Things haven’t changed much since last week. I could just change the date on last weeks report and it would work! Tarpon are still rolling under the South Causeway Bridge in several places along the old channel. Redfish are cruising the oyster bars in the backcountry from Edgewater to Oak Hill. I had luck this week catching them on pinfish, Aqua Dream spoons, and a Zara Spook. Target the tips and edges of oyster bars and along deeper shore lines with AD spoons or a top water lure and you will catch a red. Unless the weather changes drastically I do not expect much to change in the foreseeable future. This is a great time of year to use lures; the water is higher and not real clear so covering a lot of water is a good tactic.

If any of you would like to learn the Lagoon better or would like to learn how to use lures more efficiently, I am now offering on the water instruction. For a limited time I will take one person on a lure only 4 hour trip for only 200.00. You will receive one on one instruction on lure selection, color selection and when and where to use what lures. You will also learn how to locate fish and what to do once you find them. Oh, and by the way you will also have a good time!

A five hour fishing trip for one or two people is still 300.00!

Until next time, see you on the water.

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Things haven’t changed much from last week. The water has dropped a little and is what I would consider average. I’m still finding reds in the Eldora area around Slippery Creek and Orange Island. I found a big school of around a hundred over the slot limit reds near Hong Kong Island that were eager to eat a well placed pin fish. Aqua Dream spoons continue to produce around the oyster bars near Turtle Mound with gold working best in cleaner water and chartreuse in dirtier water.

Tarpon are rolling in good numbers around the South Causeway in New Smyrna and continue to frustrate me. I cast lures to them for over 2 hours Wednesday without a single take. I hate tarpon! I may get some live bait and try again next week.

Don’t forget to send you pictures in for the August photo contest. Until next time see you on the water.

LATE SUMMER SPECIAL: 5 hour trip for 1 or 2 people still only 300.00!

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The water came up over a foot this week flooding the once dry flats. That is a lot of water moving into the Lagoon in one week, but luckily the reds didn’t move far. Two of the schools I have been fishing remained where they were, while others broke up and scattered along shorelines. Not a bad thing. On Wednesday we caught several reds on gold Aqua Dream spoons using them as search baits. Thursday the bite was slower but we managed a 29 inch red on a pinfish. We fished two schools and cast to dozens of singles that just would not eat. I am fishing mostly in the Eldora area which is good since it’s a short run from the Turtle Mound boat ramp. That gives us more fishing time. With the high water we are definitely in the late summer/ fall fishing pattern, which means using ADL spoons and jigs as search baits covering as much water as possible fishing shorelines and oyster bars. Look for clean water as I am finding more fish on the cleaner shorelines and flats. With the amount of reds I saw last week I am expecting good fishing in the upcoming weeks. Summer vacations are ending and there will be less people on the water making it a great time to be out there. I know I’ll be. So until next time see you on the water.

The August photo contest is wide open so get your pictures in!!

SUMMER SPECIAL is still on! A 5 hour trip for 1 or 2 $300.00.

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The water in the lagoon is even lower this week. Whole flats are out of the water and dry. Although this makes for treacherous running, it also makes redfish easier to find. The low water has pushed the fish off the flats onto the edges. This concentrates the fish into smaller areas. Wednesday morning I spooked three schools while running to my first spot. I stopped on a school of around fifty hungry reds where we hooked four in the first thirty minutes. All were caught on live pinfish suspended under one of my custom corks. Big trout are also on the north end of the lagoon in the Eldora area. I caught a 26 inch trout this week while testing a new Aqua Dream lure. I’ve received reports this week of black drum being caught in the Edgewater area and tarpon are still active in New Smyrna Beach. So whatever species you’re looking for, Mosquito Lagoon continues to provide angling action.

Don’t forget to send in your photos for the August Aqua Dream photo fishing contest. I’ve added a new wrinkle to the contest. At the end of the year I will choose an additional winner from the runner ups of previous months. So if you didn’t win the month you sent in your photo, you still have a chance of winning.

SUMMER SPECIAL: 5 HOUR TRIP FOR ONE OR TWO STILL ONLY

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This week fishing was good with a good morning top water bite and quality reds and trout throughout the day. This was a welcome change from a week ago when I struggled to find fish for my charters. The trout bite was slow and the reds were very spooky. This week however that changed. I found trout in the Edgewater area that were eager to eat a free lined pinfish drifted along oyster bars. We caught several over twenty inches with the biggest being a twenty six inch gator trout caught Thursday morning. I found redfish from George’s bar to Eldora most of which were over the twenty seven inch slot limit. They ranged in size from twenty four inches to thirty four inches. All were caught on live pinfish.

The water level in the lagoon is very low, so if you’re not familiar with the area be careful. Look for reds to be in the deeper pot holes and along the edges of the flats. Work these areas with Rapala skitter walks, Aqua Dream Spoons and Berkley four inch gulp shrimp. For live bait try pinfish, pigfish or croakers.

Don’t forget there’s only one week left to get your photos in for the July www.aquadreamliving.com photo contest!

SUMMER SPECIAL: 5 hour trip for only 300.00

See you on the water.

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The sea trout bite has been slow but red fishing has been hot. I’ve been fishing four schools of reds on the north end of the Lagoon. They range from one school of about 100 to another of about a dozen. They’ve been mostly upper slot to oversize. 27 inches being the largest red we can keep. Gold and chartreuse ADL weedless spoons, gulp 6 inch jerk baits and pinfish have all been producing good numbers of red fish. A long cast is important as these fish tend to be spooky and will not allow you to get too close. I’m using seven foot CastAway rods that allow me the longest cast possible. If you’ve never used a CastAway rod you owe yourself a chance to try one.
Tarpon continue to roll from New Smyrna to Edgewater along the old channel. I haven’t had a chance to fish for them this week but they’re there for anyone willing to give them a try.
Until next time see you on the water.
Don’t forget to send in your July photos for the contest.


