Big schools of black drum on the move in the lagoons.🤩
I spent the past week fishing the Canaveral national seashore area, both from shore and on my hobie outback kayak.

If your able to start at 1st light the shallows and flats are hot for topwater action but it quicky shuts down once that sun 🌞 is up and it warms up. 🔥
Spent 2 days fishing pattilo creek, both shore and from my kayak.  Lots of juvenile tarpon in the deep areas.
The flats and shallows shut down after 8am and the sun is out.  🌞
So I switched it up and went looking around the deeper cuts, channels and any moving water I could find.
  If you don’t see any signs keep moving. 
Once you find them, they are thick.  🤩 I went from dead spot to dead spot with no signs of life…….to seeing multi species cruising the mangroves and ledge.👍
In pattillo creek, I found a good 100 yards of mangroves that had a steep drop off, 1 foot to about 8 feet. 
All of the sudden I was seeing small groups of decent sized reds cruising the edge just off of the drop off.   Some smaller snook tucked into the mangroves. Some smaller sheep’s head and even snappers in the mix.  Then I started to find some schools of a dozen plus black drum… good sized ones too. They too were cruising that ledge. 😉
You will go from catching nothing to catching everything once you find where they are holding.
I was free lining a live shrimp and also using a popping cork with a live shrimp.
I was drifting that deep drop off along the mangroves.  Sight casting big back drum, reds and a few small snook.
  A 20″ and a 26″ black drum was the biggest of my trip.
Another tip, and a way to save some 💰 money…
Right now,  all over the Canaveral national seashore is lots of fiddler crabs.   You can sneak up and hand grab half a dozen at a time.  I got 3 dozen in 10 mins.
(Keep the area healthy for years to come… Only take what you plan to use that day or next day, release what you dont use)🙏
Fiddler 🦀 crabs are an important part of the ecosystem in our lagoons. 
Pair a fiddler with a sheepshead jig.  Very carefully rig that crab on the tip of the hook just past the barb.
Cast along the drop offs and ledges.  These fish are holding on that ledge…swimming up under the mangroves and feeding on these fiddler crabs.  
You know the saying..”match the hatch”   🤗
I ran into one angler out there, struggling to get on some fish.  I gave him some advice on working the ledge and gave him a couple sheepshead jigs, and a hand full of fiddler crabs. 😁
  Not even 10 mins of him casting it out….  He had a new P.B black drum on the other end.

Ran into a few anglers fishing the area of gator creek and catfish creek. 
Rumor has it…. some big schools of black drums have been spotted moving into the flats this week.  Guys were seeing big drum backs coming out of the water and guys were catching limits😮. 
But just as fast as they are found….next day they can be gone and nothing but catfish. 😬

So….the take this week for Canaveral National Seashore.
  It’s hot as hell🥵, fishing is decent at 1st light with topwater, after 8am fishing is very slow until you find the fish.  So key is to keep moving.  Drive those roads around gator creek, catfish creek, pop into pump house and look for signs of these big schools of black drum…..Maybe cast a few times…but if no signs and no bites..move to the next spot.
  The black drum are definitely on the move.  But if you find them, your sure to catch a limit.🤩  Shrimp or fiddler crabs as bait seem to be the hot ticket right now.

If targeting the tarpon or snook.  A small jig and swimbait seems to lead to the most hits….
Lots of the fish caught are coughing up loads of these 1″ glass minnows.🤔
   So again.🫵..Match the hatch!
  A friend got a small tarpon on a small white jig swimbait. Like 1 to 2″ profile.
I vloged my trips this week and also showed how I like to rig my fiddler crabs 😁 on my YouTube channel “Thumpr Fishing”

As always everyone.  Stay safe, stay hydrated and tight lines 😎🤙

Gear used.😎👇
🔵Florida fishing products (FFP) osprey 3000, 10pound braid, on a 7′ Fenwick inshore elite medium fast
⚪️FFP resolute 4000, 20lb braid on a 7′ med-heavy, fast action UGLY stick
🟣Bajio polarized sunglasses
⚫️Heddon chug n spook topwater. Sheepshead jigs for fiddler.
4 horsemen popping cork, circle hook live shrimp.
🟢Bug spray…bug spray…bug spray 🦟
🔵Space coast bait and tackle, live shrimp.

