WEEKLY FORECAST
1.7.2024 – 1.13.2025
CENTRAL FLORIDA’S BEST FISHING REPORT
It was a heart wrenching December for the Space Coast fishing community, as we lost another “Great One” in beloved local leader, and everyone’s favorite fishing bud, Steve Goff. A Celebration of Life will be held for Steve on Saturday, January 18, at 1pm at Kiwanis Island Park.
With the coldest temperatures we’ve seen yet this winter set for the week ahead, it’s probably gonna be a tough week for fishing. But, we’ve got a load of reports to dig into in this week’s forecast, plus, a winner of the Gator-themed Cornhole set courtesy of Carroll Distributing…
WEATHER & CONDITIONS
BITE OPPORTUNITY INDEX
OFFSHORE
INSHORE
SURF
FRESHWATER
Weather Overview
It looks like we are I for a cold breezy week head. This will be the coldest week we have had so far this winter. Winds will be out of the NNW Tuesday through Thursday. Friday, the wind will switch out of the ESE. Saturday it takes a turn out of the SW before switching back out of the NW on Sunday. Our coldest days will be Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday with the high temperatures being in the upper 50’s to low 60’s. Rain chances appear to be low all well but if the current forecast holds, Saturday we could get some showers.
Resources
GIVEAWAYS
Weekly Strike-Zone Giveaway
Each week, we’ll randomly draw a name from our email subscriber list to award a $20 Strike-Zone Fishing Gift Card. To enter, all you need to do is subscribe to our weekly forecast email (once subscribed, you’re eligible to win EVERY week).
Congrats to this week's winner, John Norwood, Rockledge
NOTICE: If you are announced as a winner, you must EMAIL US within 5 days to claim your prize (please include your phone number and mailing address), or your prize will be forfeited and added back into the giveaway pool for future winners.
LATEST Reports
Weekly Report
This past week has been an exciting one on the water! As a new fish finder owner, I’ve been learning a lot about the underwater landscape and behavior of our local fish species. The technology has allowed me to discover hidden drop-offs, pinpoint the depths where fish are holding, and track down bait schools.
On the fishing front, snook have been biting well early in the day, followed by a consistent sheepshead bite throughout the day. Mangrove snappers are also making a strong appearance, and I’ve been catching a good number of keeper-sized trout in deeper water along the mangroves.
Other notable sightings include large schools of mullet and jacks feeding on them along the shore. With the warming water, the fish are becoming more active, and the bite is heating up.
Looking forward to seeing what the coming week brings!
Goodbye Schooling Drum
The weather is the same but the bite has definitely changed from last week. The giant schools of black drum we reported last week all but disappeared this week. So as we always do we go back to searching the lagoons for the next decent bite. Fortunately for us, growing up here and spending over 250 days a year for the last 30 years on these lagoons, we don’t have to get out of our comfort zone to put our customers on the bite. Productive shorelines are scattered around our lagoons and these areas are day savers in many cases when the bigger fish don’t want to cooperate. Redfish, snook and speckled trout hang out in mangrove roots and branches. These fish are usually ready to snap up a well placed live shrimp or small soft plastic lure. We’ll be back out there this week looking for those giants but we have options if that gameplay doesn’t work.
Book with us today at FinelineFishingCharters.com or give us a call at 321-636-3728 so that we can answer any questions you may have. Let’s get out there and catch your next memory!!
American Shad on the St. John’s River
American Shad with Paul
Happy Monday Spacefish!
Today I am going to give a report on a really awesome fishing trip I went on last week, with local angling legend, and outdoor writer extraordinaire, Paul MacInnis. For me, on a personal level, this fishing trip was pretty special. Here are 3 reasons.
#1 – I got a chance to tag along with Paul, who is someone I admire and look up to, not just for being a fantastic angler, but a great writer. I have been reading Paul’s work since I moved here 5 years ago. Google him, and you will know what I mean. He has some awesome content not just on Spacefish, but on other platforms as well.
#2 – My toxic trait is that I have an unhealthy obsession with the life, and Travels of William Bartram. If you’ve never heard of Bartram, you are really missing out on a cool piece of American & Florida History. When the British gained control of Florida from the British, William Bartram was commissioned to go on a journey through the new Florida territory, he traveled down the St. John’s River, drawing and journaling along the way. Many believe Bartram was the first to write about catching Largemouth Bass in the St. John’s. His encounters with Alligators, Native Americans, and his journey through a wild & untamed Florida makes for a truly epic read. It is both entertaining, and educational.