SUMMER SPECIAL: 5 hour trip for $300.00

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Redfish remained on the flats this week from Tiger Shoals to Turtle Mound. Two of the schools had reds well over the slot limit of 27 inches. The water level is very low and dirty in places. I was able to catch reds in the dirty water on the chartreuse 3/8 oz Aqua Dream spoon. The chartreuse spoon shows up very well in dirty water. Work your spoon as slow as possible so the fish have an easier time finding it. The ADL spoon sinks very slow, slower than any other spoon, so you can work it slower even in a foot of water. Another perk, if you let it fall to the bottom it always falls hook up, eliminating snags.
Wednesday I went Tarpon fishing with my friend and fellow guide Patrick Rood. We found tarpon in four spots in the backwaters from Edgewater to New Smyrna Beach. Patrick jumped a hundred pounder under the south bridge on a mirro lure. After a five minute fight the Tarpon won by cutting us off under an anchored sailboat. Oh well, tarpon one, guides nothing. We’ll get him next time.
I hope everyone has a happy 4th of July and until next time see you on the water.

SUMMER SPECIAL: 5 hr trip for 300.00

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It was a mixed bag in the lagoon this week including tripletail, grouper and hungry redfish. I fished five schools of reds this week, two of which contained over the slot sized reds. We had good luck catching them on live pinfish rigged under a natural cork. The bite is best first thing in the morning, but we were still catching fish later in the day. I’ve been fishing the shallow flats early and moving north into the river later when the water starts to warm up. The deeper moving water is cooler and more comfortable for many species of fish when it’s hot.
I’m free lining live pinfish along docks, oyster bars and deep drop offs. I’ve seen rolling tarpon in the Edgewater area so I will have to give them a try if I can drag myself away from the reds.
I’ll be fishing the Lagoon Monday and Tuesday this week and then I’m off to Englewood for some snook fishing and a little r and r. So until next week see you on the water.

This month the photo contest ends June 30th so get your pictures in.

SUMMER SPECIAL: 5 hour trip 300.00

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The bite was a little slow this week. Sea trout had a case of lock jaw and redfish had a case of the jitters. We did manage a few trout but after the hot bite last week it a was a bit of a disappointment. I did find four schools of reds and they were all just under 27 inches or oversize up to 33 inches. One school of around 100 reds were feeding heavily on Friday morning, we hooked five and boated two. The rest of the fish I found were very spooky and not wanting to eat. We caught a few on live pinfish but it definitely wasn’t a banner week. The good thing about fishing is that everyday is a new opportunity. You’ve all heard the saying you should have been here yesterday, fish that may have lock jaw one day may be on fire the next. My answer to that is, the fishing is always great, it’s the catching that varies! So until next time, see you on the water.

SUMMER SPECIAL: FIVE HOUR TRIP FOR $300.00

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The trout bite remains good and although we didn’t catch as many this week as we did last the quality was better. Among the trout we caught this week were several 22 inch fish a 25 inch and a 28 inch gator. The biggest trout were caught on jerk baits but 3 inch ¼ oz. jigs produced the most. We also caught some quality redfish this week. Scott Campbell caught a 32 inch 12 lb, and a 33 inch 13 lb red Saturday both on live pin fish. Both of these reds were caught from a school of around 50 oversized redfish that we found crashing schools of mullet on the edge of a sand bar. Very exciting! I’ve started to trap pin fish for bait this week and although they’re small this early in the season, I caught over 200 in just 2 traps. It looks like a banner year for pinfish.
Live bait isn’t the only thing producing reds; we also caught several slot sized fish on jerk baits and Aqua Dream spoons.
Next weekend I will be at Sport Fishing magazines Fish Stock in New Smyrna’s Riverside Park. I will be giving seminars both Saturday and Sunday on how to catch more redfish and sea trout. I hope some of you can make it by to say hello. So until next time, see you on the water.

MAY SPECIAL: 5 hour fishing trip for only 300.00

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The trout bite is on! Wednesday, fishing with Ed Surek on the second of three days of fishing, we caught 42 sea trout. The trout ranged between 12 and 20 inches all caught on jigs. We tried a variety of lures but the 3 inch 12 fathom mullet and Edge 3 inch Flurries were by far the best. We rigged both on ¼ oz Aqua Dream classic jig heads. Any color body that resembled a mullet such as a clear silver glitter belly with a black back worked well. Our technique was simple. We would drift with the wind in 2 to 4 feet of water. When we caught a fish we would stop and cast that area until we stopped getting bites then we would continue to drift. We repeated the same drift until the trout quit eating.

As good as the trout fishing is, it’s not the only game in the lagoon. Redfish are also plentiful. We found 3 schools of slot sized reds along with a few singles. Ed caught 5 up to 26 inches on jerk baits, shrimp and live blue crabs. We also caught ladyfish and a 6 lb sail cat on jigs. On Friday it was like someone opened the floodgates, mullet schools started to pour into the lagoon. We cast jigs to the schools and caught 15 trout in about one hour. On the way back to the ramp we encountered a school of jacks terrorizing a school of mullet. We stopped and hooked up with several nice jacks but didn’t get any to the boat. Great fun!
Pinfish are starting to become a nuisance biting the tails off jerk baits and eating our shrimp. When this happens I start using pinfish for bait. A 3 inch pinfish suspended under a cork is like candy to a red or trout or any other fish for that matter. Cast your bait to the edge of a bar or mullet school, pop twice and hang on. I just received two new CastAway popping rods and can’t wait to try them out. It looks like the weather will be nice for the foreseeable future so I should get a chance this week. I’ll let you know how they work. Until next time, see you on the water.