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The temperatures this past week have been hot to say the least reaching mid 90s and feeling well over a hundred but with that being said that bite has been fire early morning to mid morning. We have had plenty of bait covering the shallow flats of Mosquito Lagoon along with the back waters of New Smyrna Beach.

Look for the trout, redfish and snook to be shallow early and as the day heats up they will be falling off to the edges in a little deeper water. Live bait and artificials have been both working well in the shallows and deeper shorelines. Throwing plugs early have been producing some great bites on snook, jacks and trout as moving to live bait when the sun gets up has been tricking the redfish and other species.

The weather looks to be consistent into next week which means this bite should continue to be good.

This week we fished 3 Forks and Headwaters. 3 Forks at daylight has been remarkable. Popshad and boy howdee type baits have really proven themselves. Scattered grass clumps and depth changes are key.

Around 8 am the fluke and worm bite is a great choice along with chatterbaits, square bills and jerkbaits are working. I am off water by 11 to noon depending on wind and cloud cover.

Headwaters has been topped out in alot of areas. Topped out hydrilla and grass clumps gave us some good fish. Jerkbaits chatterbaits and flukes are good as shad spawn is in full force. Fishing has been good weather is blistering stay hydrated. Be nice

This week, I targeted the mangrove shorelines in the Indian River, focusing on early morning fishing trips to beat the heat. The bite has been consistent throughout the morning, slowing down as the sun rises higher in the sky.

Fishing Conditions

– Water Level: Dropping, opening up new access points into the mangroves
– Bugs: Intense, especially in the mangrove areas
– Fishing Hours: Early morning, off the water by 9 am

Successful Techniques

– Targeting windblown areas to reduce bug activity and find active fish
– Skipping small paddle tails and Lil Johns on jig heads under shaded structure
– Topwater lures worked slow for snook and redfish along the mangroves
– Faster retrieves in deeper water for jacks

Species Caught

– Snook
– Redfish
– Trout
– Flounder
– Jack Crevalle

Tips and Recommendations

– Take advantage of the dropping water level to explore new access points into the mangroves
– Focus on making accurate casts under shaded structure as the sun rises higher
– Be prepared for intense bug activity and take necessary precautions

Mark Gajownik shared this photo of his grandson, Franklin, who caught a mutton snapper at the north jetty.

Good morning, Sebastian Inlet anglers and sightseers; I hope everyone had a great weekend. The weather was awesome, and so was the fishing! The action was all over the inlet, but the north side was the better spot due to the cleaner water. There were baitfish in and around the inlet over the weekend: finger mullet, greenies and pilchards, mojarras in the back, but still NO glass minnows in the surf that are usually present this time of year. They have been largely a no-show all along the beaches. The action at the inlet has been the catch-and-release snook, redfish, good catches of mangrove snappers, Spanish mackerel, and a few hooked-but-not-landed cubera snappers. Here are your action spots:

North jetty

Here, most of the action has occurred during early morning and late evening high tide cycles, and on the FIRST of the outgoing tide at the tip. Live mullet and croakers have been the baits of choice for catch-and-release snook and redfish. Most of the snook have been in the 34 to 40-inch range, which are the big breeder females; if you catch any of these big girls, PLEASE return them to the water as quickly as possible! They, just like us when they are worked too hard fighting to land them, have lactic acid build up in their muscles. They cramp and can’t swim, and become goliath or shark food. Again, please return them as quickly as possible. Also, the redfish being caught are nice, too, being in the 27 to 34-inch range, with some being bigger. Like the snook, return them to the water as quickly as possible.

