WEEKLY FORECAST
4.29.2025 – 5.5.2025
CENTRAL FLORIDA’S BEST FISHING REPORT
HOLY SMOKERS! Fired Up Charters blew it up this weekend getting into some massive mackerel!
This week, in addition to got some greqt reports, we’ve got a well-deserved spotlight on Boat Max Worldwide, and you’re not going to want to miss Knox Robinson’s story about his enlistment in the Shrimp Wars.
WEATHER & CONDITIONS
BITE OPPORTUNITY INDEX
OFFSHORE
INSHORE
SURF
FRESHWATER
Weather Overview
It looks like the wind will pick back up some this week compared to last week. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the wind will be out of the E/ESE. Friday it should shift out of the SE. Saturday, it takes a SW turn in the morning before shifting back out of the SE in the afternoon. Sunday the wind appears to be out of the SE again. Sunday is the day with the lowest wind. Rain chances remain low this week with high temperatures moving into the mid to upper 80s.
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, Bryce Mendenhall, Clearmont
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
Toho and East Lake Toho
Fished Wednesday morning tournament on Toho out of Lakefront Park in Kissimmee and got the big fish of the tournament, 5.6lbs. I fished around Paradise Island across from Shingle Creek and got a few, worked my way around the back side with no luck so I went back out in the channel across from Shingle Creek and heard and saw some fish breaking the surface. So I threw out in the channel past where they were breaking the surface and got the big one and then a couple of 2lbs that I was able to culls some of the smaller ones out. Ended up with 12lbs 10 ounces, finishing just out of the money. Went to East Lake Toho on Saturday morning and started past Chisholm Park going towards Fells Cove and got 7 up to 2.20lbs. Went looking for a brush pile in Fells Cove but didn’t find it, so after a hour of looking I went back out to East Lake and fished towards Boggy Creek ramp and added another handful, pound and a half up to 2lbs. All fish were caught on the Bio Bait Enticer worm in Green Pumpkin with blue flake.
The Inshore Shrimp Wars: Volume 1
DOA vs Vudu: Battle of the Artificial Shrimp
Happy Monday Spacefish!
It is a beautiful spring morning on the East Coast of Central Florida. The sun hasn’t quite gotten up over the mangroves on the east side of the Indian River Lagoon, but it will soon. The sunlight is starting to slice its way through the limbs and leaves of the mangroves creating visibility for the angler into the world of shadows and barnacle encrusted roots where the Snook like to be. The water levels are lower than normal. The basement of this ecosystem has a higher ceiling than usual. It’s possible to get your lure into places that wouldn’t have been available in the rainy season. A new shoreline, endless possibilities – the first cast in a new spot is so crucial. Make sure you get close enough to make the first cast good enough. But don’t get too close to spook the fish. Open the bail, rare back, sling it in there. A natural translucent colored Shrimp lure, with a Chartreuse tail skips like a stone into a nice little shaded pocket between red mangrove roots. Damn, that’s a good cast. This could be it. You barrel have time to reel in the slack when all of a sudden you feel it. Thump. So you set the hook and the response is as immediate as it is intense.
In a matter of mere seconds a morning that was so peaceful and serene is anything but. Chaos succeeds tranquility.The rod in your hands is bent, the drag tight, the line is full of tension. You are so focused on the fish and trying to turn its head back towards you and a path out of the perils of the mangroves you realize your kayak has been pulled in closer to the mangroves but your nose is facing the wrong way. You realize you have already been brought into a subtle sandbar protecting a 2 foot drop off into the mangroves. How in the hell does that even happen??? No time to ponder it because you’re quickly being brought into an area shallow enough to ground your pedal drive. So you flutter your kicks to keep the pedals split and the fins off the hard sand while frantically reaching for the rudder cord so that it won’t be run into the ground and damaged.Good news, you got it up in time, bad news you have now lost all directional control. You try to backpedal, put you just spin and now you are facing out towards the open water with the rod wrapped around the side of the kayak back towards the mangroves.
This is probably it, it’s time to play your last card. Somehow you’ve ended up facing the wrong way and your legs are mashed on the pedal to keep your kick fins off the sandbar. Hail Mary time…. You cup the spool and pull back towards the front of the kayak. The fish thrashes the surface. It breaches with its mouth towards the heavens and shakes with all of its might trying to throw the hook. But the hook set was true and you have it hooked right in the top of the mouth. Relief. As long as you keep this line tight it will not chafe the leader. The Snook gambled when it came up for the head shake, now you have leverage, you pull off to the right side and get its head where you want it, you have a clear path to pull this fish out of the mangroves. It’s being pulled in, like it’s become a victim to a tractor beam in a sci-fi movie. It glides along the side of the kayak. All of that tussle in the mangroves has tired the fish and its bottom jaw is grabbed firmly by your right hand. Good Morning, Sunshine.
