PORT CANAVERAL: The beaches come alive this month outside of Port Canaveral. Anglers will have a huge variety of species to chase with light tackle. Among these will be bluefish, jack, ladyfish, and spanish mackerel. These species are always really good at keeping anglers busy along the outside edge of the surf break, and inside of the Port Canaveral turning basin on most days this month. To catch them try trolling or casting with small spoons, diamond jigs, Rapala X-Rap lures in the size 10 (with a green back), or minnow style flies. All of these will usually work on these fast-swimming species. Pompano and whiting are good options for anglers fishing along the surf zones using 2 or 3-drop surf rigs. Use sand fleas, fresh shrimp, or Fish bites on these types of rigs. Goofy style jigs tipped with a fresh piece of shrimp or fish bite are also a great way to fish the surf zones from the beach or from a boat as well if you like to actively cast and retrieve a lure. Tripletail and cobia may be possible near buoys, floating debris, and weeds in the 20 to 50-foot depths. Live shrimp or baitfish like pilchards or pogies are great bait choices for these two species. Tarpon are here! Captain Justin and I have been getting shots at them on our charters in April and these fish will only get more and more abundant as we move into the middle of this month. Most of these silver kings are running 75 to 100-pounds. Not giants but big enough to make most of our anglers’ arms tired. Look for schools of tarpon feeding on pogies in the 10 to 30-foot depths. Slow troll or drift with live pogies through these schools and get ready for a battle. Speaking of a battle, the giant jack crevalle should make an appearance outside of the Port this month. Often you can see them schooling with the tarpon, so take your vitamins and get ready to feel the power of these incredible gamefish. It’s a great month to get out and catch a variety of fish, so make sure you take the time to book a trip with us to get out there and get you rod bent.
BANANA RIVER LAGOON: The river has been looking good so far this spring due to the fact that we have not had much rain to wash residential lawn fertilizers (a.k.a. Lagoon Poison) into our lagoons to start those awful algae blooms that kill our seagrass and fish. Angles can rejoice in finding trout, redfish, snook, and baby tarpon along the mangrove edges and around docks throughout a good portion of this body of water for now. Soft plastic jerk baits like the Saltwater Assassin 3 and 5-inch models rigged on a weedless offset worm hook are a great way to target these fish. Live shrimp. Pilchards, and fingerling mullet are also top live bait choices to use in these areas. Take advantage of the relatively clean waters in most of this portion of the lagoon that we have right now, because as soon as the rainy season starts next month and the grass fertilizers that have been applied to lawns all spring long get washed into the lagoon, you can kiss all this great fishing goodbye.
Until next month…Catch a Memory!
Capt. Jim Ross
Fineline Fishing Charters
www.FinelineFishingCharters.com
(321) 636-3728