Boaters fishing the tip of the jetty are doing very well with the snook and reds. If you can get good-sized live shrimp — which is kind of tough during the summer when they are small — they will work on the incoming tide for the snook and reds. During early high tide, anglers are catching Spanish mackerel on live greenies on the ocean side of the jetty. Around the pilings and rocks of the jetty on either tide, high being the better tide, mangrove snapper are around and being caught. Live shrimp, greenies either live or dead are the bait for them. Some sheepshead are possible as well on live fiddler crabs and cut shrimp. If you see any schools of finger mullet around, keep an eye out for schools of the big jack crevalles that will be following them. Big spoons, jigs and poppers will attract a bite from them. Moving inward toward the area between the jetty gates and bridge, the incoming tide has been producing mangrove snapper on greenies, live or dead, or cut. Small live croakers or mojarras have been producing catch-and-release redfish as well.

South jetty

On this side, same thing. Most of the action occurs during the early morning, and late evening high tide cycles. Catch-and-release snook and reds are biting all live baits. The snook on this side are smaller than the north side, but still fun to catch! Mangrove snapper can be caught all along the rocky jetty/shoreline on live shrimp, greenies either live or dead/cut. Most of the snappers are still small, 10 or 11 inches, but larger examples are being caught. At the tip on the outgoing tide, same cast of characters as always, black margates, blue runners, jack crevalles, and a few mangrove snappers mixed in to keep it interesting. Not to mention the annoying catfish and puffers that are ever present with the dirtier water on this side.

T-dock Area

Back here the action is still a little slow, but fish have been caught. Around the dock pilings and shoreline on either tide, angler are catching small mangrove snapper and mutton snapper on live and dead greenies. Also, look for Spanish mackerel, using live greenies and small white or green jigs. Mullet schools are coming into the inlet again and attracting big jack crevalles which can be caught on big silver spoons and jigs tossed to the channel area. The snook fishing back here has been a little slow due to the dirtier water, but they are catching some on the incoming tide on live mojarras and croakers. And again, back here too, the pesky puffers are ever present!

Surf Area, both sides

Again, same as last week: not too many people fishing at the beaches. Those fishing at the beach just north of the jetty where the water was cleaner told me they caught a few whiting and croakers, and an occasional catfish or two. South side, just a bit worse as the water was pretty dirty. Catfish, puffers and some small bonnethead sharks were caught. There has been a dearth of baitfish schools in the surf to attract much of what would be here along the coast for this time of the year.

That’s all I have for this week, friends. Expect some rain this week, but small seas (one to two fee) and SSE winds of five to 10 mph all week, so get your gear, bait, water and sunscreen and hit the inlet to see what happens. Tight lines, everyone.

Doesn’t everyone enjoy summertime beach fishing in Florida? The sweltering heat, random thunderstorms, southeast winds stirring the waters, and bathtub-warm water! It’s been an off-and-on week with catches of the usual summertime whiting, local pompano, palometas, and ladyfish. This time of year, there aren’t a ton of food-grade fish, but the sharks are all over the place. However, targeting them can be a little tricky this time of year.

At the shop, I get countless questions daily on how to shark fish in the Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach area. Whether you’re after the giant 8ft+ sharks or the normal 3-6 ft sharks, there is a lot to learn about targeting and sizing your rigging to produce the best bites. Today, I’ll be talking about the 3-6 ft sharks, maybe even a tad longer, and how to gauge your techniques.

Call me crazy on this first method, but if a tarpon or big snook is swimming by, it has the best chance to hook them as well as the sharks. All you need are 2x-3x 5/0-6/0 inline circle hooks with 6 feet of 80# mono. Tie it directly to your braid using your favorite braid-to-mono connection. You will lose a lot more hooks fishing this way, but you will produce a lot more bites because there is no wire involved. If you hook a shark on the edge of its mouth, you’re not losing a hook, but you will have 20 people around taking celebrity photos of you, haha.

The second rigging to almost guarantee a nice shark if they bite the bait is using about one foot of #10 single-strand wire inline circle hook to swivel. Attach 5 feet of 200# mono with another ending swivel that will be tied to your main line, preferably 30-50# braid. If you stop by the shop, we can show you how to rig it up if that’s a little confusing.

