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Cavanaugh68

Charter Captain
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About Cavanaugh68

  • Birthday 11/14/1968

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  • Real Name
    Drew
  • Location
    Mosquito Lagoon
  • Interests
    Fishing
  • Occupation
    Professional Guide

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  1. July 15th, 2013 Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charter Report With the arrival of summer time here in central Florida we have also received some very nice days and opportunities to get some great sight fishing in on the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River backcountry flats. Whether you are fishing the northern sections up in New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill and Edgewater or fishing the south end of the lagoons in Titusville and Cocoa Beach, the flats fishing has been outstanding. Despite the recent algae bloom that the northern Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon had, along with the dramatic publicity it has received, it is by no means as bad as the media has portrayed it to be. My eyes see it differently each day I am on the water. Besides that I have been to the dock every day to look for myself. It is definitely not as bad as it was at this exact time last year and I honestly see day after day the waters here clearing up a little at a time. With the afternoon thunderstorms we are getting, steady weather and the nice patterns, it is my opinion it is helping. It actually looks a lot like it should look for this time of year, the hot days of summer time here in Florida. On top of this I have been able to find some areas inside both bodies of waters that contain some “winter†like clean water. The past few weeks I have been able to get my clients on some very high quality sight fishing. On most days we are getting shots not at just a few fish but several. Numerous casts and fish are being landed whether for the intermediate, advanced or the professional grade angler, throughout the day’s charters on the water. Even at times at day’s end they would have seen over a thousand fish that are within rods reach, and right at the boat. How you say? Stealth, patience, distance and accuracy, this is the key to sight fishing. As usual the days will start very early, with no room for movement there if you want a higher quality day on the water. This is for a few different reasons. The redfish, black drum and trout are feeding aggressively at first light and getting onto them as well into position requires one thing. Do not rush it. Take your time when approaching fish on the flats, they will spook very easily. Now do not get me wrong, they will feed almost all of the time and throughout the day, they are animals, but there are times better than others. Plus who does not like the sunrise and that time of the morning where you can just feel the bite. Red drum or redfish are feeding on bait fish like mullet and pinfish along with the usual meal of crabs and shrimp. Look for signs of life on the open flats, birds feeding, bait exploding on the surface, nervous water and so on. At this point in time figure a good game plan out, your approach to them, position you want to be in. Avoid making any excessive noises or movement that you have too. Watch your shadows as the sun comes up, remember they have one big thing on their (reds & trout) mind, death from above. These game fish will spook very easily, not just from sound but physically seeing you as well. We have been getting redfish and trout on several forms of lures and flies. If, at first light, and you want some really great excitement, try throwing a top-water lure. Of course I like to use the DOA Shallow Running Baitbuster along with the Airhead, un-weighted of course, for this scenario. For those of you wanting to cast to a tailing redfish and try your targeted casts, use DOA Shrimp or CAL rigged on a weed-less hook with a very small weight. The same with the fly fisherman, you cannot go wrong while flats fishing Florida’s waters for redfish and spotted seatrout using a shrimp patterned fly. If you choose you can throw bait at them but you still need to get that in front of their mouth in order for them to eat it. Speaking of seatrout, I am seeing and catching some extremely high quality fish. Most are being caught at the exact same time we are sight fishing the redfish or throwing the top-waters. However I do ask you that when you get them close to the boat, do try to release them without bringing them on board. At this time of year with the heat, water temperature and the stress that they receive on the hook up their survival rate tends to decline. This will help them and in return will help you for the future when you go back out to catch them again. Makes sense to me. Also please remember that you really should never hold any fish by the lips with any kind of “gripping†device or vertically, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charters they really do not like that. Hold them horizontally. Try to also keep your hands wet and keep in mind the number one priority is the survival of that fish upon its release. I like to say hold them with respect as for what they have given you, a great fight and a fun day. If they are not there then the day would not exist. I have also been getting reports from fellow colleagues and friends who are seeing and catching good numbers of tarpon along the beaches and inlets. Also a few nice cobia and some nice sharks as well are being landed along our coastal beaches when weather permits the smaller flats boats to get out there in the Atlantic. Captain Drew Cavanaugh