Snook on the DOA Shrimp
The Inshore Shrimp Wars: Volume 1
This week I decided to go out and test the DOA against the Vudu in a head to head competition.
Pictured below is my most quality fish from this weekend’s field testing. The DOA shined for me, it produced the most fish and the best fish. I personally believe the conditions and the environment were set up in favor of the DOA this weekend, and there may be other times and conditions in which the Vude may have the advantage. I’ll talk about the pro’s and con’s of both lures, and describe scenarios in which I think DOA would be the better option over Vudu, and vice-versa.
DOA Shrimp – The OG
Every industry has a standard bearer. Oftentimes it is animated, sometimes the competition improves upon it. Is the DOA Shrimp still the industry standard or has a newer, flashier, upstart dethroned it. Well… it’s tricky isn’t it?
I think it depends on the angler, and perhaps more importantly the situation. Did you know Central Florida is now under a “Severe Drought”? Water levels in the Indian River Lagoon are really low right now. The lack of rain has also significantly reduced run-off pollution. The water I was fishing (near Long Point) was so clean. I also focused on wind protected areas where I could try to sight fish along the mangroves. My most quality fish was caught in the early hours, but I was able to sight-cast a few smaller Snook, a Trout, a small Sheepshead and a few Mangrove Snapper in clean water.
The DOA Shrimp in this color was good for sight casting in clean water. It hits the water with a subtle sound and it drifts slowly. Shrimp lures with exposed lead, or a jig head often could spook fish in a similar situation. Also, the DOA skips significantly better than the Vudu. The smoother plastic vs the segmented TPE material of the Vudu definitely help to get this lure into the mangrove pockets and under docks to entice Snook.
The cons of the DOA are that it does not have great action when it’s being worked. Now that being said, if you ever look at Shrimp in a tank they just slowly glide and/or swim forward. That’s what I did if my DOA wasn’t hit on the fall or on the skip. I would glide it out as slowly as possible. Making it look like a Shrimp on the move (in no hurry). That being said, if the water would have been choppy, and murky I’m not sure how well it would have worked
Morning Snook in the Mangroves
Vudu Shrimp – The New Kid on the Block
I mentioned earlier that this wasn’t the best day, conditions for the Vudu. I kind of felt bad about it. I personally felt like I was being impartial. I left Long Point after 5-6 hours of fishing and drove up to Honest John’s and fished there another two hours. I casted the Vudu 2x as much there to make up for moving away from it down at Long Point. I focused on a shoreline that was being pushed by the wind, and the water was more turbulent and murky.
Earlier I mentioned how much better the DOA skips. The Vudu has a lead weight under the chin, and while it’s not easy and effective when employing side-armed skip casting, it does much better in the wind. It punches through the wind, and can be casted more accurately if you lob it in. Once it hits the water it sinks to the bottom faster and can be more effective in dirtier, wind blown water. It also has more erratic action when being bounced off the bottom and can kick up mud and debris to get a fish’s attention. It can catch fish on a slow and steady retrieve but in my experience does much better with a twitch-twitch-pause cadence.
So if fishing deeper water, and dirtier water, and more churned up water, the Vudu may be the better option for you.
Snook on the Vudu
The Winner Is?
I don’t think I can definitively declare one. I have had great experiences with both. As ObiWan Kenobi once famously said to a wayward Annakin Skywalker, “only a Sith deals in absolutes.” I think if you limit yourself to one or the other you may be missing out. I think if you are going to fish a shrimp lure, you should try them out for yourself and see which one gives you the most confidence.
DOA Lures is headquartered in Stuart, Florida. I have a feeling that this is a lure that was created for and tailored towards fishing the Indian River Lagoon at its best. Clean, calm water. A subtle and realistic presentation for fish that have a high level of visibility and can be easily spooked.
Egret Baits, the company that manufactures the Vudu Shrimp is from Louisiana. The fishing there is very different. The inshore fishery is muddy, and the tides are always fluctuating in or out. So I believe this shrimp lure performs better in those conditions. Which in the Indian/Banana River may be a good option for fishing wind blown areas of water that resembles chocolate milk from all of the runoff and algae.
