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Cocoa Beach Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

What to do with surf fishing conditions of late? As we transition from the colder winter months into the warming spring ocean temperatures, things are beginning to look up. Consistency was difficult if not impossible for surf fishing anglers along Brevard County’s Space Coast over the prior two weeks. With that being said, beach fishing charters provided a wide array of species to be caught from the shore. Black drum, bluefish, whiting, pompano and Jack crevalle to name a few. Each day presented its own challenges and opportunities, but with persistence, our efforts paid off.

Black drum continue to infiltrate local beaches with fishing near Cocoa Beach and south showing daily catches. Puppy drum were caught fishing with pompano rigs tipped with shrimp and clam. Fishbites in the crab and clam flavor were also a favorite during these times. While the majority of the black drum caught were keeper size, there are a few that don’t make the cut and had to be released. These fish seem to prefer the first trough as that is where we had the most fortune when targeting them.

surf fishing for black drum

Surf Fishing for Black Drum

When in doubt, blast it out! As mentioned previously, a lot of the black drums were caught in the first trough. With that being said, there are a plethora of opportunities when casting further out to the second trough or sandbar. Bluefish in all sizes were a sure-fire bet to bend rods along with Jack crevalle and the occasional pompano. Fresh chunked bait accounted for the majority of keeper bluefish, although lots of bluefish, jacks and pompano were caught with sand fleas, shrimp and Fishbites.

Diversity held true with our daily catches racking up into the double digits on different species. Croakers, catfish, and sharks were also particularly active even though some days they weren’t our intended species, which makes it all the more interesting when one does get a bite while enjoying a day of beach fishing. Not to mention, the shark activity is on an elevated level. Reeling in many catches could be challenging before a shark eats your intended species. One way to alleviate this is to be sure and tighten the drag with a rapid retrieve when necessary to minimize the times of reeling in a cutoff line from a shark.

Space Coast Family Fun Fishing Charters

In conclusion, the waters have warmed to an ideal temperature for pompano and whiting to become a main staple again fishing the surf. Be sure to pay attention to the water clarity for maximizing any opportunities.

Shark fishing charters will also continue to be red hot, as this time of year they’re out in abundance. Bluefish and black drum will still be on tap for the near term until we reach water temperatures that aren’t conducive. All in all, it’s a great time of year to go out and go fishing. So have fun and see what’s out there waiting for you!

March 3, 2022
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Family Fishing on the Space Coast

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Family fishing charters have anglers of all ages embracing the holiday spirit with catches of pompano, whiting, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and sharks. Celebrating the gathering of friends and family with absolute pristine weather conditions had our clients looking to find surf fishing success on these beautiful December days. Each species had ups and downs with the daily rotation of the week, but the bluefish, mackerel and sharks stood out above the rest. Shark fishing trips produced great results of blacktip sharks on fresh chunked bait and some whole baits as well.

Surf Fishing in Cocoa Beach

The surf fishing near Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral continued to see more of the puppy black drum caught than many other regions in Brevard County. Also, larger pompano were caught in these same areas along with the whiting and bluefish. Shark fishing in these areas wasn’t as productive though as they were in the central and southern beaches. Depending on the day and your intended species, it was quite the crapshoot staying on top of a good bite in one location.

Kids fishing trips were an absolute blast this week, though, with nonstop action on bluefish, small jack crevalle and Spanish mackerel kept the kids reeling them in one after another. This bite remained red hot for the remainder of the week and fun was had by all who took part. Even when the pompano weren’t in full force like the weeks prior, these rod-bending and acrobatic bluefish and mackerel made up the ground for a fun time fishing. Green floats with chunked baits did the trick for the most part. And as usual, the Gotcha lures and spoons were utilized for select species.

Family Fun Surf Fishing Trips in Sebastian

With all the life boiling under the surface along the Brevard County beaches, it made for shark fishing charters to find optimal conditions. Bait definitely played a role as the sharks seemed to either want your live fish that was being retrieved on a pompano rig or a freshly cut chunked bait. With that being said, we caught lots of large sharks from the shore using entire fish carcasses for bait. So make sure you’re varying your methods as even these toothy predators seem to have specific preferences on a day-to-day basis.