  2. May 5th, 2013 Orlando Saltwater Fishing Charter Report The past several weeks including, all of March, all of April and now the first few days here in May have proved to be outstanding on the fishing front here in east central Florida. The backcountry flats fishing and sight fishing here on the Mosquito Lagoon and north Indian River have just been outstanding. I see a great summer of inshore saltwater fishing on the way. This is the best place on earth to be fishing year round. Saltwater fishing that is within one hour of Orlando and all of central Florida. The inshore waters near the New Smyrna Beach, Cocoa Beach, Daytona, Titusville, Oak Hill, Mims and Edgewater Florida have all been great. There is no one particular spot which is better than another. Try different areas and you will spread your knowledge out over the life of your fishing outings. Early morning starts are bringing some great chances at tailing and feeding redfish along shallow grass flats and the deep backcountry waters. If you are the evening fishing type the hours before sunset can be just equally as good. As long as the afternoon storms and winds that we see here stay on your side. Getting into some really big seatrout mixed in scattered about the sand holes and near drop offs as well when we are going after the redfish. A few black drum are being seen roaming with or near the redfish too. The red drum we have been getting have been mostly sight fished with first off getting into position, very carefully and quietly. Taking your time when approaching these fish is the key to a successful day on the water. Once your targets have been found the next key for this to become a catching day is that the cast you make are precise and just right. You must also be accurate, the tail does not eat. A little distance must be there as well due to that you can only get so close to these fish before they sense and see you. Then they are gone. Redfish that are “tipping†up and moving are being caught with the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Baitbusters and the new D.O.A. Airheads. As far as the rig up on these and color selection varies on the waters you are fishing. I am a big fan of plastics that resemble the prey around here. So mullet patterns, black and white or the white body with the red head is a good choice too. Throwing to a single or few feeding redfish I use the D.O.A. Shrimp or a CAL. Again color selection boils down to natural food source colors. So the shrimp patterns I am using have a natural color. The CAL’s I can use any color because typically these baits are just on the move imitating bait pods roaming aimlessly. However I do still prefer the white or lighter colors on the bottom. If you think about it almost all of the bait out here that the redfish, seatrout and black drum are feeding on have some sort of white or light colors on them; Mullet, Crabs, Mud Minnows, Shrimp. Makes sense that these colors are a good basic choice for flats fishing here on the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River. The black drum are being very skittish, with due cause. The past years they are being pursued heavily so they are adapting to the pressure. Try using peeled shrimp on small circle hooks if targeting theses fish on the flats. Casting to them with soft presentations as not to scare them all off. Remember, spook, they all will run. This applies to all of the fish you go after. I have had some good reports of anglers anchoring down inside of the canals and dropping cut large blue crabs down with heavy weights for these fish too. However that is more like bottom fishing and not sight fishing. To each their own and however you like to fish, I guess. The seatrout we have been getting here the past weeks have been extremely nice quality trout. The bigger trout are being caught while casting across the sand holes out in the grass flats and in the very backcountry waters. Again using the Baitbusters and the Airheads are your go to top waters. Any hook configuration out here that uses multiple hooks, or treble hooks, means trouble for these fish when you go to release them. You can always remove them and replace them with the appropriate circle hook. Smaller seatrout can be caught in the deeper ledges and drop offs throughout the entire lagoon systems. On a side note please remember that you need to give other anglers plenty of space and room. When fishing the flats you take away an element of depth, so you now go out and away. You see a boat in one spot don’t assume they are just staying right there. Their path may change many times. Also remember that inside the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge there are certain rules that you need to know. Be sure to look at any regulations where ever you are fishing. It is your responsibility to know these before you go out. Everyone be safe and have fun. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Mosquito Lagoon Sight Fishing Charters
  3. - Impeller Change - Maintenance
  4. November 21st, 2012 Mosquito Lagoon Light Tackle Fishing Report Well it has been a trying year in many aspects however the great fall to winter time inshore flats fishing has arrived here in east central Florida on the Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River. The backcountry waters of the north Indian River Lagoon system, the Mosquito Lagoon and all of the waters connecting these here in the Titusville, Cocoa Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill and Edgewater areas have cleared up substantially. It looks as if the algae bloom that had occurred has dissipated tremendously here. I would say that things are back to normal or close to it, at least on the water. Light tackle sight fishing is at a prime right now and is improving on a daily basis. As the winter months are approaching the lagoons will begin to light up and fishing the shallow flats will be hot. This pattern will continue well into the