| Fly Fishing the Mosquito Lagoon |
Fly fishing in the Indian River Lagoon System, which include the
Banana River, the Indian River, and the Mosquito Lagoon, is
excellent year round. This is the closest and best saltwater fly
fishing near Orlando. Species such as redfish, seatrout, tarpon,
snook, jack crevalle, ladyfish, and black drum can all be caught in
our waters with a fly rod. Sight fishing for redfish is probably the
most popular. Your guide will pole you across the shallow grass
flats searching for cruising or tailing reds. The fish may be in
singles, pairs, or in schools of 10-200 fish. When a fish is spotted,
you make your cast and watch for a reaction as you strip the fly in
front of it. You see the bite, set the hook, and are ready to clear
the line as the fish races away. An exciting scene when it all
comes together. In the page below, I hope to offer you some tips
and techniques to improve you catching that I have learned over
the years.
Banana River, the Indian River, and the Mosquito Lagoon, is
excellent year round. This is the closest and best saltwater fly
fishing near Orlando. Species such as redfish, seatrout, tarpon,
snook, jack crevalle, ladyfish, and black drum can all be caught in
our waters with a fly rod. Sight fishing for redfish is probably the
most popular. Your guide will pole you across the shallow grass
flats searching for cruising or tailing reds. The fish may be in
singles, pairs, or in schools of 10-200 fish. When a fish is spotted,
you make your cast and watch for a reaction as you strip the fly in
front of it. You see the bite, set the hook, and are ready to clear
the line as the fish races away. An exciting scene when it all
comes together. In the page below, I hope to offer you some tips
and techniques to improve you catching that I have learned over
the years.
| This Mosquito Lagoon drum was fooled with a shrimp pattern fly |
Tackle
Many different sizes of rods can be used when fishing the Mosquito
Lagoon from 4wt to 10wt, depending on your casting ability, wind
speed, and the size of fish you are pursuing. A seven or eight weight
outfit is a good place to start if you are only going to use one rod.
They can handle any redfish you may encounter and cast reasonably
well in a modest breeze. On calm days, I like to use my 5wt. Your reel
should have a smooth drag and hold at least 200 yards of backing.
Reels designed for freshwater use will quickly corrode in the
saltwater environment unless you are extremely thorough when
cleaning them.
When sight fishing the flats, I always use a weight forward floating
line. Most of the time, we are fishing water that is two feet deep or
less. A sinking or intermediate line will only serve to hinder your ability
to make a quick second or third cast, should your first shot not draw a
strike. There are many saltwater tapers to choose from. Find one that
works best for you.
Attached to the end of my fly line, I put a 9-10 foot leader composed
of fluorocarbon which ends in a 15-20 lb bite tippet. If the wind is up,
you may be able to get away with using a shorter leader. On calm
days, 10 feet is sometimes not enough leader to avoid spooking the
fish. Use the longest leader you can cast effectively and you will
spook less fish. You leader system does not need to be fancy or
complicated. On a 7wt rod, I use 5 feet of 40lb tied to a 3ft section of
20lb to a 1-2 foot piece of 15lb with double uni knots.
Many different sizes of rods can be used when fishing the Mosquito
Lagoon from 4wt to 10wt, depending on your casting ability, wind
speed, and the size of fish you are pursuing. A seven or eight weight
outfit is a good place to start if you are only going to use one rod.
They can handle any redfish you may encounter and cast reasonably
well in a modest breeze. On calm days, I like to use my 5wt. Your reel
should have a smooth drag and hold at least 200 yards of backing.
Reels designed for freshwater use will quickly corrode in the
saltwater environment unless you are extremely thorough when
cleaning them.
When sight fishing the flats, I always use a weight forward floating
line. Most of the time, we are fishing water that is two feet deep or
less. A sinking or intermediate line will only serve to hinder your ability
to make a quick second or third cast, should your first shot not draw a
strike. There are many saltwater tapers to choose from. Find one that
works best for you.
Attached to the end of my fly line, I put a 9-10 foot leader composed
of fluorocarbon which ends in a 15-20 lb bite tippet. If the wind is up,
you may be able to get away with using a shorter leader. On calm
days, 10 feet is sometimes not enough leader to avoid spooking the
fish. Use the longest leader you can cast effectively and you will
spook less fish. You leader system does not need to be fancy or
complicated. On a 7wt rod, I use 5 feet of 40lb tied to a 3ft section of
20lb to a 1-2 foot piece of 15lb with double uni knots.
Flies
In general, redfish are not that picky about what they eat. Their main diet
consists of crabs, shrimp, sand worms, and various finfish such as
mullet, pinfish, pigfish, needlefish, mud and mosquito minnows. Any flies
that mimic them will draw strikes. Size and composition is often much
more important than color. When fly fishing extremely shallow water, a fly
with lead eyes will often spook the fish as it plops down on the surface.
