# Ok, new to the Lagoon...



## igoswoop

So I've read so much about Mosquito Lagoon but have never really fished it. I'm from Tallahassee and used to do quite well with the trout on the flats just south of St. Marks but this is a little different here. A few questions... Where is and what is the NMZ???

I put in with a canoe the other night last week across the bridge south of Peninsula and 3rd Ave in New Smyrna to check out the creek systems south of there. Caught one beat up red on a RAPALA(probably luck or I scared him) but not so much as a nibble on all my soft plastics or topwater. I'll be fishing the north end of the lagoon for the most part. Where should one start to look to try to get on some fish? I'm not trying roll in on anyone's honey hole but I'd like to get in the ball park.


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## aaronshore

The NMZ is at the top part of the Banananananana River by NASA. On the front page of this forum is a page called fishing spots. Check it out.


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## phishphood

I'd be glad to share where I see fish on the north end. Figuring out how to catch them is another story. Where are you launching?


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## igoswoop

I've only been once. I put in at Callalisa Park and headed south. The one red I picked up was in a very narrow creek less than half a mile from the bridge.

I'm used to much more open water so it was quite different back there. Where would you recommend launching if you were restricted to paddling and wading?


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## choppercity47

callalisa sucks IMO the docks up at the mouth hold slot reds trout and flounder, i've actually caught nothing decent back behind the bridge to even remember


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## igoswoop

The docks just a little ways north of the park or are you talking about a different mouth?

One way or another, I'm going back out tomorrow after work. Need to catch some trout...


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## litlblusrn4bigred

You should buy a Top Spot map. If you dont know the North end, your best bet would be to goto the central area. If I were you I would goto beacon 42 and go east, there is a poll and troll zone in that area a mile or so from the ramp or fish the flats near the launch ramp. There are plenty of trout at george's bar too. Also, plenty of schooled up reds on the flats. good luck.


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## aaronshore

Callalisa is in New Smyrna not the North Lagoon. The Callalisa can be good fishing. Creek goes way back. Plenty of creeks to work back that open up to oyster beds. Blind cast the mangroves as you work the creek down.


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## litlblusrn4bigred

> Callalisa is in New Smyrna not the North Lagoon. The Callalisa can be good fishing. Creek goes way back. Plenty of creeks to work back that open up to oyster beds. Blind cast the mangroves as you work the creek down.



Sorry, I was told by a guide that the creek flows into the Northern most part of the lagoon. Sorry.


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## phishphood

Here goes my 2 cents worth. Paddling the Goon can be a daunting task, but you can find some fish. Out of Riverbreeze ramp, the north and east shores of Bissette Bay can be good. There's also some fish in Slippery Creek, but boat traffic can be extreme.
If you launch from the JB's/Canaveral Seashore area, the Orange Island area and the islands just north of the Eldora house are pretty good and not that far of a paddle.
Be prepared for spooky and picky reds. These fish get a lot of pressure.


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## igoswoop

I checked out all the spots on the link section from the home page in the northern section of the lagoon. Bissette looked more like the 'terrain' I'm used to so I thought it would be a good start. BUT... A guy I work with asked me to take out his flats boat tonight so I'll give that a go. He's in the water near the north causeway and suggested some spots just southwest of the big sandbar west of the inlet. Gonna give it try.

Hopefully I'll be able to post some pics.... ;D

Thanks for the suggestions and I'm definitely interested in finding some places I can paddle and wade. Its just cool to be in the water with them sometimes.


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## aaronshore

> Callalisa is in New Smyrna not the North Lagoon. The Callalisa can be good fishing. Creek goes way back. Plenty of creeks to work back that open up to oyster beds. Blind cast the mangroves as you work the creek down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry, I was told by a guide that the creek flows into the Northern most part of the lagoon.  Sorry.
Click to expand...