#3 – I got a chance to scratch a new species off the bucket list, and got a chance to learn some new tricks & techniques in the process! Not only that, but I got a chance to do it in one of the most beautiful fisheries imaginable. The St. John’s River from Lake Poinsett in Cocoa up to Lake Harney truly is a wild and scenic river. As I experienced on this trip, it can be an area that provides exciting fishing action to go along with the natural beauty and aesthetic
Shad Techniques
Out of respect to Paul, who graciously took me to his spots and helped me to get on a lot of fish, I am not going to share a launch spot, or go into particular detail on spots today. But I am going to talk a little bit about the techniques used. Following his recent written piece for Spacefish, we used tandem rigs, each one with 2 different baits. I used a tandem rig with a white & chartreuse jig; and another rig with an orange/pink jig and a small silver spoon.
We trolled in our pedal kayaks up and down a particular stretch of the river, once we got a hit or two, we would stop and fish that area. Even getting out at certain spots and fishing from the bank. Which offered a nice changeup from the pedal driven kayaks.
Pictured below is me with one of the bigger Shad caught that day, this one came off the orange/white curly tail jig. However most of the fish were caught on the silver spoon on this trip.
American Shad I
Fishing the “Flush”
As Paul wrote on Spacefish a few weeks ago, there is a phenomenon currently happening called the “big flush.” To summarize…the minnow population explodes with the excess of water at the end of the rainy season. When the water recedes in the winter, the minnows are pushed back into the main channel of the river, which ignites a feeding frenzy.
The cool thing about that is when you are using the smaller baits, and covering a lot of water, you will come across some interesting species via by-catch. Paul, and I both caught Crappie/Specks, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redbreast, and Catfish.
Another thing you can do, if you bring along the necessary tools, & equipment is to sacrifice one of your panfish, and put out chunks of natural cut bait, and you have a great chance of catching some large & prehistoric species of River Monster. Here is one of the first written reports I remember reading from Paul – https://spacefish.com/st-johns-river-monsters/
Paul M on the SJR
American Shad
Ok, so I will be honest. I never really allowed myself to buy into the hype that these fish were like smaller, freshwater Tarpon. I mean nothing can be like a Tarpon right? Well, I will say, the hype is deserved. They do not have the stamina of a Tarpon, but they have the Tarpon colors, aerial ability, and even have shocking resemblance in the face/mouth to a Tarpon. They are much easier to subdue, but they have all of the cool fighting ability and are a beautiful fish to catch and see how the sunlight can reflect a plethora of colors across their scales.
They also have their place in American History! According to the Outdoor Writer Alice Jones Webb, “there is no fish more American than the humble shad.” While Shad may not be our first choice of fish to eat today, this species was a crucial part of the early North American culinary traditions. The late winter/early spring migration of millions of spawning fish into coastal Atlantic rivers made the shad a staple food for North America’s inhabitants long before Europeans arrived in North America.
Once the Europeans arrived, they began to harvest these fish, and would preserve them by salting/brining them in barrels. George Washington was regarded as one of America’s first Shad fisherman, and there is even a famous book called The Founding Fish, written by John McPhee where he goes into the history of Shad fishing in America. The Black Rifle Coffee Company even has a “Beware The Delaware” coffee flavor featuring an iconic image of George Washington riding an American Shad across the Delaware River. Historians will say it’s fabricated, but we can all agree that none of us were there for that monumental moment in history, I can neither confirm nor deny whether he crossed by boat, or by Shad.
Beware the Delaware
The Clock is Ticking
If American Shad fishing is something you have an interest in, now is the time to do it. With the springtime rapidly approaching, these fish will leave the area once they are done spawning, so get in, while the getting is good! I promise you will not want to miss out on an exciting fish, in a really beautiful fishery!
American Shad II
Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to read the report today! If you are in the market for a kayak that would allow you to do some effective trolling for Shad, and Specks on the St. John’s River make sure to stop in at Kayaks By Bo in Cocoa and look at their full line up of top-notch fishing kayaks!
Stay safe, be happy, and go catch some fish! Until next time!
Fun Fishing on the Reefs
The kingfish have been on the reefs one day in good numbers and then the next day they’re not. It’s been kind of odd honestly. Pogies are showing up in the port, actually more into the bite but they are there. Catching bait before you run offshore always stacks the deck in your favor. Bottom species that have been most consistent are triggerfish and lane snapper. This is fun chicken-rig fishing that the kiddo’s love. You don’t need to go farther than the reef, this is where the action is concentrated.
The Spawn is HAPPENING!
It was all about the Jerk bait bite this week. Cabin fever is done for the year for me as I fished 4 out of seven days. I remember when I was young that was nothing for me but now I have to say I’m tired! I fished 2 days on the lagoon and 2 days on freshwater. I was quite surprised by the low waters on the lagoon but when fishing mangroves it was simpler as the bush was on dry land now. The fish can’t get to them so hang ups in the trees were none. Several nice trout, a few small snook and even a black drum all ate my little suspended jerk bait lure (Yo Zuri 3 D Fingerling).
