Central Florida fishing: Redfish, snook, black drum and dolphin biting on Space Coast

The Space Coast fishing scene is in the midst of one of its most productive seasons of the year. All zones are firing right now.

Inshore, there are redfish, black drum and speckled trout being caught in the Indian River Lagoon, Banana River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon. Offshore, anglers are catching mutton snapper on reefs off Sebastian, catch & release red snapper on reefs off Port Canaveral and have a chance to catch yellowfin tuna on long runs to the other side of the Gulf Stream. Bass, bluegill and shellcracker are chewing for freshwater anglers. About the only zone where fishing can be a challenge has been the beaches where erosion is an issue at some spots and seaweed has been too prevalent in others.

Dead fish: Titusville investigates fish kill at Osprey sewer plant

Sand shifting: High winds, pounding waves nibble away at Brevard beaches

Frog problems: Cuban treefrog climbs to new invasive heights in Florida and now into Georgia

Closures & regulations changes in effect: Anglers are reminded about these fishery harvest closures currently underway and ones about to begin and end.

• Grouper: Harvest opens May 1, 2023. Includes gag grouper, red grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth, coney, graysby, red hind & rock hind. Harvest closes Jan. 1, 2024.

• Hogfish: Harvest opens May 1, 2023. Harvest closed from Nov. 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024.

• Snook: Harvest closes June 1. One fish bag limit, 28-32 inches, snook stamp required..

• Lobster: Season closed April 1. Two day sport season (mini-season) opens July 26-27, 2023. Regular season opens Aug. 6.

• Cobia: New bag and size limits for state waters. Bag limit: Two fish per vessel. Size limit: 36 inches fork length.

• Spotted seatrout:  Harvest open as of Jan. 1 in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin & Palm Beach counties. Harvest closes November and December 2023.

• Redfish: Harvest of redfish is banned in the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon beginning Sept. 1. FWC will re-evaluate later in the year.

• Alligator: Hunt season open Aug. 15-Nov. 1. Permits required.

• Dolphin: New fishing regulations began May 1, 2022 for state waters. Bag limit is now five fish per day per angler; Vessel limit is now 30 fish per day. Captain and crew may not be included in limit.

• Tilefish: Harvest is open as of Jan. 1.

• Bass: Bass at Headwaters Lake will soon become all catch-and-release.

For complete fishing regulations in Florida go to MyFWC.com.

Mosquito Lagoon

Capt. Jon Lulay of 2 Castaway Charters in Titusville said over the weekend, his anglers were able to record a lagoon slam — snook, speckled trout and redfish. All three are available to catch in the lagoon and surrounding waterways on live shrimp either freelined or fished under a popping cork to mimic the sound of a trout feeding.

Offshore

Dolphin fishing has been steady in the current rips. Troll ballyhoo around floating objects like sargassum seaweed mats, pallets, trees even abandoned rafts to find schools of small dolphin, skipjack tuna or tripletail. Off Sebastian, mutton snapper can be caught using long leaders and dead sardines at the SISA Reefs in 70 feet of water. Large red snapper can be caught and released in 100 feet of water off Port Canaveral, like the one caught over the weekend by anglers fishing aboard Fired Up charters.

Surf

This zone's action is extremely localized so be ready to move beaches if too much seaweed or erosion. If a beach can be found that doesn't have too much of both, there have been some pompano being caught. Long casts to the sand bar are necessary. Fishbites and pieces of shrimp have been the best bait.

Sebastian Inlet

This conduit between the lagoon and the ocean has been a very good place to fish for snook right now. The outgoing tide from both jetties has been the best time to find them feeding. Redfish can be caught in the middle of the inlet during the outgoing tide. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are being caught by tossing jigs and retrieving them fast from the jetties, too.

Indian River Lagoon

Sheepshead and black drum can be caught around docks, piers, bridges and seawalls using a shrimp-tipped jig. Speckled trout can be caught with topwater plugs in 2-3 feet of water early in the morning. Big black drum are in schools in the northern lagoon and will take split blue crabs. Snook and redfish can be caught in the Thousand Island area near Cocoa Beach.

Freshwater

Bass can be caught with crank baits fished on the outside edges of beds. Wild shiners have also been very productive for bass in the 2-5 pound range. Bluegill and shellcracker fishing is best on live crickets or red worms fished from cane poles.

Ed Killer is a columnist with the USA Today Network of newspapers in Florida. Email him your fishing reports at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Black drum, redfish & dolphin are prime targets for Space Coast anglers