| Fly Fishing the Mosquito Lagoon |
Fly fishing in the Indian River Lagoon System, which include the
Banana River, the Indian River, and the Mosquito Lagoon, can be
both challenging and rewarding. Species such as redfish,
seatrout, tarpon, snook, jack crevalle, ladyfish, and black drum
can all be caught in our waters with a fly rod. Sight fishing for
redfish is probably the most popular method. Your guide will pole
you across the shallow grass flats searching for cruising or tailing
reds. The fish may be in singles, pairs, or in schools of 10-200
fish. When a fish is spotted, you make your cast and watch for a
reaction as you strip the fly in front of it. You see the bite, set the
hook, and are ready to clear the line as the fish races away. An
exciting scene when it all comes together. In the page below, I
hope to offer you some tips and techniques to improve you
catching that I have learned over the years.
Banana River, the Indian River, and the Mosquito Lagoon, can be
both challenging and rewarding. Species such as redfish,
seatrout, tarpon, snook, jack crevalle, ladyfish, and black drum
can all be caught in our waters with a fly rod. Sight fishing for
redfish is probably the most popular method. Your guide will pole
you across the shallow grass flats searching for cruising or tailing
reds. The fish may be in singles, pairs, or in schools of 10-200
fish. When a fish is spotted, you make your cast and watch for a
reaction as you strip the fly in front of it. You see the bite, set the
hook, and are ready to clear the line as the fish races away. An
exciting scene when it all comes together. In the page below, I
hope to offer you some tips and techniques to improve you
catching that I have learned over the years.
Dawn breaks on a perfect Mosquito Lagoon Morning
Tackle
Many different sizes of rods can be used when fishing the Mosquito
Lagoon from 4wt to 10wt, depending on your casting ability, wind
speed, and the size of fish you are pursuing. A seven or eight weight
outfit is a good place to start if you are only going to use one rod.
They can handle any redfish you may encounter and cast reasonably
well in a modest breeze. On calm days, I like to use my 5wt. Your reel
should have a smooth drag and hold at least 200 yards of backing.
Reels designed for freshwater use will quickly corrode in the
saltwater environment unless you are extremely thorough when
cleaning them. I have been using the Temple Fork Outfitters rods and
reels and have been very satisfied with their performance. You can
purchase them without having to break your bank.
I almost always use a weight forward floating line. Most of the time,
we are fishing water that is two feet deep or less. A sinking or
intermediate line will only serve to hinder your ability to make a quick
second or third cast, should your first shot not draw a strike. There
are many saltwater tapers to choose from. Find one that works best
for you.
Attached to the end of my fly line, I put a 9-10 foot leader composed
of fluorocarbon which ends in a 15-20 lb bite tippet. If the wind is up,
you may be able to get away with using a shorter leader. On calm
days, 10 feet is sometimes not enough leader to avoid spooking the
fish. Use the longest leader you can cast effectively and you will
spook less fish. You leader system does not need to be fancy or
complicated. On a 7wt rod, I use 6 feet of 30lb tied to a 3ft section of
20lb with a double uni knot.
Many different sizes of rods can be used when fishing the Mosquito
Lagoon from 4wt to 10wt, depending on your casting ability, wind
speed, and the size of fish you are pursuing. A seven or eight weight
outfit is a good place to start if you are only going to use one rod.
They can handle any redfish you may encounter and cast reasonably
well in a modest breeze. On calm days, I like to use my 5wt. Your reel
should have a smooth drag and hold at least 200 yards of backing.
Reels designed for freshwater use will quickly corrode in the
saltwater environment unless you are extremely thorough when
cleaning them. I have been using the Temple Fork Outfitters rods and
reels and have been very satisfied with their performance. You can
purchase them without having to break your bank.
I almost always use a weight forward floating line. Most of the time,
we are fishing water that is two feet deep or less. A sinking or
intermediate line will only serve to hinder your ability to make a quick
second or third cast, should your first shot not draw a strike. There
are many saltwater tapers to choose from. Find one that works best
for you.
Attached to the end of my fly line, I put a 9-10 foot leader composed
of fluorocarbon which ends in a 15-20 lb bite tippet. If the wind is up,
you may be able to get away with using a shorter leader. On calm
days, 10 feet is sometimes not enough leader to avoid spooking the
fish. Use the longest leader you can cast effectively and you will
spook less fish. You leader system does not need to be fancy or
complicated. On a 7wt rod, I use 6 feet of 30lb tied to a 3ft section of
20lb with a double uni knot.