Sheepshead Surf Fishing in Melbourne Beach

As for the premier target species of pompano and whiting, it seems to have dipped a bit for the week prior. Surf fishing anglers are still catching large keeper size pompano but just not seeing the numbers they were in the first two weeks of the month. Most fish caught had been enticed with live or blanched sand fleas or fresh clam on the standard pompano rig with the floats performing well. With the outlook for stellar weather and schools of pompano and whiting continue to move up and down the coast, it’s just a matter of putting yourself in the right position with the selected baits to see success. Enjoy the holiday break and hit the surf for family fun in the sun!

January 2, 2022
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Cape Canaveral Surf Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

At last, pompano have finally made their presence known here along the Space Coast. Among the pompano, we’re also seeing black drum, whiting, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and sharks cruising the surf. Fishing near Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach saw an increasing number of black drum, pompano and whiting. Meanwhile, Central and South Brevard County beaches including Indialantic, Melbourne Beach and Sebastian saw a larger influx of bluefish, whiting, Spanish mackerel and keeper pompano with many short pompano mixed in. All in all the surf fishing conditions finally cooperated with the abating weather of November in the rearview mirror so there’s much to celebrate.

Pompano Surf Fishing

Consistency seemed to be increasingly difficult to come by in the week prior with many anglers being skunked or off the trail of the target species. Reading through all the reports on social media and talking directly with fellow anglers it seemed to be an uneven scenario for different groups of fisherman. While some had great luck with pompano and whiting, it seemed to leave twice as many scratching their heads about the lack of success. The fish are absolutely present in the waters and fooling them into biting may be the issue to combat. We’ll go into this more in the following paragraph, but the key is to vary your rigging and setups to find what’s working. Don’t stick with your same program if you’re not having luck and a few others are.

Surf Fishing for Black Drum

Get in the habit of experimenting with the variables that play into a productive day. Consider everything from water temperature to water clarity, to barometric pressure, tidal influence, bait on offer, presentation, bait scent, and much more. While some find tremendous success and others struggle, especially in the prior week, it has to do with these many variables that are involved in the fishing and surf fishing realm. So try different rigs, places, tides and baits to see what works best for you and adjust accordingly as the conditions change.

Sebastian Inlet Surf Fishing

While the blue fish and Spanish mackerel have kept the spin casting anglers armed with spoons plenty busy, it’s the pompano and whiting that we’ll focus on this week. One factor to note was the location of the fish whether it be near the shore or out on the sandbar. Our fishing clients produced well with many fish coming right at the shore edge while other tides and water conditions mandated casting out to 100-120 plus yards. Observing these variations makes it all the more important to keep a constant pulse and stagger gear to achieve the best results. Once again the Fishbites crab and clam scent in the white, chartreuse and electric chicken worked best and these synthetic scents were matched with live or blanched sand fleas or clams. It’s an exciting time to hit the beach for surf fishing in this ideal weather. There is nothing like enjoying the spoils of a whole fresh baked pompano or blackened whiting tacos to share with family and friends.

Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing

Or if it’s a rod you’re looking to bend, shark fishing charters continue to produce many blacktips and lemon sharks for shore-bound anglers. The forecast looks like continuing beneficial weather patterns so there’s plenty of opportunity on hand to hit the shore for surf fishing. So in summary, get out there and have fun!

Space Coast Family Fun Surf Fishing

December 7, 2021
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Late Fall Space Coast Surf Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Late fall space coast surf fishing conditions continue to be a roller coaster ride for the month of  November. Without any consistent patterns holding true, it’s been challenging for beach fishing to take place with much efficacy. Wind, waves and dirty water clarity have been factors thwarting the beach fishing scene along the Space Coast. Front after front with prevailing North and  Northeast winds tampered with ever developing a stable surf fishery. For those who persisted, the rewards were sharks, whiting, croakers, catfish,  bluefish, pompano and Jack crevalle.

