# Mosquito lagoon help



## IRLyRiser (Feb 14, 2007)

What will you be fishing out of? What it drafts will be important to know what to suggest. I've been using a bead head shrimp or a bend back lately, but these are by no means the only fly to use. You'll want something weed less. Whatever flies you have confidence in or enjoy tying.


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

We will be taking our j12 carolina skiff that's all setup with poling and casting platforms pushpole and an open deck is always key lol but I'm not worried about hitting bottom while poling it'd have to be like ankle deep to bump I'm only worried about running aground while on plane but we will study up on the maps and stick to channels to try and prevent it


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## IRLyRiser (Feb 14, 2007)

You should be able to get just about anywhere you want with that boat.


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## AfterHours2 (Aug 2, 2010)

If you stick to the west side of the lagoon, then you shouldn't have any issues staying in the channel. Just be careful crossing over to the east side especially the further south you go...


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## Rediculous (May 5, 2012)

The lagoon is bone dry, right now. The water level should be high, during this season, but it's not. It is probably the lowest I've ever seen it, outside of the winter time. 
It restricts allot of the places they can, and want to go. Which bunches them up in fewer areas. Some areas can hold big numbers of fish, while others will not. If you find the right area, finding fish will be easy... getting them to eat may not be.
I generally prefer this time of year, as the water is typically higher and the fish spread out. That's when you can really explore the backcountry. Finding random fish, in hard to get to places, feeding them fur, feathers and such. The more remote area you find a fish in, the more likely they'll eat. If you fish areas that most people can access (open flats, easy to get to shorelines, or places people can run trolling motors) the bite will be infinitely harder.


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

Thanks for the advice guys and rediculous so what do you usually do when the water is low just stick to the flats and shorelines and try to feed them the best you can and hope they bite? I mean I guess that's kinda what you have to do right? Since you can't get back in the backcountry since there's not a lot of water.


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## Rediculous (May 5, 2012)

I'll usually go north, to more tidal water. Or I have areas, I can wade to if it's to shallow to pole to. Some paths are to shallow to pole to, but that doesn't mean there isn't a deeper area at the back that isn't holding fish. Even if the water is deep enough for your draft, the thick grass makes it like poling across a lawn. 
Edgewater/Oak Hill area has the same sightfishing, as the central and south lagoon does. Just slightly different cause there is much more tidal flow. I would fish the "lagoon", meaning farther south, the first day and try your luck. It might be epic... if not, then the next day try farther north. 
To answer your question directly... I don't like fishing the open flats. They get trolled, poled and ran, all day every day. Same goes for the obvious shorelines. There is an epidemic of lazy and stupid/ignorant boaters, making the lagoon a mere shell of the fishery it was and could/should be. Just like most of Florida's, and various other states, premier fisheries.
Good luck. 

p.s. Throw dark flies... and by dark, I mean black.


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

Thanks a lot for all the help rediculous i really appreciate it, when the time comes I'll let you guys know how I did


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## NoeSmyrnaBch (Aug 19, 2013)

I'm just tacking on to Rediculous' post. The water is just crazy low right now. I saw it this way a month or two back and it was fine the next time I went out. I'm not sure where its all gone to right now. Not much wind lately which is usually what affects the water levels that far into the lagoon. Its ankle deep and so much algae you can't see your push pole foot in 6" of water. Looks like pea soup. I was just south of Riverbreeze in Oak Hill on Sunday and gave up after the few spots that I can reliably find fish held absolutely nothing but giant mullet. Maybe the reds were there, but I sure couldn't find them!


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Is it really that bad, or are you East coast fellers guarding your own?  ;D


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

> Is it really that bad, or are you East coast fellers guarding your own?  ;D


bad...the water it low and looks like coffee


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

That doesn't sound very good for my chances  but I'm sure I'll find some fish and either way it will be a good trip and a nice little get away


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## Chasintail22 (Jun 22, 2009)

I fished last Monday and Friday/Saturday in the "awful" low water and did pretty darn good. As noted, the water being low can make things a bit tougher but you just need to outsmart it. Google maps is your friend. My boat can pole in just about anything but we got out a few times to push it by hand over practically dry areas so we could get to a farther back spot with more water. There were fish back there. As far as water clarity goes, sure it's not great right now, but I surely had no problem spotting bright red blobs from a distance away. The lagoon was empty both days and we had vast areas all to ourselves. Tarpon, snook, black drum, and reds were all had last week... just saying. Up north is a little more tricky especially if you're not familiar with the area, I would recommend you start maybe central and work north as needed. Black/purple is the jam, won't let you down.