The bait of choice is whole mullet cut in chunks, bonito steaks, stingray cutlets, and live whiting.

People seem to think that with these smaller sharks, they need super heavy setups to land them. Realistically, you don’t need heavy-duty setups unless your targets are giants. Setting yourself up with a 6000 series reel with 30-60# braid is all you need as long as you have the right leader setup. The rod doesn’t need to be crazy either; a standard medium-heavy 10-12 ft rod will work perfectly fine to get some cool pictures for your family. As long as the rod can cast a 4 oz lead, you’re good to go.

I’ll see y’all at the shop. Tight lines!

The inshore bite has been okay early morning. DOA shad tails have been productive along the mangroves that are a bit deeper. Water has been low, so finding some deeper drops around the mangroves is the key as well as finding bait pods.

The inlet bite has been okay with some snook, reds and plenty of jacks on live bait. Nearshore bite is still hit or miss with some scattered bait and fish. Put in a lot of time to find the bait and you can be rewarded with some tarpon, big jacks and sharks. Looking forward to more beach action this upcoming week.

Last week’s outings were a better catching time for me. We spent our first outing at 3 Forks. Our intentions were to head south but that didn’t work for us as we came very close to the end of the narrow trail that you must take in a boat to a disappointing stop. The trail was clogged up with floating hyacinth and debris from winds the days before. We managed to get the boat turned around and start the slow ride back the opposite direction and went to another area of the impoundment.

The topwater bite didn’t happen for us so changing over to throwing Beetle Spins we started catching bluegill and cichlids which was a slow bite to say the least. After tiring throwing this, I picked up my old trusty bubblegum Zoom trick worm and the bass accepted it. I managed 7 bass with this combo before it just got too hot to be out.

My next outing was at Headwaters. Being at the ramp in the dark we put the boat in the water and set off at safe light. It amazes me whether I’m out on the lagoon or in any freshwater lake how many boaters leave the dock in the dark in their boats and never turn on their navigation lights. Anyways, the bite was fast and furious for me on this outing. I pretty much threw nothing but a Gambler Popping Frog in the thicker hydrilla that had open areas mixed in. I boated a 4 then several 2-3 pounders within the first hour but my best fish so far on this impoundment came a little while after that weighed in at 7.2 pounds. Throwing this pattern you need to be throwing with a heavy action rod and at least 50 pound test braided line to be able to fight these fish out of the thick vegetation.

It was a great few days before the full moon started to show its bright shine in the sky. I’m not too optimistic about this week’s bite because of that factor but as they say “You’ll never Know if you Don’t Go.”

This week, the story has been all about tarpon with a few trout mixed in. The cold water up well has continued along the beach, keeping the tarpon in the river in great numbers. The best bite has been on live finger mullet or artificial mullet imitations. Look for the bite to continue through the full moon. The trout bite should start heating up next week too. Schools of redfish are still around in low water on the edges of the flats so keep your eye peeled for tailing fish.

Unlike the weather here in Central Florida the bite continues to stay consistently good. We have been starting early and finishing by mid morning to beat the heat and storms that have been hitting us all week. We are continuing to bring several species boat side like trout, redfish, snook and jacks. We still have a large amount of bait spread out through the backwaters of New Smyrna Beach south into Mosquito Lagoon. Target the bait pods early and move to the deeper edges of flats and shorelines as the sun gets higher. Plugs, soft plastics and live bait have all been working well.

It looks like the weather will be continuing through next week so watch out for those pesky afternoon storms.

Went out of Lakefront Park to the left and fished along the reeds and got this one on the 2nd cast, almost 2lbs. I stayed in a 100 yard stretch of water and got 8 on a Gambler Burner worm in Black and Blue flake with a blue tail and picked up a few more on a underspin with white minnow when they started breaking the surface chasing bait. It was all over by 715 and I moved to the canal leading to AJ Lake and got a couple more before calling it quits.