Mosquito Lagoon / Indian River Fishing Report

Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Fishing Report

by Capt. Jesse September 28, 2015

Here is the Summer Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Fishing report. A short drive from Orlando, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and surrounding Space Coast areas.

Fishing this summer on the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River has been great. Between throwing flies to cruising 100+ pound Tarpon and Redfish crushing baits on the shore lines, its been hard to find time to sit down and write a monthly fishing report.

Summer time means kids are out of school and that means vacation time for many. New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, Cocoa Beach and other Space Coast destinations are popular vacation spots…. But did you know these same vacation spots are excellent places to go fishing?

Early this summer, Mosquito Lagoon was fishing very well. There were many days where we started out looking for baby tarpon in the Indian River, around Titusville. Over the last few years, the baby Tarpon fishing in Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River have been improving and becoming a staple for me as a guide. I know in the summer time, if the wind is light and the light level is low, I’m going baby Tarpon fishing. Baby Tarpon a great species to target for light tackle and fly anglers, it’s rare you only find one fish (typically, if you find one… you will find good numbers in that area). Baby Tarpon will eat a well placed fly or lure, but they can be very picky. I start with small flies and will go from there. If I’m not getting hits on small profiles, I’ll bump the size of my fly up a little (maybe something a little bulkier to move some water and help the fish find it). Many times you are fishing for these little poons in dirty water, so don’t be afraid to get aggressive with your presentation.

Lindsay with her first baby Tarpon on Fly. On a 6 WT!

Example of a baby Tarpon fly. This one was chewed on a little.

Tim, from Colorado, with a perfect back country Tarpon on Fly

You never know what you’ll find around those pods of rolling baby tarpon.

The Tarpon bite is typically best early in the morning, during low light conditions. Once the sun creeps up in the sky, I switch gears and go look for Redfish. This works out great, because once the Tarpon stop rolling, the sun is typically high enough to go sight fishing for Redfish up in the shallows. When you are fishing for Redfish in the shallows, its important move slow. A skiff displaces water, that displacement of water is noticeable to fish, if they feel the presence of the boat odds are the fish will begin moving out. If you move slow and quietly your odds of a hookup are much higher.

Here are a few Redfish pictures from over the summer: