For some reason, Mother Nature has been throwing a lot of weather at us here in New Smyrna Beach. We have had a lot of wind, rain and cooler temperatures lately, bringing with it a strange bite pattern in the Mosquito Lagoon backwaters. The water has also become dirty from the wind and rain making it a little tough for sight fishing. The good news is it looks like the poor weather is moving out and the nice weather will be moving in just in time for the holidays. With the nicer weather upon us the bite will continue to get better. Look for redfish and trout holding on and around the bars in the backwaters of New Smyrna Beach. The sight fishing will continue to get good in Mosquito Lagoon as the water clears and wind recedes. Trout, redfish and black drum can be found holding along the shorelines and shoals. Good luck and be safe! Happy Holidays.
Capt. Patrick Rood
What Happened to Winter?
It seemed as though we were stepping into winter here in New Smyrna Beach, but I believe Mother Nature had a change of plans. We got a recent warming trend, which also changed wind direction bringing an influx of water back into the backwaters of the Halifax River and Mosquito Lagoon. The higher water levels make for a little bit more difficult of a time fishing because the game fish and bait tend to scatter over much greater areas. It seems as though with the shifting winds that the water clarity has also diminished a bit, making sight fishing a little harder then in the past weeks. As we have a cold front approaching this week, I expect the water to clean up and empty a bit in the Mosquito Lagoon along with the backwaters of New Smyrna Beach. When this happens, look for the redfish and trout to be holding around the oyster bars and in the sand holes throughout the lagoons.
Bite Warming After the Chill
The New Smyrna Beach area received some really cool weather this past week. Well, it was really cool, for us, at least. People up north reading this are probably laughing. This cold air also made for cooler water temperatures throughout the Mosquito Lagoon and the New Smyrna Beach backwaters. The first couple of days, the fish were in what I would call “survival mode,” just trying to stay warm.
Now that it has been a few days of warmer weather, the redfish, trout and black drum have made themselves comfortable in the potholes throughout the lagoons. They have also found warmth and comfort on the mud flats in the New Smyrna Beach backwaters. A slower presentation on artificial lures is a must, as they will not be overly aggressive. Live bait is also a good option as we still have a good number of mullet present. The water clarity remains outstanding, which means it’s an ideal time for sight fishing; whether it’s fly or if you prefer tossing live shrimp, it can easily be done.
Conditions Set for Great Fishing
The holiday season has hit us here in the New Smyrna Beach area. With us getting through Thanksgiving and heading into Christmas, the weather is starting to cooperate to set up for some great fishing. Water clarity is getting to where it is supposed to be for this time of year, and the area’s backwaters are starting to lower in depth, as well. As soon as this latest front blows through, the water should drop even more, and this will hopefully group our redfish into pods or schools. The spotted seatrout bite has been pretty good and should continue that way through out Mosquito Lagoon. As the water temperatures continue to drop further, remember to slow down your presentations. Until the fish get used to the colder temperatures, they will be a little Lethargic in the early mornings.
Time Flies in New Smyrna Beach
I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is already here! Though it feels this way every time, I’ve got to say — this year has just flown past! With the Fall weather currently in the air here in New Smyrna Beach, there is some great inshore fishing opportunities on which to capitalize in both the Halifax River and Mosquito Lagoon. The cold fronts we have been experiencing over the past couple of weeks have sent water temperatures down significantly, particularly so in shallow waters. This has had the effect of moving many fish in search of warmth in deeper mud flats and sand holes. I’d recommend starting your day by fishing coves and bays with shallow mud bottoms. Another consequence of the cold water temperatures is that it tends to slow down the fish. During this chilly time of year, you will find them to be much more lethargic and it can be difficult to solicit a strike. These fish are looking for an easy meal for which they don’t have to exert much energy. A great option to get these lazy fish chewing is using shrimp or cut bait.
Additionally, water clarity is fantastic throughout the lagoon system right now, making it an incredible time to go sight fishing. If you’re ready for a fishing break after getting your fill on turkey this week, give me a call to schedule a guided trip!
Inshore Water Temperatures Plummet
This past week, the weather was a little bit of a shocker for the fish here in the New Smyrna Beach area. We received an arctic blast of a cold front sending water temperatures plummeting almost fifteen degrees in the Mosquito Lagoon over a short period of just a couple of days. The cool air isn’t all bad, though; one major positive consequence it brings is the improved water clarity in the lagoons and ICW, which is great for sight fishing this time of year. As soon as the windy conditions settle this week, expect the bite to really pick up steam.
Snook, redfish, black drum, and spotted seatrout are all now starting to get into their winter-time patterns. Look for the redfish and trout to be holding on top of the mud bars and oyster beds throughout the Volusia County’s backwaters. They will also be seeking warmth, so look for them to be holding over potholes up until the water temperatures rise to their peak. Fish tend to get lethargic in the cold weather, som the bites will be a little slower this time of year. Be sure to slow down your presentations on both artificial and live baits.
Good Weather, High Water
The weather has been great the past few days here in the New Smyrna Beach area. The water is still a lot higher then it should be for this time of year through out New Smyrna Beach and Mosquito Lagoon. The higher water has not effected the bite but it has effected the way you need to target them. In both the backwaters of New Smyrna Beach and Mosquito Lagoon the fish are spread out looking at new feeding opportunities with this higher water conditions. Covering a lot of water early with plugs and spoons on and around the oyster beds in the New Smyrna Beach area has been working well. The same gos for Mosquito Lagoon but instead of oysters target the shallow bars and grass flats. I believe we will be receiving a cold front toward the end of the week which will hopefully help empty some of this water out of Mosquito Lagoon and New Smyrna Beach area and kick off our winter time pattern.