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

Awesome sounds good lol that brought my hopes back up thanks for the info and help I'll defiantly be jamming out some black and purple flys on the vise for the next week or so


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## Rediculous (May 5, 2012)

> I fished last Monday and Friday/Saturday in the "awful" low water and did pretty darn good. As noted, the water being low can make things a bit tougher but you just need to outsmart it. Google maps is your friend. My boat can pole in just about anything but we got out a few times to push it by hand over practically dry areas so we could get to a farther back spot with more water. There were fish back there. As far as water clarity goes, sure it's not great right now, but I surely had no problem spotting bright red blobs from a distance away. The lagoon was empty both days and we had vast areas all to ourselves. Tarpon, snook, black drum, and reds were all had last week... just saying. Up north is a little more tricky especially if you're not familiar with the area, I would recommend you start maybe central and work north as needed. Black/purple is the jam, won't let you down.


I'm assuming you weren't fishing the lagoon for the first time... I'm not saying there isn't any fish, or that he won't catch anything. Just letting him know what the conditions are like right now and what to expect. IMO the current conditions are not really ideal, which is why I tend to stay more north when it's like this. But... that doesn't mean that I wasn't down there last Saturday, slaying them. It's just not my favorite conditions to fish the lagoon.


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## Rediculous (May 5, 2012)

You're in luck. We've been getting allot of rain... the water has come up quite a bit, and cleared up some too. If the sun and wind cooperate, mainly sun, you may be in for some really good sight-fishing.


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

I am here now I got here yesterday and so far I've caught a little snook a little redfish and my dad cought a trout, idk where to go I can not find the fish I've tried north, South,Pole and troll areas, east and west walls I can't really find much


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

> I am here now I got here yesterday and so far I've caught a little snook a little redfish and my dad cought a trout, idk where to go I can not find the fish I've tried north, South,Pole and troll areas, east and west walls I can't really find much


In my opinion the extended period of low water concentrated the fish in deeper water channels where most everybody could get to them. And for the ones that holed up behind bars you had people like chasintail22 dragging over to get to them.

Now that the waters back up and the temps are down the few fish that are left have spread out and are hard to find. That problem begets the next problem of boats running around trying to find them which just pushes them further back from the places that are easier to get to.

Just be glad you're not paying a guide to run you around  the place to not catch anything.

Stick a fork in ML, It's done!


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## AfterHours2 (Aug 2, 2010)

I'd get out of the Lagoon and run the eastern shore of the river personally. I've been doing that for the last year and it has proven to be more productive. The last time I fished the lagoon, I was pretty saddened by the lack of fish and increase of traffic. Combine that with coffee colored water down in the southern end and it's not looking too good...


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## Chasintail22 (Jun 22, 2009)

> I am here now I got here yesterday and so far I've caught a little snook a little redfish and my dad cought a trout, idk where to go I can not find the fish I've tried north, South,Pole and troll areas, east and west walls I can't really find much



I fished out there yesterday from sunrise to 3:30. Ended up with 5 reds on fly and had shots on 2 Tarpon upwards of 100lbs in 2 feet of water with fins/tails sticking out. Fished the somewhat central region, water was crystal clear where we were, and fish were super shallow (fished an HB Pro, was able to get everywhere we wanted to). Had to take a minute to just observe in the morn as we were surrounded by about 50 fish tailing/snaking in an area of thick grass. It was unreal, could see backs of fish as far as you looked. Was able to pick them off as they came off the edges into areas that weren't so thick with grass. Black, purple, black/tan were the trick. If the water stays up a little, maybe give a try to the west wall at the north end of the clinkers (last few islands), middle island/plantation area, or hell even give george's a try. I had to change my strategy yesterday from last few weeks due to the water change, and fortunately it paid off.


