mosquito lagoon fishing trip

This week was a great one as they are all great, but this one especially, because accompanying us on this week’s journey was none other then my dad. Unfortunately, he’s not able to make it out most of the time because of work. The man taught me everything I know about fishing growing up, having me on the boat from the time I was just four years old. Looking back on it, how he had the patience to deal with me, I have no idea. I’m glad he did, though, because forever on I’ve been addicted to it! As you can see it was important to me to ensure we caught fish, so the pressure was on.

After making the hike from Fort Lauderdale at 1 AM, we arrived at Mosquito Lagoon Fish
Camp and had everything ready with the boat in the water by 5:30. My dad made his appearance on the scene, we say a quick “hello,” grab rods and head to Brian’s flat. We pulled up to the sloping edge of the flat close to the edge of the island and threw out chunks of fresh mullet and blue crab niblets (halved blue crabs) alongside the bank and closer to the the flats drop off. The old man was the first one to pick up a healthy 30″ redfish off the mullet hunk. After 4 blistering runs, Jerry dips the net in the water for the assist and redfish caught. After a couple pictures, back to the lagoon she went.

I was happy the skunk fish was off the boat at the hands of the father figure. With baits back out in the water it wasn’t much longer before another hungry redfish decided to grenade my crab morsel. After a few long tense runs I net the fish and to our surprise… she’s 26 1/2″. In the cooler she goes! My dad loves redfish, so we had to keep a few. Now excited, the day feels fishy. At only 8:00 or so, we reposition the boat and quickly place our baits along the shoreline. Again, not long before yet another apparently starving redfish obliterated my crab piece. That fish unfortunately for Pa was 28″ and had to go back.

After a pretty decent lull in the action we moved to the very large sunken tree basin flats. Armed with the knowledge the fish were cruising shorelines I searched the shore with a D.O.A. cal paddletail on a jighead. It wasn’t long before a bottom slot redfish pounded the jig letting us know we were in the right place. We poled down and threw out our cut baits to soak. They couldn’t soak very long, the geezer slams the rod back on what looks to be an eater redfish. She was. In the cooler she goes. Us. We went back to the camp cleaned up and drank beer.

The second day we go back to Brian’s at the a**crack of dawn to find the fish in the same spot, again not long before a slot red nukes my crab. Another one for the cooler. Jerry manages a smaller slot red that went back and it seemed our luck was out because all that was had from the rest of the day was a 17″ seatrout so again off to the the camp to drink beer.

The third and final day we start off at Brian’s and yet again the fish are still holding strong. The old guy manages to grab the first redfish within minutes of anchoring down followed by a nice 3# seatrout. Moving off the flat after not much more action other then a couple really big sailcats we move up into the backwaters where a few tailing redfish give us the fin as they haul off in a way only redfish do. I was apparently plagued the final day because I got skunked. Broke fish off, couldn’t hook up, I just couldn’t catch a break. All was well in the end. Jerry finished off the day with a redfish so barely over the slot 2 days ago he would have been in it. A good time was had by all, though I got skunked it was ok because my good friend and daddy-o caught fish and had fun so I did my job!

Back off to Fort Lauderdale now, so to the lagoon we say auf wiedersehen until the weekend after labor day. It was such a great time being able the take out the man responsible for my obsession with fishing and putting him on some quality fish. Just something about it all really stood out to make this trip one for the books!

Reflecting back on the trip, everything is a learning experience. This trip it seemed more and more apparent that the redfish in the lagoon have followed a similar pattern in these hot months, and that is very, very, early is the prime time action. Odds go down significantly after 9 or 10. Not to say you wont catch some, but fish are feeding much more actively in the early morning time. Some fish can also be caught in late afternoon.

You have to understand that though redfish are shallow water dwellers, the water was consistently reading 89° by 11:00, the fish get uncomfortable as we do so they search for deeper cooler water and my feeling is they for the most part shut down. Again, you can still find a bite or 2 but not like the early morning. I feel like they rush the flats early, fill up with as much as they can and go rest in the hottest months.

The other pattern that emerged was every redfish caught was cruising shorelines with some kind of drop off close by. The drop off could be very subtle but it was part of the pattern. Also, bait-wise, the fish were not picky. Any cut bait is good. Ladyfish, mullet, blue crabs, pinfish are all great options.

I hope this helps anyone who wants to target these fish. I’m signing off until next time the week after Labor Day!