spring time and at times is regarded as the epic months of saltwater sight fishing. There is no better place to be here if this is on you plate. Inshore light tackle saltwater fly fishing will be a main choice for numerous anglers due to the extremely clear gin like waters mixed in with the drop dead weather and blue skies that prevail here during these months. The past several weeks the fishing for redfish and spotted seatrout has just been great. At times it seemed that it could not get any better however the next day you go out it did just that. It was better than the day before. As long as you are able to get days of fairly clear skies and light winds you are by no doubt able to find fish. Just takes a little time, patience and effort, but these fish are healthy, hungry and happy to be a part of your day. Redfish have been feeding aggressively at first light and all throughout the day well up onto the shallow grass flats. It seems they are feeding on a mixture of not only finger mullet, but it appears small crabs and some shrimp as well. Some of the choice lures and tackle selection can be the D.O.A. Shrimp, the D.O.A. Shallow Running Baitbuster or the D.O.A. CALS, one of my all-time favorites to use due to the simplicity of it. I usually rig mine with a weed less weighted hook to keep them from grabbing grass and allowing them to get an extra distance on them in the skinny water. The Baitbusters however just remember the key is to not to stop them on the retrieve, predators will say they have never seen a bait stop for them and turn away. Try this on any of the top waters you use. When sight fishing the flats there are a few key elements that are required for a successful day on the water, they are very simple and easily attainable if you just put your mind to it. First off is the early bird gets the worm. Do not expect to show up to the party late and get action. Do not ruin it for those that are already out there and in place before you, they make the effort and are rewarded in different ways. Should you get to an area that you were wanting to fish and another boat is there, just move to another spot, easy to do? Give you fellow anglers more than enough distance. They will do the same. I like to say discipline is a major part and etiquette. The next thing is stealth and patience. I can't express this enough. You just cannot barrel up onto these redfish or trout with a trolling motor or your engine and expect them to cooperate. Think hunting tactics because in reality this is just what this is, hunting on the water. The last thing is distance and an utmost precise casting technique. You must be able to make casts at distances, not landing on top of fish, along with it being a good targeted shot. The tail does not eat. You will not be able all of the time, to throw to tailing redfish ten feet from the boat. Once in while yes, but not on every cast, it just does not work like that. Use your push pole as much as physically possible. Keep the sun at your back and in their eyes. It is a major part of having any kind of success on the water. The other thing to have is a very good pair of polarized sunglasses, copper or amber. Invest in a good pair and they will become your friend. No Gray lens and no mirrored. With this said your best option is to practice casting. Be able to throw at least ten feet past them with a soft yet effective presentation. It is always best to cast a million feet past a fish then to be short a few feet. You can always bring line in, you cannot let line out. Basic laws of the way our tackle works and physics. You scare one red you will scare them all. Watch for signs of life, scan areas and then figure out your approach tactic. I like to say it requires the Goldilocks effect, just right. The spotted seatrout bite is off the wall. I have been able to sight fish some very nice trout the past several weeks. Most are very secluded and we are finding them as we are looking for redfish. The best key to get one on your line is to be extremely patient and really focus on grass flats with nice sand holes. Scan areas watching for shapes and shadows to move. Be aware of your movement and the noise you make because these fish will not wait around for you. They are by far the apex predator among the saltwater flats. Please be sure that you handle all of the seatrout you get with the most extreme care for the best chance at survival when you release them. For this matter all of the fish you get do this. I want everyone to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Saltwater Flats Fishing Near Orlando Florida YouTube Videos
  5. Central Florida Inshore Saltwater Fishing Report – August 31st, 2012 The past few weeks have been improving fairly well as far as to the fishing here in central Florida. Prior to the storm Isaac that came thru Florida, we had numerous shots at tarpon in the Indian River. Along with this there are several stray reds and trout among the flats. Jacks, lady fish and of course catfish are all by catch. The fish (tarpon) were happy and feeding as the sun breaks and as long as it remained fairly calm waters they continued this pattern throughout the morning. Fish in the 50 plus pound class are the average. Throwing DOA's (Terror Eyez or Baitbusters)at them as they roll is your best bet. I have not been back down there after this rain so I too am curious on if they are still present. Just before the storm came however I fished the Mosquito Lagoon here in east central Florida a few times. The water has started to clear slightly and the fishing was better than it had been. Several redfish and a few trout were amongst the catch. Watching for tails at weed-lines and bait activity is the key to success. Throwing soft plastics at feeding fish with a soft presentation is the way to go. There is a sign of it getting better