Surf Fishing for Pompano

Fishing near Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral provided more ideal fishing conditions in the early part of the week. Catches of pompano and whiting along with bluefish and Jack Crevalle were caught. Pleasantly surprised to not have to deal with seaweed during the first part of the week before the winds cranked up. The bluefish were chewing heavily on shrimp and cut bait, along with the occasional Jack crevalle and ladyfish.

Pompano fishing still isn’t happening to the dissatisfaction of most. With the unruly conditions and current location of the major schools, it’s been like watching paint dry in anticipation. The warmer weather from the prior week actually stabilized ocean temperatures halting the flooding migration of fish south. These fish are currently being caught in numbers from  Daytona to Jacksonville so the times coming even though we probably still have a week or two before the floodgates open up.

Space Coast Surf Fishing for Sheepshead

Without the pompano fishing to take the cake, we’ve relied on shark fishing trips to excite surf fishing clients looking to bend the rod. This fishery still hasn’t disappointed with multiple hookups possible in a four-hour fishing trip. The key is the fresh cut bait with mullet being particularly successful this week along with croakers. There’s been a surplus of croakers when fishing the first or second trough so don’t be worried about the capacity to acquire fresh bait.

Shark Fishing Sebastian Inlet

As mentioned before this week hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns in the surf fishing world. Dirty water conditions infiltrated the central and southern beaches bringing with it heaps of catfish. As any experienced surf fishing angler knows this can be discouraging and downright exhausting catching one after another. Even though our beach fishing charters have been catching pompano, sheepshead, whiting and bluefish,  it hasn’t been without sifting through the high numbers of kitty cats.

Surf Fishing Cocoa Beach

Looking forward to this weekend as the conditions towards the weekend began to improve. Be the first one to know if the Pompano have arrived by being persistent and getting your lines wet over the holiday weekend. If bending the rod is your goal keep half your gear fishing chunked bait in close for bluefish, Jack crevalle and sharks. Take the other half of the gear and dial it up for pompano, sheepshead, whiting and black drum using Fishbites with sandfleas, shrimp or clams. Enjoy the weekend with family and friends and hit the sand for some fun in the sun!

November 30, 2021
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Surf Fishing for Sharks

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Stars are beginning to align for the surf fishing areas encompassing the Space Coast. While the mullet run slowly fades away, the recent cooler temps have stimulated pompano to trickle into area waters. It’s not with immense consistency just yet, but it’s right on the bubble. We still need the water temperatures to come down for that full out pompano run to ignite. Let’s go surf fishing for sharks!

Pompano catches have begun a steady uptick with the majority of anglers finding healthy keeper pompano while having to pick through the shorts. With that being said, the ones that do measure are reaching the 1.5- 2.5 lb mark. These are the silver and gold species most have been waiting for to hit the shores. While the bluefish, ladyfish, and jack crevalle may have you guessing what’s on the line, the pompano always stand out with a parallel run to shore and a sharp blitz inward throughout the fight. Make sure to keep steady pressure and be ready to take up the slack when they charge the beach.

Shark fishing from shore continues its red hot run with all the food sources a shark could ask for being present. Ladyfish, bluefish, jack crevalle, and Spanish mackerel feeding on glass minnows, hornbellies and mullet make it advantageous for sharks to have their choice. Crashing through the surf, blacktips are often seen voraciously terrorizing the offerings on hand. Fresh chunked bait continues to work magic for catching these sharks from the surf, but live bait has also worked well. Check out Fishbites too!

Looking forward to the next few weeks, I’m expecting the Spanish mackerel and bluefish bite to remain strong. Also anticipating the pompano numbers becoming more consistent as the water temperature drops and larger schools infiltrate our Brevard County waters. Compounding the anticipation for pompano, I expect to see the larger bull whiting show up. They are absolutely one of my favorite table fare fish from the surf. All in all, it’s shaping up to be a great month of fishing. The weather will be ripping and roaring over the next few days so it may take some time to settle into next week. Good luck and tight lines.