The freshwater bite, on the other hand, was epic for me with the number of fish caught. Mostly all buck bass and they were all peeing. So the spawn is happening folks. This is a special couple of months in our freshwater fisheries as we are now in a situation of pre-spawn and post-spawn time frame. And I always do well throwing the same lure as I did in the salt. Everyone has a confidence lure for certain times of the year but that Fingerling is a 365 day best bet for me to have a catching day. I think 24 years of having it tied on my line shows for itself. We have a full moon this Wednesday so we should see some big females moving up to spawn. Water temperatures are creeping up to the mid to high seventies so the bite will be more aggressive as the weeks go on.
Clean, Warm Water
Had a great week of fishing inshore and off the beach. The warm temps have increased the water temperature to the low-mid 70s and the snook and trout became more active. Live bait is best for snook and the trout will eat both artificial and live bait. The water is very clear so the fish are wary and long casts are important. The clean water has made the inlet fishing tough this week.
Beach fishing has been fantastic. A lot of mackerel, bluefish and jacks in the trough and some spinner and blacktip sharks following the macs and blues. There have also been a few schools of tarpon around the bait pods along the beaches. Live bait has been working on the tarpon but if you can put in the time, DOA Baitbusters will work as well. This week’s weather is looking favorable with light winds and warm temps and the fishing should continue to be good.
Fish Loving the Warmer Surf
The fishing picked up well in the middle of last week when the water temperatures rose, and it was great to have good weather added into the equation. People were bringing in whiting, black drum and a few keeper pompano. They were still accompanied by baby sharks and bluefish, but it was nice to add a little variety to the bags.
The upcoming weather this week looks like it will be a bit breezy, but the waves should stay relatively calm, averaging around three feet.
I kid you not—almost every color and style of pompano rig was catching fish, but each day, a different color seemed to work best. One day it was orange, the next day pink, and the day after that, white. Each person who walked through the shop doors swore by the color they bought—haha!
The surf was calm enough to get by using 3-4 ounce pyramid leads, so there wasn’t a need to buy those expensive Sputniks. But hey, I get it—some people like what they like. The bait of choice, by far, was a piece of frozen or fresh dead shrimp paired with a little Fishbite on top. MAKE THAT SANDWICH—haha!
It’s important to make sure your shrimp piece is peeled and about the size of your thumbnail—maybe a tad bigger. The fish this time of year are a little slower and prefer fine dining, so try to make it as easy as possible for them to pick up and eat.
Next week, on Monday, February 17th, at 6 PM, I’ll be at Pineapple’s Bar in Melbourne for Salt Strong’s chapter meeting, giving a rundown on surf fishing gear maintenance and announcing a special fisherman’s challenge for the month of March!
As always, tight lines, and see you next week!
Hit or Miss Fishing @ Inlet
Publix Mike, aka the “drum doctor,” caught this 70-pound “big ugly” while fishing for snook early Wednesday morning on a flair hasw jig on the south jetty.
Good morning all you Sebastian Inlet fans, I hope everyone enjoyed the fantastic weekend we had again! It sure was nice out. So here we go, lets “spring” into the report. Lol.
Fishing at the inlet has still been a hit and miss deal, but more on the “hit” side, with all sorts of action going on when the fish decide to bite, and the bite has gotten more reliable for those putting the time. The water has cleaned up a lot, the seas have stayed pretty calm for the most part, and the key thing here is the water temperature has gone up to a more acceptable level for the fish to want to play. The last two days it has been hovering right around the 70 degree mark, and if it gets up to 72, things will improve even more. And the fact that there is bait around in the inlet, is another bonus. I have seen majorra in the back, threadfin’s everywhere around the tips of the jetties, and the tide rip south side, and the big black mullet/roe mullet are in the inlet. The key ingredients are there, just need the water to warm some more. So here we go with the meat of the report.
North side, in the back
Back here I have gotten reports of some spotted seatrout, a few flounder and small snook being caught on live shrimp, on the incoming tide. Also being caught back here have been a few black drum and pompano. Live or dead shrimp are the baits being used.
South Jetty
Over here the action has been mostly on the outgoing tide, at the tip. Lots of small bluefish, jack crevalle, blue runners all on spoons and jigs, and cut baits. Pompano have been around on sand fleas, but not a big number of them. The talk of the south jetty has been the black drum, quite a few have been caught on sand fleas and shrimp, either live or dead. There has also been large schools of the “big uglies,” which is what they call the drum over 30 pounds, showing up swimming around the jetty in the early morning tides. Several of the fish were caught last week during the early morning outgoing tide on flair hawks! Yes these huge fish will eat a jig! Some were caught on dead shrimp as well. Th ones I saw caught were averaging in the 25-70 pound range. Big breeder fish! These fish of that size are usually NOT good to eat, the flesh is very gamey, tough, and the fish flesh is usually full of round worms that make it very non appealing! It is suggested that you please return these big breeders back into the water to make more! There also has been some of the smaller, edible ones being caught in the 15-24 inch range, perfect size for eating.
