By Capt. Jim Ross
This portion of the lagoon system has been suffering for a long time, but hopefully the water temperatures will drop into the lower to middle 50-degree range and stay there for much of this month. If this happens the areas of cleaner water should spread as the brown algae that has plagued this lagoon dies off. Hopefully the baitfish like glass minnows and mullet will continue to stay in the residential canals and draw the predator fish in to feed on them. If this pattern comes together, look for speckled trout, redfish, and black drum around docks and mangrove covered shorelines throughout the Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, and Cocoa beach canal systems. Live shrimp or Saltwater Assassin 4-inch sea shad tails rigged on a 1/8 to ¼ ounce jig head will be fantastic ways to catch these fish. Rig the shrimp through the tail and hop them along the bottom. The Assassin tilas can be fished in the same manner or slowly swim these lures right along the bottom and you should get these fish to strike. Occasionally schools of jack crevalle will feed in these canals or just outside of the canal systems in the main river. If you see jacks busting the schools of baitfish cast a jig or Storm GT 360 search bait in their direction and work it quickly back to the boat for some aggressive strikes from these fish.
Captain Jim Ross
W-321-636-3728
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