For these situations, I often use unweighted bendback style flies which
land softly and ride hook up to avoid catching grass. If you are fishing
deeper water, you will want to choose a weighted fly that will get down to
the bottom quickly. Redfish are primarily bottom feeders. When shrimp
and crabs see a redfish they flee towards the bottom to escape into the
grass or mud. Weighted flies will dive towards the bottom when you stop
your retrieve. In the winter months our redfish are eating more crabs and
shrimp than finfish. Small flies are often the key to successful winter fly
fishing. For examples of some of my favorite patterns, see my page on
redfish flies for the Mosquito Lagoon.
Baitfish fly patterns such as those resembling a pinfish can be very
effective during the warmer months. These flies normally ride hook down,
however, and are prone to getting fouled by grass if they are not
equipped with a weed guard.
Topwater sliders and poppers can also be used to catch both redfish
and trout. I prefer a deer hair slider in very shallow water which is silent
but will push some water. As I get into deeper water I will go to a popper.
Although these flies are not as fun to cast as a small bendback, they can
elicit some voracious strikes. Because redfish have mouths which are
designed to feed down, they will often have to make several attempts to
catch your top water offering. Remember to strip strike and do not lift
your fly rod until you feel the fish come tight.
In general, redfish are not that picky about what they eat. Their main diet
consists of crabs, shrimp, sand worms, and various finfish such as
mullet, pinfish, pigfish, needlefish, mud and mosquito minnows. Any flies
that mimic them will draw strikes. Size and composition is often much
more important than color. When fly fishing extremely shallow water, a fly
with lead eyes will often spook the fish as it plops down on the surface.
For these situations, I often use unweighted bendback style flies which
land softly and ride hook up to avoid catching grass. If you are fishing
deeper water, you will want to choose a weighted fly that will get down to
the bottom quickly. Redfish are primarily bottom feeders. When shrimp
and crabs see a redfish they flee towards the bottom to escape into the
grass or mud. Weighted flies will dive towards the bottom when you stop
your retrieve. In the winter months our redfish are eating more crabs and
shrimp than finfish. Small flies are often the key to successful winter fly
fishing. For examples of some of my favorite patterns, see my page on
redfish flies for the Mosquito Lagoon.
Baitfish fly patterns such as those resembling a pinfish can be very
effective during the warmer months. These flies normally ride hook down,
however, and are prone to getting fouled by grass if they are not
equipped with a weed guard.
Topwater sliders and poppers can also be used to catch both redfish
and trout. I prefer a deer hair slider in very shallow water which is silent
but will push some water. As I get into deeper water I will go to a popper.
Although these flies are not as fun to cast as a small bendback, they can
elicit some voracious strikes. Because redfish have mouths which are
designed to feed down, they will often have to make several attempts to
catch your top water offering. Remember to strip strike and do not lift
your fly rod until you feel the fish come tight.
Josh used a 7wt flyrod and a #4 bendback fly to catch this
Mosquito Lagoon redfish
Mosquito Lagoon redfish
Casting
Casting ability is usually the most important factor when fly fishing for
redfish in the Mosquito Lagoon. On most days, the better you can
cast, the more fish you will catch. Although our fish are plentiful and
readily take a fly, they are heavily pressured and seldom allow you
more than one or two shots before they get out of range. You should
be able to cast a minimum of 50 feet. Longer is better. The more
distance you can keep between you and the fish, the less chance you
have of spooking him. Usually, speed and accuracy are more
important than distance. A fly fisherman who can cast 40 feet
accurately with only one or two false casts, will probably have more
success than the one who can cast 80 feet but with little control over
where the fly lands. On some days, however, we may encounter
numerous large schools of redfish in very shallow water. Making
casts over 50 feet may be required to reach these fish before they
are aware of our presence.
Taking time to practice your fly casting before you get on the
water will be time well spent! Practice casting in various
conditions as you cannot always depend on the winds being calm.
Learn to double haul and to shoot line with minimal false casts. Not
only will the fish see your line in the air, they will feel the boat rocking
and your rod waving about. Also be prepared to cast in various
directions quickly. A fish may appear to your right side and you may
have to take a shot before your guide can turn the boat. Being able to
cast backhand or over the opposite shoulder will give you more
opportunities to catch fish. If you are not familiar with the double haul
or distance casting, take a lesson from a certified casting instructor
in your area. Improper practice leads to bad habits which hinder your
improvement.
Our redfish will eat most any fly, but will not go out of their way to do
so. The range in which they will see and attack a fly can often be very
small. There is a fine line between placing your fly too close to the
fish and scaring them, or putting it too far away from them to notice.
This distance may change from day to day and fish to fish. When they
are feeding aggressively, you may be able to put it within several
inches of them and get a strike. Other days, just the sound of your fly
line touching the water will cause them to change directions. Reds
seldom swim in one direction for very long. If you cast too far in front
of them in hopes they will swim up to your fly, they will inevitably
change directions before they get to it. If they are cruising, I cast
ahead and just beyond the fish so it crosses their path as they are
approaching.
Tailing redfish are a whole different scenario. A saltwater fly
fisherman dreams of seeing a large tail with a black spot sticking out
of the water waving them over. One thing we know about a tailing
redfish is that they are definitely feeding. The problem they present,
however, is they often have their head and eyes buried in the grass
and are focusing all their attention on the prey they are after. When
casting to tailing fish, I like to let the fly land about a foot away and
strip it right up to their nose. I will let my fly lie still until the moment the
fish brings his head up out of the grass and the tail starts to go down.
At that point, give your fly the smallest twitch and that will usually
draw an instant strike. You may also choose to use a fly with a small
rattle. It way produce just enough noise to get the fish to bring his
head up and see your offering.
Casting ability is usually the most important factor when fly fishing for
redfish in the Mosquito Lagoon. On most days, the better you can
cast, the more fish you will catch. Although our fish are plentiful and
readily take a fly, they are heavily pressured and seldom allow you
more than one or two shots before they get out of range. You should
be able to cast a minimum of 50 feet. Longer is better. The more
distance you can keep between you and the fish, the less chance you
have of spooking him. Usually, speed and accuracy are more
important than distance. A fly fisherman who can cast 40 feet
accurately with only one or two false casts, will probably have more
success than the one who can cast 80 feet but with little control over
where the fly lands. On some days, however, we may encounter
numerous large schools of redfish in very shallow water. Making
casts over 50 feet may be required to reach these fish before they
are aware of our presence.
Taking time to practice your fly casting before you get on the
water will be time well spent! Practice casting in various
conditions as you cannot always depend on the winds being calm.
Learn to double haul and to shoot line with minimal false casts. Not
only will the fish see your line in the air, they will feel the boat rocking
and your rod waving about. Also be prepared to cast in various
directions quickly. A fish may appear to your right side and you may
have to take a shot before your guide can turn the boat. Being able to
cast backhand or over the opposite shoulder will give you more
opportunities to catch fish. If you are not familiar with the double haul
or distance casting, take a lesson from a certified casting instructor
in your area. Improper practice leads to bad habits which hinder your
improvement.
Our redfish will eat most any fly, but will not go out of their way to do
so. The range in which they will see and attack a fly can often be very
small. There is a fine line between placing your fly too close to the
fish and scaring them, or putting it too far away from them to notice.
This distance may change from day to day and fish to fish. When they
are feeding aggressively, you may be able to put it within several
inches of them and get a strike. Other days, just the sound of your fly
line touching the water will cause them to change directions. Reds
seldom swim in one direction for very long. If you cast too far in front
of them in hopes they will swim up to your fly, they will inevitably
change directions before they get to it. If they are cruising, I cast
ahead and just beyond the fish so it crosses their path as they are
approaching.
Tailing redfish are a whole different scenario. A saltwater fly
fisherman dreams of seeing a large tail with a black spot sticking out
of the water waving them over. One thing we know about a tailing
redfish is that they are definitely feeding. The problem they present,
however, is they often have their head and eyes buried in the grass
and are focusing all their attention on the prey they are after. When
casting to tailing fish, I like to let the fly land about a foot away and
strip it right up to their nose. I will let my fly lie still until the moment the
fish brings his head up out of the grass and the tail starts to go down.
At that point, give your fly the smallest twitch and that will usually
draw an instant strike. You may also choose to use a fly with a small
rattle. It way produce just enough noise to get the fish to bring his
head up and see your offering.
Tailing redfish in the Mosquito Lagoon
Suggested Reading
Before fly fishing in Mosquito Lagoon, or anywhere in Florida, I
would recommend reading a copy of Redfish on the Fly by Capt.
John Kumiski. This book provides excellent advice and will
thoroughly prepare the angler for your Mosquito Lagoon fly fishing
experience. You can pick up the book here
http://www.spottedtail.com/ArgonautBooksRedfishOnTheFly.htm
If you have no or limited experience casting to fish in salt water, I
suggest reading the following books:
The Cast by Ed Jaworski
Modern Fly Casting Method by Lefty Kreh.
Before fly fishing in Mosquito Lagoon, or anywhere in Florida, I
would recommend reading a copy of Redfish on the Fly by Capt.
John Kumiski. This book provides excellent advice and will
thoroughly prepare the angler for your Mosquito Lagoon fly fishing
experience. You can pick up the book here
http://www.spottedtail.com/ArgonautBooksRedfishOnTheFly.htm
If you have no or limited experience casting to fish in salt water, I
suggest reading the following books:
The Cast by Ed Jaworski
Modern Fly Casting Method by Lefty Kreh.
Watch this video to learn how to manage your fly and line in
preparation for sight casting to redfish
preparation for sight casting to redfish
| Fly Fishing Near Orlando Florida with Capt. Chris Myers Your Orlando Fishing Guide 321-229-2848 |
For more information about the
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge,
visit my Mosquito Lagoon page
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge,
visit my Mosquito Lagoon page
Gary caught this big Mosquito Lagoon redfish with an EP baitfish pattern
Capt. Chris is a Federation of Fly
Fishers Certified Fly Casting Instructor.
Begin your fly fishing journey today.
Click here for information on
professional fly casting instruction
Fishers Certified Fly Casting Instructor.
Begin your fly fishing journey today.
Click here for information on
professional fly casting instruction
| Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters Mosquito Lagoon Fly Fishing Guide Orlando Fly Fishing Guide FFF Certified Casting Instructor 321-229-2848 |