November 8, 2021
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Seaweed Battle! Latest Surf Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

The seaweed battle continues along Space Coast beaches as the theme continues from previous weeks. Each day holds its own challenges with this major inhibitor to surf fishing effectively. While perseverance pays, it’s worth noting the challenges the seaweed has reeked on local surf fishing. For those that choose to battle with this seaweed onslaught, they’ve been rewarded with catches of shark, bluefish, whiting, Jack crevalle and pompano, with the pompano mostly under the legal size limit.

Youth angler landing a slightly undersize pompano looking for the big ones.

All being considered, the shark fishing charters stood out this week over all other species catches. Numerous Blacktip sharks were caught while lemons and sandbar sharks were more sporadic. Unleashing the thrill of these powerful predators had surf fishing clients stoked to land them in good numbers. Fresh cut bait stole the show once again and it’s highly recommended over the frozen baits especially in recent weeks. Your bait of choice will prove night and day results, so put in the work and get the freshest possible chunked bait.

Shark fishing charters providing numerous shark catches.

Light tackle spinning gear continued its production with bluefish, jacks, ladyfish and blue runners for those stalking the shorelines with a spoon or swim bait. With the mullet beginning to show signs of inconsistency, having your artificial game prepared will help nullify the lack of live bait for pitching in the trough. Using this repetitive casting and retrieving method is one way to deter significant amounts of seaweed accumulating on one’s line. The species listed were the most common catches with artificial and live baits but snook, flounder and tarpon still remain a possibility although that probability is lower than weeks past.

Rod bending action for blacktip sharks in the surf.

 

Surf fishing the Sebastian Inlet

Pompano fishing looks to pick up as spontaneous catches of late should find more consistency with a drop in the water temperatures. Currently, the water clarity has improved and now it’s just a fingers-crossed situation that the seaweed situation will improve. Expect better numbers of whiting and smaller drums with this coinciding cold front approaching. Pompano rigs with fresh shrimp have fared better of late, so my recommendation would be to have sand fleas, shrimp and Fishbites on hand for the above-mentioned species.

Double pompano surf fishing Melbourne beach.

October 28, 2021
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Space Coast Fall Mullet Run

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

The fall mullet run in Florida has hit full stride over the past week. Schools of baitfish with the majority being mullet are pouring down Space Coast beaches. This in turn has triggered exceptional surf fishing with snook, flounder, bluefish, and ladyfish taking full advantage of this opportunity. With the listed species having been caught up and down the Brevard coast, the majority of consistent catches are being reported from Patrick Air Force Base south to Sebastian Inlet.

Fall Mullet Run on the Space Coast

Taking part in this fishery can be multifaceted with many options available. My preferred method involves live bait or artificial lures with a minimal setup to keep things mobile. Casting rod, castnet and small tackle bag is all that’s needed. Check multiple locations for key signs of life including diving birds, fleeing baitfish and crashing fish. Once you find the increased activity, deploy a live mullet, croaker or threadfin in the first trough and hang on. If live bait isn’t an option, walk the shores in the same pattern with a bucktail jig, lipped diving plug, or swim bait.

Fall Snook Fishing on the Space Coast

Presentation holds the key to success so take note of the conditions on hand. The size of the surf, current, and wind dictates what size weight and how to hook the bait for the preferred action desired. I prefer the bait slightly restricted rolling in the trough being pulled in and out with the wave’s motion. Depending on conditions, use anywhere from a split shot to a two-ounce weight to maintain the ideal areas for ambush feeding. Light tackle makes a ton of fun for catching these fish in the shallower depths, rewarding the efforts of surf anglers with prized species of snook and flounder.

Surf Fishing for Flounder

Realizing the changing of the seasons is just on the horizon has many anglers efforts focused on the mullet run, but this doesn’t mean the traditional surf fishing method with pompano rigs isn’t an effective approach currently. Whiting continues to be consistent on a rising tide and also pompano with the majority being undersized. Fishbites and live sand fleas continue to perform best when fishing this rising tide targeting the outflows running off the beach. Don’t be surprised if a snook, bluefish or ladyfish engulf this setup as well. Additionally, the pompano rig with live or dead mullet has accounted for many snook catches as well.

In summary, I’m excited to keep working the bait schools and dabble with.

