Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide

I am a licensed and federally permitted Mosquito Lagoon fishing guide and it is one of my favorite places to fish. This is the premiere destination for sight fishing for redfish in Central Florida. I spend more time fishing here each year than anywhere else. Mosquito Lagoon is one of the last undeveloped areas on the whole east coast of Florida. Not only does Mosquito Lagoon offer great year round fishing , it is also a place a natural beauty. This 21 mile long lagoon begins at Ponce Inlet to the north which is bordered by Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. In the upper reaches, there is a small tidal influence and the waters are generally stained. As you travel south, near the town of Oak Hill, the maze of islands give way. From Oak Hill south, there is no tidal influence in the mostly open body of water just over two miles wide. The bottom is mostly sand with shallow areas mostly covered in manatee and shoal grass.

These grass flats are what make Mosquito Lagoon, or Mosquito Bay, as it is often mistakenly called, such a great place to fish. The grass beds in Mosquito Lagoon are home to shrimp, crabs, clams, snails, marine worms, and a multitude of baitfish. These food source holds redfish, spotted seatrout, and black drum year round. The Mosquito Lagoon along with the north Indian River Lagoon is the only place redfish live their entire lives inshore. This means you have the opportunity to catch redfish in excess of 30 pounds any day of the year. In the summer months, one may encounter tarpon from 5 to 100 pounds, along with ladyfish and jack crevalle.

There is always something to see in Mosquito Lagoon and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife and Canaveral National Seashore. These two federal refuges serve as a buffer for the Kennedy Space Center and have prevented development. As a result, the Mosquito Lagoon has remained much like it was in the past. In addition to the fishing, you can also view the variety of wildlife the lagoon and refuge have to offer. Giant manatee can be seen daily spring through fall. Bottle nose dolphin call Mosquito Lagoon their home year round and can often be seen in less than 2 feet of water searching for a meal. Sea-turtles, stingrays, and a wide range of wading and predatory birds live here as well.

The Redfish

The redfish, or red drum, is the king of Mosquito Lagoon. These fish live in our waters year round and can be caught every day of the year. The Mosquito Lagoon and north Indian River Lagoon are the only places in the world where redfish live their entire lives inshore. This means that on any trip, you have the chance to catch a full grown redfish over 20 pounds. Fish topping 35 pounds are not uncommon. The average Mosquito Lagoon redfish is from 22-27 inches and are normally caught in less than two feet of water. Light tackle spinning or flyrods are used to target these fish. They will eat a wide variety of artificial lures and baits. They are often spotted by looking for "tailing fish that are feeding in the shallow grass.

Getting to Mosquito Lagoon

Travel to the Mosquito Lagoon takes about one hour from the Orlando, Disney, and Kissimmee area. From that region, I meet my clients in Titusville and have them follow me into the wildlife refuge. It is about a 30 minute ride from Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach and Cocoa Beach. From New Smyrna Beach it is less than 30 minutes. In order to legally fish in the waters of Mosquito Lagoon which are inside the wildlife refuge and national seashore, guides must have a permit from the US government. Guides who have this permit are required to prove they have a license and insurance. many guides advertise Mosquito Lagoon on their website and then pull a bait and switch tactic telling customers the fishing is better elsewhere because they do not possess a permit. If you want to fish Mosquito Lagoon proper, you can check if your fishing guide is listed on the Merritt Island national Wildlife Refuge permitted guides list.

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide Capt. Chris Myers provides fly fishing trips and light tackle flats fishing charters near Orlando, New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach for redfish, black drum, and spotted seatrout all year long. For more information or to request a fishing charter date, email [email protected] or call 321-229-2848