hit on the deep rig, but no hookup. We pulled bait past the weather buoy, with no action. A few more pass's with no action, and the reason why became apparent, Dolphin (aka:Flipper) were feeding around the buoy. We could either continue to seek out the faint weed-line, or head towards structure. ACME Ventures Fishing24" Triggerfish11/27/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreWith the winds and seas increasing, we decided to heads towards the coast rather than away from it. We made a stop at the 20fthms reef, and made several drift's with little action, so towards 8A we went. Seas were still increasing, but we made our way there. We finally saw our first boat of the day, the Orlando Princess party boat. All of the other small boaters were either not as brave as us, or perhaps just smarter! So to fishing we went. Too rough to anchor, we just made multiple drift's. The first drop was the usual 8A pattern. Have a fish on within 5 seconds of the bait reaching the bottom. Despite being smaller fish that what we were targeting earlier in the day, this was now "Catching" for everyone. Of coarse many short Sea Bass must be caught to get a keeper, but there were keepers to bring home. Triggers and Lane Snapper were also added to the icebox. ACME Ventures Fishing30" False Albacore Tuna11/27/2010 Port Canaveral Offshore The birds were all over the reef, following schools of False Albacore Tuna (aka FAT Alberts or Little Tunny). We did not target these, but they did find us a few times. Once hooked my guest had a blast. These Red Meat fish are very fast and especially this time of the year when they have bulked up from the summer of feeding and act like a caffeine junky on steroids! The seas at 8A were now the biggest we had seen all day, with the white caps starting to break in some cases. Some waves were also tall enough to block out the horizon when we were in the trough so we decided to head in. With a few dinners worth of good eats in the icebox, and a lot of fish caught, it was a good trip despite the rough conditions. Besides bringing food home, they probably saved some money while on vacation... after the days ride, they can scratch "Wet-N-Wild" off their 'to do' list! Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:49:00 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR No Turkey, Just Fish! Can you say Gulp! I knew you could, so get you some and catch fish like we do. Making believers with such a great product is not hard after a few nice fish in the box in a short time. Yeah, some days are a little slower than others but we are catching fish on Gulp when the live baiters don’t. A few reluctant guides don’t have the right stuff to fish with and suffer when their live bait has failed them. Covering ground with Johnson Silver Minnow spoons and Gulp shrimp has put fish in the boat for us for years. Dick Brooks and Bob took thirty fish, casting Gulp shrimp and spoons on the Mosquito Lagoon flats with me. 27 Redfish, 2 Trout and 1 Flounder made up the mornings catch for the duo. On another charter Chad and Mike Subasic were very excited to find out that we were going to toss Gulp and Silver minnow spoons all morning eager to learn how to fish artificial lures. They were sold after the morning they had, catching Flounder, Trout and Redfish on artificial lures. Mike had mentioned on the way in, wow no live bait to worry about buying, catching, dying etc. Just open the bag or Gulp Alive container and cast. If you rig Capt. Joe Porcelli-style your Gulp will go a long way. Then you can stick them back in the Gulp juice and use them another day. When you use my rigging the Gulp bait slides up the line most of the time and you can catch more fish on that bait. I have caught five fish on one bait before, can’t do that with a shrimp. Plus you don’t have to go in the live well every time the Pinfish chew your natural shrimp off. The Johnson Silver Minnow spoon is metal and you can catch hundreds of fish on that one lure. Most of the Mosquito Lagoon flats are holding fish and finding the notch in that flat where they are feeding is a mater of knowing the fish’s pattern. Water levels are fluctuating this time of year and you should know the area before you blast a flat. Don’t trash the lagoons grass flats, we all want our grand kids to have a place to fish in the future. If you want to catch fish call me or visit my web site and I will put you on them, Guaranteed! Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:54:24 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR I hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and didn’t put on too many pounds!! I know that I personally ate WAY too much food! I’ll need to put a few extra miles on the mountain bike in the coming days...before the Christmas food starts showing up!! The Mosquito Lagoon fishing has continued to be excellent these past few weeks. The Redfish & Black Drum have been feeding and tailing consistently throughout the day making for some great sight fishing this past week. The water levels have been fluctuating quite a bit with these recent winds but if you get some decent weather, you will surely be able to get on fish! The Trout bite remains decent also when you locate fish, on a recent trip last week we caught (and safely released) 25 Trout over a 200 yard section of sand holes along a leeward edge of shoreline. Every fish was caught on a 3” GULP molting shrimp. The Redfish have also been easily fooled with the GULP this week. A frisky live shrimp or mullet should do the trick also for the light tackle inshore angler targeting Mosquito Lagoon Redfish. The fly fishing remains good if you are “ON” fish, many reds have been caught over the past few weeks on the tinsel toad, fuzzy crab merkins and the Kwan! The real trick to catching Redfish in this system on fly rod is to “commit” to using the long rod! It is easy to switch off to light-tackle when conditions change or fish aren’t present. If you are targeting reds on fly and search an area with little or no success for an hour or so, pick up and try another location, always keep moving looking for higher CONCENTRATIONS of fish in a particular area, this will improve yours odds greatly. Fishing Charters this week included Larry, Tom & david, Clay & Gina and my good friend Steve O. We had a great time on the lagoon catching Redfish, Black Drumand Trout these past few trips and I look forward to fishing with them again in the future. I hope to see you on the water soon. Remember if you get a chance, take a kid fishing, they are our future! Captain Mike Bales 352-255-8175 mikeluvs2guide@yahoo.com Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charterswww.hotfishcharters.com Michael Bales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:48:43 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!! December Inshore Fishing Forecast: Here it is December already and the Holidays are almost upon us. Where has this year gone? I must say it has been a great year for fishing all along the Treasure Coast. Both inshore and offshore has provided anglers with many great fishing adventures. We went from the coldest winter I can remember to the hottest summer I can think of. Hopefully, this winter will be milder and the fishing great for everyone. December brings on the winter months and changes fishing tactics on the river. The water temperatures continue to fall and your fishing must adjust to the weather. We will get many days of breezy winds that will hinder getting to some favorite spots out there. That's one of the reasons I love fishing in this area....you can always find somewhere to fish! Not only does the cooler weather affect the fish, it also requires us to dig out the ol' winter fishing clothes. It can get pretty chilly some mornings! Trout and Snook will be targets throughout the winter. Although Trout season will remain closed through December and Snook season closes December 15th, lots of anglers will still play catch and release with them. Fishing around bridges, docks and inlets can bring great action with Snook hanging around the deeper waters of the river. Using live bait, DOA Baitbusters & TerrorEyz and bomber lures can help you catch one worth a photo opportunity. Trout will tend to hang around the deeper cuts of the river. Move off to three to six feet of water for Trout. Live shrimp on popping corks or DOA Deadly Combos will work the best for them. I love to work DOA CAL jerk baits this time of year on the flats. You can also find Snook and Redfish hanging around those areas, too. Pompano have already arrived in the area and not only provide great fishing action, but fantastic table fare. Spanish Mackerel will continue to hang out in their favorite haunts of the river. Fish the inlet, turning basin and channels for them. Jack Crevalle will be traveling around in packs chasing bait all over the river. Flounder should arrive soon and hang around the inlets, docks and sandy flats of the river. Ladyfish is a great way to spend a few hours with the kids on the water. The bridges will be holding Sheepshead, Black Drum, Croakers and Sand Perch for those anglers. Live or dead shrimp is always the best bet from the catwalks. Redfish will hold up around local docks during the winter months and a live shrimp or DOA Shrimp can entice them into striking. Don't forget about the deeper cuts along the mangroves for Redfish and Snook in December. Using stealth is essential when fishing the shallow waters for Redfish. A mild winter will have them feeding in the shallows this month. Winter fishing is already here. Change your tactics with the weather and follow the water temperatures more closely to make your fishing more productive. The fishing on our Treasure Coast continues to improve each year. If we all do our share to protect our rivers, we can insure the future generations will enjoy the same experiences we have been blessed with. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:33:26 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Spent the day just offshore about 1/2 mile and went thru 12 dozen live shrimp. Worked the are just north of the port. Had a crew of four and they were on fish all day. The Spanish Macks are as thick as I have seen them and with the box filling up we just started releasing everything else. The Bluefish are mixed in as well with many coming up to the four pound range. Shrimp, gota's, D.O.A. shrimp seemed to be the best. Using the anchor with about 300 feet of rope out allowed us to fish it all day until we ran out of bait and the storms started moving in. Ended the day with over thirty Spanish Macks at the table. Somebody will have a grill full today. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-366-8347 www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:24:09 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Capt Randy DuMars8 Lbs Bass11/10/2010 Lake TohoBass: Fall is in full-swing. Water temps are cooling down. On recent trips most of the Bass are being caught on the edges of hydrilla patches. Another good area to fish is in 3 feet of water around reed patches, catching all different sizes up to 7 lbs. Crappie: Fish are still being caught in open water Jigs tipped with a minnow. Enjoy the cool season. Capt Randy DuMars www.fl-fish-guides.com 407-908-8498 Capt Randy DuMars Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:21:23 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR I usually like writing fishing reports, and our interesting catch's and battles make it fun to talk about. Every great 'once in a while' though fishing is slow. The conditions looked good overnight as winds offshore dropped to 5-10 as forecast, and waves also flattened out. Winds were not forecast to pick-up till afternoon, so we hoped for a nice fishing window. Well.....The ride out was great, but it did not take long until the winds started picking up. Out of the North at 10-15kts, the winds caused the chop to increase quickly, making slow trolling miserable. We did manage an hour upon arrival at 8A, but nothing.......not even a shark, which have been littering the reef's as late as last week! With a Youngun onboard who was the primary reason for the trip, we changed gears to drop to the bottom. As usual, along the ridge is very active. This time started as it usually does, with a fish hooked within seconds of the bait reaching the bottom. The first fish on the scene are usually Grunts and Sea Bass. Many fish were caught, but most Sea Bass were undersized. We caught a Weakfish on the reef this trip, so there was some variety. A couple hours into bottom fishing and the bite died. Some nibbles and a few fish caught, but a sudden and drastic change took place....the bite shut down. With wind-wave chop throwing spray now, we decided to try something different. We made a run into the south side of the horn of the cape to get into some sheltered waters. The shoals now had a line of breakers forming, so we inched our way through, then the sea's were flat. We hugged the coast and surf fished with only small Croakers and Bluefish to show for. We worked our way around to the port, and the jetties a while, but again very slow bite. My guest had all the fish they planned to take back, enough for dinner, so all was not lost, but still not what I wanted. Had we roughed out the conditions, the bite offshore may have picked back up, however the water at 8A was very dirty, and the cloud cover diminished the reflectivity of our bait while slow trolling, so its hard to say if the conditions would change that much, in the days time. We did see one nice sight this trip, a flying Manta Ray making a few leaps out of the water. My guest we very impressed with that. Also a UAV was being flown around the cape, at very low altitude. We waved every time is flew by, figuring someone would see us! BTW, we did try finding the Manta, to see if any Cobia were near, but the dirty water made that impossible. Next trip is next week, hopefully weather will cooperate, as we will be heading out a bit farther that trip hunting for Blue Waters! Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:22:09 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: Windy days and windy nights should be a country song! Most days lately have been quite blustery and makes it a challenge to get out fishing on the river. The ocean has been rough with a couple days that boats could venture out. It looks like another windy weekend. but it should start to lay down in a few more days. I was out with the Teen Anglers this month for their fishing tournament. We had a great time in spite of the cooler water keeping most of the fish from biting. Two of the kids did manage to catch a nice Sheepshead and they caught numerous Jacks, Ladyfish and even Trout. It was fun as always and I look forward to meeting up with the kids each month. Anyone interested in volunteering your boat to take some of the kids fishing on a Sunday tournament should contact Cammie Ward at 772-201-5773. We can always use some help and it's well worth your effort to show the kids a good time on the water. The water has definitely cooled down this month. Fishing in deeper water can give you the best opportunity to catch fish. The jetties have continued to hold Mackerel, Bluefish and Jacks for anglers. Nighttime fishing for Snook and Tarpon has also been productive. Live Pinfish, deep diving plugs, feather jigs and TerrorEyz have all worked for Snook fishing. Black Drum, Sheepshead and sand perch have been caught around the bridges on live or dead shrimp. CAL jerk baits or Deadly Combos can find some Trout on the flats, but it's catch and release for now. Snook season will close on December 15th and stay closed until next September so now is your best opportunity of catching a slot fish. Redfish have been hanging around the deeper docks, but it has been difficult to fish them in this wind for now. As the water gets cooler with the coming winter, you can bet the fishing will change as well. Fishing deeper water will be more productive. Trying different ways to fish can also get you more action. Doc's Goofy jigs and DOA TerrorEyz are great cool water lures. Fish them slowly for the best results. Deeper docks, channel edges and tidal cuts are all great cool water areas to fish in winter. Good luck this year and hopefully it won't be quite as cold as last year! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 22 Nov 2010 09:31:24 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Just a short drive from Daytona Beach and Orlando will bring you to some of the best flats fishing I have seen. Redfish waiting in the grass to have you drop a Gulp shrimp on their nose. They will eat it and strip seventy+ feet of line from your ABU Garcia. Got to love that song. This scenario has played out about five times this week. Last week the moon was full and the fish foraged through the night. The mornings after many Redfish would be laid up in the grass sleeping. You can do one of two things when you come up to a Redfish or Trout that is sleeping. 1 Poke him with your rod. I still don’t know what possesses an angler to poke stingrays. Or 2 Drop a Gulp shrimp in front of him, I always chose 2. I rig my Gulp shrimp Capt. Joe Porcelli-style with a kahle hook in the nose or tail. I use a #2 kahle just about 1/4 inch hooked through the Gulp shrimp. This is my favorite way to rig my Gulp shrimp or jerk shad etc. I have been using this rig for all my shad or jerk style baits for 36 years how. I even got laughed at for rigging my artificial bait this way but it has won many tournaments for us. You won’t have much time from the time you see the fish sleeping and getting your bait about five inches from his nose. That is when he will smell the Gulp sent and grab it. Just hang on because the first thing that fish experienced when he was awaked is a lip piercing before coffee, ouch. Taking a fish less than the distance of your rod is quite the thrill but many things need to happen before this is possible. We have taken Trout over seven pounds this way as well. Try to always pull your bait away from the boats movement to make the fish move and look away from you. If possible Powerpole down if you don’t have time you have to act fast. If the fish starts to move off give him a lead, if not drop it in front of his nose. Keith and Pam fished with me on the flats and caught four Redfish and twenty Trout. A few days later I had Fred Bergert out solo and he took many nice Redfish and Trout to four pounds working Gulp Jerkshads in the chartreuse color. On the fun day we fished this week Kim Rideout took a Redfish on her third cast of the day and on the sixth cast my brother Pete hooked up. We made two drifts in a few hours and caught ten Reds and four were hooked up real close to the boat. When choosing the flat you are going to fish look for the Mullet schools not the Reds, they just may be sleeping. Think like a fish to catch fish or just call me or goto my website. Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:38:00 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR November has arrived with some chilly mornings and dropping water temperatures. Water level has also dropped on Mosquito Lagoon and will likely stay this way through the winter. On a recent 2 day charter with Vic and Denny from Pennsylvania we had a very windy Friday for day 1, tough fishing but we did catch 3 good Redfish. Pictured is Denny with his first Red ever a great 28” fish. Other picture is Vic with his 25” Red. Also caught a few Trout and way to many saltwater catfish. Day 2 not as windy we fished one of my Indian River backcountry mixed bag trips. Lots of steady catch and release fishing throughout the morning with many Seatrout (which are out of season this month) and Ladyfish, also a few a the first Bluefish of the season just starting to arrive in the area, then tried one of our back bays with live finger Mullet and caught a nice 24” Redfish and a 3 lb. Flounder. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions you may have about my fishing charters. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:27:03 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: Continuing windy weather has blown out fishing on the ocean. It has been rough both inshore and offshore this week. Only a couple days were calm enough for anglers to venture out on the river. The seas continue to build and it will be another rough weekend ahead for anglers. The Teen Anglers Tournament is this Sunday and hopefully it will give us a break to get the kids out on the water to fish. Snook fishing at night around the bridges and jetties have been productive again this week. Those who braved the windy weather were rewarded with some slot fish and some oversized ones, too. Live Pinfish, DOA TerrorEyz, feather jigs and diving plugs all worked for anglers. Some Flounder have been caught around the sandy areas of the jetties. The Sand Perch have began to invade the inlet and many anglers are out there fishing for them around the bridges and docks of the inlet. Along the beach there have been Pompano. Most have been smaller, but it has been tough to fish the surf lately. The Trout bite remained good for catch and release fish on the grass flats. Live Pigfish, CAL jerk baits and live shrimp have all worked on the Trout. Once the wind settles down again the river will be productive on the flats and docks. You should be able to find some Pompano south of Fort Pierce on the deeper grass flats. Use Doc's Goofy Jigs or sand fleas for bait. The turning basin and inlet has been loaded with Mackerel, Bluefish and Jacks. Shiny lures will get you the most action. The Grouper should be around the inlet this time of year as the water cools down. You can also find some Black Drum and Sheepshead around the catwalks. There is plenty out there to fish for if the weather calms down. Tip of the Week: It's about that time of year to dig down deep into those corners of the closet and find some warm weather gear. It gonna come in handy real soon. The morning have been crisp and you will begin to layer on clothes to deal with the change in temperatures throughout the day. I wore long johns too many days last winter, but they sure kept me from freezing!! Mornings are going to be cool so dress for it and keep comfortable out there! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:58:31 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR The Bluefish were biting great Monday. The wind was very strong out of the north/north-east, but if you could stay with it there was fish to catch. Pinfish were schooling up and down the inlet, 1oz spoons and bucktails where slaughtering the Blues. cardell76 Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:43:26 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Well we have received our first blast of arctic weather in the form of a cold front. This is going to put our fish into there winter patterns with the water emptying in the lagoon and becoming even more clear. This is one of my most favorite times of year to fish the lagoon system you just need to weather cautious with the constant fronts. Look for the Redfish to start schooling on the sand and mud flats as the water temp starts to lower over the next few months. As the water temps get lower start down sizing your tackle, smaller baits and slower retrieves. As the old saying goes if you think the presentation is slow enough slow it down even more. This is also a excellent time of year to sight cast quality Trout. The larger Trout will be holding on the sand pot holes and sand bottom where as the schoolies will be on the edges in deeper water. The same presentation applies slow and small is the key. Good luck and be safe! Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:48:09 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: Cooler weather and lots of windy days along the Treasure Coast have made it a challenge to fish many days this week. Let's hope that this isn't a warning of another cold winter that is fast approaching. If you can get out of the wind, it's pretty nice out there and the fish have been biting most days. I guess it's time to find where I stored the winter clothes! I was out with Ron, Mike and Tephanie mid-week on a windy day. We found both Trout and Black Drum willing to eat. Once we found the Trout, there was lots of action on the flats. Live shrimp and Deadly Combos are great on the flats for catch and release Trout. We found our Drum hanging along the mangroves. It will continue to be difficult to get out and deal with the winds, but worth it when the fish are biting. Don't forget that Trout Season is closed November and December! We had our best luck on the east shoreline. Queen's Cove continues to be productive for us. Harbor Branch and Round Island can also be great areas to fish. I haven't been south for a while due to the windy days. Black Drum and Sheepshead have been holding around the bridges, docks and structure along the river. Bluefish, Jacks and Mackerel have been feeding around the inlet and turning basin this month. Night anglers have been enjoying a good nighttime Snook bite in this weather lately. A number of slot fish have been reported. Flounder have been taken around the jetties and sand flats of the inlet. The surf has held Whiting and Pompano. Most of the Pomps have been smaller, but there are some good sized ones out there as well. Tip of the Week: It's easy to complain and fuss about windy days. It can't be stopped, so use it to your advantage on the flats. East or west winds can give you one side of the river to fish and allow you to fish a large area. Northerly or southerly winds can give you more of a challenge. There is always some place to fish on the water. Use the wind to let you drift across the flats. I like to use either a drift anchor or small river anchor when drifting in the wind. You can fish an area in a zigzag pattern to find the fish on any flat. Use the river anchor to stop and fish an area that might be productive. Head into the wind towards the bank and drift with it across the flats. It will prove to be very productive out on the river. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:39:02 -0500 Central East Region: CFLFR Weather was a big question mark as we headed out of Port Canaveral at 6:30am. The forecast from the day before called for 3-5' seas and winds at 10-15. The morning data from the 20 mile buoy showed 5' seas, but a calm wind since midnight. We headed out and were pleasantly surprised at how calm it was. The wind stayed down most of the day and kept the waves in check, with 4-5' rollers. The first Fish of the day was a very unexpected one. About 4 miles out of port, with the sun not yet up, but light enough to see, a fish leaped out of the water from the port side of the boat and hit me in the chest and right shoulder, bouncing off and continuing off the starboard side and back into the water. We were running about 30 mph, and the fish, for the split second I saw it looked to be a 20" Spanish Mackerel. It did sting for a few minutes, but fortunately it hit where it did, and not a few inches higher! I guess we'll call it a "Catch and Release". ACME Ventures Fishing20lbs Mahi-Mahi11/03/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreStraight out and east to the 20 mile buoy. No weeds were seen, except a few very scattered small ones this trip, but we set lines out anyway. It was quiet for a while, until a real close pass got us a hit and drag run, but only lasted for about 30 seconds after the rod was in hand, and a sucked clean set of hooks came back without the Ballyhoo. A little more trolling the area and we were about ready to move on, and as the lines were coming in, and we had a hit on the last line, for a 20lb Mahi. They took their time fighting it, and after a few last minute acrobatics and runs, it was on the gaff, and in the boat. Prior to this hookup, my guest was telling me, that he, ever since childhood, when his dad gave him a big book on fish, has wanted to see a Mahi in person. Well he got to see it us close, and take it home for dinner! We set lines back out, but no more action, so we moved on. At the Louis wreck we did not see much marking the bottom, but decided to put live bait down anyhow. Very quickly, a pair of Sharks showed up at the boat. They were only 3-4' long, but they were very aggressive to anything we put in the water, so a spinning rod was handed to my guest to give them a Shark to fight. The 2 guest both had their sons with them, one 7yo, the other 11yo. They helped their dads fight the Sharks, for catch and releases. The bottom did not yield anything, so to City's bardges we went. Here we had fish marking about a hundred foot off the bottom, so we were hopeful. Again we had Sharks show up around the boat. Live bait and jigs went down. First fish up was a 4' Barracuda. Again we sent bait down, and a few hits on a 10" Vertical jig resulted in teeth marks deep into the soft metal body of the jig. The live bait finally doubled the big bottom rod over, for a minute of an intense game of 'tug-of-war", until like a few trips previous, a secondary larger tug resulted in a cut leader. After that, no more interest was given to our live bait, so off we went. ACME Ventures Fishing35 Lbs King Mackerel11/03/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe decided to head in to 8A, so the young-uns could be a little more involved in catching. We made the 20 mile ride in, with the kids enjoying the roller-coaster like ride sitting in the bean-bag chairs at the front of the boat. At 8A we set out a flatlined bait, and one on the downrigger for some slow trolling. First fish did not take long....Shark. With this being an Atlantic Sharpnose Shark, we decided to put one on ice for them to try out. Back trolling, another hit, this one however peeled drag, and their face lit-up. This fight took a while on light spin to get in, but finally it revealed itself as a nice fat 35lb King. In the boat and on ice it went. Back to trolling, we found ourselves catching Shark after Shark. No matter where we moved they were there. My guest did have fun however fighting these pest, but with the day coming to a close they were ready to head in. The ride in was fairly smooth, with the seas and wind at our backs, but at the shoals the waves were really starting to build and even break. We managed to stay dry all day, and no one got seasick. That and bringing a few nice fish back to clean made for an enjoyable day. With another charter lined up as soon as the weather settles, we can only hope the winds and seas which are forecast to grow quickly will settle as quickly. Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:09:20 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Todays trip was not a charter, but part of a Florida Sportsman's video shoot for an upcoming show on fishing clubs. The FSFA (Florida Sport Fishing Association), and the CFOA (Central Florida Offshore Anglers) had close to 10 boats involved in in the production. The focus was on the club activity more than the fishing. ACME Ventures Fishing40lbs Sailfish10/22/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreFortunately the fishing was not bad, so as to help smiling faces for the video! On my boat the "Wile E Coyote" we had Bill, Ben, Bryce and myself fishing. Mitchell A. Roffer of Roffs Ocean Forecasting was aboard another club members boat, and part of the days activities, along with providing the forecast analysis. The forecast called for the best activity along the 140' line east of the port, and thats where we started. At 20 miles, there were widely scattered weeds, clear blue and warm water. We set lines out and worked north towards the 20 mile buoy. We had no activity until we passed the buoy and started heading east. We were pulling lines in to head out a few more miles where some Mahi reports were coming in, when the last line in brought a flash of colors 20' behind the boat. It was either a Sail or Mahi. Either way, I dropped a Ballyhoo in the water and started releasing it back, and only 30' behind the boat, BAM, fish-on. I had to figure out how to lock the drag (not my reel) as the fish was taking line. I handed it off to Bill, and was back at the helm. Clearing the other lines, we played the fish out, getting it to the boat, for a clean catch and release of a 35 to 40lb Sailfish. ACME Ventures Fishing20lbs