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Surf Fishing Florida

Summer Surf Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Summer surf fishing report by Capt. Lukas. Tropical storm Elsa didn’t put too much of a damper on the surf fishing conditions during the prior week, besides a couple of days that were too stormy to fish. Clients who had the opportunity to get out and enjoy surf fishing charters when weather permitted were rewarded with diverse catches of whiting, pompano, snook, sharks and croakers. While the croaker bit continues its red hot action we enjoy repurposing some of these catches for live bait rigs enticing the bigger snook patrolling the first trough. As these live bait rods soak our shark rigs have continued their dominance with Blacktip sharks galore and a smattering of other sharks alike.

Surf Fishing for Snook

With that being said it’s been extremely difficult to find any consistency on a day-to-day basis. Each particular day has held completely random conditions and species catches. About the only element that’s held stability is the croaker bite. Knowing you’re going to have your fair share of croakers be prepared for shorter soak times between catching and checking baits. For these reasons, we make it a point to diversify the options for fish and shark and use a multitude of setups to do so.

Space Coast Surf Fishing Charters

These alternatives to the traditional pompano rig with sandfleas and  Fishbites can provide the thrills needed to keep things exciting. When deploying live bait rigs with croakers or mullet one can expect to land trophy snook, tarpon, and sharks. Fresh chunked bait can also be used to achieve the same goals.

If one’s targeting the snook and tarpon I recommend using a fish finder rig with 40-80lb fluorocarbon leader 1-3ft in length and a one to two once sinker, as many of these fish aren’t extremely leader shy this time of year. If they’re feeding this will give you enough backbone to be prepared for a  fish of a lifetime. These same rigs can also be used without any weight-free lined letting the bait move unrestricted out past the first trough.

Shark Fishing Melbourne Beach Florida

Noting the inconsistency that’s played a part make sure to try different area beaches on opposing tides as well. Recently our surf fishing trips have been using this method to follow the fish and make it a point to not stick with a location that’s not producing. When doing so we continue to find large residential pompano, whiting, croakers, snook and sharks. Be flexible, be persistent and good things will come. Get out there, have fun and find some fish! Book your trip today.

 

July 12, 2021
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Surf Fishing in the Summer

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Surf fishing in the summer with Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing. The patterns take hold, reigning in what looks to be a  great season for catching big snook, pompano, whiting, and sharks. The snook bite has already elevated itself to a degree that gives anglers the confidence to target these trophy sport fish. Wrapping up the last week of the snook season had many fishermen hit the beaches to find amazing success. Live baits such as croakers, mullet, and threadfins accounted for the majority of these slot-size fish and oversize fish that hit the shoreline over the past week.

Look for this trend to continue in the months ahead and remember with warmer water temps, fish being out of season, and larger fish being present to handle with care. Never hold the fish from the lip vertically, or touch the gills or eyes, and to always support fish in a horizontal manner with two hands, get a quick release, and don’t take excessive time with fish being out of the water. Another tip is to use circle hooks when live baiting to avoid gut hooked fish that increases the chance of injury or death.  Wetting one’s hands before handling a fish is another measure to ensure you don’t wipe away the fish’s protective slime which protects them from fungus and bacteria. Practicing these measures promotes a healthy fishery during the snooks spawning season which in turn will lead to increased numbers of fish for the future. It’s an incredible time to catch a memory and to practice these guidelines while also sharing with others.

Pompano fishing may not be the talk of the town compared to the winter months but let me assure you there are banner days to be had over the summer months. Many pompano reside in the area year-round so these fish are referred to as residential pompano. While the majority of larger schools travel north following their ideal water temps these residential fish can be found along Brevard County beaches for the entirety of the summer surf fishing season. Similar tactics can be implemented as the winter seasons with pompano rigs using chartreuse, orange, and white floats producing best. Match these pompano rigs with Fishbites,  sandfleas, shrimp, or clams for the ideal combination to target pompano in the surf. Don’t be surprised if you catch a trophy snook while targeting pompano and whiting, as numerous times these fish key in on crustaceans before the arrival of the mullet in the latter summer months.