No need to apologize. Not your fault. Buy his rationale I guess one could make the point that the Calalisa also flows into the NMZ or the Sebastian River!! ;D


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## litlblusrn4bigred

quote]
No need to apologize. Not your fault. Buy his rationale I guess one could make the point that the Calalisa also flows into the NMZ or the Sebastian River!! ;D[/quote]


Cool.


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## JRH

If you are in a canoe, there are two places I would recommend launching to fish the lagoon.

*1st:*
The Canaveral National Seashore - Apollo Beach ramp
7611 S. Atlantic Ave. (S. A1A)
New Smyrna Beach, FL

From there you can paddle about a mile south and be in the pole-n-troll zone. Nice shorelines and shallow grass flats.

*2nd*
Canaveral National Seashore - Eddy Creek ramp
Playalinda Beach Rd.

From there paddle the shoreline north or the shoreline south into Max Hoeck creek.



Look up both of these areas on a google satellite map and you can get a good idea of places to target once you paddle away from the ramp. Good luck.


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## igoswoop

OK, so we took the pathfinder out last night...

My buddy's place is on the water in the neighborhood just north of the north causeway in New Smyrna. We went up the creek towards the sandbar near that submerged(partially) pipeline and fished in the creek mostly. Lots of activity in the water that looked like trout but I could be wrong. Every fish, including the little shark we saw would not hit anything I threw. However, the pinfish and another little fish that looked like a little grouper constantly pestered my jerkbaits. I have no idea what it was but it was the only thing I landed.

Not quite sure how to get the fish to cooperate up there. Maybe throw some livebait or cut mullet but I just hate doing that. I don't see live shrimp getting past the aggressive little baitfish either. I understand this area gets a lot of pressure but I'm considering hiring a guide one evening to get a feel for things. I guess I was spoiled on some easier fish back home.


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## phishphood

I don't hear of a lot of redfish catches up that way. Lots more fish to be had from Shipyard Canal area and south to Titusville. 

Hiring a guide is probably money well spent. Let us know how it goes.


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## thresher

You can get to some gorgeous fish by paddling if you launch from Lopez and head South straight for the clinkers. It's not a long paddle (1 mile) but it'll be rewarding ultimately because VERY few boats can motor behind the clinkers. Most have to pole or paddle so you're on equal grounds back there on some of the prettiest and in my opinion most productive waters in Mosquito Lagoon. Lopez fish camp charges $5 to park (worth it) and Lord Almighty don't speed past 5mph in their parking lot. They'll freak out! ;D But it's the closest public access ramp to the North end of the clinkers and you can have a great time out there throwing lures and catching feesh. Directions to Lopez are easy - when you get to the blinking yellow at Oak Hill, turn towards river on Halifax (East) then follow road till it dead-ends and you have to turn North on River. About a mile down River road is Lopez RV park and you turn right into park and the boat launch is at the end of dirt road. Parking is back up front where you came in. EZPZ. The dropbox for paying is by the ramp. Whew.


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## aaronshore

> OK, so we took the pathfinder out last night...
> 
> My buddy's place is on the water in the neighborhood just north of the north causeway in New Smyrna.  We went up the creek towards the sandbar near that submerged(partially) pipeline and fished in the creek mostly.  Lots of activity in the water that looked like trout but I could be wrong.  Every fish, including the little shark we saw would not hit anything I threw.  However, the pinfish and another little fish that looked like a little grouper constantly pestered my jerkbaits.  I have no idea what it was but it was the only thing I landed.
> 
> Not quite sure how to get the fish to cooperate up there.  Maybe throw some livebait or cut mullet but I just hate doing that. I don't see live shrimp getting past the aggressive little baitfish either.  I understand this area gets a lot of pressure but I'm considering hiring a guide one evening to get a feel for things.  I guess I was spoiled on some easier fish back home.


I fish that area often. Go at night and fish those docklights. You will catch nice snook, tarpon, redfish, trout, ladyfish, jacks. The snook should be good there now. They are starting to move to the inlet to spawn.


