Orlando Florida Report 3/15/09

It was another week of outstanding weather here in central Florida and the sight fishing for redfish is as good as it gets right now. Big schools of redfish are prowling the flats of Mosquito Lagoons and have been tailing and feeding hard all week. The water level and temperature have risen significantly giving fish access to areas that have been nearly dry for the past couple months.

I began this week fishing with Capt. Ron Presley in the Banana River near Cocoa Beach. We were both participating in a multi- boat charter the next day and were hoping to find some fish. I had not fished that area in quite some time and was disappointed to see the lack of sea grasses which hold the food that attracts redfish. Years of runoff pollution combined with a very cold winter had left many of the flats barren. We found the most fish around residential docks and I was able to land my first sheephead on a fly along with a decent black drum.

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The following day I was back in the Banana River and fish with Maryann and Billie Joe. The ladies had not fished since they were kids and had never been on the flats. We did some sight seeing watching stingrays, dolphins, manatees, and ospreys and caught a few fish as well. I located several schools of redfish and Maryann landed one, and lost two more. We hit some docks where several large fish broke off under the pilings but Maryann was able to wrestle out a decent black drum.

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I was happy to be back in Mosquito Lagoon Friday and I was joined by Jim from Michigan. As it began to get light, we saw multiple schools of redfish in every direction tailing and feeding on shrimp. I tied on a watermelon holographic DOA shrimp and Jim was soon hooked up to his first Mosquito Lagoon redfish.

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After he landed another red on the shrimp, I gave him a three inch holographic CAL tail on a jig head for extra casting distance. Each time Jim's cast landed in the right spot he got a bite. He brought six more redfish to the boat and had several more bites. We ended the day catching a few seatrout and having a quick fly casting lesson.

Yesterday, I fished with Chris and Andrew, both fly anglers. Just like the day before, there were multiple schools of tailing redfish at the start of the day. Andrew was up first. I gave him a holographic bendback fly to mimic the lure Jim had used the day before with such success. Nerves got the best of him with the first couple schools and the fish spooked off. He soon settled into a groove and laid down a nice cast which was quickly eaten. His best redfish to date on fly got him into the backing, a great way to start the day.

Next it was Chris's turn. His first few attempts did not work as planned either but it wasn't long before a redfish found his bendback.

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We had consistent shots for the first few hours. Some great casts did not get a bite and a couple bites did not result in a hookup. Unfortunately, clouds rolled in destroying our visibility.

Excellent tailing redfish action should continue throughout the month. As the water warms, the seatrout action has begun to improve along the edges of flats around mullet schools. Black drum continue to be a possibility almost every day as well.

Capt. Chris Myers
Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com