MAY SPECIAL: 5 HOUR TRIP FOR $300

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The water temperature in the Lagoon rose 8 degrees this week and the warmer water made the fishing HOT, HOT, HOT! I’ve been from one end of the lagoon to the other in the past 2 weeks and I’ve had no problem finding reds. Starting on the north end, huge schools of mullet are filling the bays and should be moving south in the coming days. Friday I was in Brown’s Bay and although the water was dirty I found large quantities of redfish and even a few snook. The bay was full of finger mullet and the predators were taking advantage of it feeding heavily on the baitfish. Moving south the area around Eldora is holding a few small schools of reds but the real action is in the Middle lagoon between George’s Bar and Haulover Canal. Schools of big redfish can be found tailing on the flats in less than a foot of water and cruising the edges of the flats working the drop off. The black Aqua Dream spoon worked well all week as was sight casting with live shrimp.
Sea trout action is picking up in 3 to 4 feet of water with quality trout being caught on a 12 Fathom Slam R rigged on 3/16 oz finesse jig.
The weather looks nice for the upcoming week which is especially good since I have a good friend flying in from California to fish with me. We will be doing some product testing and experimenting with different lures, I’ll keep you posted. So until next week I’ll see you on the water!


MAY SPECIAL: 5 hr fishing trip for only 300.00.

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Fishing continues to be good in the Middle Lagoon with tailing reds being found daily on the flats in a foot of water. They are feeding on small snapping shrimp and I’ve had luck catching them on small blue crabs and 4 inch Gulp shrimp rigged on an ADL Finesse jig. They are very skittish so a good cast is crucial. Cast too close to the fish and they spook, too far away and they never see it. This makes for exciting and sometimes frustrating fishing but with dozens of shots at fish in a day it certainly isn’t dull.
Sea trout are beginning their spawn and are found on the edges where a flat drops off into deeper water. I had luck this week catching them on 12 fathom slam r jerk baits. I had 2 trout over 6 pounds and saw other much bigger trout. Smaller schooling trout continue to bite 3 inch fathom jigs and I caught my first ladyfish of the year which means summer isn’t far away.
If the weather remains good I expect another great week of fishing so until next time, see you on the water.

SPRING SPECIAL…. Book your 5 hour trip at the lower rate of 300.00.

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“Tails, 1 o’clock, 30 yards! Reds, 12 o’clock, 50 fish coming right at us. Cast!”
That’s how it was all morning. The wind finally let up enough for me to run south to the Middle Lagoon where I found red and black drum by the 100’s. Redfish were in schools of 20 fish to over 100. Black drum were in schools of 40 to 50. On Friday I found 6 or 7 schools and on Saturday even more. Saturday’s charter started at 7 and by 8 o’clock we were looking across a flat watching a school of over 100 reds pushing a wake we could see from over 100 yards away. As I poled along the flat, tails started popping up everywhere. 15 year old Justin and his dad Eric had dozens of shots at fish and had a great time. I still get excited seeing tailing reds and I hope that never goes away. After about 3 hours of non stop action the fishing slowed and we moved off the flat into 3 feet of water where we finished the day catching schooling trout on 12 fathom jigs. All in all a great day.
Mosquito lagoon fishing will continue to improve as we move into May with more and more bait fish arriving and bringing with them ladyfish, jacks, snook and tarpon. I love this time of year!
Live shrimp is still working well and for lures, Aqua Dream spoons, 12 fathom jigs and Rapala skitter walks are all good choices. Whatever you choose to fish with now is the time to go. So until next time, see you on the water!

SPRING SPECIAL: 5 hour trip for 300.00

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Fishing on the Lagoon was tough this week. It’s not that the fish weren’t there, they were, and they were just reluctant to bite. A persistent 15kt south wind added to our troubles and muddied the waters. Finding clean water was the key to finding fish but did not guarantee a catch. Two mornings in a row I found a school of about 50 big, 10 to 15 lb redfish. We tried to entice them with a variety of baits including live shrimp and blue crabs but they wouldn’t touch a thing. I did find a few singles that were willing to eat a shrimp so it wasn’t all bad.

The water temperature is up to 70 which is good and I expect schools of mullet to start showing up in the next couple of weeks. Fishing becomes much easier when this happens. Find the schools of bait and the predators won’t be far away. You can often catch more fish on artificial than bait by working the edges of the bait schools with ADL spoons, top water and jerk baits. Sea trout are starting to move south out of the creeks on the very north end of the Lagoon to the flats along the old east channel, George’s Bar and Tiger Shoals. Target these fish with 12 Fathom 3 inch mullet jigs and Slam R jerk baits. When they’re hungry expect a lot of action from these aggressive trout. I expect catching to improve as summer approaches so get out there and I’ll see you on the water!

SPRING SPECIAL: 5 hour trip for just $300!

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Fishing has improved this week due to warmer water in the Lagoon. Water temperature rose to 68 degrees by midweek triggering a good trout and red bite. Thursday we saw and caught several tailing redfish. These were the first tails I’ve seen in sometime. We placed a live shrimp in front of their noses and they eagerly ate. Schools of large sea trout are also moving up on the flats. It’s getting warm enough to target them with topwater plugs and jerkbaits. They are still very spooky so choosing the right rod such as a CastAway is crucial to making a long cast.
Some of the areas I’ve been finding redfish and gator trout are Tiger Shoals, the Klinkers, Slippery Creek and Hong Kong.
Now that we have warmer temperatures if we could get rid of the wind we would have it made. Well I can dream can’t I! Until next time see you on the water.