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## igoswoop

Any suggestions on what to do to actually catch them? At night what do you try?

My standard setup when I used to fish the grass flats off St. Marks was to drift and throw soft jerkbaits. Electric chicken, bone diamond and glow with a green tail rigged on a 2/0 wide gap hook always worked for trout. Reds were always more selective and we would pretty much just get lucky and land one every so often.

I guess I need a guide or someone to show me the ropes here. Its frustrating to spend a lot of time and money and just come home with nothing...


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## Ron_W.

The area you are fishing is a completely different fishery from Misquito lagoon proper. Anything north of JB's restuarant/shipyard canal is tidal with very little grass flats. The lagoon has massive grass flats with almost no tidal influnce. Fish on the lagoon may feed at any time time of the day. Fish in the tidal river move and feed with the changes in current and water levels. A dead area of water by day can be alive with feeding fish on an out going tide at night.


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## aaronshore

> Any suggestions on what to do to actually catch them?  At night what do you try?
> 
> My standard setup when I used to fish the grass flats off St. Marks was to drift and throw soft jerkbaits.  Electric chicken, bone diamond and glow with a green tail rigged on a 2/0 wide gap hook always worked for trout.  Reds were always more selective and we would pretty much just get lucky and land one every so often.
> 
> I guess I need a guide or someone to show me the ropes here.  Its frustrating to spend a lot of time and money and just come home with nothing...


I'm sure the same stuff will work. They like topwater as well. Also, live shrimp work. Its been a while for me using all that stuff. I only fly fish these days. You dont need a guide. Be patient and put in your time. It will pay off in the end and feel more rewarding as well. Dont be frustrated. Enjoy your time being alive and on the water. A fish is just a bonus!! ;D


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## igoswoop

Ok....

What do you try when its difficult to get past the more aggressive baitfish? There were obviously larger fish feeding in around the areas we were fishing but I just couldn't seem to connect. The topwater baits were ignored but every soft plastic was getting consistently nailed. The hits felt like small trout but it was probably those little fish like the one I caught. I don't see that throwing live shrimp would have done anything other than feeding the little guys. What do you do when its like that?


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## aaronshore

Use a bigger bait or..........move to the next dock!!! ;D


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## B.Lee

I feel for you! I fished the lower St. Marks for years while I was in school at FSU. About the time I started to figure it out, I graduated and moved on.

I landed in Titusville, and have been learning the ropes the last couple years. I agree, a guided trip would put you on fish and give you a crash course, but I'm too stuborn (and cheap), and want to learn for myself.

Capt Rick Murphy and crew hit on somethinglast night on the Chevy Florida Fishing Report that would seem obvious, but it important nonetheless. If you are using cut bait, use something hardy anought that the small fish can peck at, but not eat. Also use something that a big fish would want to expel energy to eat. A chunk of mullet or ladyfish is a go-to bait. The puffer fish are brutal in the south lagoon and north IRL, and will destroy small live/cut baits, soft plastics, etc. However, a healthy chunk of mullet will survive a puffer feeding until big momma red finds it.


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## igoswoop

Well, almost $300 later, I have bigger plugs in my box now! Actually, I pretty much bought a whole new box....

There was one particular sand bar in that stretch that I saw a lot of good sized wakes vacating as we moved through. Think if the tides are cooperating(haven't even checked 'em yet) I'm gonna go in and wade it and really cover the whole thing thoroughly. If I can't get some consistency over the next week or so, a kayak and a guide it is...


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## aaronshore

If its the sand bar I'm thinkin it is those wakes were prob. bonnett head sharks.


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## igoswoop

Yikes! Well, where would you try then in New Smyrna area to wade?


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## aaronshore

Nowhere. The areas I have found in Smyrna with fish are covered with oysters or unwadeable. There are plenty of areas in the Lagoon.


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