MONTHLY INSHORE FORECAST
MAY 2014
April has so far been stellar here on the Space Coast! Our Spring time period is about the best time to be out on the water here in Brevard. Water temperatures increase, allowing hordes of finger mullet to re-distribute among area flats, with our resident gamefish in tow! Expect large trout, and lots of em, as we continue into May. The Trout will be undergoing yearly spawning activities, and will prefer to be up as shallow as they can get! (Please be sure to handle Trout as carefully as possible as our larger trout are the future of the stock. Wet your hands before handling, don't squeeze or jaw hang, ect. )
The absolute best (and most fun) way to target them is by way of topwater plug. The Banks Fender Walker topwater plug excels in this scenario. An all wood plug (which translates to insane durability as the plug cannot be cracked and take on water) with beautiful scaled sides and lifelike eyes, it walks the dog with ease. Make as long of casts as you possibly can with it, working it back to you on flats with good pothole structure. The best time to target the big specks is early morning. Start tossing that Fender Walker even before the sun comes up!
The topwater bite begins to wane the higher the sun climbs in the sky.(expect an extension on overcast days) Not to say you will not have a fish blow up your plug in the middle of the day! But a better choice is to go sub-surface with weedless soft plastics. Again, I recommend Banks Lures. The Mangrove Mercenary, Dock Boss, and Flats Creeper are all wonderful choices to mimic our variety of baitfish in the lagoons at this time! You can check out Banks Lures at www.BanksLures.com
The Redfish bite is also strong in all three lagoons and will continue on into May. Slot fish are still somewhat schooled up with groups of 50 or more fish to small groups of 4-12 fish. Single fish are being found as well, which will become more prevalent as our water levels begin to rise with the south winds becoming more of a common occurance. When the water levels rise, the fish spread out among the flats as singles and the occasional double or small group.
These fish are taking a variety of baits and lures. Take advantage of the huge influx of finger mullet by throwing topwater plugs early in the morning. The same method for the trout is equally as deadly on any reds that may also be in the area. Keep a sharp eye out for tailing fish! ALWAYS have a rod rigged and ready with something that will get to the bottom that you can shoot at a tailing fish, as they will usually ignore and/or spook when presented a topwater when displaying this behavior. Banks Lures soft plastics are my first choice, and I am also a big fan of the Savage Gear 3D shrimp. Don't count out a gold weedless spoon in this scenario either!
When casting at tailing fish, which you will frequently see until the water rises a good deal, do NOT cast right on the fish. This will spook them almost 100% of the time. Instead, take your time and determine what way the fish is facing, by noting the orientation of the tail. Throw your bait past the fish about 20 feet, in a path that upon retrieve, your bait will pass right by his face. Reel fast, keeping that lure on the surface, visible to you, so you can drop it a few feet from the fish. Then slowly retrieve your lure. If your calculations were correct, the broad side of the lure will pass by the face of the fish on the bottom (where he is rooting for food, hence the tailing) and WHAM. You will be hooked up!
I am writing this in mid april but this report will hold true into May, until we get into our hotter summertime pattern. Right now our water temperatures are near perfect, enabling one to possibly see an all day bite from trout and reds. When air and water temperatures increase, expect the fishing to start to wane before the noon hour, with a possible late afternoon bite. BUT... for now, you should take full advantage of the mild weather and excellent water temps, get out there, and catch yourself a fish on the Space Coast!
Marc
321-460-3644
These fish are taking a variety of baits and lures. Take advantage of the huge influx of finger mullet by throwing topwater plugs early in the morning. The same method for the trout is equally as deadly on any reds that may also be in the area. Keep a sharp eye out for tailing fish! ALWAYS have a rod rigged and ready with something that will get to the bottom that you can shoot at a tailing fish, as they will usually ignore and/or spook when presented a topwater when displaying this behavior. Banks Lures soft plastics are my first choice, and I am also a big fan of the Savage Gear 3D shrimp. Don't count out a gold weedless spoon in this scenario either!
When casting at tailing fish, which you will frequently see until the water rises a good deal, do NOT cast right on the fish. This will spook them almost 100% of the time. Instead, take your time and determine what way the fish is facing, by noting the orientation of the tail. Throw your bait past the fish about 20 feet, in a path that upon retrieve, your bait will pass right by his face. Reel fast, keeping that lure on the surface, visible to you, so you can drop it a few feet from the fish. Then slowly retrieve your lure. If your calculations were correct, the broad side of the lure will pass by the face of the fish on the bottom (where he is rooting for food, hence the tailing) and WHAM. You will be hooked up!
I am writing this in mid april but this report will hold true into May, until we get into our hotter summertime pattern. Right now our water temperatures are near perfect, enabling one to possibly see an all day bite from trout and reds. When air and water temperatures increase, expect the fishing to start to wane before the noon hour, with a possible late afternoon bite. BUT... for now, you should take full advantage of the mild weather and excellent water temps, get out there, and catch yourself a fish on the Space Coast!
Marc
321-460-3644