September of 2010 is shaping up to be an awesome month on the Mosquito Lagoon. Redfish are already starting to school for their fall spawn and many of our anglers are capitalizing in by catching 20... 30... and even 40 pound redfish in the Lagooon. Sightfishing for these schooling redfish is an experience you'll never forget. Some of the schools number in the hundreds and push water while showing their tails in marching succession. It's a sight to see...
September's still a transition month and our success stories have been mostly in the very early morning lately. Cooperative redfish are looking to the cooler morning temperatures to feed and move around in the shallows. After the morning... it's been difficult finding schooling fish due to rising temperatures and fishing pressure from late rising anglers.
I'm still fishing most of my charters out of the Canaveral area during September, but I make my way up to the Mosquito Lagoon at least once a week to keep abreast of what's happening and if the schools of big reds are cooperating and showing up. When they do... I'll be there, hopefully with you.
When you can find cooler waters in the Mosquito Lagoon, you'll often find some of the best sea trout fishing in the world. Since the constitutional net ban in the 1990's were implemented the trout fishing has rebounded back and our anglers are catching them by the bucket loads lately. Smaller trout are being caught on the transition edges of the flats where the water drops to 3-6 foot or more with small jigs, shrimp on popping corks or small topwater lures like the tiny torpedo. Larger trout are being caught in the shallower water when the water temperatures get comfortable enough.
The fall mullet run is just around the corner and there's a hint of fall in the air during the morning hours (I know, I'm reaching... it's still very hot in September in Florida, but if you've lived here long enough, you can detect the slight temperature variation at night and early morning. The fish can detect the fall coming on strong and the flats are alive with bait as the month progresses. Look for fish around bait pods and deeper shorelines near mangroves. There will be big breeder redfish schools during September and it's but the trout will be relating to bait and comfort.
Use live bait for consistant bigger trout around bait pods in the shallower water grass flats and shorelines. Use artificials and topwaters for smaller trout in the deeper water adjacent to dropoffs and clean grassflats. You might see glass minnows and birds diving in the middle of the lagoon for loads of small undersized trout and using small jigs are the best bet for coaxing them to bite.
September in Florida is when the tourist disappear for a few weeks and before the annual snowbirds (winter residents) come down for the cooler winter months. It's also the month when most kids are in their first weeks of school and parents are focused on working. What does this mean for the Mosquito Lagoon sight fisherman? Less crowded fishing for the next few weeks while the big spawning redfish breed in large schools...
Early morning in September can produce good sized trout in the shallow grass flats around bait pods. Later in the morning you'll want to move tothe large schools of breeding redfish. For sightfishing enthusiast this will produce the most difficult and possibly the easist sighting as shallow water trout are a very tough gamefish to see and cast to and schools of breeders are a no brainer as long as you can find the schools.
Hello,
I'm Captain Richard Bradley and I provide the fishing report for the Mosquito
Lagoon and it's adjacent waterways including the Indian
River Lagoon and Banana River Lagoon. I've been
fishing the Mosquito Lagoon waters and taking my customers fishing there
for years and I'm always excited to show anglers about our fantastic fishery
on Florida's East Coast. Many of my anglers return year-after-year
and request me to take them back to the clear Lagoon known for redfish and trophy
spotted sea trout.
I hope to see you on the water soon and may you continue to come to my Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report page often to see when you want to come and fish this extaordinary saltwater estuary on the Space Coast.

The Mosquito Lagoon is located on the East Coast of Florida in Brevard County and Volusia County. It's located slightly northeast of Orlando and is relatively easy to access from Highway 50 or SR 528 when heading east from Orlando International Airport. We often meet anglers in the Indian River Lagoon and proceed thru the Haulover Canal into the Mosquito Lagoon to set their minds at ease about driving into remote locations on the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Driving Instructions to one of our Mosquito Lagoon Boat Launches can be found on Haulover Boat Ramp which is between the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon
Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guides
Mosquito Lagoon Sea Trout Guide
Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Charters