Great February Sea Trout Fishing

So far this month we've had some great February sea trout fishing in our area.

The fish have been hard to catch but they are there if you have the patience to catch them.

Late this afternoon Karen and I decided to hit the wildlife refuge and take Elmo and Odie out for a ride to the "swamp".

After a brief stop at Mosquito Lagoon Bait and Tackle to pick up some live bait for Karen to fish with, we proceeded to East Gator Creek Road towards Peacocks Pocket.

There were plenty of gators sunning themselves on the bank of the marsh canal in several areas, and tons of vehicle traffic throughout the area.   Most were sightseers who were taking pictures of the wildlife in the area, but there were several groups of bank fishermen soaking cut baits and enjoying the beautiful afternoon.

We drove slowly along the dirt road looking for signs of fish but the water was totally flat in the marsh making fishing a challenge.

We decided to head for a spot where Karen caught several redfish over the past few weeks and staked out our rods with live shrimp and mud minnows.

I took off down the road blind casting into the marsh canal and the river trying to stir up some action with a gold Johnson Sprite spoon but I never got a hit all the time I was fishing the area.

Karen parked herself along the canal and watched Odie while she was waiting for some action.

The weather this afternoon was great.  The air temperature was a pleasant 73 degrees with no wind and a clear sky.  The rainstorm from last night left mud puddles all around the area which probably was why the fish weren't cooperating.

As I was trying my luck at a deep hole in the canal, I heard Karen calling for some help landing a fish so I gingerly walked back to where she was fishing.

When I got closer I saw that she had a nice sea trout on the bank.  She said she was about ready to call it a day but decided to make "one last cast".  The fish picked up her mud minnow as she overcast her spot and the rest is history.

I took these pics of her fish which measured in at 26" without the tail pinched.

The fish's gills were damaged and after spending a considerable amount of time trying to revive the fish, we decided to harvest it for the dinner table.  I usually release the fish I catch but I love eating sea trout so this evening, the fish became dinner.

Although we could have continued fishing, we both decided to call it a day and head for home.

On the way out of the refuge, I took these pics of the awesome sunset.

Till next time, Tight Lines.

Presidents Day Topwater Sea Trout Fishing

Topwater sea trout fishing in February can produce some huge fish when the conditions are right and President's Day was one such day.

Although I didn't expect to do any serious fishing today, I decided to to some "gun and run" fishing along Peacocks Pocket and upper Shiloh Road for sea trout and possibly a red or two.

I took along some mud minnows in case the fish weren't cooperating, and a couple of spinning rods tipped with a gold spoon and an XPS Slim Dog topwater "walk the dog" type bait.

I originally planned to run Peacocks Pocket Road and move on to Shiloh Road but because it was late in the afternoon, I never made it to Shiloh.

The air temperature was 65 degrees and there was a slight breeze blowing across the Indian River.  It was overcast and it felt like rain but the drops never materialized.

Pocket Road had been mowed and was filled with fishermen and photographers taking pictures of the spoonbills and other water birds.

Most of the fishermen I encountered were dunking cut baits and shrimp.   Several were catching catfish, rays, trout and a few reds.

I decided to fish the "ditches" on the marsh side of the road at the entrances to the ponds but because the water levels were so high, I quickly found that the fish were scattered all over the place.

I started tossing a Johnson Sprite gold spoon smeared with  Pro-Cure Super Gel inshore formula.  After missing a couple of slot sea trout, I finally got in the groove and started picking up some small sea trout, including this little runt who apparently had high aspirations.

The spoon was getting hits but I noticed some topwater activity in a couple of spots so I changed to an XPS topwater bait that I picked up at Bass Pro Shops some time ago in Savannah, Ga.

I quickly discovered that the topwater action was the way to go.  You don't get as many hits, but the fish you do land are usually quality fish.

As I ran the road casting to likely looking areas, I picked up five sea trout in and over the slot, and missed three more before deciding to head for the house.

All the fish were in the 17" to 23" range and all had the beautiful colors associated with the tanin stained waters of the marsh.

On the way out of Pocket Road, I spotted a couple of tailing redfish in the flooded marsh rooting around for crab, shrimp, etc. but I didn't bother going after them.  I had enough fun with the sea trout for one day.

Till next time, Tight Lines.

You Gotta Love February Sea Trout Fishing

You gotta love February Sea Trout fishing in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. 

When I got home this past weekend, Karen and I took the dogs for a spin around Peacocks Pocket Road to see if anything was in the area.

It was just prior to the cold front and although the air temperature was dropping, it was a pleasant day for fishing in the salt marsh.