In summary, it’s an exciting time to hit the beach knowing the diversity and opportunities on hand. Everything from catching dinner fish like pompano, whiting, and croaker up to the trophy class fish including snook, tarpon, and sharks. Water clarity will continue to drive success for the target species who feed primarily by sight, so put in the work to find areas depicting shades of blue and green. With that being said the diminishing seaweed problem accompanied by calmer winds will be beneficial as the days pass.  Enjoy the weeks ahead with family fishing trips to the beach accompanied by calm conditions and the exhilarating sensations all our coast has to provide.

June 7, 2021
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Shore Fishing Charters on the Space Coast

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Shore fishing charters have been a challenge to say the least, with the onslaught of apocalyptic seaweed combined with high winds and seas resulting in lots of canceled trips the week prior. Eager clients were chomping at the bit to get out and catch fish in the surf so I spent the weekend scouting and scouring our Space Coast beaches in search of an opportunity to wet the lines and get the fishing on. It was a depressing mission viewing each beach access up and down the coast covered up to three feet high in seaweed that stretched out beyond the breaking waves leaving no window for surf fishing success. In my entire life, Florida born and raised in the area, never have I seen such a sight as the prior two week period. Well, the search mission and ambition paid off, and I have great news that the waters are fishable, and they are teeming with life!

The seaweed layers awash were scattered through the surf zone making different tides and swell sizes favorable to attempt a go. While it wasn’t necessarily ideal surf fishing conditions, the show must go on. Starting over the weekend I began taking out trips and finding the cleanest waters to dictate my game plan. We were able to fish ten minute sets before seaweed inundated the fishing lines. The results varied each day of the week in terms of species frequency, but the similarities held true, it’s fishable and we were finally throwing lines out again.

Family fun fishing trips produced amazing results with toddlers, teens, parents and grandparents reeling in pompano, bluefish, whiting, catfish, and sharks. Early morning low light conditions produced double-header catfish at times, but as the sun reached higher in the sky and the tide backed out, it was game on for the pompano bite. Consistently catching pompano on each of our beach fishing trips, I was elated with the results of our efforts. Big pompano were hitting the shores bringing a smile to kids, adults, and the guide alike. Yes, there were challenging times and conditions the last couple of weeks, but it seems to have finally waned and opportunities await. Check out Fishbites!

Numerous times this week double-digit pompano were being landed by those who were dialed in on the patterns. Just goes to show you, they’re not all in north Florida as many forums and opinions have constantly stated over the past few weeks. Take advantage and get in on these big slab pompano while the fun lasts.

Surf Fishing Tips

Species abound during this time of year with shark fishing charters producing blacktip sharks, snook, bluefish and stingrays. Fresh cut bait has been the key. It’s always an interesting time of year to see what picks up the shark rig with the possibility of landing a shark, snook, bluefish, tarpon, stingray or drum. With this being said, I usually prefer to run a diversified surf fishing setup for my clients this time of year. Running a handful of rods set with pompano rigs, a couple rods with live or chunked bait, a shark rod and a light tackle setup for casting to snook, jack and bluefish. Depending on how you approach the conditions, this time of year will dictate what species you may catch but the excitement of never fully knowing what’s going to grab hold makes this a surprisingly wonderful time of year. Go out and get some on one of our shore fishing charters!

June 2, 2021
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Surf Fishing the Space Coast

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Surf fishing the Space Coast continued its blitz of fish and shark species throughout the region. Fishing near Cocoa Beach south to Satellite Beach found beach fishing anglers reeling in pompano, whiting, bluefish and snook. Meanwhile, the central region consisting of Satellite Beach south to Melbourne Beach found similar results with an increased number of snook, flounder and margate near the rocky shorelines.

Wrapping up the southern region south of Melbourne Beach, including Sebastian Inlet to Vero Beach, held consistency on the red hot whiting bite, big pompano and heaps of Blacktip sharks. Our surf fishing charters stayed dialed in on these movements of fish, shark and bait movement that provided a plethora of catches that excited clients daily.

