Looking to fish nearby?
Store your boat with us at On Solid Ground RV & Boat Storage at The Villages for a state-of-the-art storage facility to house your boat between fishing trips.
This is information is courtesy of our friends at flfishingspots.com.
Please visit their website for maps and more.
Other resources include Fishing Booker, Ponce Inlet Fishing Report, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Florida Site Fishing, and Florida Sportsman magazine.
Lightweight, preferably graphite or composite. 8 to 12-pound class rods will work great in most cases. Cork handle. Fuji or equivalent guide with ceramic inserts for casting long distances with light rigging.
2000 or 3000 size. Smooth drag is a must. Quiet bail action if possible.
Power Pro brand or equivalent. 12 to 15-pound test, up to 20-pound test. Preferably Green or Red in color. Leader - Fluorocarbon in 10-15 pound Test.
Circle Hook. 3/0 - 5/0 in size. Non-offset.
Finger mullet (live or cut pieces for redfish). Small croaker (alive for mainly trout). Shrimp (live or dead/cut for redfish and trout). Small crabs.
Top Dog. She Dog. GULP (all colors). MirrOlure. Hakala Gator Spoon. MorrOdine Lures. Plastic Screwtail Jigs (Variety of colors or styles). Plastic Jerk Baits rigged on Daiichi Butt-Dragger Weedless weighted Hooks.
Discover Boating
Florida Marine Guide
Coastal Conservation Association
All Florida fishing regulations apply, even though Mosquito Lagoon belongs to the U.S. government. The following special regulations apply to anglers fishing Mosquito Lagoon:
Anglers must possess a current signed Refuge Sports Fishing Permit at all times while fishing in refuge portions of Mosquito Lagoon. The permit is self-issuing and assures you have read and understand Merritt Island NWR fishing regulations.
You may fish at night from a boat in Mosquito Lagoon, but you may not wade or fish from the bank after dark. You may launch a boat at night from the following boat ramps within the refuge: Bairs Cove, Bio Lab, and Beacon 42. All other refuge boat ramps are closed to night launching.
You may not use air thrust boats, hovercraft, or personal watercraft in Mosquito Lagoon. Anglers must attend their lines.
Commercial fishermen and fishing guides are required to obtain an annual Special Use Permit.
Camping and/or overnight parking, firearms, and open fires are prohibited. Pets must remain on a leash or in your vessel.
To improve fishing and protect grass flats, two pole and troll zones have been established in Mosquito Lagoon. The zones are delineated with buoys. Within the zones, internal combustion engines must be shut off (except in posted channels), and vessels drafting more than 12 inches at rest must not enter. Vessels may be propelled by a non-motorized power source such as drifting, push poles, or paddles. Electric trolling may be used through the zones. Boats may operate internal combustion engines only in the posted channels within the pole and troll zones.
Lighten up by eliminating excess tackle and gear you carry aboard your boat. If you are not going to use it, don’t bring it. If you have not done so, purchase a graphite pole instead of using a fiberglass pole. Make sure trolling motor batteries are fully charged.
Consider using a canoe or kayak. They are relatively inexpensive and very light. Launch sites are quite close to the zones. Another tactic is to use your present boat as a mother-ship to haul a kayak or two to the vicinity of where you will be fishing before making your final approach via kayak.
Learn to use the wind to your advantage. With very little tidal flow in the lagoon, the wind can assist in moving you in the direction you want to go. Also, be sure to bring a rain jacket. Afternoon squalls come up quickly, and moving out of the zones might take longer than you have come to expect.