Spring Special: Book a 5 hr trip for $300.00

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First Day of spring and it is certainly welcome after this record cold winter. I had three charters this week and although the weather made them challenging, we managed to catch some redfish on each trip. The water temperature is 58 degrees which is very cold for this time of year. I’m still finding reds in 1 to 3 feet of water on the north end of the Lagoon. I’m having the best luck still catching them on live shrimp. I’m buying the biggest shrimp I can find for casting distance as the fish have been very spooky and a long cast is required.
I expect the trout bit to improve when the water temperature rises which it should do this weekend. Live shrimp, 12fathom 3 inch mullet and Slam R Jerk baits will be your best bet for trout. Warmer water will make both trout and reds more active so I am looking forward to a very productive spring.
I’ll let you know how the fish eat this week and until then, I’ll see you on the water.

Spring Special: 5 hour trip for just 300.00!

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This winter’s weather has certainly been a roller coast ride! We will have two nice days, a front will blow through bringing with it a day of rain and wind followed by three days of cold and wind. If you can get out on the nice days expect good fishing. There are many schools of redfish on the north end of the Lagoon, some with fish well over the size limit of 27 inches. I’ve had some luck catching them on and ADL (Aqua Dream Living) 3/8 oz black weedless spoon but a live shrimp remains the best bait for finicky reds. The water is very clear making for tough fishing at times. The clear water is great for sight fishing but remember if you can see them they can see you. A long cast is crucial for success. Choosing the right rod and using light line is the best way to accomplish this. For live shrimp and spoons I use the Aqua Dream/CastAway 7 foot medium light rod matched with 10lb Berkley Fireline. Tie on 3 feet of 20lb fluorocarbon leader using a double uni-knot and you’re good to go.
I hope March brings us some spring like weather; I’m really tired of the cold. I’ve lived her for 34 years and cannot remember a winter where the cold has lingered for so long. It looks like this pattern will last at least another week but it has to change soon. Right?
Until next week, long casts, tight lines and see you on the water.

SPRING SPECIAL
Book your trip before May 1st and receive a special rate of $300 for a five-hour trip

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The weather made fishing a bit of a challenge this week but as they say, a bad day on the water is better than a good day at work! Monday’s charter was spent fishing in the rain for two slot sized reds and a few small trout. Sight fishing was out the question so we spent the day blind casting live shrimp. Thursday I went scouting for Friday’s charter. I found three schools of redfish. One school of around fifty fish was in Eldora, a school of slot sized reds off Slippery Creek and a school of large oversized reds near parking lot #5 in the National Park.
I was also on the look out for large trout but I wasn’t able to locate any. I think this year’s freeze may have changed their habits since I couldn’t find any in my big trout honey holes.
Friday’s charter with Josh and Sandra from New Hampshire found us fishing in twenty to twenty five mph winds and cloudy skies. At least it wasn’t raining. I ran to Slippery Creek where Josh caught one red. I tried to run south but it was too windy to fish anywhere south of George’s Bar. I ran back to Eldora where I found a big school of reds but they were very spooky. We couldn’t even get them to eat a live shrimp! I decided to run north to Government Cut to look for trout. Using a ¼ oz Aqua Dream Classic Jig head rigged with a three inch 12 fathom mullet tail, Josh started to catch some schooling sized trout. We found them schooled in five feet of water. In a stretch of around fifty yards Josh and I caught over twenty trout . On some casts our jigs would get hit three and four times before we would hook up. Thank God for hungry trout!
Fishing should remain good on the north end of the Lagoon and I’m looking for clear skies and a little less wind in the weeks to come. Until then, good luck and see you on the water.

WINTER SPECIAL: A five hour trip for 1 or 2 people now just 250.00! This price is good if you book your trip before March 1st.

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This week I am pleased to report that I found schools of redfish in the backwaters all the way from New Smyrna to Oak Hill. And even better news, they were eating! I caught numerous redfish between 22 and 27 ½ inches, mostly on Capt. Mike’s black ¼ oz Aqua Dream weedless spoon. They were inhaling it! The schools range in size from around 20 fish to around 50. Not big schools by Mosquito Lagoon standards, but still fun. I also found flats that hosted some very large gator trout. I didn’t really try to catch any of them as I was scouting for upcoming charters. The easiest way to catch a gator trout this time of year is with a live shrimp or finger mullet but a jerk bait; jig or topwater lure will also work
Saturday, I had the pleasure of fishing with my friend and fellow guide, Patrick Rood. He was kind enough to pole me around all day, a rare treat. Despite less than favorable conditions, I sight cast live shrimp to 6 reds one over 27 inches. Patrick caught several trout on a Rapala Skitter Walk he was casting when he wasn’t poling.
If you’re planning to fish the lagoon this week, look for reds along oyster bars in 2 feet of water from Eldora to New Smyrna and trout on the grass flats east of Oak Hill. Good luck and until next week, see you on the water.
If you are having trouble finding my spoons or rods, check out www.aquadreamliving.com.