Flies
In general, redfish are not that picky about what they eat. Their main diet
consists of crabs, shrimp, sand worms, and various finfish such as
mullet, pinfish, pigfish, needlefish, mud and mosquito minnows. Any flies
that mimic them, will draw strikes. Size and composition, is often much
more important than color. When fishing extremely shallow water, a fly
with lead eyes will often spook the fish as it plops down on the surface.
For these situations, I often use unweighted bendback style flies which
land softly and ride hook up to avoid catching grass. If you are fishing
deeper water, you will want to choose a weighted fly that will get down to
the bottom quickly. Redfish are primarily bottom feeders, When shrimp
and crabs see a redfish, they flee towards the bottom to escape into the
grass or mud. Weighted flies will dive towards the bottom when you stop
your retrieve. In the winter months, our redfish are eating more crabs and
shrimp than finfish. Small flies are often the key to successful winter
fishing.
Baitfish patterns such as those resembling a pinfish can be very
effective during the warmer months. These flies normally ride hook down,
however, and are prone to getting fouled by grass if they are not
equipped with a weed guard.
Topwater sliders and poppers can also be used to catch both redfish
and trout. I prefer a deer hair slider in very shallow water which is silent
but will push some water. As I get deeper, I will go to a popper. Although
these flies are not as fun to cast as a small bendback, they can elicit
some voracious strikes. Because redfish have mouths which are
designed to feed down, they will often have to make several attempts to
catch your top water offering. Remember to strip strike and do not lift
your rod until you feel the fish come tight.
In general, redfish are not that picky about what they eat. Their main diet
consists of crabs, shrimp, sand worms, and various finfish such as
mullet, pinfish, pigfish, needlefish, mud and mosquito minnows. Any flies
that mimic them, will draw strikes. Size and composition, is often much
more important than color. When fishing extremely shallow water, a fly
with lead eyes will often spook the fish as it plops down on the surface.
For these situations, I often use unweighted bendback style flies which
land softly and ride hook up to avoid catching grass. If you are fishing
deeper water, you will want to choose a weighted fly that will get down to
the bottom quickly. Redfish are primarily bottom feeders, When shrimp
and crabs see a redfish, they flee towards the bottom to escape into the
grass or mud. Weighted flies will dive towards the bottom when you stop
your retrieve. In the winter months, our redfish are eating more crabs and
shrimp than finfish. Small flies are often the key to successful winter
fishing.
Baitfish patterns such as those resembling a pinfish can be very
effective during the warmer months. These flies normally ride hook down,
however, and are prone to getting fouled by grass if they are not
equipped with a weed guard.
Topwater sliders and poppers can also be used to catch both redfish
and trout. I prefer a deer hair slider in very shallow water which is silent
but will push some water. As I get deeper, I will go to a popper. Although
these flies are not as fun to cast as a small bendback, they can elicit
some voracious strikes. Because redfish have mouths which are
designed to feed down, they will often have to make several attempts to
catch your top water offering. Remember to strip strike and do not lift
your rod until you feel the fish come tight.
Josh used a 7wt rod and a #4 bendback to fool this redfish
Casting
Casting ability is usually the most important factor when fly fishing for
redfish in the Mosquito Lagoon. On most days, the better you can
cast, the more fish you will catch. Although our fish are plentiful and
readily take a fly, they are heavily pressured and seldom allow you
more than one or two shots before they get out of range. You should
be able to cast a minimum of 50 feet. Longer is better. The more
distance you can keep between you and the fish, the less chance you
have of spooking him. In my opinion, however, speed and accuracy
are more important than distance. A fly fisherman who can cast 40
feet accurately with only one or two false casts, will probably have
more success than the one who can cast 80 feet but with little control
over where the fly lands.
Taking time to practice your casting before you get on the water will
be time well spent. Practice casting in various conditions as you
cannot always depend on the winds being calm. Learn to double haul
and to shoot line with minimal false casts. I have seen too many
people miss shots at fish because they were making five or more
false casts. Not only will the fish see your line in the air, they will feel
the boat rocking and your rod waving about. Also be prepared to
cast in various directions quickly. A fish may appear to your right side
and you may have to take a shot before your guide can turn the boat.
Being able to cast backhand or over the opposite shoulder will give
you more opportunities to catch fish.