Either way they are both good baits, and they have caught many fish, for many anglers!
Thank you for taking the time to read this report, and thank you to Kayaks By Bo for being our paddle partner! Stay safe, be happy, and go out and catch some fish this week!
Until next time!
Holy Smokers!
Capt. Joe with Fired Up Charters put on Kingfish clinic this weekend. Live bait can be caught in the bite before running offshore. Pelican and 8A have been producing well. They’re still some smaller dolphin being caught fishing these depths as well.
Boat Max Worldwide
Boat Max Worldwide
Business Spotlight
Glenn and Karrie Adams, owners of Orlando’s leading boat dealer, Box Max Worldwide.
Built on Passion, Driven by Trust
If you’re serious about boats — buying, selling, repowering, or just keeping one running smoothly — Glenn Adams and his team at Boat Max Worldwide in Orlando are the people to know.
With over 15 years in business and a lifetime of boating experience, Glenn has grown Boat Max from a humble consignment lot into one of Central Florida’s go-to full-service dealerships, featuring top-tier brands like Pioneer, NauticStar, Shearwater, Blackwood, and Sterling.
Boat Max’s Orlando location offers a large inventory of new and used boats, in addition to boating supplies, marine equipment and accessories, including electronics, safety equipment, trolling motors, fishing gear, and more!
“I Started as a Boat Detailer for $6.75 an Hour”
Glenn’s story isn’t your average business tale — it’s a classic Florida hustle. After leaving a high-paying job he didn’t love, he took a boat detailing position at Boat Tree, earning minimum wage just to be around boats. That gig launched a sales career that saw him rise to manage a $58 million operation before starting his own dealership.
“I was obsessed with boats before I even had a driver’s license,” Glenn said. “I used to read Keels and Wheels cover to cover like it was a comic book. When you love something like that, you find a way to turn it into your life.”
Full-Service. No Fluff.
Boat Max Worldwide is more than just a dealership — it’s a one-stop shop.
- Boat sales (new and used)
- Certified for Yamaha, Mercury, and Suzuki
- Mechanical and fiberglass repairs
- Gelcoat work, skeg repairs, prop reconditioning
- AmeraTrail and Infinity custom trailers
- Yamaha Repower Center status (a big deal in the marine world)
All work is handled by certified techs and marine pros who know their stuff — and most importantly, love what they do.
Boat Max Worldwide features a seasoned team of Yamaha Repower specialists with over 35 years of outboard installation expertise.
Brokerage with Integrity
What sets Boat Max apart from other dealerships is Glenn’s background as a licensed yacht and ship broker.
“Other dealers just flip boats. We’re bonded brokers, so we handle every sale through escrow. That protects the buyer and the seller — you don’t have to wonder if the title is clean or if the lien will be paid off.”
This attention to trust and transparency has earned Boat Max a loyal client base — including repeat buyers and high-profile clients who want things done right, without the nonsense.
“We Don’t Charge Dealer Fees. Period.”
Boat Max avoids the hidden costs that frustrate so many boat buyers.
“I’ve been at those dealerships where you get to the closing table and suddenly there’s a $999 fee. We don’t play those games. That’s just the cost of doing business — we absorb it.”
Because Boat Max owns their land and building, they’re not passing along bloated overhead costs to customers. That savings shows up in their prices and financing flexibility.
Boat Max customers couldn’t be happier after getting their brand new Shearwater Boat in the water!
Financing That Makes Sense
With access to 18 different lenders, Boat Max offers tailored financing options — even for boats with existing liens. Their brokerage structure allows for better rates and longer terms, often beating car loan interest rates.
“People are financing trucks for $950/month. You can finance a $70,000 boat for under $600,” Glen said. “And it’s a lot more fun than a pickup.”
David and Marcia are welcomed to the Boat Max family with their new Pioneer 180 Islander!
More Than Sales — It’s a Lifestyle
What truly fuels Boat Max is Glenn’s passion for the water — a passion he shares with every customer.
“When someone buys a boat, I take them out myself. I want them to feel confident and excited, not overwhelmed. We make boating accessible, and we stand behind our customers even after the sale.”
Boat Max also organizes cruise club trips — from scalloping to exploring the Keys — and invites customers to join in.