Book a trip now for my winter special; a five hour trip for 1 or 2 for just 250.00

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As I predicted, fishing this week has definitely improved. The warmer weather has the fish eating again. I found five schools of redfish, two schools of small trout and scattered gator trout all between George’s Bar and Eldora on the north end of the Lagoon. I had good success catching redfish on an Aqua Dream ¼ oz. nickel/red weedless spoon, trout were eating a ¼ oz. Aqua Dream/12 fathom mullet tail combo and both were eating live shrimp. Although I didn’t catch any of the gator trout it certainly was good to see so many doing well after finding the dead ones after the freeze. Fishing should continue to be good next week. If you’re planning to go fishing, look for schools of reds in two feet of water on the sand holes. Trout have been a little deeper on the three foot deep sand holes. The water is very clear so a long cast is crucial. You must get your bait to them before they see you. This is especially important on the weekend when they are pressured by numerous anglers.
I don’t like to tell you exactly where to find the fish on the lagoon. I like to drop a few hints so you can learn to find them on your own. Here are a few hints: George’s Bar (oversized reds), Hong Kong, north of the dirt ramp, Turtle Mound and Orange Island.
Good Luck hunting, until next week, see you on the water.
I just got in from a trip today. The weather was horrible! I fished with Joe and Stephen from Macon Georgia who drove in just to fish. We battled 20 – 25 mph winds and cloudy conditions most of the day making it very hard to find redfish. I did find one school of 50 to 60 reds and Joe caught one on a live shrimp. We had several more shots at them but alas we couldn’t get them to eat again. We finally found a school of trout that were eating and we caught 50 or so on ¼ oz jigs and 3inch 12 fathom mullet tails. Joe and Stephen were both very good anglers so despite the poor conditions I think we had a successful trip.
If you are interested in seeing some of the tackle and lures I use check out www. aquadreamliving.com for some cool stuff.
WINTER SPECIAL: A five hour trip for 1 or 2 people now just $250.00! This price is good if you book your trip before March 1st.

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In this weeks fishing report I have good news and bad news. First the bad news, almost two weeks of below freezing temperatures have taken its toll on the fish. I have reports of snook, ladyfish, jacks and trout floating dead or dying by the hundreds in Spruce Creek and the Ponce Inlet area. Florida Fish and Wildlife Officers have been making arrests for illegal possession of snook. Two men in New Smyrna were arrested for possession of seventy five illegal snook. The Mosquito lagoon faired better. In two days of searching the backwaters and flats from New Smyrna to Oak Hill I only encountered a few dead fish. I saw eight trout, four in the ten pound class, two tarpon, one snook and a variety of needle and ladyfish. Redfish made it through the cold fine. I found six separate schools bunched up on mud flats trying to stay warm. They weren’t eating but that will soon change.
The good news is we are expecting a warming trend with temperatures in the seventies all week. Thursday the water temperature on the flats was fifty degrees. Very cold! Our fish probably haven’t eaten in two weeks so when the water temperature rises, they will be hungry. I look for fishing to be good in the weeks to come, let’s just hope we don’t have any more freezes. That’s just too cold for this Florida boy!

WINTER SPECIAL!!!!
A five hour trip for 1 or 2 people now just $250.00! This price is good if you book your trip before March 1st.

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Record cold weather has made fishing a challenge to say the least. It’s not that I haven’t been able to find fish; it’s getting them to eat that is the challenge. With temperatures dropping below freezing every night the fish are spending most of their time trying to stay warm. I’m finding schools of redfish on shallow flats with mud or sand bottom between George’s Bar and Turtle Mound. These flats will warm faster on a sunny day and reds will use this to their full advantage. The water is very clear which makes the fish very spooky. Once I locate a school I will pole upwind of them and cast cut mullet in front of or as close to them as possible. A long cast is crucial which is why choosing the right rod is so important. You must get the bait to the fish before they see you. Once you’ve made the right cast, all there is to do is to wait. If the school moves near your mullet you should get one to eat. I’ve caught very large trout fishing this way, as they will often swim with redfish of their own size
Look for black drum, sheep head and schools of small trout in the deep holes along the old channel between New Smyrna and Edgewater. A live shrimp fished deep or a 12 fathom mullet tail rigged on a ¼ oz or 3/8 oz. Aqua Dream classic jig head fished very slowly along the bottom will work well. I haven’t heard of a snook kill yet but that is very possible. They are thick in Spruce Creek this time of year and can be caught on slow trolled crank baits and jigs.
Until next week stay warm and see you on the water.

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We are now into our winter pattern on the north end of the lagoon. The water is very clear and the reds and trout have moved into schools. Look for schools in the creeks and mud flats between New Smyrna and Edgewater. Flats that are close to deep holes are best. Browns Bay, Oyster Bay, Potts Creek and Snake creek are just a few of the many spots that will hold fish. Many of the deeper shorelines along the old channel will be hot spots not only for redfish and sea trout but also black dram and sheep head Drift a live shrimp along the drop offs for great results. Current is important with this style of fishing. If you encounter a slack tide move either north or south until you find moving water. When fishing shallow oyster bars or mud flats a Capt. Mike’s Aqua Dream spoon is my go to bait. Work these slowly down oyster bars covering as much water as possible. The nickel/red spoon is a good clear water color but all 5 colors work, don’t be afraid to experiment. My new 7 ft. medium light CastAway rod is a perfect match for both the ¼ oz and 3/8 oz spoons. The light tip allows for long casts but it has enough backbone for sure hook sets and power to turn a fish from a line cutting oyster bar.

This is a great time of year for those of you who like to sleep in. Fishing is often better during the warmest part of the day. Fish will become more active and feed as the shallow water warms. Until next time, stay warm, have a Happy New Year and I’ll see you on the water.

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Last week started out warm and foggy and ended windy and cold. I fished in the Eldora area Mon, Tuesday and Wednesday where we encountered a very good top water bite. Each day we caught and released several trout and redfish on a Rapala Skitter Walk. The water levels are starting to drop and this weekend’s cold snap should help the water clarity. Air temperatures are predicted to fall into the high 30’s to low 40’s. When this happens in late December the redfish will school seeking out warm water. Look for fish on shallow mud or sand bottoms in late morning and into the afternoon. They will be lethargic, trying to stay warm in the afternoon sun. They will eat, but you will have to use a very slow presentation. Live shrimp, cut mullet, gulp and Aqua Dream spoons should all work well. Until next week stay warm, have a safe and Merry Christmas and I’ll see you on the water.

