MOsqUiTO lAGOON

It’s June! The sun is shining, the fish are biting and the water is clear! Wait a minute, the water is clear? If you are familiar with Mosquito Lagoon then you know saying these words outside of winter is rare. Having clear water has opened up some fun opportunities for me to practice sight casting much longer into the year than usual. On top of having unusually clear water, my favorite bait has moved back into our waters. It is officially croaker season, and I am a self-proclaimed, “croaker soaker”. Using croakers as bait used to be a well-kept local secret until the internet came along and made the usage of these guys common knowledge. With croakers back in town, my hunt for gator trout is on!

Croakers are a part of the drum family and get their name from the noise the fish makes when it vibrates its muscles against its swim bladder. While croakers can grow up to 20 inches, the ideal size for enticing game fish is in the 3-5 inch range. Croakers are bottom feeders and feed on detritus, dead and decomposing plants and animal matter, but during the spring spawning season for speckled trout, croakers will often feed upon eggs. With trout roe as one of their favorite snacks, it is easy to imagine why casting a croaker anywhere near a sea trout would sound a dinner bell. Momma trout will protect their eggs while also partaking in a yummy snack!

Spotted sea trout spawn from March to October, but one of the strongest peaks for spawning can be seen in early June. Speckled sea trout do not migrate and rarely travel far beyond estuaries from which they were spawned. Most movement seen by trout is dictated by water temperature as they will move deeper in the colder months and move back onto the flats as the water temperatures rise. The trout population in specific areas is dependent upon successful spawning. It is important that anglers be aware of the impact they have on the populations when catching breeder size trout. Trout can be very delicate, so it is critical that oversized fish be returned to the water and revived quickly for a chance at a productive spawning season. Trout are batch spawners with the average size female producing 15,000 to 1,100,000 eggs per spawning event.

When I go out searching for “gator” trout, I like to fish oyster beds and toss my croaker right at the drop. Trout naturally forage around oyster beds as these areas are critical habitats for crab, shrimp and baitfish. Croakers dive down and look for a place to hide, so I like to lightly twitch my rod to pull the croaker out of any hiding spots and to get the fish to begin croaking. With the spawning events being in full swing, it’s only a matter of time before a “big girl” will ambush. Seeing these oversized trout and all of their ferocious teeth never gets old! I love catching them but even more so, I love seeing them return to the water. I hope our spawning events stay strong and we continue to see the trout populations thrive here in Mosquito Lagoon. Until next time, tight lines!

June is a great month for fishing in our area, and one of the keys to success is getting out there early ! The inlet will have its fair share of fish especially those upper slot and smaller redfish. We are almost exclusively catch and release with redfish these days and with all of the research coming out on the things being found in our redfish I highly recommend everyone start this practice. Catching them is still a blast though ! Live mullet , cut mullet , shrimp , and croaker are my summer favorite baits. Snook will also be chewing on out going tides during the day and at night. I love dock light fishing in the summer months , even though I don’t get to do it as often as I used to , after fishing all day getting back out at night can be a tough one for us. I like drifting select shrimp through dock lights at night on a free line , no swivels or weights.. The biggest fish will always be just outside of the light so don’t just focus on having your bait directly in the lights. I also love targeting one of my favorite fish to eat in June , mangrove snapper . While these fish will eat on just about any tide I seem to do best on incoming tides , around docks . I like deeper docks at least 6 ft of water or more and moving water. While most keeper fish are in the 12” range I have caught them over 17” inshore around the inlet. Don’t leave your spot after catching a few undersized fish there are usually larger ones hanging in the same location. Small #1 circle hooks are my hook of choice with a smaller live shrimp , plus this helps eliminate hook swallows. Lastly I love playing with tarpon in June. Most of the tarpon I get in June are the 50lb or less fish that love to jump. I get them on mullet , pinfish, and live shrimp. Once I see fish rolling, feeding , or on my side scan I will freeline baits to them in the current. It takes some effort and not getting a hook up can be discouraging but keep trying and it will pay off. I will even use a float sometimes to keep my bait suspended. If you see a bunch of fish its also worth throwing a larger artificial at them like a Hoggy or a NLBN 8” paddle tail. We have plenty of stock at the shop , Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle in Ormond if you’d like to swing by we can point you in the right direction. If you would like to get on some June fish give us a call to set up a trip! As always get out there and catch some fish and if you see us on the water say hello!

NSB Outfitters specializes in offshore bait and tackle, as well as inshore, flats, and fly fishing gear, with extensive options in apparel and accessories. New Smyrna Outfitters has the knowledge and experience to guide through whatever type of fishing you’re looking to do.