Cocoa Beach & Sebastian Inlet Snook Fishing

the pompano and whiting. Knowing just around the corner the snook and baitfish will abate leading into the full-blown pompano run. Changing out gear and tactics for chasing one of my favorite fish will return just as soon as the water temperature creeps down. So for now it’s taking advantage of the wild fishery that is the fall mullet run and prepping the tackle for the first schools of pompano that are soon to arrive. Enjoy the explosiveness that’s defining our fishery currently and what’s coming in the upcoming months. Book a trip now!

October 4, 2021
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Cocoa Beach to Vero Beach Surf Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Cocoa Beach to Vero Beach Surf Fishing set ablaze over the past week. Pompano showed a stronger presence with anglers catching them consistently fishing from Cocoa Beach south to Vero Beach. That wasn’t the only highlight happening though, with catches of permit, snook, tarpon and sharks possibly stealing the show. Not to be forgotten was the increased activity in keeper-sized whiting, bluefish, mackerel and ladyfish that kept the mix busy.

The combination of clean water, calm seas and the fall mullet run established a lively scene on beaches stretching the entirety of Brevard County. This in turn led to an increased catch rate of the target species listed above. Flurries of bait fish swarming down the coast lit up southern beaches with aerialist predatory species launching from below. Frenzies of bluefish and mackerel infiltrated central area beaches while the larger concentrations of snook and tarpon ran supreme in southern beaches. No matter what species you had on the line, the sharks being so prevalent, many rigs were sharked off or discounted on the way to shore by the taxman.

Shark fishing trips near Cocoa Beach south to Sebastian Inlet had families reeling in multiple sharks a day. Tread lightly this time of year as the waters are literally teeming with life and the sharks especially are taking full advantage. Even when running live bait rigs for snook, tarpon, mackerel or blues, it’s been common to hook up with large blacktips and lemon sharks. Understanding the current conditions leaves surf fishing anglers no choice but to concede the prize and deal with the relentless circumstances of the shark-rich waters.

Table fare fish hit the upswing in multiples in the prior week with outstanding catches on double digit whiting, large pompano and mackerel abound. Always reliable and delicious to be in a good whiting bite as these crustacean eaters wet any veteran surf anglers palate. Then the surf rod does the triple bounce and bends with such might that only the prized pompano accentuates. Blanched or live sand fleas combined with a chartreuse crab or electric chicken Fishbites pulled in the majority of the keeper pompano. Plenty of small pompano are in the surf as well, but the larger fish over 14-15” are being seen with consistency from Cocoa Beach to Vero Beach. Don’t be surprised if you hook into a trophy permit with the rig mentioned above. Surf fishing guide Eric landed this beautiful permit with clients who booked a guided beach fishing excursion this past week.

Looking forward, I’m excited to continue the transition from summer to fall and watch the migratory species really take hold when the temperatures begin to drop. Until then our surf fishing charters will take full advantage of the species on tap and adjust accordingly as the conditions shift. The last few days brought wind and dirtier waters on the northern beaches of Brevard, but this hasn’t halted the catches coming onto the beach. No matter where your location is along our Space Coast I would strongly encourage getting out there and hitting the surf fishing. It’s not every day you can catch everything from a permit to pompano or snook, tarpon or shark on the very same rig… let that one soak in!

 

September 29, 2021
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Pre-Fall Space Coast Surf Fishing Report & Forecast

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Pre-Fall Space Coast Surf Fishing Report & Forecast! Fall is upon us and what an exciting time it is for surf fishing anglers on the Space Coast. The annual fall mullet run will be ignited into another dimension with the baitfish pouring down our coastline. Mix this annual occurrence with a change in the weather and water temps and look for a dynamic fishery over this fall period. Snook, tarpon, flounder, jack crevalle, bluefish, sharks and much more competitive for the available resources. Many days can turn into an all out feeding frenzy with shark and fish species hurling through the air leaving the water’s surface boiling with action.

