Spring is in full swing, and summer will be right around the corner. The seatrout will still be prevalent throughout Brevard’s inshore flats. Redfish are chasing the ever increasing schools of finger mullet. And pods of pogies have flooded the beach, with Cobia, Tarpon, Kingfish and sharks in tow. With all these Space Coast kayak fishing opportunities abound, your honey-do list my get neglected this month. One date to hold on your calendar would be May 7th. Come down to Boaters Exchange for the Coastal Angler Magazine Boaters Expo. I will be speaking about kayak fishing at 2:00 pm, and we will have a Local Lines Guide Service booth. So stop on by and say hi! Also, go check out the official Local Lines Facebook page for up to date information on the Space Coast bite: facebook/LocalLinesGuideservice.
May is a great month to catch your gator seatrout. Of course the preferred method to catch the largest trout before they spawn out and spread across the flats is noisy, top-water lures in low light conditions. Walk-the-dog types will work best, but in-line prop baits like the Jonny Rattler get many strikes, as well. These in-line top waters are much more effective than incorrectly worked walk-the-dog style baits. It takes years of experimentation to perfect the zigzagging walk-the-dag presentation, but the reward is some fierce strikes from big fish. I have posted a YouTube video to help my readers master the walk-the-dog presentation. This can be found by typing YouTube/LocalLinesTV411/walkthedognow into any internet search engine. Most of the Space Coast flats with mullet activity will hold numerous seatrout, but the Banana River’s no-motor-zone (NMZ) is tops on my list for true gator seatrout. Throw in a healthy Redfish population with Snook, Black drum, and Tarpon making seasonal appearances, and it’s easy to see why a paddle-only zone, adjacent to the closed waters of Kennedy Space Center fills my kayaking dreams! A ton of information can be found on the NMZ on-line. Kayaks and canoes can be launched on both the east and west sides; however, I prefer the safety and security that the $5.00 a boat fee at KARS Park in Merritt Island offers. The east side is great, but the anglers are forced to park along the causeway behind Port Canaveral’s cruise terminals. Many vehicles have been burglarized on this stretch; so beware. Aerial photos and time on the water will help locate productive NMZ areas, but the most common mistake I see is people paddling past the fish. It’s not how far you go, it’s how many fish you see. Go slow, and you might find all you need right by the launch site. One often over looked fact about the NMZ is that it falls within the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge boundaries, and all anglers must possess a current refuge permit. This is free, and you can download it from the refuge’s web site. If you are hiring a guide to fish this unique area, please select one with the correct permits. Or just book with me for hassle-free NMZ fishing.
The water temperatures on Brevard’s coastal beaches are reaching summer highs. With this influx of warm ocean water come mass amounts of bait fish; most notably, large schools of Atlantic Menhaden (aka pogies). They are large, oily, filter-feeding bait fish that are the staple of many ocean-bound predators. Huge Tarpon, Kingfish, Cobia and sharks will join other predators to gorge on these dense bait schools within yards of the surf zone. Kayakers can simply drive on A1A stopping at various beach accesses in search of diving birds that give up the location of the massive pogie schools. Pogies can be cast netted or snatch-hooked and slow trolled around the bait pods. 15-20 lb. conventional or heavy spin tackle will make for some fun fights. Be safe; kayak in the ocean with a buddy, and bring a VHF radio. I will have much more to come on the fishing as it heats up in the summer.
Tight Lines & Wet Paddles
Forecasts by: Capt. Alex Gorichky
LocalLinesChartes.com
Full-Time Space Coast fishing guide
And Malibu Kayaks Pro-Staff paddler
Contact Capt. Alex @ 321-480-3255