“These are real experiences with your family. It gets kids off their phones and creates memories that last forever. I’ll never forget the day we got caught in a waterspout down in the Keys — it’s one of my sister’s favorite stories.”
Boat Max’s “Florida Keys Takeover” is coming up — learn more on the event’s Facebook page.
Giving Back to the Water
Boat Max is deeply tied to the local boating and fishing scene. They sponsor:
- Central Florida Saltwater Anglers (CFSA)
- UCF / CCA oyster restoration projects
- East Orange Babe Ruth youth sports
- Holiday bike giveaways for underserved kids
“If we can clean the canals and give families a better experience on the water, that’s a win for everyone.”
Meet the Boat Max Worldwide team!
Real People. Real Boats. Real Service.
Boat Max isn’t trying to be the biggest — they’re focused on being the most trusted. With Glenn’s unmatched experience, honest approach, and passion for boating, they’ve carved out a unique space in the Florida marine world.
“Boating is freedom,” Glenn said. “You don’t get your time back. If it’s something you want to do, stop waiting. We’ll help you get on the water — and stay on the water — the right way.”
Want to turn weekends into unforgettable adventures? Boat Max Worldwide has the boats, the know-how, and the heart to get you started.
Visit Boat Max Worldwide
Location:
9700 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32817
Phone: (321) 866-0306
Website: boatmaxworldwide.com
Hours:
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm
Sat 9am–3:30pm
Sun by appointment
Good Drift Setup on Stick Marsh
The east winds we’ve been having makes for a good drift setup on Stick Marsh lately. Finding the 4-5 foot water areas and drift the remaining outer wood area has given up some good numbers of bass. Suspending jerkbaits are still my number one choice for bites when the wind is up but when we did have a lighter wind, the Wacky Worm really worked out well. I did see a little bit of schooling activity as well so I hope soon our topwater bite picks up.
On the bluegill side of things, we had a new moon over the weekend and I feel it might have got the spawning activity going for the next couple of months for us. When the winds are light, a 4 or 5 weight fly rod makes for a lot of fun throwing small streamer patterns in and around the lily pads. As soon as the wind picks up, replacing that fly pattern with your favorite little popper will make for a great experience. Conventional tackle a simple Beetle spin can’t be beat.
Dirty, Weedy Fun in the Surf
Man, the past few weeks have been wild with all the spring breakers crowding the beaches, but it’s finally about to calm down for us locals for a month or so… at least until the summer crowd rolls in. Fishing’s been hit or miss depending on what tides you fished and where the southeast winds pushed all that dirty water and junk. If you got lucky and found some clear water, you probably pulled in some nice whiting, black drum, margates, and a few pompano. Unless you’re Tung Pham — that guy’s got some kind of pompano cheat code or something, haha.
Best baits have been fresh dead shrimp pieces or just regular frozen shrimp. Just make sure you’re peeling them — if you don’t peel ’em and cut ’em about the size of your thumbnail, they’re either gonna get picked clean or go flying off your hook when you cast. Good bait really does make a difference. Speaking of that, we heard Blue Magic shrimp should be shipping out their fresh frozen stuff in about two weeks. No more brown shrimp or wild-caught junk!
Standard pompano rigs with orange, yellow or pink floats have been getting the most action. Weight-wise, it just depends on the waves, but this week you shouldn’t need more than a 4–5 oz lead. Pyramid weights have been the go-to lately with all the weed in the water.
And hey, don’t forget to bring some snook lures! They’ve been cruising the surf pretty good. Even though snook season’s about to close, it’s still a blast to hook into one.
Hope everyone has an awesome week — and as always, tight lines!
Good Fishing Despite Winds
Young man got a slot snook for dinner
Good week of inshore fishing despite the winds. Spring is here and water temps have climbed to the low 80s midday and the snook have been active. Along with warmer water, the clarity is fantastic for sight fishing as the water is clear up to 6′ in most places which is great for sight fishing fanatics. However, the big snook and trout are very wary and spook easily in the clear waters.
Chris with an overslot snook!
There are plenty of big snook in the lagoon around the deeper shorelines along the mangroves. Fish will eat artificial baits early and live bait throughout the day. Big jacks are starting to show up in the lagoon, if we could get out on the beach consistently, we could have a blast catching them but it’s good to see some in the lagoon. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for calmer winds and west winds so we can get out on the beach for some sharks, tarpon, kingfish and jacks.
Port Canaveral Offshore
What to expect out of Port Canaveral to close out April and kick off the month of May.