We loaded Elmo and Odie into the truck and as an afterthought I brought along a couple of spinning rods, just in case.

The grass along the road was mowed and although we saw several groups of bank fishermen trying their luck, the ones we spoke with didn't seem to be having much luck.

Almost everyone was using shrimp or cut baits, but catfish and rays seemed to be the only catch.

As we slowly drove along Peacocks Pocket Road, I spotted several large redfish cruising the marsh canals moving from pond to pond.  I tried a couple of casts with a topwater bait and had a follow up by one oversize red but other than that, I never had a bite.

The water was flat with little to no wind on the marsh side of the road and the water level was still quite high.  Perfect conditions for marauding sea trout in the shallows.

I spotted several large sea trout that were just within casting range, but I didn't bother trying to cast to them.  Instead, I made a mental note to try the area after the front moved past the area.

We spotted some early spoonbills wading in the area, and there were several people enjoying the waterfowl around the road as we drove to the boat launch.

As we drove past the Ferris wheel and other rides at the fair, it was evident that the cold front was already here.  The windows were down and it was downright chilly.

When we got to the house, I checked my emails and got this fishing report from a fishing buddy of mine who also travels a lot.

Craig and Mary sent me these pics of the fish they caught these past weeks in the Mosquito Lagoon during cold weather conditions.  As ;you can see, the sea trout are quality fish.

Jan. 16th. 

" I had a jerk bait and Mary had a Kietech. Her 2nd cast she hammers a 26” trout. 2^nd cast!

            

She stuck with the Kietech and caught a 24” trout and 23” red.

           

I caught a few small reds and trout but that’s it.   Just shakers."

Jan.31st.

"We go back to the same area. Mary had shown her 26” trout pictures off to a girlfriend of hers.

Maggie has her nephew down from Connecticut for the weekend so she rents a 2 seater kayak in mims and joins us for the day.

As Maggie and Cody were new to this stuff we picked up a couple dozen shrimp.

The weather was cooler than our previous trip.   Fish were very inactive.

I had Cody with me and got him hooked up with a nice slot Red.

We kept after it and I got a bite that knocked slack in my line but didn’t stick.

Meanwhile out on the point Mary and Maggie were drifting shrimp.

I hear Mary calling for the net.   We paddled over and she has a 8# 27 inch Gator Trout.

            

A short time later she hooks a second one but it bites off the 15# leader.

I had a nice outing paddling the canoe about but I sure didn’t catch any fish."

Feb. 6th.

"Fished the same place.  Again the temps are low. We take out time getting over to the coast so the temps can rise a bit.

            

We know it’s gonna rain in the afternoon. We get to the launch about 09:00 after picking up a couple dozen shrimp.

            

Were thinking the bait bite’s gonna be the deal. Again we fish our way in. Soaking some nice big shrimp under popping corks.

            

We go a couple hours without a bite.

            

We end up in one of our favorite spots that almost always produce. Nothing on Shrimp!

            

I’m getting squirley by this time so I start rigging up a second rod with a weedless swim bait.   I tie on a 5” Bitters swimmer in Phantom.  Then I added a 2^nd bait behind that on a whim.   A 4” Strike King caffiene shad in Pearl White.

 

Mary was laughing at me.  On the 2^nd cast in the spot where we were popping shrimp, BAM! 24” trout eats the trailer! Awesome!!!

            

I love it when a plan comes together. We fished another hour until the wind picked up and the rains came.

            

We got a couple more small trout on the shrimp and short Red on the Phantom.

            

It was a cold wet paddle back into the wind to get out. But after taking a beating the 2 previous trips I was happy to finally lad a keeper.

           

And you know the ball game on Sunday was pretty good too!"

I always appreciate information about the fishing conditions in our area, and will always withhold where the fish are caught unless requested otherwise.

Thanks Craig and Mary!

Hope to get out Sunday afternoon if the weather permits.

Till next time, Tight Lines.

Catfish Creek Redfish

Catfish Creek redfish come in all sizes and depending on the time of year, some really big reds can be caught as they cruise the shorelines.

Javier Cuazo send this email along with a pic of this 38" redfish he caught yesterday morning around 8:00 am in Catfish Creek.

 
Hi John,

My name is Javier and I really like your in depth coverage of fishing in the Indian River and surrounding. Today I fished early in the morning around 8 AM in Catfish Creek and fished a 38 " Red Fish with a life mud minnow. Thank you for all your great advise and enthusiasm.

His email is below didn't mention anything about the weather conditions, but from the way he's dressed,  it looks pretty damn cold!

Wish I could go fishing this weekend, but duty calls.

Till next time, Tight Lines.