One day last week the big blues made a pass by again, with only a couple being caught on large silver spoons. On the incoming tide there were a few small snook caught, and some redfish as well. Thumper jigs did the trick for them. Along the shoreline from the bridge back to the T dock it has been pretty slow, some sheepshead and drum are being caught on the incoming, but not like the numbers being caught on the jetty.
T Dock Area
Back here it has been a hit and miss deal too, with the incoming being the better tide with the cleaner water. Black drum, whiting and some sand perch are being caught on dead shrimp. There has also been a few nice snook caught on live majorra and the thumper jigs, but not too many as the water is still a bit cool for them to “wake up”. The nigh time snook bite from what I hear has been decent, outgoing tide on flair hawk jigs.
Surf, both sides
The surf just north of the north jetty has been producing quite a good number of nice pompano, black drum and whiting. Cut shrimp and sand fleas are the best. A few of the pompano I saw were in the 3 pound range! Healthy fish. Over on the south side surf, right by the jetty in the pocket there has been some small flounder still being caught on live mud minnows. But I was told that the majority of the flounder are too small to keep, but there have been a few big enough to go home. Also the bonnet head and Atlantic sharp nose sharks are still a problem, and the puffers. A little farther down the beach at the day use area, in the state park, the pompano, whiting and black drum fishing has been really good since the water has calmed down and cleaned up. It has been pretty busy down there for the last week. Live sand fleas is the key bait of choice for everything. And from what I have seen, it really doesn’t matter which tide, but the rising tide is usually better as the beach water gets deeper.
Well, that’s all I have for this week, better than what I have had! And like I said last week, I believe we are on our way to some better fishing and conditions. This week is supposed to be spring like conditions again, but with some winds picking back up a bit for the end of the week, but not bad. So it’s time to get out, enjoy the fun in the sun, catch some fish for dinner, or just hang loose at the beach. Everyone have a wonderful week!! Snookman.
Big Black Drum
The story this week has been all about the black drum with large schools of both slot size and breeder size tailing in the flats and eating a well placed shrimp. Offshore the lane snapper has been good with some cobia being picked up on the reefs. Be careful when running offshore, right whales as well as a great white shark has been spotted so be careful and be vigilant. I have days available in February and March. If you want to get out and catch some fish, you can call me at 386-295-5991.
Lake Headwaters Bass Report
The water temp is 71 degrees when we started this morning and 74 when we finished up. The S canal is clear as of noon today.
Top baits this week for me were the Bass Assassin RSB worms, and the Mike Bucca 5″ Trick Shad in Bone color.
I’m fishing the Green Pumpkin Jackhammers on wind blown points. I only use a 1/2oz with a Zako trailer to match or a Bass Assassin Whoopa Craw to match. I have been messing around with the Bruiser Bait Sidekick trailer for a week or so and it holds up better than the Zakos. It swims great too.
The new 5″ Mike Bucca Trick Shad in Bone color is my go to swimbait this week. I’m fishing these along thick grass edges near deep sharp drops or cuts near main canals. It is a fish catcher and it will work all over Headwaters.Swim these just under the surface for best results. Get on the Bullshad email mailing list so you can get the bait drop info.
I’m fishing the Bass Assassin RSB worms (Gooseberry) with a 1/8oz weight. The fish are in the hydrilla near spawning flats. I’m using a 5/0 VMC Redline EWG hook.
If you want to catch a bunch of fish pick up some shiners and free line them in deep water grass lined areas.
Check out this giant my buddy Kevin Gillispie caught on February 6th. She was almost 12lbs and full of eggs!!
Call or text me at 304-610-6066 to book a trip of a lifetime. I have some outstanding guides that work for me that have availability as well.
Tight lines!
Quick Report from the Surf
Quick report! Got out for one day last week and we had some good strikes but not as many as expected. Water conditions were a solid 8/10 that deteriorated as the tide started to go out, we fished Live sand fleas on almost every hook with FishGum Fleasicle on the rest. It seemed that the whiting preferred the hooks baited up with a live flea and FishGum combo. We caught a barely keeper sheepshead, big whiting, big palometa and a double-up of pompano in a 3 hour trip. The conditions look like they’re setting up for a bit of a weather change which always brings good fishing if you can fish those good weather windows.
Tight lines everyone and catch ’em up!
Weekend Report
Get the latest word on the bite with Damon from Spacefish on the Mark Moses Show. We talk local fishing every Friday on the air at 4pm.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA
CATCH A BIG SMILE WITH JASIN YOUMANS DMD!
LOCAL EVENTS
SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY!
Don’t forget, if you’ve been fishing, we’d love to hear from you!
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