every day. With the rain coming thru over the weekend it has done a few good things. First of all the water is up, so with the busy holiday weekend be sure to be safe. This also opens up new feeding grounds to fish that were not reachable before. Watch the areas you are running to and from, this is now a navigational hazard. Second, it looks as if the rain has cleared the waters a lot. The waters in Cocoa and Port St. John area are clear, very clear. The waters in Titusville are fairly clear. The waters up by the Edgewater and New Smyrna areas, this seems to be clearing as well. So it looks like it is putting the squeeze on the Mosquito Lagoon and North Indian River. Just like the human body water is good for you, well it is good for the waterways as well. This will flush things out. Fresh and normal rain patterns are keys to sustaining the estuaries and lagoons. Please be sure to handle all of your catch with extreme care, get your picture then release them fast for a high survival rate. Everyone have a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Fish the Indian River Lagoon YouTube Videos
  6. Titusville, Cocoa & Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report – August 13th, 2012 As most have seen here in central Florida there was an algae bloom that occurred a few weeks ago here on the waters of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River. However not all is lost or gone. There still are several areas that are not only producing fish but also numerous areas that have quite a bit of clean water. The Mosquito Lagoon, Refuge and Indian River is holding a good and respective amount of redfish still. It is just a matter of looking very hard for them. The key is to look along drop offs with the grass mats that border the flats, watch for activity and then use a good method of watching for tailing fish. The redfish have been up inside the heavy, thick grass feeding. I mean some of these fish are several inches underneath a thick pad of grass. It is almost surreal to watch them do this. Now the main ingredient here is a very good cast. I mean perfect when throwing into grass like this. With the reds feeding in this grass the visibility for them is pretty much none. Your shot at them as got to be perfect, if it is not they just will not see it. Using a D.O.A. CAL with an added bullet weight along with a weed-less hook configuration will be your best bet. Also for those of you wanting to use live or cut bait you can move around and let a piece of bait soak for a while if need be. The trout bite has still been fairly good given the water clarity. Whether you are fishing up in the New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater area near Oak Hill or down in the Indian River near Cocoa, Port St. John and Titusville. Several trout are being caught fishing the deep ledges and looking for clean water with some movement or flow to it. If you can locate the smaller bait fish and birds feeding even better. Using top waters or soft plastics are your best bet. If you are in the deep waters and see birds diving and feeding there is also a very good chance you can get a good amount of bites of jacks and lady fish which are always fun too catch as well. The tarpon bite is great inshore and near shore. Tarpon ranging from the 5 to 10 pound class in the canals are being caught using medium light tackle. Tarpon up to the 80 plus pound class throughout the river are also being caught and numerous are rolling and feeding. There is nothing like seeing these fish feed and strike your lure. Throwing the D.O.A. Baitbuster or the medium D.O.A. Terror Eyz with a heavy leader (60 pound to 100 pound for the bigger tarpon, smaller for the fish in the back creeks and canals) is the go to this time of year. I am seeing a much larger catch ratio with these versus using live or dead bait. Watch for the fish to roll or swim by and then make your cast to them. Please remember to handle every fish you catch with the utmost caution and extreme care. This will ensure a higher survival rate upon their release. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: [email protected]
  7. New Smyrna Beach & Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report – June 26th, 2012 As we continue into the summer months here in east central Florida the inshore flats fishing has begun to improve and get even better day after day. The Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River in the New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill, Edgewater, Titusville and Mims areas all have been the epic center of attention for saltwater flats and sight fishing. Redfish, spotted sea trout, black drum along with a mix bag of lady fish, jacks and flounder have all been on the game plan for the day. A few juvenile tarpon have also been in the back water creeks as well. As we progress into the summer further we should start to see more and more tarpon showing up. Personally this is some of my favorite time of year to fish. Active, fun, energetic and most importantly it is not COLD out! What else can I say? You have got to love Florida in the summer time. The water levels here on the Mosquito Lagoon have been a little bit higher than they should be for this time of year. Which in return has really spread the fish out, and into the backcountry flats they had no access to a few weeks or months ago. Especially the redfish, along with some really beautiful gator sea trout we have been getting into. Think of this like having a pasture with cattle in it. You open a gate that leads to another set of pasture land the cattle had not been in for a while. They will tend to make a beeline for it. As this is a new grazing area for them with a fresh food source. Searching these areas will pay off tremendously, however you have to use caution, stealth and the key to