Tomoka River, Port Orange, ML & IRL report
Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:24 am
Hey all,
I fish quite a bit in many different areas and just wanted to give a little insight on conditions and fish in those areas.
Tomoka River:
Been fishing this area the most lately due to the algae bloom and pressure both lagoons have. Have been catching snook, flounder, reds, trout, jacks & juvie tarpon. This area is a weird one. Went one day and had one of the best days of fishing I have ever had. Caught multiple slot reds, 2 keeper flounder 16" & 18", 4 trout one being 22", a ton a small snook, one being 18", juvie tarpon rolling everywhere. Landed one small tarpon and jumped two more in the 5# range.
Went the very next day, didnt even get a sniff of a bite... This area including the basin and the Halifax river can hold massive amounts of quality fish of every species. I seem to find schools of bait getting crushed on the surface a lot more than in the lagoons. We used mostly 1/8 ounce jig heads with rootbeer paddle tails & doa glow shrimps.
Port Orange:
Went one time with my buddy and we only fished for about two hours. Not super familiar with the place but found a dock that held my biggest flounder to date, 23", 5 1/2 lbs. Showed my buddy who was on the other side on some mangroves and he then pulled a 21" 4 1/2 lb. Flounder out from the dock right next to where mine was. A storm was about to roll in so we decided to take these lovely flatties home for dinner. Caught my flounder on a 3" doa glow shrimp and my buddy caught his on a doa deep diver bait buster in glow color.
ML/IRL:
Pure trash...
Just kidding, but not really...! I tend to not fish these areas in the summer due to the algae bloom and ysually only fish the lagoon in the winter. From what some friends said, the water level is low, low, low which is unusual this time of year. There are reds out there and trout as well, but have fun sifting through all the dead grass and coffee colored water. There are tailing reds if you can find decently clean water and healthy grass. Peacocks pocket in the IRL might produce some good fish as long as the water level is good there. People act like the Mosquito lagoon is world famous still... Haha not so much. If they can figure out the algae problem and stop allowing every Hoosier that tries to run the 1/4 mile on all the flats, then maybe then, would the lagoon be good again...
Winter time is a whole other story.
Will be posting picks to back up my catches when I can get to my pc in a few days. Glad to be apart of this group and hope I can wet some lines with my fellow yaker's!!!
I fish quite a bit in many different areas and just wanted to give a little insight on conditions and fish in those areas.
Tomoka River:
Been fishing this area the most lately due to the algae bloom and pressure both lagoons have. Have been catching snook, flounder, reds, trout, jacks & juvie tarpon. This area is a weird one. Went one day and had one of the best days of fishing I have ever had. Caught multiple slot reds, 2 keeper flounder 16" & 18", 4 trout one being 22", a ton a small snook, one being 18", juvie tarpon rolling everywhere. Landed one small tarpon and jumped two more in the 5# range.
Went the very next day, didnt even get a sniff of a bite... This area including the basin and the Halifax river can hold massive amounts of quality fish of every species. I seem to find schools of bait getting crushed on the surface a lot more than in the lagoons. We used mostly 1/8 ounce jig heads with rootbeer paddle tails & doa glow shrimps.
Port Orange:
Went one time with my buddy and we only fished for about two hours. Not super familiar with the place but found a dock that held my biggest flounder to date, 23", 5 1/2 lbs. Showed my buddy who was on the other side on some mangroves and he then pulled a 21" 4 1/2 lb. Flounder out from the dock right next to where mine was. A storm was about to roll in so we decided to take these lovely flatties home for dinner. Caught my flounder on a 3" doa glow shrimp and my buddy caught his on a doa deep diver bait buster in glow color.
ML/IRL:
Pure trash...
Just kidding, but not really...! I tend to not fish these areas in the summer due to the algae bloom and ysually only fish the lagoon in the winter. From what some friends said, the water level is low, low, low which is unusual this time of year. There are reds out there and trout as well, but have fun sifting through all the dead grass and coffee colored water. There are tailing reds if you can find decently clean water and healthy grass. Peacocks pocket in the IRL might produce some good fish as long as the water level is good there. People act like the Mosquito lagoon is world famous still... Haha not so much. If they can figure out the algae problem and stop allowing every Hoosier that tries to run the 1/4 mile on all the flats, then maybe then, would the lagoon be good again...
Winter time is a whole other story.
Will be posting picks to back up my catches when I can get to my pc in a few days. Glad to be apart of this group and hope I can wet some lines with my fellow yaker's!!!