With the winter cold fronts finally gone, the more stable weather of April will bring more consistent fishing to the Mosquito Lagoon. Redfish, trout, and drum are still the main targets. Throughout most of the winter, the redfish were scarce in the central and southern parts of the Lagoon. This is most likely due to the loss of over 75% of the seagrass during the past few years. The most consistent redfish action has been to the north of Georges Bar where tidal action can flush the water. Most of these areas are extremely shallow and require light poling skiffs or paddle craft to get to them. Creeks and bays off Slippery Creek and around Orange Island can be accessed from Riverbreeze Park to the west and from Canaveral Seashore to the east.
The most consistent action in the central and southern lagoon has been seatrout. Soft plastic jerkbaits, topwater lures, and jigs have all been effective. Many of the larger fish are in very shallow water in areas holding mullet. Smaller fish can be found around islands, dropoffs, and in the 2-3ft depths. The retrieve is often more important than the lure color. I have watched anglers stand side by side with identical outfits and one person gets a fish every cast while the other gets none. A sharp upward twitch followed by a pause allowing the lure to drop seems to work best. Almost all the bites come on the drop so keeping the line tight is important.
Black drum have also been cruising the flats throughout the Lagoon. Easier to get close to than redfish, they are much less aggressive and can often be hard to feed. Live or dead shrimp, pieces of crab or clam strips are the best baits.