fishing; Patience. These typical shallower flats do not get many boats there so approach and enter them with the care of the environment in mind along with your tactics to search them. Along with this, do think of your safety and others as well. Also please be aware of the poll and troll zones inside the refuge and its unique set of rules. Seems that when the water comes up that it calls for some anglers just to feel that they are able to run anywhere they feel like it. There is nothing worse than working very hard in getting to a spot back in the zone just to have somebody barrel around in there trying to bump fish. A little effort on the push pole or trolling motor goes a very long way. Also keeping a very wide distance between you and any other anglers helps as well. The redfish have been feeding aggressively at dawn and at first light. Finding schools and singles are easy if you are able to locate bait pods, birds and mullet. Clean and clear water too. The go to lure at this time of year I like to use is the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Baitbuster. As you are approaching tailing and feeding redfish once you are in optimal casting range to make a clear, soft presentation of a cast be sure to throw past the fish with a slow steady retrieve within their feeding zone. This will produce strikes most of the time. As the day moves on sight fishing is easily accomplished by switching to the D.O.A. CALS and or Shrimp. As always, I do like to put mine on a weed less hook configuration with a very small bullet weight for that little bit of added distance, which will help you in gaining that added edge. You can also use live mullet or cut mullet along with fresh cut lady fish if you have it. Pinfish work just as well. As far as the sea trout bite, well it has been great! We seem to be getting quite a few really nice sea trout mixed in with the feeding reds. The trout in my mind are the apex predators of the inshore flats here. In a sense they are the lions and tigers stalking the flats, very intelligent. Whereas the redfish move with a resemblance of herds of cattle, grazing, feeding at a steady pace, seeming to have no rhyme nor reason. The trout are hammering the Baitbusters with no remorse what so ever. As the sun gets higher look for gators sitting on white holes and grass flats nearing the drop-offs. Using Jigs and the CALS along with a great pair of polarized sunglasses you should be able to get into some really nice fish. The key in finding big trout is take your time and be very stealth like. Of course if you have fished here for a while you know you will also hook into the obvious by-catch of lady fish, jacks, blue fish and what. A few black drum are being caught here and there as well. Using a D.O.A. Crab or a live shrimp on a small circle hook is your best bet. They seem to be roaming the flats in the same areas the redfish are being seen. However they are very spooky. Please be sure to handle all of the fish you catch this time of year with extreme caution. Keeping them horizontal, wetting your hands and getting them back into the water as soon as you can increase their survival rate. Be sure that your fish revives and swims off in good health. Catch and release is the number one way to be sure we have a future of game fish here on the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River. It is a very unique fishery so let’s protect it. Everyone have a safe and happy fourth. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: [email protected] Visit us at: http//:www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com/
  8. January 29th, 2012 New Smyrna Beach Saltwater Flats Fishing Report Well now that we are into the New Year of 2012 here in east central Florida and great weather is amongst us the flats fishing of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River has taken of tremendously here in the New Smyrna Beach, Titusville and Oak Hill areas of central Florida. Sight fishing the backcountry flats of the national park and refuge has begun to improve quite a bit, with water clarity getting into the optimal range it should be for this time of year and just outstanding days to fish in. Clear as spring water in most places and easy to spot fish with bright blue skies above you makes the fishing here on the Mosquito Lagoon and north Indian River a premier destination for world class sight fishing. Air and water temperatures are at a prime as well for making east central Florida fishing comfortable, exciting and fun. This is inshore saltwater flats fishing at its very best, what dreams are made of. There is no better place to fish here in the states on a year round basis than here in Florida. Just so many options are here and opportunities for fish of all types of species to target. As the past several weeks have gone by the water visibility more than anything has cleared up some from the algae bloom that occurred over the summer and fall of 2011. It has taken a few months of cooler weather along with a couple of extremely cold nights and chilly days but we are getting to the famous clarity this area is known for making it a sight fishing paradise. The flats and sight fishing is great as the sun breaks the horizon in the morning and continues its ascent as the day goes by. Even at mid-day the fishing is still great and can be at its prime for the day. Water temperatures in the morning time are in the mid 60° mark and rising up to the high 70° mark at the height of the day. This is ideal for redfish and drum. Redfish, trout and several black drum are being caught in fairly decent numbers on several different baits and lures as well as using light tackle sight fishing methods or fly fishing tactics. The fish are ranging from 2 to 15 pounds on average, with a few bigger and smaller ones mixed in. Searching the