Look for snook fishing to reign supreme as the top topic of discussion during the mullet run.  This time of year has always been a favorite for most as the ease of access and productive opportunities go hand in hand. Simply grab a spinning rod rigged with 20-40lb braided line accompanied by a swim bait, diving plug, or top water action and walk the shores casting and retrieving in the various pockets of concentrated baitfish. This opportunistic approach results in the full gamut of species to ensure no stone goes unturned. Matching the hatch of the size of baitfish also brings another level of success so always be keen to adjust lure size for those reasons.

Space Coast Snook Season

Snook fishing won’t be the only fishery firing off with the change in the weather. Tarpon and sharks will be hammering the migrating baitfish pods and the multiple fish species that coincide with this natural event. With the bluefish and Jack crevalle becoming so concentrated on these bait pods, the shark and tarpon lie beneath pouncing the entirety of the water column to capitalize. Generally, the larger of the tarpon and sharks will be just outside the surf casters range but this mullet run phenomenon provide just the opportunity one needs to bring them into the first and second trough making these species accessible for live bait casters or artificial lures.

Shark Fishing Charters | Cocoa Beach to Sebastian Inlet

Not to be outdone by the headliner species of snook, tarpon and sharks, but the whiting,  pompano, Jack crevalle and bluefish make for a perfect family fun fishing trip. Highly active and engaging for all ages this time of year makes a rod bending seem like a breeze. Fish species ranging in all sizes will be abound with this flood of food charging down the waters edge. Look for sand fleas, fresh shrimp and clams rigged on a pompano rig tipped with Fishbites to keep the volume coming. This time of year the first large schools of pompano began to show from the north escaping the cooling waters and wintering to the south. All in all for surf fishing anglers this seasonal event feels like Christmas comes early, so get out and take advantage of this transitional and rich fishery over the course of the period.

Family Fun Fishing Charters in Cocoa Beach

September 13, 2021
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Surf Fishing the Space Coast

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Surf fishing the Space Coast saw an improvement in conditions which led to a bountiful diversity of species to hit the shores. Snook, tarpon,  pompano and whiting were a few of the target fish that brought smiles all around. Shark fishing continued its steady pace with blacktip sharks making the most common appearances. Not all catches contained the thrills of the headliner species, with an abundance of croakers, catfish and rays to contend against. With that being said the bite was steady for bending a rod consistently including the smaller less desirable table fare fish.

Cleaner water conditions were the main factor resulting in phenomenal snook catches in the first or second trough. Many shore-based anglers went out specifically to target these large trophy fish. July, August and September are the traditional months for providing an opportunity to hook into a fish of a lifetime from the beach. Live bait including croakers, mullet and pinfish are the desired selections for targeting snook in the surf. Free lined or slightly weighted rigs with 40-60lb fluorocarbon leader matched with a 3/0-5/0 hook will be the setup for the task at hand. Read the water conditions for swell and current and use split shots when needed to attain the correct presentation.

Noting the fact on water clarity brought in a resurgence of pompano making their presence know to surf fishermen in the southern regions of the county. Larger fish were caught on live sandfleas, live shrimp and fresh clams with the chartreuse and white pompano floats performing best.  Match the above mentioned baits with Fishbites in the clam and crab flavor to provide a desirable scent and visual aid to the presentation of your pompano rigs. Short pompano were prevalent between the bigger keeper-sized fish but nonetheless, pompano are available in decent numbers at the moment.

Seasonal predatory species including sharks and tarpon also highlight the opportunities on tap for local surf fisherman. The bite should stay consistent through August and September for those interested at landing a  monster. Tarpon will be seen rolling at times in the first and second trough within casting distance for shoreline anglers. Use large sized suspending Rapala lures or big swim baits for targeting tarpon in the surf on artificial.  Live baits for snook and chunked bait like ladyfish and mullet will maintain the double edged sword for understanding both species are attainable. Blacktip sharks may surprise your goal of tarpon and snook when they take hold of your live or chunked bait. These acrobatic species will make short work of the fluorocarbon leaders but to hedge that chance be sure to use circle hooks for a better hook set in the corner of the mouth. It’s all on hand for those in pursuit so get out there and make a memory.

August 16, 2021
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