Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Forecast, September 30, 2010
by Captain Tom Van Horn


Upcomming Seminars and Events

Saturday October 2nd


10 AM - 5 PM, "Discover Fly Fishing Day" in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka Florida. Guides, Professionals and Factory representatives will be on hand all day to introduce new comers to fly fishing and discuss casting, destinations, tactics, and equipment.


Saturday, October 23rd, 9:30 - 10:30 AM, "Free Seminar" Fishing with the Pros instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn and Chris Myers, Basic fishing open forum, followed by "Fall Fishing Tactics Redfish, Trout and Flounder" 10:30 - 11:30 AM in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida.



Tuesday, November 9th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, Orlando Kayak Fishing Club Meeting (open to all) in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoor in Apopka Florida.



Saturday, November 20th, 9:30 - 10:30 AM, "Free Seminar" Fishing with the Pros instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn and Chris Myers, Basic fishing open forum, followed by "Preparing for the Shad Run & Crappie Season & Shad Derby Meeting" 10:30 - 11:30 AM in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida.



October Fishing Outlook



As the tropical storm seasons begins to wane on Florida's east central coast, passing summer squalls and higher water levels will impact our seasonal fishing conditions we experience in October.



Hordes of black and silver mullet, Atlantic menhaden (pogies), thread fin herring (greenies), and bay anchovies (glass minnows) have begun their southerly migration in search of warmer waters. This migration creates a smorgasbord of yummy little baitfish, shadowed by a large array of hungry predators looking to fatten up for the winter.



Weather permitting, near-shore opportunities are the best you will see all year. Along the beaches, target areas of concentrated bait schools for a mixed bag of snook, tarpon, kingfish, cobia, jack crevalle, oversized redfish, and sharks. Additionally, snook fishing in the surf will improve as the baitfish move south along the beach. Also look for schools of glass minnows to begin showing up bringing larger Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and tarpon with them.



As always, fishing in and around the inlets of Ponce, Port Canaveral, and Sebastian look for flounder, snook, jack crevalle, and oversized redfish feeding on migrating baitfish along the jetties and just outside the inlets. Easterly swells, falling tides, and aggressive anglers can make for sporty angling conditions, so please pay attention, be patient, and enjoy the rewards.



In the north Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons, higher water levels will allow anglers to venture into areas normally inaccessible during the spring and summer months. Look for slot redfish in close to the grassy edges along the shoreline shadowing pods of finger mullet, and for the larger redfish staged in deeper water ambush sites where migrating mullet are forced to venture out from the safety of the shallow flats. In deeper water areas, look for ladyfish, spotted sea trout, jacks, and tarpon feeding on schools of glass minnows. These schools of fish are easily located by watching for bird and fish activity. Once located, these schools will produce explosive action on small top water plugs, or popping bug flies. Also, if you locate a school of the larger black mullet, try fishing spoons of soft plastic baits deep under the school. Even though, mullet are vegetarians, redfish and sea trout will often mingle in feeding on shrimp and crabs kicked up from the bottom by feeding mullet.

As always, if you need information or have questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 office
407-416-1187 on the water



For all you outdoor shopping needs, visit Mosquito Creek outdoors at www.mosquitocreek.com.



Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, September 22, 2010

By Captain Tom Van Horn

Upcoming Classes, Seminars and Events


This Week's Fishing Report


Laying restless in bed I glance at the clock on the nightstand. It's just after 4 am, and thoughts of fishing have been jumping through my head for hours. Soon I realize the reason for my restlessness, and I get dressed and step outside to gaze at the hunter's moon. Yes, the autumnal equinox has finally arrived and the harvest moon is early this year, and with elation I say farewell to an extremely hot summer we've experienced this year on Florida's Space Coast.

For whatever reason, I typically have contempt for the full moon in regards to fishing the flats of the Indian River Lagoon. The rational may fall on our lack of tides in the IRL or the belief that the fish feed all night, but my experience has established that catching on the northern Indian River Lagoon system is tougher during periods the full moon.

With that said, the water levels on the lagoon are still high and the catching has been tough all week. There's a ton of mullet forming up and moving south, but the consciences thus far is they are mostly larger mullet. Although the breeder redfish are schooled up for the most part, they've been tough to find in the windy conditions we've experienced all week, but there has been plenty of slot size redfish mixed in with the mullet schools. Although sight fishing is the preferred method for catching redfish, blind casting shallow running DOA Bait Busters or chunking live finger into the areas around mullet schools can produced better results when conditions are tough.

Along the beach, the snook fishing has been good this week despite the rough and windy conditions. The finger mullet are not running thick, but they are there and the snook are there. Good reports of snook catches have been coming from Cocoa beach from the south jetty of Port Canaveral to Satellite Beach. I've also heard of good action fishing Sebastian Inlet at night, with lots of oversized and slot redfish being caught during slack tidal periods.

In closing, remember snook season is open on Florida's east coast, but don't get greedy. Please comply with the limits and slot size, and if you see violations, do not hesitate to inform the proper authorities. The weather is iffy for the weekend, but there are occasions where you just have to get your fishing fix, so if you venture out, pay attention to the weather and be safe.


As always, if you need information or have any questions, please contact me.


Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 land line

Visit Mosquito Creek Outdoors at www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begins.



Mosquito Creek Outdoors Angler Improvement Clinics


Free Fishing Classes


To be successful, learn from the best.

Veteran lagoon fishing guides Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn will provide instruction on the skills and techniques necessary to become a more successful angler through free seminars, provided as a service to you by Mosquito Creek Outdoors and Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando. Would you like to learn what it takes to be a successful Angler? Here is your chance and all it will cost you is your time.





Captain Tom Van Horn: Captain Tom is a lifelong Central Florida native with over 45 years experience fishing Florida's waters and over 10 years experience guiding anglers to the catch of their lives on the Indian River Lagoon Coast of Florida. His fishing experience covers all aspects of angling, including freshwater lakes and rivers, saltwater flats, and near-shore Atlantic coastal fishing. Captain Tom is also owner and publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando and an accomplished outdoor writer with over 100 articles published. Captain Tom currently serves on the pro staffs of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Evolution Rods, Daiwa, DOA Lures, TTI Blakemore and Daiichi Hooks, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Woodies Rattles, Frog Toggs, and Kaynoe Paddle Products.

Captain Chris Myers: Captain Chris Myers operates Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters. He specializes in sight fishing the flats of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River with light tackle and fly. Capt. Chris has twenty years of experience fishing Mosquito Lagoon. He is a pro staff member for DOA Lures, Woodies Rattles, Daiwa, and Temple Fork Flyrods.


Angler's Improvement Clinic Schedule:


Fall Lagoon Tactics October 23, 2010, 9:30 a.m. to Noon

Shad and Crappie Fishing November 20, 2010, 9:30 a.m. to Noon


For more information on the above scheduled classes, contact Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando at 407-416-1187 or online, mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com.




Tight Lines and Let's Go Fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
407-416-1187
http://www.irl-fishing.com