flats with baitfish, birds and activity of life on them is one of several different keys into getting on some nice game fish. As the nights are cooler to cold this time of year a grass flat that is near ledges, holes and drop offs are a good place to start looking for fish at dawn. The fish at night time will tend to drop into the deeper waters for warmth, food and protection. As will the baitfish that they feed upon. As the sun begins to rise, the areas that the rays touch first will warm up the quickest and most likely will hold baitfish along with the predators that follow. This also applies to the shallow water, as for it will warm up quicker than deep water. Sand holes among the grass will tend to be great ambush points for all types of predators and game fish, as well as the ledges leading back to the drop off areas. In a sense they become a type of underwater field that is scanned by predators alike. Of course as with any day you fish shallow waters here on the flats the key elements to success are stealth, patience and distance. Take your time and do not rush things. Approach fish at a distance to not only give you ample time to get into position but also to give you a few chances to make that perfect cast. Use your push pole as much as you can and use your trolling motor as a tool to make up distances. Think like a hunter; be sure to give every angler a very wide gap between you and them. Space between and low noise is a key too. What is a wide gap? I say 900 plus feet if not more, give or take a few feet. You may see two or even three boats on top of each other and think to get in there with them. However consider that they may know each other and be working together. If you get to an area that already has a boat there it is simple, move to another location. There is plenty of water to fish and plenty of fish to be caught. Early starts are a very good key to a successful day of fishing the Mosquito Lagoon. The type of baits or lures being used have been anywhere from a live shrimp placed on a small 3/0 circle hook with a small bullet weight for the black drum or redfish to the D.O.A. shrimp, D.O.A. CALS and D.O.A. Crabs. I like to throw a few of these with a weed less configuration. Throwing towards and past a feeding fish (say 8 to 12 feet past) then bring that lure/bait across their feeding path will entice a hit or two. Just be eloquent or graceful about this as not to spook them. As far as the fly fishing end of things we were able to land many redfish and black drum on imitation mullet patterns, crab patterns along with a shrimp pattern or two. Approach fish with the sun at your back at an angle and watch boat and your feet movement. Shadows from casts or yourself can alert fish of your presence. Soft casts, good target acquisition and perfect presentations need to be applied and used for all of the above. The best way to accomplish this is just to practice it. Trial and error as it is with any thing in life. Please remember to handle all of your fish with great care and a tender touch for a high survival rate upon their release. Looks like the bottom line for the next few weeks is if the weather holds out and continues to be above average with warmer days the flats fishing here should just continue to improve. The water clarity should hopefully continue to clear up as well, so this will just make sight fishing the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River even better as time goes by. This is what it is all about. Again Happy New Year and I hope to see you out on the water. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: [email protected] Visit us at: http:www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com/
  9. December 1st, 2011 New Smyrna Beach & Oak Hill Fishing Report Well the days of summer time are gone for now but will return in no time at all. The cooler days of winter are approaching and are here to stay for a few months. With this it brings clean, clear water and the water levels will begin to drop in depth taking feeding ground away from the fish. What does this mean? Excellent sight fishing days are amongst us. The redfish will begin to gather in large schools, the trout will show up on sand and grass flats and the bite will turn into magic. As long as we do not get a harsh winter again this year it should turn out to be a great winter fishery here on the Mosquito Lagoon and north Indian River. The fishing here in east central Florida is prime on a year round basis. The past several weeks have brought several days of great fishing and some really nice weather. Redfish and trout have been the main staple here along with a few by catches of drum and flounder. Sight fishing for redfish early and throughout the day has been extremely productive using a few different tactics and techniques. As always the main key here is to take your time and do not crowd your fellow angler on the water. Spin fishing methods using the D.O.A. Nite Glow Shrimp on light tackle have been the most successful of the artificial to make hits and strikes. Sight fishing red fish as they are feeding on the flats is the most successful tactic. Look for bait fish and a sign of activity. Approach fish with a stealth like method and be sure to cast past these fish with a soft presentation. Do not land on the fish as it will scare them and then in return it will scare all of them. Along with the soft plastics a well-placed live shrimp or small blue crab will work as well using a small 2/0 or so circle hook. Live mullet as always will bring in strikes as well. Several trout can be landed with this method too on the flats, however please be aware that these fish need to be released until the first of the year. Please be sure to handle all of the fish you land with extreme care for a higher survival rate upon their release. Fly fishing for redfish and trout has begun to improve tremendously as the waters start to clear up making visibility much better. Using an 8 or 7 weight fly rod the past few weeks with a Green Seaducer fly has been very productive on the flats. Just as with using soft plastics or live baits, a stealthy approach along with a soft presentation is a major key to a successful hook up out here. Other flies that have been working well would be a shrimp pattern or a black crab fly pattern. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: [email protected] Visit us at: http:www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com/
