| The Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons just east of | | | | what you need to land a trophy trout or redfish. I |
| Titusville, Fl. on Central Florida's Space Coast, offer | | | | prefer fishing artificial lures early in the morning and |
| some of the best fishing opportunities in the United | | | | late in the evening. |
| States. | | | | The best baits, in my experience, are top water |
| The flats in the northern part of the Indian River are | | | | skitterwalks, chug bugs, or anything that will mimic a |
| not as well known as those on the Mosquito Lagoon | | | | finger mullet. You can "match the hatch" by using the |
| however, they provide excellent wade fishing for | | | | same approximate size lure as the migrating schools |
| large redfish and huge "gator trout". There are many | | | | of mullet that are in the river. |
| clear water grass flats north of Mims, Fl. that are | | | | It's always a good idea to vary the speed of your |
| accessible to wade fishermen and anglers using | | | | retrieve. If you begin with a stop and go, or "walk |
| shallow draft boats. | | | | the dog" retrieve and get no hits, try ripping the lure |
| There are two shallow water boat launches, at | | | | across the surface or just let it set with an |
| Scottsmoor, Fl. and Mims, Fl. Unless you are using a | | | | occasional twitch. Gator trout are not fooled easily. |
| kayak, canoe or Ghenoe; extreme care should be | | | | Sometimes the retrieve makes all the difference in |
| taken when launching your boat. Both locations are | | | | the world. |
| very shallow and require care if you are launching a | | | | Before the net ban was put into effect in Florida, |
| full sized flats boat. | | | | only a few trophy trout were taken on the Indian |
| When fishing by boat, you should put in before | | | | River. Since the ban has been in place, the "gator" |
| daybreak and be on the flats you intend to fish at | | | | trout population has been increasing at a phenomenal |
| first light. Push poling a flats boat is mandatory if you | | | | rate. Every year more six pound plus trout are being |
| plan on catching any fish. The noise from a trolling | | | | caught on the flats and it's now pretty common to |
| motor, or anything else for that matter, will spook | | | | see a 10 pounder in the live well. |
| wary trout and redfish. | | | | The redfish population has also improved over the |
| In early spring, the best times to fish the flats are | | | | years that the ban has been in effect. |
| from daybreak till about noon. Later in the summer, | | | | Sight fishing, for the huge schools of redfish found in |
| it's better to be on the water earlier and call it a day | | | | the Mosquito Lagoon, has become so popular it has |
| around 9 o'clock. | | | | become a tournament stop for the professional |
| It doesn't matter if you take your boat or go wade | | | | redfish tour. These "landlocked" lagoon bull redfish |
| fishing; if you are in the water at daybreak, you'll get | | | | now top 40 pounds and can measure well over 40 |
| plenty of opportunities to cast to the "gator" trout | | | | inches in length. |
| that will be busting the surface after schooling finger | | | | Only time will tell just how much better the fishing |
| mullet. | | | | can get in the Mosquito & Indian River Lagoon |
| Spinning gear, spooled with 10 lb. power pro braid, | | | | estuaries. |
| tied to six or eight feet of 20 lb. florocarbon leader, is | | | | |