Mahi10/22/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreWe went east to 150' to work the weeds where Mahi reports were made and set lines out. We worked a couple miles to the south, and back towards the weather buoy. No action, despite decent weeds and bait, we opted for another pass by the structure. It did not take long before the next line went off. This time Ben took the rod to work a 20lb Mahi. The fight and retrieval was anything but routine, and we gave this fish every opportunity to escape, but in the end it was in the icebox. First was a big "bird's nest" on the reel. While Bill helped Ben straighten that out, I held the line, literally, to keep tension on the fish. Finally cleared up, it was back to fighting the fish. Now at the boat, and gaffed, into the boat it came, only to make a valiant leap, off the gaff, and back into the water. For the second time, Ben got to fight this fish to the boat. Again gaffed and in the boat, but this time with some weight on it and on ice! A few more passes were made with no results, and I decided to put a line out on the downrigger. This did not take long to bring results. Rather than heavy conventional gear, I sent the Ballyhoo out on a spinning rod. Though questioned at first, the results quashed any doubts. The next pass had a fast moving fish hooked, and thrashing across our spread. Bryce was 'up to bat', and now had rod in hand. Working hard to keep lines clear, Bryce worked the fish towards the boat. A successful Gaff, and a Wahoo was added to the menu. ACME Ventures Fishing25lbs Wahoo10/22/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreIt was a repeat pattern for the spread and another big sweeping pass around the buoy. This time it was my turn and a fish. The downrigger went off again, and I now had my fish-on. Hoping for another Wahoo, I started working the fish in. Though smaller than the other I thought it may have been, until the last second, when the fish revealed itself as a King Mackerel. In the boat it came, and on ice to add more meat for the crew. Again with the spread and downrigger, and after a long swing by the buoy, another fish on the downrigger. This was a Shark. Though a very large Sharpnose Shark, and good eating, we had a nice collection of more desirable fish going, and released it. Another few passes with no action, and off to do a little bottom fishing we went. To a wreck at 180' we went. We did not bring any live bait, as we initially thought it was going to be primarily trolling. We met up with a few of the other boats from the group, and worked the bottom. They had already boated an AJ (on live bait), and another boat had an AJ on the line (on live bait). We dropped speed jigs, and cut bait to the bottom, and had a few likely Grouper hits at the bottom, but no solid hookups. Speed Jigs were tried, without success. We did manage a few large Sea Bass, including one that could have been a keeper Grouper sized! With boats heading for the docks, we made our way in also. We made a few stops allow the way and hooked up another Shark, before heading for the cleaning tables. The clubs were beginning to assemble, and the catch's were being unloaded. Food was being cooked, and Fish Stories were being swapped. It was a long day, but but just as a bad day of fishing beats a good day of work, a good day of catching trumps all others! With a charter lined up for the next several weeks I can only hope the weather and fishing will continue as good out of Port Canaveral. Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:15:37 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The weather has been perfect so far this October 2010, we have had some more great fun fishing trips the last couple of weeks. On one of those trips with my regular client and old friend Lorin from Deland, along with brother Mark and friends Chuck and Charlie, we caught a total of 11 Redfish up to 26” and about 10 Seatrout with most of them in the slot which is 15” to 20”. Pictured is young Charlie with his first Redfish. On one of my Indian River mixed bag trips this week Rick and his son Ethan caught no less than 50 small Seatrout and Ladyfish on fun light spin tackle. The other picture of Ethan and one of the Trout. Fishing on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon for flats, we will targeted Redfish and Seatrout. This type of sight fishing can be challenging and very rewarding when you hook up with a drag pulling Redfish,or Trout. On my Indian River Backcountry Fishing trips, we are getting mixed bag fishing for Seatrout, Redfish, Black Drum, Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, Bluefish, Snapper, & many more saltwater fish. On the average, we have been catching between 10 and 15 (or more) different species of saltwater fish. You never know what will bite, mainly drift fishing while free lining live shrimp on light tackle make for lots of rod bending and drag pulling. Capt. Michael Savedow Edgewater River Guide, Inc. 386-689-3781 EdgewaterRiverGuide@cfl.rr.com www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Capt Michael Savedow Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 22 Oct 2010 09:14:12 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Scott and Tom joined me today for some flats fishing on the Indian River in Titusville. The Trout were bitting really good today and so did the Reds. The winds are low again and that makes for some outstanding site casting opportunities. Not only are the winds cooperating but the temps are about perfect right now with the average high in the low to mid 80’s. This month the Redfish will start to school again and the Black Drum will reappear in better numbers. This time last year the Drum fishing was the best I’ve ever seen in my last 7 years as a full time fishing guide. Having grown up here on the Space Coast of Florida I can also say that in the last 30 years I’ve fished here in my 40 years of life... this is the BEST fishing we have ever had! So get ready for good times along with great fishing! Only 5 days left open for October so call today to book that trip for one of the best Redfishing months of the year. The fall Mullet run is in full effect during October and November so the fishing will be RED Hot! Thanks, Capt. Tom Carver www.flataddicted.com 407-432-5138 capt tom carver Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:57:28 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR capt Pete8lbs. 24 In. Bass9/2/10 Lake Toho Fall fishing is improving with the cooler temperatures and higher water levels. Most of my clients are catching between 30-50 Bass a trip running between 2-5 lbs. with a occasional one in the 7-8lb. Range. The fish are schooling in the open water grass at where you can find a slight drop in 10-15 feet of water. You can catch them on crank baits, flukes and speed worms with a split shot rig. After the fish go down let the bait fall toward the bottom we are catching larger fish. The artificial bite and the Shiner fishing is kind of a tossup. Great Fishing, Capt Pete Matson A#1 Bass Guide Service www.a1bassguideservice.com 800-707-5463 capt Pete Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:04:23 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing24" 12lbs Red Snapper10/14/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreToday was a bottom fishing trip to 8A reef with a couple from Texas. Seas were forecast as 1-2 with winds 5-10. This normally means ideal and smooth sailing. It was not quite that however, Though seas rarely went above 2', the winds were a little stronger and out of the NW. Its made it "Choppy", but not bad otherwise. Out at 8A before sunrise we established our drift so as to set anchor. It was a little difficult with conflicting winds and current. Our initial drift was different when we were close to the ridge depending on us being east or west of it. We finally set anchor with us pointed NW. Though the winds pushed us generally SE, our free-lined baits drifted North! We heard the reports all day of the Kayaker reported missing, and also when the empty Kayak was found. We drifted at about 1/2 mph towards the east, so its not surprising that the kayak was found 20 miles offshore. Helicopters were seen and heard most of the day. To Fishing. We knew Sharks were on the reef, and they dominated the day. With the limit of 3 on ice, it was catch and release the rest of the day. Sea Bass and Trigger were also caught and added, including one nice fat 21" Trigger. Ofcorse the fish that you would think don't exist were caught (Red Snapper), with a half dozen caught and all but one over 20". Remember this is 8A at the tail end of summer with the water still warm. Most of the ARS are in deeper waters yet. Our trip in saw False Albacores crashing baitpods again. We pitched small topwater lures right into the middle and no takers. They again were hitting very small Baitfish, so next trip we will have to take some Pilchards along for a light tackle fight. We headed back to port by way of the scenic route, hugging the surf-line. Running within a hundred yards of the beach off the cape is nice with westerly winds making the water like glass. The Mullet were jumping along the shoreline marking the presence of predators. Setups like this could make for a fun fishing day itself, without ever getting more than a stones throw from the beach. Back to clean fish and the boat to get ready for the next time out. Next Friday weather permitting, we will be out trolling for whatever wanders into our part of the ocean! Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 20 Oct 2010 09:38:59 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR With a nice fishing and weather Sunday, we were hoping for more of the same on this trip. We went with the same game-plan, however the weather, though nice was different. Wind direction changed and some dark clouds and showers out were we were starting had us fighting to see the water surface for weeds. We started 33 miles out at a wreck to try for AJs and much like Sunday, toothy critters were there. A couple cut-offs, and then double hook-ups. These felt like AJs, but the fight lasted only a few minutes. One fish threw the hook, and the other while pulling strong had another "thud" to the pull and went limp. My thought was either a Cuda grabbed at the vertical jig hanging from the likely AJ, or a larger Shark grabbed a little more! Either way a naked line was retrieved, with a scared and cut 150lb mono leader. My guest really wanted to hook a Sailfish. Some were caught the most recent Saturday so we were hopeful. We started looking for weed-lines of floating structure, but most was very scattered, and had no results when making a pass by. We worked out way in from 280' towards the weather buoy with nothing more than small bits of weed here and there. The buoy had a few boats around it, and we added to the mix, of fish-less passes. Off to some more structure at 120'. Radio traffic was light despite nice weather and seas. About the only report of any catch was one Cuda while trolling. We drifted the 120' Brevard County artificial several times with only Shark, Sea Bass and small Vermillions to show for. Again a time to try something else. Into shallower waters looking for weed-lines we went. Just inside 100' we found it, running north-south as compared to the east west on Sunday. We set lines out and ran several miles with nothing. We finally resigned ourselves to the fact that like other comments on the VHF, the fish just were not biting. Into shallower water we went. Now at 8A we felt that at least we would have some activity, even if only Sea Bass and Triggers. The bite was SLOW. It was now 2pm so maybe it was an afternoon slump. We did catch some small Sea Bass and Shark, but nothing like the typical 8A or Pelican activity. In to port we went, by way of the beachline. We did see several baitpods being crashed like Sunday, with Tunnys hitting very small Baitfish. They again did not want anything we cast towards them. Towards the beach for a run back to Port we went, with at least some fish to clean. Some neat things seen this trip that made a slow fishing day still memorable was the largest pod of Dolphins I have ever seen offshore, numbering perhaps a hundred or more. We spent much time idling through this area, with there playfull disposition keeping the attention of my guest. After pics were taken off we went. We also saw a large Ray, not dark like a Manta breach the surface and fly at least 6' out of the water. It was perhaps a Spotted Eagle Ray. Back at port to clean fish, the reports had most people recalling a very slow day. Back out Thursday (10-14-10), and hopefully a hotter bite. Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 20 Oct 2010 09:04:02 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR INSHORE: The inshore fishing was good over the weekend and so far this week. Look for a good Trout bite at Faber Cove, Queen's Cove and up around Round Island. A soft plastic bait has been hard to beat but, a live shrimp fished under a popping cork will do just fine. Look for some Redfish in the same areas as well as in the Ft. Pierce Inlet. Try a finger Mullet. The Snook fishing has been good around the bridges and in the Inlet. Many anglers are reporting most of the fish are over the slot. Again, try a finger Mullet. Also in the Inlet there has been a lot of Snapper being caught on live shrimp and finger Mullet. Try the local bridges for a good Black Drum and Snapper bite. A small live shrimp has been the way to go. Did have a few reports of Flounder coming from the sandy areas along the Inlet and just to the south of the South Bridge. OFFSHORE: The offshore bite picked up over the weekend with a good Dolphin and Blackfin Tuna bite. The Dolphin were being caught in 160 feet of water on a naked Ballyhoo. The biggest one was 31 pounder. The Blackfin were in the same area and there were reports of anglers catching as many as 25 to 30 but all of them were very small. The Kingfish bite has been okay in 60 to 90 feet of water and most of the fish were in the 25 to 30 pound range. Both live baits and a rigged ribbonfish were working just fine. Down at the boils on the calmer days there has been Snook and Redfish but both have been over the slot. BRAGGING BOARD: Christopher King was in Ft. Pierce for a short get away when he found the Dolphin. He had several fish with the biggest one going 31 pounds. He brought the fish to be weighed and he had caught this one fish in his eye. He also had a good number of black fin and missed a nice wahoo. Robert Kinchen reported on Wednesday that the ladyfish were everywhere they went. He did have a Redfish on but didn't boat it. JUNIOR TEEN ANGLERS: Saturday - Oct. 9th was the bi-monthly from shore fishing tournament for the Treasure Coast Chapter of Junior Teen Anglers. Flounder was the fish of the day. In the 5 to 8 age group1st place - Leah Pruitt - age 8 - Fairlawn Elementary - Ft. Pierce2nd place - Kyle Georgiton - age 8 - Liberty Baptist - Ft. Pierce3rd place - Michael Rochedieu - age 5 - St. Anastasia - Ft. PierceIn the 9 to 11 age group1st place - Reagan Faircloth - age 10 - St. Lucie West K-8 - Port St. Lucie2nd place - Savannah Ward - age 10 - Lawnwood Elementary - Ft. Pierce3rd place - Andrew Evans - age 9 - Fairlawn Elementary - Ft. Pierce Biggest fish of the tournament trophy went to Michael Rochedieu for his 2lb. 11oz. ribbonfish. If you would like more info on Junior Teen Anglers for the 5 to 11 age group or Teen Anglers for the 12 to 18 age group go to www.teenanglers.org or call 772-201-5773. If you would like to report a catch you can e-mail me at cward11605@aol.com or call me at 772-201-5770. You can also reach me on the web at www.captjoeward.com Capt. Joe Ward Capt. Joe's River Charters captjoeward Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:48:59 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: The weather wasn't the only good thing about the past week. The fishing has been excellent most days and a variety of species has been out there feeding on the bait schools. Whether fishing the flats, docks or sea walls, we found the fish willing to cooperate and make for some exciting adventures out on the water. It has been a fun week out there! Gary was back down in town and we got out on a nice day to fish the river. After spending part of the day Trout fishing, we headed up on the flats and Gary caught seven Redfish to end a productive day. Ben and his fishing group was up from Miami and we found the fishing outstanding that day. Everything from Redfish, Trout, Snapper to lots of Jacks kept the guys busy with plenty of work reeling in fish. Rick and Rob were out for a days fishing and once again the fish were out there. They caught Redfish, Trout, Sheepshead and a variety of other fish including lots of Jacks that day. Dennis and his son were out to find the fish feeding again. Redfish, Trout, Snapper and lots of Jacks that day. Nic was out later in the week just after a cold front had passed through. The fishing had slowed some, but Nic caught a variety of fish including a nice Pompano and a slam of Redfish, Snook and Trout. Grass flats have been productive for Trout. Areas like Harbor Branch, Bear Point and Round Island are some of the better producing flats. CAL jerk baits, DOA shrimp and live bait will get you in on some Trout action. Redfish have been hanging around under mangroves or under docks. DOA shrimp or live bait has given us some good battles this week. Snook fishing around the jetties has been good. Some nice slot fish have been taken this week. Live bait, TerrorEyz or feather jigs has been the choice for Snook fishermen. Docks have been very active when the bait has been hanging near them. We caught a large variety of fish under the docks this week. Fishing has been good! Tip of the Week: HAVE FUN OUT THERE ON THE WATER!! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Action this week on the Indian River..... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 18 Oct 2010 09:29:08 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Wow, with the seas laid down we decided to head east looking for Tuna, yup in October no less. Well there were none out to 70 miles so back to the stream. We did find Dolphin to 20 pounds in the stream and at one point had four on at one time. There have been Wahoo being caught on the west wall of the stream and one this week was around 50 pounds. Most of them are 30 to 40 but you can bet some big boys are just waiting for you. Tons of bonits have shown up around 75 feet and even though they are small they put up a great fight on light gear. The weather is great and the seas are small so take advantage of it while you can. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-366-8347 www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:18:35 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Jim Miller, Jason and Mike came out for their annual fishing outing and caught fifteen Reds. Most of them were over-slot fish, and most were sight casted to. We even got to dance with rods on a couple of triple-headers we caught. The next couple trips I had we targeted Trout etc. so we fished the river. We caught many nice size Trout (three limits) and 90% of them were 2+ pounds. One Gag Grouper and a Snook arse-whoopen made for a great day. The Tarpon are rolling like crazy and busting baits filling up before the mad dash south for the winter. The chill was in the air this morning with the wind out of the northwest at 15+ made it feel even colder. Glad the low has blown by today and the fishing will do nothing but improve. It was a little tough today for most, but we pulled it off with some nice Redfish and some Trout to four pounds. The total was nine fish and a seagull, wrapped not hooked. LOL. Many cast with the Gulp shrimp and the Johnson Silver Minnow did the trick today. When you have dirty water and blowing 15-20 mph many cast with Gulp = Fish. The silver minnow is also a great bait to cover a lot of ground with and has excellent cast ability even in strong winds. It is a Go To bait in my tournament fishing when sight fishing is hindered. The vibration it puts out makes Redfish mad. I saw it today, the fish attack it not just eat it. I prefer silver over gold in most situations. Don’t be afraid to rip it either, I like to change it up if ripping it does not get their attention, or if the fish trailing falls off quickly. Sometimes the crazy twitch will do the trick when a fish does not want to commit. Well if you want to get out on the water when the temps are cool and the fishing is hot this is a good time. You can also see my offshore report for Ponce Inlet. Remember think like a fish to catch fish. Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 14 Oct 2010 07:11:54 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing30llbs Cobia10/10/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreAJ and Mahi were the targeted species of the day. We found both but only added one of those to the icebox. The day started at the City's barges with fish marking the bottom. We sent down live Pinfish first, and had a few stolen, without the courtesy of taking the hook along with it. We then lost a few rigs to toothy critters. My guest had also been out here the day before on a private boat, without success. We sent down a vertical jig and promptly had it taken and cut off on its first use out of the package! With several other boats moving in, we decided to head to the Copper wreck. One boat was already there, and others were on the horizon heading this way, but we went to work again. Similar to the previous site a few stolen baits, and a few lost rigs to the toothy ones, before finally bringing one of these rig stealers to the boat, Barracuda. As we drifted off the structure, we dropped the bait to the bottom, and had a few real strong hookups, likely large Groupers. One of these hookups led to a tug-o-war as we drifted away from the wreck and it also, until finally the 7/0 hook snapped! Running out of live bait, and not wanting to sacrifice anymore expensive vertical jigs with Cuda around, we decided to call off the AJ hunt. We did see a few AJ's brought up to the boats with the several other boats around us, but not nearly as much as you would think, given all the effort spent on it. It looked like there were more hookups lost than gained. ACME Ventures Fishing6lbs Mahi10/10/2010 Port Canaveral Offshore Off to trolling. The only weed line seen out to 300' was a weak one, running east-west from 100' to 150', east of the port. We turned into it, and put a few lines out. It did not take long to get the attention of the fish along this structure. A small, "schoolie", Mahi was hooked, and tended on the line as we waited to see if any more wanted to join the party. We slowed and used a pitch rod to see if any more were around, and we did see a few following, but no takers. Into the icebox it went. We continued along the line and again, a single hookup, this time a little bigger, and like the first, only a single hookup. Continuing on, we repeated the trend with another. We could see others flash by, and even follow pitch lines to the boat, but they just would not bite. We did have several hits on our Ballyhoo, without hookups (we were only running 3 lines, and not on clips, so no "knock-downs"), which killed them. We had one fish run across all 3 baits on one pass, with fin out of the water for us to see, and killed all 3 Ballyhoo without taking a hook! We tried artificial and they turned there nose's up at all but naked Ballyhoo. Out of rigged Ballyhoo, and the Mahis refusal to take artificials, we decided to head closer to shore to try picking up a few Kings. Still at 120', we began to encounter baitpods being crashed, so we chose to investigate. As soon as we would see the activity, it would stop, and start again in another location. We had a hard time getting close, and found it easier to place ourselves in the middle of the general activity and wait for them to get close to us. It appeared that these were False Albacores, with some small Blackfin mixed in. They did not want anything we offered. They were feeding on Glass Minnow sized bait, and our larger Sardines were of no interest to them. We were about to give up, when a large Shark appeared under the boat. This was an 8' plus Bull Shark, and he had company! This company was very much welcomed, COBIA! not just one or two, but at least a dozen. My 2 guest quickly had Sardines in the water, and 2 fish were on the lines. I wanted to see if we could get them in "Green" to get a few more on the line, but these were both on spin tackle, one being a light setup. While they were fighting their fish I dropped a few more lines rigged with Sardines, but the Shark and its company moved off. Unable to give chase due to my guest still fighting their fish, we lost sight of this school, and once both Cobias were on ice, we were unable to track them down. We spent a little more time working around the bait pods that the Shark was likely following, but nothing seen. Had it not been getting late, we would have spent more time, and did some chumming to try to get these guys back to the boat. It was a good way to end the day however! Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:32:33 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: We continued to have windy days most of the week around the Treasure Coast. It was challenging some days, but we have managed to get out fishing. The conditions limited some of the areas we generally fish, but we did find fish on the usual flats. The breeze should be slowing down by weekend so you might just plan an adventure out on the water. You can feel the fall weather in the air. Nice cooler mornings and evenings have taken the edge off the daily 90 degree weather we had day after day this summer. Fall brings change in water temperatures and fishing the flats gets better. Shane Carter surprised his fiancé with a fishing adventure for her birthday. She didn't find out until the night before, so you can imagine her excitement when they arrived. Alicia didn't waste any time in catching fish and ended up with a very nice variety of fish by the end of the day. She caught Trout, Sheepshead, Redfish and a nice size Flounder among other fish to make her birthday one to remember. Shane caught his share of fish including a decent size Grouper to bend his rod. It was a fun day while the winds cooperated for a change. I did my usual volunteering at the Teen Angler Tournament. I had Dylora and Michael on the boat this month. They did catch a lot of fish, but couldn't get any that was big enough to weigh in. We had fun anyway out on the river. Joe Wallace and his wife, Karen, was out on what turned out to be a pretty windy day. We did manage some Trout on the flats before it began blowing, so we ended up fishing a dock where they both caught a nice Redfish to end up a nice, breezy day. It was a nice week on the water! Trout have continued to be on the flats around Harbor Branch, Bear Point and south towards the Power Plant. DOA jerk baits continue to produce Trout along with the Deadly Combo and live shrimp. We have been fishing three to five feet of water lately for our best result. We have found some Redfish hanging around docks and you can also look for them along the mangroves. DOA shrimp or live bait can coax them into biting. Snook fishing has been decent for those who brave the windy jetties or around the bridges. It has been tough to fish those areas, but it can pay off. The Sheepshead have been nice size lately and a few Flounder have been taken around the river. The surf has also been a rough area to try to fish. It's a great time of year to fish the Treasure Coast! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Shane and Alicia with some of their catch. Karen with her 28" Redfish this week on the Indian River.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 08 Oct 2010 08:47:38 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR It seems as the year is flying, its already October. We have just had our first cold front and the cooler weather is much needed. The water level in lagoon system is still high which is causing the Redfish and Trout to move further up on the flats looking for new food sources. The top water bite is still hot focusing on points and shorelines can definitely up your chances for a bite on both Trout and Redfish. If Flounder aka Flatties are your choice of species you are in luck the larger Flounder will be moving in to edge water area within the next month or so. You can target them with a jig head and small soft plastic pogy body bouncing on the bottom or live mud minnow on a jig head. Both will trigger that bite focus on the sand or mud bottom. Just remember as we enter the fall pattern comes the unstable fall weather with fronts moving through so be careful on the water. Captain Patrick Rood spotntailcharters.com 386-566-1394 patrick rood Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:01:39 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR The remnants of tropical storm Nicole are traveling up the eastern coast of Florida bringing plenty of clouds and high winds. By this weekend and early next week, winds of 25-30 knots are forecast. This may have an impact on the water levels in the Lagoons and will certainly make for some dirty water in some areas. The fishing the past couple weeks has been tough. When you can find the fish, they have been biting well. Most of the larger fish are spawning in deeper water. High winds and clouds have made spotting these schools difficult. When you do locate them, ethical anglers catch only a few and move on so as not to disrupt their spawning habits. On the shallow flats, the fish have been widely dispersed and on the move. Some days you find a lot and the next day they are gone. Unlike the past few months, it has been necessary to cover a lot of water during the day. Billy and Donovan drove up from south Florida to sample some Mosquito Lagoon Redfish. The day started out great with Donovan hooking a big Redfish on his second cast with a gold Baitbuster. The rest of the day was challenging with the shots coming few and far between. We hunted for Tarpon for a while seeing only a dozen or so. Billy landed the next two Redfish with his Baitbuster. The following day I fished with Mike and John. We spent the morning fishing around the diving birds catching a mix of Ladyfish, Trout, and Catfish on jigs and spoons. As the winds increased, we moved up near the shoreline and ended the catching some Redfish including a 47 inch monster landed by John on ten pound line. Mike and Tim were with me on a windy and cloudy day that week. We hit multiple spots but saw very few fish and those we did see were only a few feet from the boat. Not a good day for sight fishing and we left hoping for some better luck next time. Jason had some better conditions the following day and we encountered quite a few Redfish on the shallow flats. He hooked some Redfish and Trout on CAL jigs and landed his biggest fish of the day on a Baitbuster. The fish followed the mullet imitation to within 15 feet of the boat before making and explosive surface strike. Mike and Chris had a tough start to the day with very few fish showing on the flats we visited. During the last hour of the trip, however, they each landed two Redfish and a nice Trout before some gale force winds sent us back to the ramp. This Monday, British angler Tyson made his first trip to Mosquito Lagoon. His goal was to try some fly fishing for Redfish. Our first two stops did not hold any fish. The third flat, however, was loaded with happy Reds. Tyson caught his first Redfish with an EP style mullet fly. After a few more unsuccessful attempts to reach the fish with his fly, he asked me if he could switch to spinning gear. For the next two hours, he landed numerous Redfish using a three inch CAL jig in silver mullet color. Unfortunately, some strong thunderstorms from the tropical system began moving in on us and we were forced to leave the fish. He was able to get a few Ladyfish and Seatrout on the way back and we arrived at the ramp just in front of the storm. The fall Baitfish run will be in full swing during October. When seas allow, there will be some great fishing along the beaches as schools of Mullet head south with Tarpon, Snook, Sharks, Jacks, Bluefish, and other species following