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

> > I am here now I got here yesterday and so far I've caught a little snook a little redfish and my dad cought a trout, idk where to go I can not find the fish I've tried north, South,Pole and troll areas, east and west walls I can't really find much
> 
> 
> 
> I fished out there yesterday from sunrise to 3:30. Ended up with 5 reds on fly and had shots on 2 Tarpon upwards of 100lbs in 2 feet of water with fins/tails sticking out. Fished the somewhat central region, water was crystal clear where we were, and fish were super shallow (fished an HB Pro, was able to get everywhere we wanted to). Had to take a minute to just observe in the morn as we were surrounded by about 50 fish tailing/snaking in an area of thick grass. It was unreal, could see backs of fish as far as you looked. Was able to pick them off as they came off the edges into areas that weren't so thick with grass. Black, purple, black/tan were the trick. If the water stays up a little, maybe give a try to the west wall at the north end of the clinkers (last few islands), middle island/plantation area, or hell even give george's a try. I had to change my strategy yesterday from last few weeks due to the water change, and fortunately it paid off.


George's bar is pretty close to where I'm staying and so is the north end of clinkers so I'll give it a shot lol if you just want to come pick me up tomorrow that's cool  ;D my last day is tomorrow then I'm heading home so hopefully I'll kill it but we will see how it goes thanks for the advice man


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

> > I am here now I got here yesterday and so far I've caught a little snook a little redfish and my dad cought a trout, idk where to go I can not find the fish I've tried north, South,Pole and troll areas, east and west walls I can't really find much
> 
> 
> 
> I fished out there yesterday from sunrise to 3:30. Ended up with 5 reds on fly and had shots on 2 Tarpon upwards of 100lbs in 2 feet of water with fins/tails sticking out. Fished the somewhat central region, water was crystal clear where we were, and fish were super shallow (fished an HB Pro, was able to get everywhere we wanted to). Had to take a minute to just observe in the morn as we were surrounded by about 50 fish tailing/snaking in an area of thick grass. It was unreal, could see backs of fish as far as you looked. Was able to pick them off as they came off the edges into areas that weren't so thick with grass. Black, purple, black/tan were the trick. If the water stays up a little, maybe give a try to the west wall at the north end of the clinkers (last few islands), middle island/plantation area, or hell even give george's a try. I had to change my strategy yesterday from last few weeks due to the water change, and fortunately it paid off.


5 redfish in over 8 hours after starting the day looking at 50...super shallow...on a Tuesday...from a HB Pro...kinda proves my point that the pressure is just pushing the few fish that are left farther back.

Weedon Island or Cockroach Bay is the place you should have gone.


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## Chasintail22 (Jun 22, 2009)

> > > I am here now I got here yesterday and so far I've caught a little snook a little redfish and my dad cought a trout, idk where to go I can not find the fish I've tried north, South,Pole and troll areas, east and west walls I can't really find much
> >
> >
> >
> ...


Never said the fish were necessarily "farther back"... there are some pretty darn shallow spots smack dab in the middle of the open lagoon I do believe. 5 fish on fly in the lagoon is always a great day, no matter what. Those reds were caught before 11:30am. The afternoon was an exploration mission (with tough cloud coverage), and was successful in the way I wanted it to be. Everyone complains about pressure... not something I ever feel effected by. Unless of course you fish a spot someone just ran out of, then sure, that makes things tough. Amongst all the complaining out there, it's been a damn good year of fishing for my buddies and me. 

@TheFlatsMaster, hope you had a great trip man. Unfortunately it's not an area to just come have a killer trip with big numbers or big fish, it really does take time to learn the area. Pretty much non-existent tide flow makes it a very interesting fishery, and can have its pros/cons. All of those other factors have larger effects... wind, rainfall, sunlight, water temp, water depth, how much bait is in the area, access to deep water, etc etc etc. Half the time it'll have you scratching your head even when things seem perfect. I'd say you make another trip down in fall right after the first cold snap (no matter how minimal). I've always had my best days around that time and the fish act like they're on cocaine.


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

i had a good trip but it was very tough and just completely different from what i fish like you said no tidal swings, super shallow, hard to get away from wind, raining every afternoon, but i still had a good time it was a nice get away and i actually lucked out, on the last day we found where the fish where and i caught a 33' stud but along the way i caught 2 little reds and a snook and lost another decent red the first morning but i will share some pictures with you guys and thanks for all the help!. I defiantly learned a lot for next time, i will be coming back for sure. hopefully in the winter time too.


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## IRLyRiser (Feb 14, 2007)

We should be getting help from you. Nice pics.


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## josh_rennie (Sep 8, 2012)

;DThanks


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