Action packed shoreline fishing held anglers captive as the bluefish and whiting bite continued to keep rods bent and fish hitting the sandy shores. Double digit bluefish catches were a common theme through the week when fishing with cut bait. Ferocious predatory bluefish swarmed any and all catches with many whiting coming in handicapped and tailless. Considering the toothy profile of the bluefish, it’s recommended if specifically targeting them to beef up your leader size with 40lb plus leader to hedge your bets on lost fish, rigs and weights from chaffing.

With many shore-based fishermen targeting the elusive pompano, it was a common theme of many losing sight of the whiting lapping up crustaceans on the shore break. Short cast from 10-25 yards out reigned supreme with pompano rigs tipped with solely Fishbites. Patterns developed with the whiting keying in on the smaller profiled bait, and in many instances, a small piece of Fishbites outfished any rig with sand flea, shrimp or clam. As mentioned in previous articles, it’s of utmost importance to dial in on the scent preferences day to day. The reason I harp this chord so religiously is because of the fact that this approach alone leads to night and day catch rates.

Regarding the above-mentioned whiting lingering near the shore, the pompano also found a place in that mix. More than half of daily pompano catches were on short to medium cast in the whiting target zone. Where there’s food, there’s generally mixed bags of fish species capitalizing on the concentration. Surf fishing charters caught giant pompano this week with clients boasting fish from 15-18 inches. These beauties were common and gratifying for all.

Lively waters tilted the scales for sharks plundering catches before they could reach the safety of shore. Shark fishing charters enjoyed the action on Blacktip sharks engulfing cut bait and smoking lines off the reel. Sandbar sharks, sharp nose and bonnetheads filled in the gaps between the tenacious blacktips that persisted over the last few weeks. Shark fishing is exciting like no other species in my opinion for the surf fishing options this time of year. I’m absolutely a sucker for pompano fishing, but when the shark fishing equipment doubles over, you know it’s game on! If you’re unsure of how to catch or safely and quickly release, please execute due diligence and book a trip to learn or get someone with experience to help you initially. This ensures you’re well equipped to perform the task intelligently and safely.

The surf fishing forecast looks promising and exciting with snook and flounder added to the mix; it’s a wide open fishery at the moment. Go forth and cast!

April 29, 2021
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Central East Coast Surf Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

What a week to recap surf fishing here on the Central East Coast of Florida! Reports ranging from Jupiter to New Smyrna, including Brevard County, all showed similar trends in species that are running the surf – pompano, sharks, whiting, blue runners, ladyfish and mackerel rounded out the most commonly sought after and caught fish that were targeted from shore. The insane shark fishing continues to bend rods and bring smiles. It’s fun times, until it’s not our intended target and then these predatory species become responsible for hijacking your hard-earned pompano or whiting resulting in a broken rig or half a fish!

The water temperature held steady in ideal ranges and the winds cooperated to bring shades of blue and green water throughout area beaches. This resulted in high performance catches throughout the week with the need to shake a few blue runners and jacks in the process of bagging good numbers of pompano and whiting.

Pompano fishing continues its reign as the spring run kicked into high gear last week. Daily limits were had by surf fishing anglers along the Space Coast, who put in the time and effort. Southern Brevard beaches held consistent migratory fish charging back from their wintering in southern Florida waters.

Those who stood ready reaped the rewards as not only were the numbers up, but the size as well. Pompano measuring from 15-18 inches to the fork of the tail were common catches. These brute fish were weighing in over 3-4 pounds and tested the tackle. Pompano rigs with an assortment of beads and floats were used to match the bite preferences per day. Less proved best on most days with a small bead or minimal diameter float doing the job, with a percentage of fish coming on a naked rig with no float or bead as well. Live sand fleas, blanched fleas and cut clams were found to be the best baits of choice as of late. Fishbites in the sand flea flavor, white clam, pink shrimp and chartreuse crab tipped with the above-mentioned baits or stand alone caught increasingly productive numbers.

With each day bringing a deviation in the fish’s preferred scent, it’s important and recommended to start your day with a broad pattern and dial in on what’s getting bit up. From day to day it seemed to deviate from sand flea scent to the clam scent, and then the next day pink shrimp flavored did phenomenally well. So don’t stick to one when beginning your day, try three or four and observe which scents receive the most attention.

Surf Fishing Forecast

The coming week looks like another good one for the local surf fishing community, and I absolutely encourage everyone to hit the beach. When doing so, remember to religiously fish the different zones of the surf. Multiple times last week the fish were concentrating in varying zones from day to day, tide to tide and time of day. It became a constant experiment to find their preference each day. So cast in a staggering pattern for optimal return. Shore fishing charters numerous days found plentiful catches at 20-50 yards only to find them 100 yards out the following day in those varying cycles. It’s an awesome time of year to fish, so get on it! Contact us today to book a Central East Coast surf fishing charter!

April 22, 2021
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Surf Fishing is on Fire

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Surf fishing is on fire this past week with big catches hitting the beach! As predicted, the clean water accompanied with ideal water temps brought enormous bounty for surf fishing anglers on the Space Coast. Astonishing numbers of whiting, keeper pompano, and sharks headlined the week’s catches. Bluefish and mackerel made a resurgence from the prior week and that was a welcome sight for light tackle beach casting anglers.

Spring weather cooperated favorably with friendly skies, calm winds and clean water tipping the scales in local surf fisherman’s favor as all the stars aligned and the bite turned positive for the entirety of Brevard County beaches. Cocoa Beach to Sebastian Inlet produced astonishing catches of bull whiting, limits of pompano, bluefish and sharks. While particular beaches had a hot bite one day and slim bite the next, the swarms of whiting and pompano are on the move. Setting up miles in one direction or the other could mean staying in the meat or striking a blank on the previous day’s success. The focus on food concentrations of crustaceans and baitfish will determine the banner days versus the “should have been here yesterday” moments.

Shoreline shark fishing continues to reign as a consistent and exciting fishery over the past weeks. Blacktip migration patterns are in full effect with line of sight views from the beach seeing multiple airborne sharks clearing the surface outside the breakers. With that being said. they’re also cruising closer in on the first and second trough, snatching up whiting and blue runners at every opportunity. Savage power and ferociousness are the words that come to mind when these supercharged species bend the rod. But blacktips aren’t the only species we catch regularly. Other superstars include lemon sharks, Atlantic sharp nose, and sandbar sharks. Shore-based shark fishing trips are producing anywhere from 3 to 7 sharks caught within a four-hour span, and, of course, and all released immediately. As mentioned previously, if you have ever had interest in trying your hand at shark fishing, be sure to study the FWC guidelines and follow that information for a successful catch and release.

Pompano fishing continues its upswing as these fish are charging back north with correlating water temperatures. I see this trend continuing for the next few weeks and into May as well. The schools are scattered currently with separate groups of fish spread from South Florida waters north into Volusia County. Regarding this matter, we’re seeing steady to stellar days this last week fishing pompano in the surf. Sand fleas remain the top bait of choice tipped with white clam Fishbites and the electric chicken crab scent. Tidal swings have commanded the numbers of fish being caught with varying days producing results on the outgoing or last of incoming. Another trend that remains consistent is the afternoon to evening bite, whether the sun is high overhead or setting, firing off for big pompano ranging from 2 to 4 pounds. With the variety of life in the surf, make sure to set days aside for your opportunity to reap the rewards. I’m anticipating the next few weeks to be particularly bountiful.

April 14, 2021
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Surf Fishing Continues to Excite Beachgoers

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Surf fishing continues to excite beachgoers interested in catching pompano, sharks, whiting and bluefish galore. We’re seeing similar trends in the last two weeks with the infiltration of small Spanish mackerel and bluefish by the swarms. This in turn has led to an unreal shark fishing bite that continues to be red hot. Shore-based shark fishing trips produced consistent action on blacktip sharks, lemon sharks, sandbar sharks and bonnetheads. Whether it’s the mackerel and bluefish you’re after or an epic battle with a blacktip shark, now is definitely the time to get in on the action.

Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing for Sharks

Surf Fishing for Sharks

While shark fishing has provided clients rod bending, drag screaming action all week, it’s the pompano bite that has added an extra pep to my step. I’ve been mentioning each week how the water temps will eventually push higher numbers of fish to our Brevard County shorelines. Speaking of this, the transition is currently underway and our surf fishing clients saw a huge uptick in big pompano hitting the sand. As you know from my reports, pompano fishing can be a fickle beast to intertwine oneself with the ups and downs of their movements and patterns.

Pompano Surf Fishing

That’s why seeing these bigger pompanos showing back up brings an extra emphasis on each rig float, cast and presentation. With that being said, the most proactive fishermen have a distinct advantage over the passive surf anglers. With tons of bait-stealing croakers and mini Jack crevalles quick to nibble off your bait, I stress emphatically to check often and routinely. The chair-riding anglers don’t stand a chance next to an adversary nearby that continues to fire out fresh baits systematically and routinely. This all holds true under the current conditions with the need to pick through croakers, small whiting and bluefish to be rewarded with that slam down of a 3-plus pound pompano crushing your pompano rig. We’ve definitely dialed in on which patterns of float colors and color combos have been annihilating them, but I’m curious if anybody else has developed what’s working best. Comment below to compare what kind of results you’re seeing from different combinations.

Plan your surf fishing trip today!

In summary, this continues to be one of my favorite times of year with the abundance of life teeming off our Space Coast beaches from Cocoa Beach to Sebastian Inlet. It’s like a buffet of all your favorite foods and you get to pick and choose what species you want that day! In essence, our surf fishing trips have delivered a smattering of diversity reaching double digit species catches. The prominent target species of pompano and whiting saw an uptick this week with fatty pomps and a reemergence of those stud whiting tipping the scale over 1.5 lbs. While these species provided a buzz for the guide, it was unquestionably the shark fishing trips that astounded clients daily. There’s just no comparison to seeing the rod triple over in the pole spike while the drag is squealing off the reel and the vicious head shakes shutter the rod with each swinging motion. Take advantage of what’s happening currently in our beach fishing arena and hit the shores in search of your thrill. Good luck and catch ‘em up!

March 31, 2021
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March Surf Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

March surf fishing report! Exciting opportunities await for surf fishing anglers during the month of March. Last week we saw a major uptick in keeper pompano being landed along with the bull whiting, Spanish mackerel and sharks. Traditionally the  spring pompano run has coincided during these warming months and this  year looks no different. Pompano fishing looks to continue its rein on the  top of the target species list, but don’t overlook the diversity of other fish  to target. Spanish mackerel, whiting, flounder, black drum and sharks will  be on tap for our Space Coast beaches. This transitional time represents a  smorgasbord of species for shore based anglers fishing the surf.

As mentioned above pompano fishing will hold steady as the fever for the  spring run won’t be diminished for surf fishing anglers. Finding optimal  water clarity remains the single most important factor for targeting  pompano in the surf. Southeast trade winds take hold this month and can  thwart any surf anglers hopes with multiple days of southeasterly blows.  This week in particular has an easterly flow making the waters more  difficult to fish but we’ve been having tremendous luck using heavier  tackle to offset the wind, waves and current. Look for shades of blue and  green water as you research the surf fishing conditions from Cocoa Beach  south to Sebastian Inlet.

Space Coast Pompano Fishing

Space Coast Pompano Fishing

The cleanest water should be sought out even if it means driving and  checking multiple locations. Once you find the clear blues or green  shades, setup on those waters where outflows, eddies, troughs and holes  are present. Pompano rigs with chartreuse, white, and orange floats will be  better for the greener water, while white, pink and purple will perform  better in blue water. Tip your pompano rigs with Fish Bites in white crab,  pink shrimp, chartreuse clam and sandfleas flavors, in combination with  live sand fleas or fresh dead shrimp. This combination will produce the  best results for pompano, whiting, and black drum.

For those wanting to pursue and target species on light tackle I  recommend throwing swim baits, diving plugs and spoons in the first and  second trough for spanish mackerel, flounder, bluefish and snook.  Depending on the food sources identified at your area beach match the  hatch with similar size lures. If you’re identifying lots of ladyfish, mackerel  and blues most likely they’re feeding on glass minnows and a spoon or  gotcha plug works best. For flounder, snook and redfish cast swim baits or  diving plugs forty-five degrees from the shoreline and retrieve steadily.

Surf Fishing Cocoa Beach

Surf Fishing Cocoa Beach

Shore based shark fishing will continue to be red hot this time of year as  the waters warm. Black tip sharks will remain as the top species to target  and put on quite the acrobatic display. Family fun for the entire group  when shark fishing trips this time of year have a chance at multiple  catches per trip. Surf fishing equipment with 80lb braided line and short  cable leaders to a large 10/0 circle hooks prove the most reliable for the  task. While Blacktip sharks will be the most commonly caught species on  these shore based trips expect Lemon sharks, Sandbar sharks and Nurse  sharks to frequent the same waters. This month looks to provide all the  thrills any beach fishing angler could ask for, so get out there, have fun and catch them up!

Sebastian Inlet Shark Fishing

Sebastian Inlet Shark Fishing

March 11, 2021
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Brevard County Surf Fishing Report

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Brevard County surf fishing report by Capt. Lukas Our surf fishing charters last week saw a great amount of big bull whiting, a few large pompano, bluefish and mackerel. Water clarity and conditions were inconsistent on a day-to-day basis, which made it hard to set up a pattern on the fish. Fishing around Sebastian Inlet provided catches of large pompano midway through the week that had surf fishing anglers fighting for position. There weren’t any extremely high numbers of pompano coming through, but the ones that were caught ranged from 15-18 inches and weighed over 3 lbs. This is a good sign the fish that are staged currently in Vero Beach south to Fort Pierce and Stuart are charging back for the spring run.

Sebastian Inlet Surf Fishing Charters

Sebastian Inlet Surf Fishing Charters

Indian Riverkeeper Surf Fishing Tournament

The Indian RiverKeeper surf fishing tournament that took place over the weekend near Hutchinson Island and Fort Pierce had great catches of pompano hitting the leaderboard. The winning pompano was over 5 lbs and plenty had weighed-in fish that were 2-3 lbs, but were reluctantly knocked from the placing category. Seeing these larger numbers of pompano and larger pompano south had me excited for the weeks to come. Surf fishing charters in Brevard County have recently provided mainly small undersized pompano with a few large ones to celebrate the day. Once the fish down in the southern beaches continue to push up into our waters, be ready to hit the beach, because this transition is already underway.

Space Coast Pompano Surf Fishing

Space Coast Pompano Surf Fishing

Pompano Surf Fishing Tips

Pompano always holds that namesake and reputation for intrigue, but if you’re missing out on the absolutely stellar whiting bite, you need to change the game plan. These bull whiting continue to average over 15 inches and 1.5 lbs, while ranging up to 18 inches were all caught this week in high numbers. Family fun trips had clients of all ages enjoying this red hot whiting bite. Pompano rigs with live sand fleas, Fish Bites and fresh dead shrimp were the key. The fresh dead shrimp out-fished live sand fleas multiple days this week so keep an assortment of bait to find success. With that being said, the big pompano were all caught on live fleas tipped with shrimp or crab Fish Bites. Be prepared to release heaps of undersized pompano in your surf fishing endeavors, and do so quickly to ensure a healthy survival rate. Pompano in the 7-9 inch range are abundant and don’t need to be measured as it wastes time and increases mortality rates. Become proficient with what a legal size fish looks like to save time.

