Fly Fishing
Fly fishing continues to evolve as one of the top ways to sight fish the inshore waters of coastal Florida. Whether it be redfish, sea trout, tarpon, snook, or black drum, the world famous Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon, minutes from Orlando and Daytona Beach, are ripe for anglers seeking saltwater fly fishing opportunities. To learn more about these water's that Capt. Nathaniel guides clients in professionally, click one of the following: Mosquito Lagoon, New Smyrna Beach, Indian River Lagoon.
Outside of the Florida Keys, the Mosquito Lagoon must be considered one of the top destinations for pursuing inshore gamefish with a fly rod. It's the premier stop in the State of Florida for Redfish. Quickly becoming one of the most popular gamefish, redfish give fly fisherman ample visual targets to cast to, and once hooked, provide long runs that dig deep into your backing. World record redfish live here, with average bull redfish on the flats ranging from 20-50lbs.
At other times during the year, giant trophy Sea Trout become the ultimate test for sight fishing with a fly. Their uncanny ability to detect your presence make stealth and soft presentation a critical factor for success. Our trophy sea trout, with weights reaching into the teens, are often regarded on par with bonefish in terms of difficulty to catch.
During warmer parts of the year, Tarpon provide good fly fishing opportunities. While we lack the strings of tarpon like those found roaming in the Keys, our early morning tarpon fishing can be outstanding, with fish over 100lbs a distinct possibility. If the conditions are right, tarpon can be found "laid up" during the late morning, providing good targets for the accurate fly casters with the following reaction strikes being nothing short of incredible
Outside of the lagoon, Snook become a fly fishing target around docks, bridges, and mangrove islands. To our advantage, snook here on Florida's east coast grow faster and heavier than anywhere else in in the state. During the winter, snook can be found sunning themselves on shallow shorelines and are eager to eat a well placed fly. As spring and summer bring warmer water and more food, snook spread throughout the region and congregate in and near their spawning grounds. During this time of the year it’s common to find some of the year’s biggest snook.
Black drum are year round visitors. While these fish aren't in the same numbers as their redfish and trout cousins, they are bulldog fighters once hooked. Generally they are a sucker for a black fly over any other lure.
Common fly rods ranges from 7-9 wts. and are adequate for most fish found on the Space Coast. Floating lines are standard for the shallow flats, with intermediate sinking lines for fish found in slightly deeper waters. For larger species, like tarpon, a 10-12 wt becomes the rod of choice.
Streamers, minnows, crabs, and shrimp imitations fill the fly box. Capt. Nathaniel ties all of his own flies and each are proven successful for this area. His flies are generally tied on #2 through 2/0 hooks and are either unweighted or slightly weighted. Nearly all have a weedguard to prevent fouling on the grass flats. Popular colors are chartreuse, brown, olive, black and red.
The Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon are prime fly fishing destinations, book your trip today to experience the best fly fishing outside of the Florida Keys and Everglades.