Our redfish will eat most any fly, but will not go out of their way to do
so. The range in which they will see and attack a fly can often be very
small, maybe an area the size of a five gallon bucket. Redfish do not
eat or see with their tails, a cast that is behind them, will, at the least,
go ignored, it often will spook them. There is a fine line between
placing your fly too close to the fish and scaring them, or putting it too
far away from them to notice. This distance may change from day to
day and fish to fish. When they are feeding aggressively, you may be
able to put it within several inches of them and get a strike. Other
days, just the sound of your fly line touching the water will cause them
to change directions. Reds seldom swim in one direction for very
long. If you cast too far in front of them in hopes they will swim up to
your fly, they will inevitably change directions before they get to it. I
like to start off casting within about one foot of the fish. If they are
cruising, I cast ahead and just beyond the fish so it crosses their path
as they are approaching. If they are swimming directly away from
you, place it just off to the side and hope for the best as that is not the
ideal situation. In nature, bait does not swim towards a fish's mouth.
Tailing redfish are a whole different scenario. A saltwater fly
fisherman dreams of seeing a large tail with a black spot sticking out
of the water waving them over. One thing we know about a tailing
redfish is that they are definitely feeding. The problem they present,
however, is they often have their head and eyes buried in the grass
and are focusing all their attention on the prey they are after. When
casting to tailing fish, I like to let the fly land about a foot away and
strip it right up to their nose. I will let my fly lie still until the moment the
fish brings his head up out of the grass and the tail starts to go down.
At that point, give your fly the smallest twitch and that will usually
draw an instant strike. You may also choose to use a fly with a small
rattle. It way produce just enough noise to get the fish to bring his
head up and see your offering.
Casting ability is usually the most important factor when fly fishing for
redfish in the Mosquito Lagoon. On most days, the better you can
cast, the more fish you will catch. Although our fish are plentiful and
readily take a fly, they are heavily pressured and seldom allow you
more than one or two shots before they get out of range. You should
be able to cast a minimum of 50 feet. Longer is better. The more
distance you can keep between you and the fish, the less chance you
have of spooking him. In my opinion, however, speed and accuracy
are more important than distance. A fly fisherman who can cast 40
feet accurately with only one or two false casts, will probably have
more success than the one who can cast 80 feet but with little control
over where the fly lands.
Taking time to practice your casting before you get on the water will
be time well spent. Practice casting in various conditions as you
cannot always depend on the winds being calm. Learn to double haul
and to shoot line with minimal false casts. I have seen too many
people miss shots at fish because they were making five or more
false casts. Not only will the fish see your line in the air, they will feel
the boat rocking and your rod waving about. Also be prepared to
cast in various directions quickly. A fish may appear to your right side
and you may have to take a shot before your guide can turn the boat.
Being able to cast backhand or over the opposite shoulder will give
you more opportunities to catch fish.
Our redfish will eat most any fly, but will not go out of their way to do
so. The range in which they will see and attack a fly can often be very
small, maybe an area the size of a five gallon bucket. Redfish do not
eat or see with their tails, a cast that is behind them, will, at the least,
go ignored, it often will spook them. There is a fine line between
placing your fly too close to the fish and scaring them, or putting it too
far away from them to notice. This distance may change from day to
day and fish to fish. When they are feeding aggressively, you may be
able to put it within several inches of them and get a strike. Other
days, just the sound of your fly line touching the water will cause them
to change directions. Reds seldom swim in one direction for very
long. If you cast too far in front of them in hopes they will swim up to
your fly, they will inevitably change directions before they get to it. I
like to start off casting within about one foot of the fish. If they are
cruising, I cast ahead and just beyond the fish so it crosses their path
as they are approaching. If they are swimming directly away from
you, place it just off to the side and hope for the best as that is not the
ideal situation. In nature, bait does not swim towards a fish's mouth.
Tailing redfish are a whole different scenario. A saltwater fly
fisherman dreams of seeing a large tail with a black spot sticking out
of the water waving them over. One thing we know about a tailing
redfish is that they are definitely feeding. The problem they present,
however, is they often have their head and eyes buried in the grass
and are focusing all their attention on the prey they are after. When
casting to tailing fish, I like to let the fly land about a foot away and
strip it right up to their nose. I will let my fly lie still until the moment the
fish brings his head up out of the grass and the tail starts to go down.
At that point, give your fly the smallest twitch and that will usually
draw an instant strike. You may also choose to use a fly with a small
rattle. It way produce just enough noise to get the fish to bring his
head up and see your offering.