  10. I was able to get out a few weeks ago with a colleague and do some fishing. Wow! What a day it turned out to be! Just awesome. Here is a small HD video(at the bottom of the post) of what we were able to get into. The redfish were all massive bulls and were caught using D.O.A.’s. We were on the Mosquito Lagoon here in the Oak Hill area just south of Daytona Beach Florida. Captain Drew Cavanaugh
  11. Well several weeks of weather changes have come and gone leaving us with optimal conditions for flats fishing. The temperatures have dropped and then come back up and are leveling off comfortably now. The water levels were high and now, after the massive rain storms we just had, are even higher. Not long before it drops for winter. The water clarity should start to improve with the fresh water added and a mixture of conditions happening stirring things to say. This has the fishing going up and then coming down, then going back up again. However now that we are back in a steady weather pattern I see the fishing improving tremendously and eventually we should be in a sight fishing paradise once again throughout all of the flats here in the east central Florida area. The weather will start to cool down as well. Making for a typical Florida fall/winter day on the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River, perfect! Next thing you know we are in the winter months of Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River fishing. This means world class sight fishing on the crystal clear grass flats. This is why the lagoon is known as the redfish capital of the world. The past several weeks brought in numerous great days of fishing trips and produced some very nice catches along with it. Redfish have been the staple of most trips. Along with this a few sea trout, flounder, lady fish and black drum have been mixed into the days catch. A few tarpon have been spotted here and there but they have been hit or miss ever since the bad freezes we had the past two years. A few of my clients, Rob, Darryl, Mitchell, June, Tom and Aaron just to mention a few, had outstanding days on the water. The top baits and lures used have been the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Bait Buster, live finger mullet, mud minnows, D.O.A. Cals, D.O.A. BFL 5.5, black crab flies, mullet flies all on 8 weight fly rods and small live blue crabs. The blue crabs I have been using were all hand caught and are in the size range of a silver dollar and used in combination with a 3/0 circle hook. These are gold to redfish. All fished light tackle on Stradic & Sustain 2500's/4000's mounted on St. Croix Legend Elite rods. Line and leader go from 10 pound braid to 15 with roughly 20 inches of 15-20 pound fluorocarbon leader. The waters we have been fishing have basically been the entire Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge areas. There were days we stayed in the New Smyrna, Edgewater and Oak Hill area and then days we fished the south end near Titusville in the lagoon and the river. On a few occasions we fished the west bank of Mims, the areas near the railroad bridge in Titusville, the north end of the Indian River there in Scottsmoor and the north bombing range in search of the big bulls that have been all over the area. The big bull reds have been in a spawning mode and are throughout the deeper waters here. When you find them try the D.O.A. Shallow Runner Bait Buster. Throw it in front and past the lead fish. A steady retrieve bringing it across them will entice a bite or ten. Do not slow it down or let it sink. It is not normal for a bait fish to stop for a predator. Hang on and have fun. Please be sure to handle these and all fish very carefully as to get them released safely and quickly for a higher survival rate. Also do not hold these fish vertically. Hold them horizontally if you have too. It is better for them this way. Practice catch and release, the future of this fishery depend on all anglers. Not just one. The tactics and techniques are basically unchanged. Search the flats early and look for signs of bait and bird activity. Tailers should be found early and throughout the morning time in grass flats where mullet are present. Approach fish easy. Do not rush it. I have stressed this before and will stress it again. Take your time and be stealthy about it. Use your push pole as much as you can. Be sure not to cast on top of your fish as they will spook. Watch the noise levels in the boat too. Also please, give your fellow angler plenty of room. Do not crowd up on top or run your boat too close to others as it will scare fish away. There is plenty of water to fish out there. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters PO BOX 881 Edgewater, FL 32132 Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: Orlando Florida Fishing Guide Light tackle fishing guide on the Mosquito Lagoon. Specializing in fly fishing or spin fishing for redfish, trout, snook and tarpon. Visit us at:Saltwater Fishing Charters In Central Florida Fish the world famous Mosquito Lagoon. The redfish capital of the world! Located along Florida's beautiful Space Coast near New Smyrna Beach.
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