| Florida saltwater fishing is an excellent pastime or | | | | and South of New Smyrna Beach. Both Mosquito |
| passion, depending on your level of dedication. There | | | | Lagoon and New Smyrna Beach are popular areas for |
| are plenty of opportunities and even more reasons | | | | fishing, and if the Intracoastal Waterway is a little |
| why this is a must for any first time angler or | | | | less well known, well, that has its advantages as well. |
| seasoned professional. | | | | Movement of seatrout is almost always geared to |
| There are many saltwater species of fish in Florida, | | | | light levels, clarity of the water, and the tides. |
| and chief among them are such popular catches as | | | | Especially in the narrow inlets, it is very easy to fish |
| King Mackrel, Smyrna Trout, Middle Keys Bonefish, | | | | for seatrout. Ideally, fishing for seatrout is best when |
| Waccassasa Bay Redfish, and Panhandle Pompano. | | | | the high tide occurs at sunrise. When this happens, |
| Where you go and how your chosen catch will | | | | the fish tend to feed at the shore edge in the |
| determine how you should go about snagging your | | | | mangroves. Try areas that tend to stay shaded |
| limit! (And do know your limit as most regions have | | | | longer for the best catches. |
| very strict guidelines to consider.) | | | | Fish tend to disburse with the high tides, but the |
| If you have a desire to fish for King Mackerel, many | | | | lower tides see the fish congregating near the food |
| anglers find St. Augustine Inlet a prime target that will | | | | sources down current of cuts and creek mouths. In |
| maximize your chances for success even if you have | | | | low light, seatrout tend to be closer to the shore in |
| a relatively small boat. | | | | anywhere from four to two feet of water but in |
| With catches ranging from respectable twenty pound | | | | brighter sunshine they tend to be found in anywhere |
| averages to fifty-pounders being caught on a regular | | | | from eight to five feet of water near where the |
| basis around a mile from shore in anywhere from | | | | shore first begins to drop into the main channels. |
| twenty to fifty feet of water, even boats as small | | | | Should you have set your sights on Middle Keys |
| as fourteen feet can usually handle these conditions | | | | Bonefish, you should fish the shallow flats in the |
| and bring in a respectable catch. The best conditions | | | | hotter months of the year. If you choose to fish |
| for fishing the St. Augustine Inlet for King Mackrel are | | | | between the Cudjoe and Long Keys, your chances |
| calm waters during the month of June. | | | | for success are excellent. Fishing such popular |
| There are other Florida saltwater fishing locations to | | | | locations known for great bonefish as Buchanan, |
| consider, too. If your target is Seatrout, Florida | | | | Arsnicker, and down the area of Big Pine gives you a |
| offers several options for prime seatrout fishing. At | | | | great chance to bring home a great catch whether |
| almost any of the popular fishing spots, you will hear | | | | you are a boater or wading angler. |
| on a regular basis of large numbers of very big | | | | One thing all bonefish enthusiasts need to be vigilant |
| seatrout all over the state. | | | | about is timing the tides. Full incoming tide down to |
| One area that is particularly easy to get into is the | | | | mid tide are the best time to be on the water if |
| Intracoastal Waterway North of Mosquito Lagoon | | | | bonefish are your targets. |