Tailing redfish in the Mosquito Lagoon
Catching Big Redfish
The Indian River Lagoon system has the only population of redfish that
live their entire lives inshore. Most everywhere else, big redfish live in
the ocean and only make nearshore appearances near inlets in the fall
breeding season. Because of our unique system, we are able to fish for
large redfish year round. Of course everyone wants to catch a giant
redfish, who wouldn't. It has been my experience, however, if you come
fishing with catching a giant redfish on fly as your only goal, you will be
disappointed more times than not. I prefer to count them as a bonus
than to make them my main focus. While it is usually fairly easy to find
some big reds, providing the sun is shining and the wind is not blowing
too hard, getting them to eat a fly can often be quite a challenge. The
older fish have all been caught before and receive tremendous
pressure on a daily basis. Some days, they will refuse even a live bait. If
you can get to the fish early in the day before other boats are around,
you will increase your chance of success. If you are not used to catching
20-30 pound fish, you may want to use a 9wt rod to minimize the fight
time. Fish that are fought for more than 20 minutes will begin to
produce dangerous levels of lactic acid. Land these tremendous game
fish quickly and make sure they are fully revived before releasing them,
The Indian River Lagoon system has the only population of redfish that
live their entire lives inshore. Most everywhere else, big redfish live in
the ocean and only make nearshore appearances near inlets in the fall
breeding season. Because of our unique system, we are able to fish for
large redfish year round. Of course everyone wants to catch a giant
redfish, who wouldn't. It has been my experience, however, if you come
fishing with catching a giant redfish on fly as your only goal, you will be
disappointed more times than not. I prefer to count them as a bonus
than to make them my main focus. While it is usually fairly easy to find
some big reds, providing the sun is shining and the wind is not blowing
too hard, getting them to eat a fly can often be quite a challenge. The
older fish have all been caught before and receive tremendous
pressure on a daily basis. Some days, they will refuse even a live bait. If
you can get to the fish early in the day before other boats are around,
you will increase your chance of success. If you are not used to catching
20-30 pound fish, you may want to use a 9wt rod to minimize the fight
time. Fish that are fought for more than 20 minutes will begin to
produce dangerous levels of lactic acid. Land these tremendous game
fish quickly and make sure they are fully revived before releasing them,
Bendback flies and Clauser Minnows
Baitfish Flies
Shrimp Flies
Deer Hair Sliders
Crab Flies
A trophy redfish
Suggested Reading
Before fly fishing in Mosquito Lagoon, or anywhere in Florida, I
would strongly recommend reading a copy of Redfish on the Fly by
Capt. John Kumiski. This book provides excellent advice and will
thoroughly prepare the angler for your Mosquito Lagoon fly fishing
experience. You can pick up the book here
http://www.spottedtail.com/ArgonautBooksRedfishOnTheFly.htm
If you have no or limited experience casting to fish in salt water, I
suggest reading Modern Fly Casting Method by Lefty Kreh.
Before fly fishing in Mosquito Lagoon, or anywhere in Florida, I
would strongly recommend reading a copy of Redfish on the Fly by
Capt. John Kumiski. This book provides excellent advice and will
thoroughly prepare the angler for your Mosquito Lagoon fly fishing
experience. You can pick up the book here
http://www.spottedtail.com/ArgonautBooksRedfishOnTheFly.htm
If you have no or limited experience casting to fish in salt water, I
suggest reading Modern Fly Casting Method by Lefty Kreh.
Watch this video to learn how to manage your fly and line in
preparation for sight casting to redfish
preparation for sight casting to redfish
| Fishing Near Orlando Florida with Capt. Chris Myers Your Orlando Fishing Guide 321-229-2848 |
Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charters Fishing Charter Rates About Your Orlando Fishing Guide
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Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report Archived Fishing Reports Fishing Charter FAQ
Mosquito Lagoon Redfish Photos Mosquito Lagoon Trout Photos Indian River Tarpon Photos
Wildlife Photos Contact Your Orlando Fishing Guide Misc Fish Photos Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Seasons
Mosquito Lagoon Information Fly Fishing Mosquito Lagoon
Indian River Snook Photos The Boat Fishing Tips and Techniques Central Florida Tarpon Tips
Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report Archived Fishing Reports Fishing Charter FAQ
Mosquito Lagoon Redfish Photos Mosquito Lagoon Trout Photos Indian River Tarpon Photos
Wildlife Photos Contact Your Orlando Fishing Guide Misc Fish Photos Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Seasons
Mosquito Lagoon Information Fly Fishing Mosquito Lagoon
For more information about the
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge,
visit my Mosquito Lagoon Page
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge,
visit my Mosquito Lagoon Page
Gary caught this big Mosquito Lagoon redfish with an EP baitfish pattern
