April 2020 Central Florida East Coast Fishing Report
Surf fishing in Florida during the month of April has provided fantastic opportunities for anglers able to gain access to area beaches. Under the current social distancing guidelines, all Brevard County beach parking lots have been closed. Fishing is currently considered a recreational activity that satisfies the state guidelines. Finding where to park has become a major obstacle in accomplishing a successful day of surf fishing in Florida at the moment. There’s accessibility with parking across A1A, then shuttling your equipment over to the beach.
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Fishing in Cocoa Beach -
Pompano -
Surf Fishing in Florida -
Days continue to become increasingly warmer making it important to get out and fishing before the heat of the day overwhelms the bite. Early starts have anglers fishing in Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral reporting good results of catching whiting, catfish, black drum and pompano. Learn more about these species here. Catching these species on surf fishing rigs with sandfleas, shrimp, and fishbites as the bait of choice. Look for areas where the water clarity color goes from brown and murky to shades of green with hints of blue mixed in.
Surf fishing in the Sebastian Inlet area north to Indiatlantic catches of pompano, Spanish mackeral, whiting and Ladyfish have been stellar. The most successful results have come at times when the glass minnows are present in the surf fishing zone.
The best results as of late have come on a falling tide. Try to align the days when the winds aren’t brutally whipping from the south dirtying the water. The catfish and sharks at first light seem to be feeding heavily, but that bite has been waning as the morning progresses and target species turn-on.
Pro Tip: Make sure to stagger your beach fishing equipment to locate the target fish concentrations during tide fluctuations. It’s the best way to diversify your portfolio and dial in on a school.