Weekend Fishing Forecast
Breaking down Space Coast fishing for the weekend ahead with Mark Moses!
Offshore:
Good action continued with kingfish and some dolphin around 8A and Pelican reefs. Also, it’s tuna time! There have been some good yellowfin tuna caught on the other side this week as well. Weekend looks good!
Nearshore:
There are schools of glass minnows showing up with bonita, Spanish mackerel and tarpon on them. Good snook action at Port Canaveral. Live bait like croakers and pilchards have been the best baits.
Surf:
The surf has been super tough this week. East winds have pushed a lot of seaweed onto the beaches.
Lagoons:
The redfish bite has been good. Look for deeper channels and flats that are typically deeper. These areas are where your fish are going to be. They like the shallows to feed but also need deeper water or some type of structure for protection so the bridges and larger broken docks with any kind of depth will be holding fish.
Freshwater:
April through October is peak spawning season for bluegill with May being the best. Fly fishermen love this fishery so it’s a great time to break out those light spinning rods and fly rods.
Dry Spell
The weather conditions continue to be high and dry across Central Florida. With the lack of rain Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Mosquito lagoon are starting to feel the effects. With some west and south west winds blowing and no rain fall the water levels have been lower than usual from Hew Smyrna south through Mosquito Lagoon.
The bite has started to get better but the last week or so them fish have been making us work for it. Not sure if it’s the lack of rain bringing salinity levels up or warm temps transitioning them into a summer time pattern but they have seemed a little lethargic. Whatever it may have been, hopefully they are over it and we can get back to catching some happy fish 😂.
I have figured out that plugs and soft plastics have been working well for trout throughout mosquito Lagoon and mullet, shrimp and cut bait have gathered the attention of both snook and redfish further north into New Smyrna. The forecast is still showing no rain in the future until the later part of next week so this pattern should hold through the weekend.
Challenging Spring Fishing Conditions Requires Patience
Spring weather is definitely upon us here on the Space Coast! Windy, cool mornings and warm afternoons… These conditions can be very challenging and require a little more patience to fish.
The redfish bite has been really good, with the wind and cool air and no rain the water levels are some of the lowest I’ve seen. This presents a challenge but can really work to your benefit. Look for deeper channels, flats that are typically deeper, or shallow flats with small cuts that have sloughs that are slightly deeper even if it’s only by a few inches. These areas are where your fish are going to be. They like the shallows to feed but also need deeper water or some type of structure for protection — that’s why even the bridges and larger broken docks with any kind of depth will be holding fish.
With all the unstable weather, it’s a huge key that you slow way, way down. Artificial enthusiasts can still get a good bite using small and scented plastics like the Gulp shrimp, preferably the 3 inch on an 1/8 oz jighead worked very slow. The live bait guys can find a great bite using large shrimp, blue crabs, and on the warmer stretches small finger mullet, all of these baits can be fished on a 1/4oz jighead and can be used in various situations from sightfishing flats to dropping around bridges and deeper canals. It’s important to use the least amount of lead as possible and to keep the bait looking as realistic as it possibly can.
The next few weeks will only get better as a warming trend is approaching, your redfish will still cooperate and the snook fishing will just get better and better! Good luck and tight lines!
Weekly Fishing Report: Indian River Lagoon
This week’s fishing trips focused on evening excursions in both shallow and deeper waters, but Saturday’s trip stood out as particularly productive. As the waters continue to warm, I’ve noticed an increase in tarpon activity in the river, and it’s been a great time to target a variety of species.
The past week has seen plenty of reds, snook, and trout around, and Saturday’s trip was no exception. Focusing on shallow windblown shorelines proved to be a successful strategy, with a mix of species caught. One highlight of the trip was landing a massive tarpon that put my tackle to the test.
Some key takeaways from Saturday’s trip include:
– Shallow windblown shorelines can be highly productive due to the concentration of baitfish and predators
– The water turbulence created by the wind helps to mask sounds, allowing for stealthier approaches
– A grand slam was achieved, with catches including trout, redfish, snook, and tarpon
As the waters continue to warm, it’s shaping up to be an exciting time for fishing in the Indian River Lagoon. I’ll be keeping an eye on the tarpon activity and exploring more shallow water opportunities in the coming weeks.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA
CATCH A BIG SMILE WITH JASIN YOUMANS DMD!
TOURNEY SEASON
SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY!
Don’t forget, if you’ve been fishing, we’d love to hear from you!
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