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Once again the weather has made fishing a challenge. Rain and cloudy conditions made sight fishing nearly impossible but we still managed a few fish. On Monday the 7th I took Tracey Price from Cystal River and John Branch from the Carolinas. We fished in a drizzle most of the day but the fish were cooperating so we didn't mind. We tried a variety of lures and rigs but I quickly realized that a live shrimp rigged under a cork was the way to go.
I found two small schools of reds near the Hong Kong flats that we were able to fish for a couple of hours. I power poled up wind of the schools and we pitched the live shrimp. One school had slot reds and the other oversize. Tracey caught four reds and John caught two, one was 31 inches. The also caught a few trout.
Tuesday was the only other day I could get out this week. We found the same schools in the same place and my charter caught six reds all on shirmp rigged below a cork. We later lost the schools and had to go searching. They caught a few trout on gold Aqua Dream spoons but no more reds.
The water remains high for this time of year but is clear in most places and I'm happy to have found the red fish starting to school. I haven't been behind the Klinkers lately but I hope to next week. I'll let you know what I find.
Until next week see you on the water.

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What a difference a week makes. The weather has been beautiful! Wind out of the north at 5-10 and mild temperatures. The water level is still very high but the temperature is down making the fish very frisky. Tuesday was overcast all day making sightfishing difficult but the top water bite was great. I caught 3 reds, 4 nice trout, pulled the hooks on 2 big trout and a big fish straightened the hooks on my Zara Super Spook. I usually upgrade the hooks and split rings on my spook but I didn't on this one and paid the price for it.
The rest of the week was sunny slowing the top water action but improving the sight fishing. I found a good number of reds on the leeward side of Islands on the north end of the Lagoon. Thursday they were being finicky, not wanting anything I was throwing until I rigged a 4 inch Gulp Shirmp on my Aqua Dream Finesse Swim Jig. The first 3 reds I cast to sucked in the Gulp immediately and were stripping off line. They were 27, 28 and 30 inch respectively.
It looks like the weather and fishing will remain good so until next week, have a Happy Thanksgiving and see you on the water.

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No report this week due to the wind which has kept me off the water. Looks like it's going to be nice for the weekend, however I will be in Orlando at the Florida Sportsman Show at the Fairgrounds. I will be speaking at 12:00. Stop by and see me.
Capt. Mike

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The water's still high and so is the temperature. It was back in the high 80's again this week! The reds were a little lethargic but we still caught a few on the chartruese Aqua Dream 3/8 oz. spoon and a red glitter 12fathom jerk bait. The trick was to work both as slow as possible. The trout bite remains good. My charter on Thursday caught a 27 in. gator trout on a zara spook. We also caught several smaller trout on the spook and Rapala twitch bait. Remember Trout season closes for 2 months on November 1st. We typically catch the biggest trout of the year these 2 months but a photograph is all you will be able to keep.
A cold front is predicted to come through Sunday which should make the fish happy.
I will be in Jacksonville next weekend (Nov 7th and 8th) for the Florida Sportsman Show where I will be doing a seminar at 1:00 each day on Seatrout. If you're in the neighborhood come by and listen and stop by my booth and say hi.
Until next week, see you on the water!

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The cold front that moved through last week has definitely improved things. The water is still high but cleaner. Redfish were active and eating. I had good catches of reds on chartreuse Aqua Dream spoons and 12 Fathom Slam R jerk baits. Redfish are in 1 to 2 feet of water on clean grass flats between George's bar and Slippery Creek. Trout have been active in 3 feet of water eating 12 Fathom 3 inch mullet tails on a 1/4 oz jighead and Rapala Twitch baits. Look for fishing to remain good as we move into November
Until next week, see yo on the water.

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Water levels remain vey high in the Lagoon. The water on the north end is very dirty making it difficult to locate redfish.
I've been targeting redfish cruising the shorelines with gold AquaDream spoons. The key is to cover as much water as possible since the reds are scattered. The trout bite has been great! Tuesday my wife and I caught over 25 trout using Rapala Twitch Raps. Ginger out fished me as usual, catching 15 trout between 12 and 24 inches. Look for trout in 3 feet of water with the mullet schools. Finding clean water and mullet is the key to finding the trout.
Until next time, see you on the water.

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The water levels have risen in the last week. Flats that were dry now have 6 inches to a foot of water. With the rising water redfish are on the move. They are doing what they always do, following the food. I am looking for schools of mullet, then casting to the edges with weedless jerkbaits or weedless Aqua Dream spoons. Chartreuse is working best in the spoon, gold flake in the jerk bait. There is floating grass everywhere so your lure has to be weedless.
Pinfish or pigfish suspended under a cork is also working well. Tarpon are in the basin and the river. They can be taken on live mullet, pinfish or crankbaits.
September should continue to be good plus there are less people on the water this time of year.
Until next time, see you on the water!

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Water levels in the lagoon are etremely low. Many flats are dry which has pushed the fish to the edges. There is plantoic algae in many places making the water green and viabiltiy is poor. Bait is plentiful so look for schools of bait fish and cleaner water and you will find reds and trout. I'm seeing many tailing reds all morining long. The ones I've cleaned have had shrimp and pin fish in there stomachs.
Gold jerbaits, gold Aqua Dream spoons and pin fish have all benn working well.
Tarpon, black drum, snook as well as redfish and seatrout are in the lagoon now so despite the heat it is a good time to fish.
Untile next time see you on the water.

