Gator Trout Are Hitting In The River

Right now if you get out early enough, the gator trout are hitting in the river for fishermen using anything resembling a finger mullet.

Although I haven't been able to get out as much as I planned, the reports I've received from some of my friends and a couple of guides, tell me that the sea trout fishing on the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon is outstanding.

Although May is one of the best times of the year to nail a gator sea trout, this year seems to be better than average.

The early topwater bite is generally over by 9:00 am for those using Chug Bugs, SkitterWalks, Zara Spooks and just about anything that looks like a finger mullet, but for live bait fishermen using finger mullet, pinfish, grunt or even cut baits, the fishing remains active almost all day.

My wife and I took our two "wonder dogs" for a ride around Peacocks Pocket road Saturday afternoon, but we didn't do much fishing.

The temperature was 91 degrees, the waterfowl were out in force as were the gators, but the wind made fishing with artificial baits a lot like work.

 

Both of the bank fishermen and wade fishermen we spoke with were catching mostly sea trout in the 20" plus category.

One guy who had a couple of rods out along the "duck blind" said he caught a nice 29" gator trout and a slot redfish.  This report was late in the afternoon after he had been fishing for a couple of hours.  He said both fish were caught on chunks of fresh mullet.

I made a quick trip around the "Pocket" when I got home from work late Friday evening and picked up a couple of small sea trout and two nice ladyfish on gold Johnson's Sprite spoons.

I was targeting redfish on Friday but only spotted two that were spooked by my misplaced casts.

The water in the Indian River is clear right now in most areas and the fish are spooky.

My friend Jason sent me some pics of his friend (left) with a nice 28 1/2" sea trout he caught on a live mullet along "Marsh Bay" on the Indian River this past Thursday.

Fish like these are being caught all over both lagoons right now.

All the pics below were of a trip he made last Wednesday.

All the fish below were caught along Peacocks Pocket Road on the river side with live and cut baits both bank fishing and from the Gheenoe.

 

 

 

 

These guys had six rods set out with cut baits and live finger mullet.  With the air temperature in the 90s, it seems like the way to go.

 


I planned on getting out today but had too many chores to catch up on but I will definitely be on the water bright and early next Saturday a.m. come hell or high water.

Till next time, Tight Lines.