With the reputable food fare species covered for the weekly catch, let’s discuss the reliable bluefish and Spanish mackerel that continue to persist in local waters. Oftentimes on charter, while not directly targeting these bluefish and mackerel, we have been catching them on the retrieve to the shore. These ferocious predators love movement and action to entice their bite. If specifically targeting these fish, use cut bait on a pompano rig or use the silver spoon or gotcha plug in chartreuse color. I have many clients who love eating fresh bluefish and mackerel, especially if you plan on smoking them or making jerky. It’s delicious. Target the second trough to the sandbar as the fish have pushed off the beach in most areas.

Brevard County Surf Fishing Charters

Brevard County Surf Fishing Charters

Surf Fishing Forecast

The forecast is calling for southern winds on multiple days which will decrease the water clarity. Make sure to hit the beaches after the northerly winds clean it back up for optimal success. Get out there and have fun!

Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

March 2, 2021
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Guided Surf Fishing Charters

By Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters

Guided surf fishing charters caught big bull whiting, pompano, drum and sharks. Last week saw an upswing in not only the number of pompanos, but the larger pompano mixed in with higher numbers than previous weeks. This can be attributed to the increase in water temps from the lows we saw weeks prior. While we still weren’t catching recreational limits of pompano, the ones we did catch were averaging between 13-16” to the fork of the tail. Beautiful 2-3 lb pompanos on the sandy shores of our Space Coast had clients grinning with joy.

Space Coast Surf Fishing

Space Coast Surf Fishing

Surf fishing Brevard County still lacked the consistency one would prefer so it was optimal to fish multiple days to find a bountiful catch. Without a steady number of pompano hitting the shoreline, we continually counted on whiting to save the day. Thankfully that situation played out particularly well for the better part of the week. Large bull whiting over 1.5 lbs weren’t uncommon and that’s a welcomed sight for any surf fisherman.

Pompano Surf Fishing

Pompano Surf Fishing

Surf fishing Cocoa Beach provided good numbers of these whiting schools, while we saw single digit catches of keeper pompano as well. Target the whiting using a standard pompano rig with Pink Shrimp Flavored Fish Bites and live sand fleas or small pieces of shrimp. Generally these whiting can be caught closer to shore, but this week seemed to have them further out in the surf with longer casts producing better results. When fishing multiple rods, I have been dedicating more numerous casts to the outside zones while dropping one or two rods short to medium for a wide pattern, then dialing in as the bite dictates.

Space Coast Pompano Fishing

Space Coast Pompano Fishing

Surf Fishing for Sharks

Shark fishing has been phenomenal off the beach the last couple weeks and that pattern continued to hold true this week. Pictured in this report is Hugh from Ohio who booked a guided shark fishing trip and won the thrill of what it’s like to battle an acrobatic black tip on spinning tackle. This shark put on an absolute show jumping multiple times and screaming drag up and down the beach. As mentioned in previous reports, be sure to beef up the surf fishing equipment for these heavyweight contenders. Heavy braided line in the 80 lb class with a 200-300 lb monofilament shock leader with a foot of wire trace will do the trick. Fresh cut bait has been the ticket with the added scent and hands down outfished the frozen baits.

Surf Fishing for Sharks

Brevard County Shark Surf Fishing

Surf Fishing Forecast for the Space Coast

The week ahead looks like good conditions forecasted up until the weekend with a blow coming. Get out in front of the weather and storms this coming week to have an opportunity for success. There’s plenty of large whiting, roaming pompano and black drum to seek out. Not to mention the sand fleas have been plentiful at area beaches around the lower tide. There’s two large schools of black drum roaming off the coast between Patrick Air Force Base and Melbourne Beach. I spotted these fish three days ago milling around the Indian Harbour Beach area. The schooling black drum ranged between 20-60 lbs! Be sure to loosen your drag up when placing fishing poles in the rod holders. These fish won’t be stopped without a handful of screaming runs, and if the drag isn’t set properly you won’t stand a chance. Hit the beach and have fun!

 

Sebastian Inlet Surf Fishing

Sebastian Inlet Surf Fishing

Surf Fishing for Pompano in Cocoa Beach

Surf Fishing for Pompano in Cocoa Beach

Sebastian Inlet Surf Fishing Charters

Sebastian Inlet Surf Fishing Charters

February 18, 2021
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