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Srping has sprung in the Lagoon. The water level is up and the reds have moved from their winter haunts. Mullet schools are moving onto the flats and trout, ladyfish, jacks and redfish are all right behind them. Pig fish and pin fish are showing up on the flats and will make excellent bait. Topwater lures in the morning followed by jigs later in the day will produce good catches of trout. Look for schools of redfish on the flats of the pole troll zone and behind the Klinkers. Jerk baits, Gulp Shrimp and spoons will all work well. May should be an exciting month on the Lagoon, so until next time, see you on the water.

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This fishing hasn't changed much since the last time I reported. It's still winter after all! The water is even lower than it was which is normal for the full moon in February. The redfish schools haven't moved much in the last month and are feeding well between cold fronts. On Friday Jack Farrell on his 75th birthday along with his son Jack, together caught over 20 redfish. The reds were between 18 and 29 inches and all were caught on live shrimp. We had fished the same area for five hours where two schools were located in a small creek. Don't expect anything to change much until mid March when the cold fronts will lose some of their punch and spring arrives.
Until next time, see you on the water.

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The fishing this week was very good. On Monday and Tuesday I fished the Middle Lagoon and the Klinkers. The bite was fantastic. In two days of fishing I caught over 30 trout and 20 redfish. The trout were almost a nuisance although fun, as I was targeting redfish. Except for a few tailing reds, everything was caught blindcasting to the white holes using a five inch rootbeer gulp jerkbait on a 1/16 oz Capt. Mike's Swimmin Jig.
On Friday I fished Edgewater for a change of scenery. I fished the oyster bars of Browns Bay for a total of six slot-sized redfish, four on a 1/4 oz pink Capt. Mike's weedless spoon and two on the new Black spoon. I hope the mild weather and good fishing contiues, but if it doesn't, well that's fishing.
Unitl next time, see you on the water!

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The fishing contiunes to be good as we celebrate the New Year. Redfish have been schooling throughout the lagoon and with the low winter tides, they've been easy to find. Look for schools along the edges of flats or deeper holes. I know of seven schools on the north end of the Lagoon alone. Live shrimp is working well as are 1/4 oz Capt. Mike's spoons in pink. The last redfish I cleaned for a customer had a 6 inch eel in its stomach. That tells me an eel shaped jerk bait should work as well.
Trout season opened on Jan. 1st and they have been feeding agressively with the mild temperatures. Look for trout in 3 to 4 feet of water and on the potholes. Live shrimp and Capt. Mike's 3 inch mullet tails are working best. Until next time. Happy New Year!

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Winter has arrived early to East Central Florida this year. Redfish and Seatrout are both in their winter patterns. Redfish have started to school on the north end of the Lagoon where the water has become very clear and low. Look for the reds on the edges of the flats that are now too shallow to hold fish. Live shrimp is working best as the reds are feeding on shrimp and crabs. Having said that, I caught a 27 lb red this week on a 3 inch Capt. Mikes mullet tail. That jig in Arkansas Glow color is also prroducing good catches of seatrout and small redfish. Remember to release all your trout as the season remains closed until January 1st.
On Friday of this week I fished with my friends Tom Purdy and Harry Plummer on a simply beautiful day. We found 3 schools of redfish ranging from 20 to 50 fish per school. They caught 8 or 9 reds and 6 or 7 trout all on live shrimp. The fishing should remain good all month withmore and more redfish showing up all over the Lagoon.
Until next week, see you on the water!

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The water in the Lagoon remained high this week and the bit has been tough. Redfish are still cruising the shore lines but even well placed live shrimp are being refusing. On Wednesday we only caught two fish after making cast to dozens of finicky reds. Pinfish have now become too big to use but remain pests as they devour the shrimp from your hook.
Two cold fronts are predicted for nex week with the temperature dipping into the fortys by Wednesday. This should greatly improve the fishing. I expect the trout bit to be hot and the reds should perk up too.
Until next week ss you on the water.

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The water level on the lagoon is still high, which is normal for this time of year. The high water scatters the redfish and can make them a little harder to find. This week there has been a persistant strong breeze out of the E-NE. I've been finding most of my reds on the lea side of the islands north of George's Bar. Some days they are cruising the banks and others they are holding on the points waiting to ambush bait as they turn the corner. Blind casting with a pink Capt. Mike's spoon or sight fishing with live shrimp. The trout bite has been off but expect that to change as the water drops and the termperature cools in November.
Until next week see you on the water.

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The water level is high since tropical storm Fay. The water is cloudy on the northend of the Lagoon but in the Middle Lagoon the water is clear. Tiger Shoals is holding schools of reds and black drum. We've been doing well on the reds with live pinfish. Most of them have been too big to keep, being over 27 inches. The black drum are responding well to live shrimp. Our best catch was last Friday when we caught eight drum to nine pounds. On Friday Jason Larkin also caught a seven pound trout as well as his biggest redfish ever, a 33 incher.
It looks like we'll be blown out for a while as we watch Hanna, Ike and Josephine. Let's hope they all stay away! Until next time. See you on the water.

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Tropical storm Fay has kept us off the water this week. I'll let you know how she effected the fishing in next weeks report.

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Despite a persistent SW 15mph wind and cloudy skys the trout bite remained good all week. The conditions were not contusive to sight fishing so I worked the edges of the flats using jigs and pinfish. Capt. Mike's 3 inch mullet tails produced good catches of trout in around 3 feet of water. Rootbeer, Arkansas Glow and Electric Chicken were the most productive colors. Pinfish were producing larger trout, redfish and a few jacks and lady fish. Our best catch came on Friday when my good friend Harry Plummer came over from Orlando with his guest R.D.. The early morning trout bite was hot, with Harry getting a strike on every cast. The bait was a mixture of pinfish and pigfish and the action lasted for over an hour. Abruptly the bite ended as if someone flipped a switch. We caught 2 catfish and never had another bite the rest of the day.
Harry ended up with his limit in Trout and released a nice six pounder.