them. Inshore, mullet imitations are the way to go. Redfish and Trout will eagerly strike surface lures throughout the month. Capt. Chris Myers Orlando Fishing Guide Capt Chris M Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:13:44 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: Windy, rainy weather continued along the Treasure Coast again this week. Tropical storms out in the ocean certainly effected our weather. October begins the transition into fall. You can feel the change in the air. The hot weather is slowly easing its grip on the area and milder temperatures will gradually make the days much more comfortable. Fall is a great time of year for fishing! Mark Amorello was down this past week and we did get out one day to do some fishing. Lots of Trout around the river have been busy feeding on live baits, DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits. We hooked up on a couple Redfish from around the mangroves and one Snook to finish out the day. Everything was caught on DOA lures. Somehow we managed to skirt all the rain clouds around us. I drove up to fish with my best friend, Capt Pat Wells, and his son, Dalton over the weekend. We fished the Banana River in Cocoa Beach. Again, lots and lots of Trout out there on DOA shrimp. Once the Ladyfish moved in and kept us busy for a while, we loaded up and headed to look for some Redfish. It took a short time to find a tailing school of Reds in four feet of water. Casting three lines loaded with chunks of Ladyfish ahead of the school, we were seconds from hooking up on two Reds. Dalton landed a 36" beauty while mine kept fighting. Finally, I landed my fish which measured 42" and left us with lots of memories to end the day. You can find plenty of Trout on the grass flats. Bear Point, Round Island and Harbor Branch have all produced Trout for us. The CAL jerk baits and DOA shrimp continue to keep us busy on the Trout. Work them slowly along the bottom and you should have plenty of action. We have found Redfish on the shallow flats around mangroves. Work a DOA shrimp very slowly under the mangroves. Snook have been biting, but it has been difficult to fish the jetties most of the week. Try around the jetties, bridges and docks with TerrorEyz or live baits. October Forecast: As the water temperatures slowly begin to cool off, you can bet the fish will get more active. As the Mullet run continues the fish will take advantage of the plentiful food sources around the river. Top water lures early can get some exciting action on the flats. Switch to CAL jerk baits on light jig heads and fish flats, docks and mangroves to find a variety of fish. Black Drum and Snapper can be found around the bridges and structure of the river. Trout will continue to be very active on the flats. Redfish will be in the shallows and Snook can be found around the usual haunts. Get out early for the best opportunity and have fun out there on the river. Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 This weeks action on the Indian fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:06:20 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing25" 15lbs Red Snapper9/28/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreA better start of the day sea-wise, but rain in the area, and wind and sea's forecast to pick up later had us out early. The weather buoy was going to be the first stop, however, rain showers and a little lightning had us hold up at 8A a few minutes, till it cleared. A few drops and a few fish got things started, but with the rain shower moving away, we headed out deeper. Another stop on our way due to the weather put us at the 120' site. It did not take long to find the Red Snapper, or better perhaps, them to find us. The first drops had fish on, though we could not keep them. Between the trip the day before and this days trip we caught over a couple dozen of these "Rare" fish. Also, there was only one of these fish under 20" caught out of that total. They took everything from Sardines and Squid to vertical jigs. A school of fish was seen on sonar at 50', and when we dropped lines it was a double hookup, of Red Snapper. Though we had 4 guest onboard, only 2 were fishing, as the sea's did not agree with the other 2's stomach's very well. With the winds starting to pick up, and 2 guest spending more time on their backs than fishing, we decided to move into 8A to a little shallower waters, and again what they really wanted, some icebox fillers, and Shark! Its did not take long once there to get that started. The Shark catching action got one of the anglers back on his feet, and into the action. We again caught many of the Atlantic Sharpnose Shark, and on this trip some nice sized Red Snapper at 8A. With Sea Bass, Triggers, Porgy, and Shark on ice, to the cleaning tables we went.ACME Ventures Fishing42" 15lbs Atlantic Sharpnosed Shark9/28/2010 Port Canaveral Offshore We came in a little earlier than normal, with tropical storm watch's being posted, and winds increasing. The ride in was again 'wet and wild", but like the day before it was all smiles, though one guest waited till we were tied up, and he was on solid ground to crack a smile. With a VERY empty stomach, and feeling good about being on solid ground, he said he really was looking forward to some fresh fish for dinner! Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:26:03 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing22" 10lbs Red Snapper9/27/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreA window with a couple of "Fair" days had me taking charters out for a couple of groups down on vacation. The seas were forecast as 3-4, with winds at 10-15kts. This would be choppy, and wet ride, but safe. With forewarning to be prepared with rain poncho's, my guest opted for the 'wet and wild' ride, and loved every minute of it! Both days were scheduled as our "20 mile buoy trip". On this we shoot out to the weather buoy, make a few pass's by the area with lines out, do some casting towards it, and a little vertical jigging. The results were 'nil' this trip which is unusual. Usually we at least get Cuda. In to the Brevard County Artificial at 120' we went. The Overfished, underpopulated Red Snapper could have made this trip better called a "Catch and Release Red Snapper Trip"! We did manage a few Sea Bass to take home from the site, but not your average 12-14" models. One was 18" and the other close to 21". I would not mind loading up on those sized fish more often. ACME Ventures Fishing42" 15lbs Atlantic Sharpnose Shark9/27/2010 Port Canaveral OffshoreTired of release only fish we moved into 8A to Shark fish. A lot of my guest that do not regularly fish love the idea of catching a Shark, even if it is the 3 to 4 foot varieties. These Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks are scrappy fighters on light tackle, and good eating. A lot of people claim you have to soak them in milk to get rid of the strong taste and odor, however, I never have, and everyone I have served this too has commented on how good it tasted, while yet being mild. I simply "skull" them immediately after caught (with a knife lengthwise from the top of the head, effectively cutting through the 'brain'). Then I put it head down in a bucket of water to bleed itself out, and ice it. Filleting it with no red-meat leaves white mild filets, that can be cooked like most other fish, especially grilling. With some more Sea Bass, Triggers, and Shark in the icebox, to the docks we went. Despite being a wet ride, everyone was grinning from ear to ear, with at least a dozen Red Snapper caught, and more than that in Shark. The icebox may not have reflected the day, but the smiles did. Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:17:16 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: The winds are still blowing out there as storms out in the Atlantic continue to push the wind out of the east. The ocean has been rough most days, but you can still fish the river....at least on the east shoreline. The fish are biting in spite of windy days out there. You just need to plan your trips to use the wind to your advantage. We have fished the east side of the river from Bear Point up to Queen's Cove with good results this week. Eric, Alex, Tina and Etta joined me for the Michael Shields Memorial Fishing Tournament this past week. Alex is six years old and Etta is eight, so our plan was to let the kids have fun that day. Alex is an avid fisherman and was excited about fishing on the flats. We headed up to Bear Point to seek out some Sea Trout for him. We lost track of the Trout that he and dad, Eric, caught that morning. No big takers, but lots of nice size slot Trout. DOA Deadly Combos, CAL jerk baits and live shrimp kept the guys busy fishing all morning. Tina and daughter, Etta, joined us by mid morning and we found more Trout willing to bite. Young Alex caught a nice Redfish up on another flat, while Eric caught a Snook from under the mangroves. We finished with five fish on our score card for the tournament, but the fun we had with Alex and Etta outweighed filling out the score card. Trout continue to be the best bite out there. Fish the bait schools or in three to five feet of water for some good Trout action. Snapper continue to feed around bridges, channel edges and structure. The Snook bite slowed a little, but that is more due to the winds that kept many anglers from fishing. Redfish are up shallow in the sandy flats. DOA shrimp or live bait works well on getting them to bite. The surf has been hard to fish due to the east wind, but whiting should be feeding whenever it slows back down. It has been a fun week out on the water! Tip of the Week: Kids and fishing is always a great combination. The excitement and thrill they have out on the water fills your heart with joy. I have had a good many kids out on the boat this year and we have had many days of fun watching them catch fish. Even if you don't have kids or grandkids close by, you have friends or neighbors who do. Taking a kid out fishing allows you to teach them about fishing and boating. The rewards are fantastic when you watch them catch fish and see that big smile. I take the grandkids out fishing and have volunteered for Teen Anglers for many years now. TAKE A KID FISHING SOON! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Some of this weeks fishing photos.... fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:06:31 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well now that the storm is almost gone get ready for the Dolphin bite to be on. The last one that blew by moved some stuff to this side of the stream and on one trip we had a school of thirty fish under some trash in about 125 feet of water. The way it is looking this might be one of our last chances to get out there before the winter stirs it up. Capt. Jeff Copout Offshore Fishing Charters 407-366-8347 www.copoutfishing.com copout Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:25:02 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Inshore Fishing: Milder weather has been welcomed this week along the Treasure Coast. It has been breezier and the temperatures have been below 90 degrees most of the week. You can sense that the fall weather patterns are now fast approaching. Snook season has finally opened and I found lots of eager anglers that were planning on being out there on opening night. It should prove to be a great season this year. I volunteered for the first Teen Angler tournament of the year. There are a lot of eager teens out there eager to fish and enjoy the water. I had CJ, Ashley and Michael on my boat. We had a lot of exciting action and the teens caught a lot of fish. Most were not on the fish list or too small though. Ashley weighed in two Mangrove Snapper and Michael had one keeper Trout. They are all anxiously waiting for next months tournament. Got a boat and interested in volunteering?? Call Joe or Cammie Ward at 772-201-5770. You will enjoy it! I had Shane, Lisa and 6 year old, Zack, on the boat later this week. It was on the breezy side, but we found enough areas to fish and the fish were hungry that day. They caught about forty fish which were mostly Trout. About a dozen were slot size and they took home some nice fish for dinner. We lost a few bigger fish, but Lisa hooked up on a beautiful 29" Snook that gave her a battle. We took a few photos and released it unharmed.....the day before Snook season opened and we catch a slot fish! Young Zack caught his share of fish as well. It was a fun day on the water. The Trout bite continues to be the best action on the river. We have had very good success on the CAL jerk baits and shad tails. The Trout can't seem to resist them when fished slowly along the bottom. I favor the Arkansas Glow or Silver Mullet colors for Trout. On a 1/16th CAL jig head, you will certainly find some nice action this time of year. Live shrimp on popping corks or the DOA Deadly Combo is also a great way to fish the flats. I was fishing along with the Teens on their tournament and caught a 25" redfish and 23 3/4" Gag Grouper on CAL jerk baits. Snook fishing is back in full swing. The jetties, bridges, docks and seawalls will all be fished hard this week. Live bait, TerrorEyz (rootbeer), feather jigs and diving plugs are popular for Snook fishing. Top water lures or a DOA Big Fish Lure on the flats can help you find a Snook patrolling the edges. Getting on the water early can also improve your chances. There are still a lot of Snapper around the river. Channel edges, structure and bridges have all held fish. Black Drum and Sheepshead have also been caught in the same places. Whiting along the beaches has been a staple this year. You can find some Tarpon, Snook and jacks around the jetties feeding on the tides. Fall is always a great time to fish the Treasure Coast! Tip of the Week: When using jig heads on the flats, I like to use the lightest possible for the best action. Lighter jig heads let the lures move a little more freely and lifelike. A 1/16th ounce won't dive into the grass as much as the heavier heads. You can bounce them slowly on top of the grass and have much more success. Windier conditions might call for a heavier head, but try moving to a 1/8th head instead of the usual 1/4th ounce. Light tackle and the weight of the body can aid in getting a reasonable cast. Make sure to use a loop knot to give the lure the freedom of movement and making it more attractive to the fish. Have some fun out there! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!! Good Fishing & Be Safe! Captain Charlie Conner www.fishtalescharter.com captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com 772-284-3852 Lisa with her 29" Snook, son Zack and dad, Shane, with one of his Trout and Spencer with a Trout he recently caught. fishtales Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:13:25 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR With a couple of tropical systems getting close enough to cause higher than normal winds, we’ve seen some dirtier water in certain parts of the lake. Although the water dirtied up some, it was still fishable as it doesn’t get nasty like it used to, plus it cleans up in a day or two. This week has been a total blowout from all of the high winds we’ve had. We also have Hydrilla growing well offshore on the Farm 13 side. You’re not going to come here and see big mats of grass yet, but it seems to be spreading very well. Water levels have came up about 10 inches. We had current flow from both spillways for a couple of days, but that’s pretty much stopped. Don (WWF) was in the spillway area the other day and reported that there was an Algae bloom and no fish. He did report catching several fish up to 7# on a Chug Bug out on the ditches before the wind kicked up and blew him off the lake. We’re still concentrating on the submerged irrigation ditches on the Farm side. Traps, cranks, c-rigs, and a chug bug will do the trick. The fish aren’t grouped up right now. You have to stay on the trolling motor and cover lot’s of water. See you out there! Stick Marsh Pro Guide Service 1-772-979-6102 www.stickmarshproguideservice.com SMPGS Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:50:01 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR ACME Ventures Fishing26 3/4 Inch Redfish9/10/10 Titusville IRLWith nothing booked for a few days, and not wanting to burn a lot of gas to head offshore, I tool the Kayak out to the IRL in north Titusville. The Mullet are stacking up thick, and this means that predators follow. Only a 10 minute paddle from where I launch is a great area that the Mullet feed. On Wednesday and Friday I had myself rigged and out in the water before sunrise, and the Mullet were there. Right around sunrise the Reds started showing up and mixing in. The Mullet are all large, so the Reds are taking advantage of what is being stirred up by them, and an occasional small straggler. I tried artificials, but this seemed to spook the Mullet school, and in turn the Reds, so cut bait was the call. I floated one under a cork, and let one drift on a second rod. Its a challenge fishing on a kayak, as the larger Reds pull you around, and the couple occasions when I had both rods go off at the same time! Lots of Reds, mostly slot sized, with a few over-slot were found, and about a 5-1 Catfish to Red ratio of catch's on the cut bait. I went through a 5 lb box of frozen Sardines the first day, and a half box along with some cut Pinfish the second day! Thats a lot of fish caught. I am ready to get back offshore, but with no Charters booked for another week and a half I need someone with gas money......or I have to stick to the Kayak. Captain Henry "Wile E. Coyote" ACME Ventures Fishing www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com 602 Glen Cheek Dr. Cape Canaveral, FL 321-794-7955 / 407-349-1546 ACME Ventures Fishing Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 15 Sep 2010 09:04:09 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Well we dodged a few bullets (hurricanes) here in central Fl. this past week. Now that the wind is gone and the water has cleared up the bite is on as usual. Trout are still eating the Pigs along with a variety of Gulp baits. I like to fish my Gulp baits several ways. When I fish them under a bobber or clicker rig I like using a smaller bait so when the fish eats the Gulp bait he is hooked up immediately. Unlike a larger bait that takes a second to turn. These are a few baits that I use on a regular basis, (3” pogy, 4” sinking minnow , 4”minnow grub, and the 3” shrimp). When I bounce my Gulp bait off the bottom with a 1/8 1/4 or 1/2oz jig head that is a little different. The fish has time to suck in the bait on the fall and he does not feel resistance unlike the float. I typically like to use a bait that matches the aggressiveness of the fish. If they are sucking them down aggressive without hesitation I like using a larger bait that darts and walks quickly along the bottom. The sinking minnow and Jerk shad are my baits of choice in this situation. But if the fish are sluggish and lip the bait and swim off with it slowly, like in the winter. I like down sizing to a 3” Gulp shrimp or a small 3” Pogy. You can expect to catch Trout, Redfish, Flounder, Snapper, Grouper, Pigfish, Ladyfish and Jacks in the lagoon on these Gulp baits. Tammy and Tim Barley caught a bunch of Redfish on a variety of baits in the lagoon. Most of the Reds were oversize and all were released. When I am sight casting on a flat I rig my Gulp bait different than explained above. You will see schools of Redfish rubbing fins with their mates getting ready to do there thing. I had Tim Talbet and company on the flats and we sight cast to tailing Reds. The bait of choice was the Gulp 2” peeler crab in natural color. If the Red does not react to a slow retrieve rip it past the fish and watch what happens. Well the weather has sure cooled off these last few days and the fishing is still hot so get out and catch you some. If you want to catch fish I will put you on them. Remember think like a fish to catch fish. Joe Porcelli AAA Fishing Guide Service 386-314-5656 captainjoeporcelli.com Joe Porcelli Recreation Fishing Information Central East Region Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:57:57 -0400 Central East Region: CFLFR Summer is coming to an end here in East Central Florida and we are looking forward to cooling autumn temperatures after a long hot spell. Fishing has remained good with Redfish and Seatrout being my usual targets on Mosquito Lagoon and also in the Edgewater Backcountry. Fall Redfish patterns are similar to summer with the exception of higher water levels which move Redfish to flats that have been too shallow and now have a good water level for us to fish them. Visiting from New Jersey was 8 year old Mary Jane who was along on a charter with her parents, she is holding her 30” Redfish which was live released moments after the picture was taken, Mary Jane caught 4 of the 6 Reds caught on this trip, also caught were several nice Seatrout. My client Jim, who was here on vacation with his wife Lynne all the way from Denver, he is holding his 32” Redfish, 1 of 3 Reds that we caught along with Trout, flounder, jacks, ladyfish, and more in the Edgewater Backcountry while on one of my mixed bag trips. Come fish with me on beautiful Mosquito Lagoon for flats fishing, we will target Redfish and Seatrout. This type of sight fishing can be challenging and very rewarding when you hook up with a drag pulling Redfish or Trout. Good for experienced anglers or the less experienced anglers lookin