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Fishing on the lagoon has been good this week. Small schools of large red drum and large schools of small black drum are cruising the flats of the middle lagoon. The reds are readily taking pinfish offerings and their cousins the black drum are devouring live shrimp. All of our catches this week have been made sight casting which makes for great fun.
Trout are also active on the middle flats. Look for trout in three to four feet of water where schools of mullet are evident. On Wednesday of this week I caught twelve trout using a Flats Candy minnow with a pearl body. Early morning has been the best time to target trout using topwater or Flats Candy. After nine o’clock turn your attention to finding the schools of drum, either black or red.
Fish early to be off the water before the thunderstorms and to beat the heat.
Until next week, see you on the water.
Capt. Mike

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The Redfish bite remained good this week with some very good catches. On one trip with Richard Turner we caught around 25 reds from 25 to 30 inches. Brad Bigolow and Mike Leporine caught 6 reds including a 15 pounder and a 20lb bruiser. On Tuesday I took my visiting sister Taryn fishing and she caught her very first redfish, a 32 incher. Not bad for her first! Most of our reds our being caught sight fishing from schools with pinfish for bait. The water is still extremely low so I’m finding the schools on the edges of the flats on the drop off. Schools have been varying in size from 15 to 100 fish.
The trout bite is still good in 3 to 4 feet of water using Capt. Mikes 3 inch mullet tails.
I will be off next week working the ICAST tackle show in Las Vegas for Capt. Mike’s Guide Proven Lures. I know it’s a tough job but someone has to do it!
Until next time, tight lines.
Capt Mike

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The water’s still low but the fishing is definitely up. The trout bit has improved with good sized trout hitting jerk baits as well as pinfish and pigfish.
Patrick Rood caught a beautiful 13 lb gator trout on the new Capt. Mike’s hammered Black Willow spoon. These new spoons should be available in July of this year.
The redfishing has been great! On Wednesday of this week I had a party of 2 that caught close to thirty redfish from 24 to 32 inches. Friday was almost as good with 15 reds to 32 inches. We’ve been using 3 to 4 inch pinfish to catch these reds. I’ve also been finding schools of reds on the north end of the lagoon from George’s Bar to Eldora. The water on low tide has been extremely low so I’ve been finding the fish on the edges of the flats on the deep drop offs. Look for flats that are dry on low tide and schools of mullet swimming along the drop.
Tarpon are rolling in the river from the South Causeway south to Government Cut. Try small root beer jigs like Capt. Mike’s 3 or 4 in mullet tails on a 1/4oz trophy jig head or a small crab free lined and cast to a rolling fish. The angling opportunities should remain good through the week so try to get out and have some fun.
Until next week, have a happy 4th and I’ll see you on the water.

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The water level has dropped considerably this week. Where I was fishing a school of redfish in 2 ft of water last week now these reds are scattered and tailing in 8 inches of water. We’ve had dozens of shots at tailing reds but they’ve been tough to catch. A perfect cast is crucial, too close and you will spook them, too far and they never see your bait. Fun but frustrating!

Large sea trout have been feeding in 12 inches of water on the edges of the shallow flats. Look for schools of mullet and striking fish. Weedless jerk baits have been working best but try top water plugs also. Rapala Skitterwalks are my favorites. Get out early to catch the morning bite and until next week, see you on the water.

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Fishing for redfish has been good this week. The north end of the lagoon is still holding schools of reds. I have been finding them in deeper white holes that are surrounded by shallow flats less than one foot deep. The best way to catch these extremely spooky fish is to stake out within casting distance of the hole. Cast a chunk of cut ladyfish or mullet in the hole and just wait. Within a few minutes your patience should be rewarded with a nice red. Most of these reds have been in the slot with a few being oversize. Trout fishing is still good with the very large trout being on the shallow grass and the smaller trout on the edges in about three feet of water. Try a jerk bait in the early morning hours, switching later to a 1/4oz Capt. Mike’s jig to fish the deeper drops.
Until next week. See you on the water!

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The fishing has become red hot this week. Mullet have finally arrived in large numbers with reds and trout right behind them. The morning trout bit has been good on jerk and twitch baits. Look for schools of mullet along the edges of the lagoons many bars. Tiger Shoals, George’s bar and along the Spoil Islands are all producing good catches of trout. Really large gator trout are still on the shallow flats lying on the sand holes, waiting to ambush passing mullet. I found schools of redfish tailing behind the klinkers in 1 to 2 feet of water. I like throwing a Capt. Mike’s Flats Candy minnow or a small live pinfish in this situation. A long accurate cast is required as the reds are very spooky. If you can get a bait to them before they see you, a hook up is almost guaranteed.
Fishing should remain good through out the week and the weather pattern remains the stable. Until next week, see you on the water.
Capt. Mike

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Wind. Will it ever relent? The week started out with the wind out of the east at 15 knots and finished up west at 20-25 knots. Despite the blustery conditions the fishing has been good. I found reds on the north end of the Lagoon along the old east channel. Friday we fished behind the klinkers to get a break from the west wind. We found small groups of redfish on the flats that had a foot of water. The water level is up so I fished the flats that were too shallow to fish last month. Gold Capt. Mike’s spoons, gold and black jerk baits and live shrimp have been working best.
Trout have been eating good on the deep side of Tigershoals. Use Capt. Mike’s 3 inch mullet tails in Arkansas glow on a ¼ oz red jig head.

Until next week, see you on the water
Capt. Mike

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