Fresh Cocoa Fishing Reports

Space Coast Surf Fishing Rockets Upwards April didn’t disappoint for surf fishing enthusiasts along the Space Coast! Due in part to the much awaited spring pompano run that hit our coasts with a sonic boom of a bang. Large pompano ranging from 3-4 pounds were consistently landed on local area beaches. Everywhere in Brevard county experienced spurts of this spring run, from Sebastian Inlet to Cape Canaveral. Spring weather blessed us with a crisp essence of cool breezes and pompano. This was essentially rejoiced by all as the final transition into the dog days of summer took effect. In other headlines, big bull whiting came out to play in April and that's a trend we should see persist into May. Look for whiting to concentrate on outflows and drop offs along the beach. These signature areas can be identified by distinguishing the confused looking surfaces slapping against each other in an unorganized manner. Surf fishing rigs with small hooks accompanied with beads and tipped with Fishbites and shrimp have the best results. Subsequently, pompano typically concentrate in similar areas so be ready with multiple rods to target these hot zones! Record blue fish blitzing continues late into this 2024 surf fishing season. The sheer size of the bluefish this year is something worth taking note of. In my 30 plus years of surf fishing the Space Coast, I have yet to see such a run. Not only in size and numbers, but the water temperatures seem to have slightly deteriorated the bite. Meaning the onslaught of blue has been consistent, large and with no end in sight. The best way to target bluefish in the surf is using fresh cut bait, rigged on a pompano rig with chartreuse floats. Shark fishing takes charge! Leading into the great fishing we experienced in April didn’t come without the apex predators of them all. Sharks infiltrated area beaches with high numbers and tenacity. Pompano and whiting were quickly shredded from lines if one wasn’t quick enough to retrieve these fish species. Blacktip sharks, lemon sharks and hammerhead sharks rounded off the top shark species caught in April. Look for this to continue into May with the water temperatures continuing to warm. Fresh cut bait did the trick and outfished the live baits proportionally. Get in on this hot action if you’re looking to hook into a trophy. Lastly, look for the month of May as a time of year where you can expect to see a different cast of characters appear. Snook and flounder will be pursuing the first and second trough searching for baitfish and crustaceans. May is one of the best times of year to target flounder in the surf. Using swimbaits, soft plastics and diving plugs to work the shorelines with light tackle spinning rods. This method of surf fishing is not only productive, but highly engaging as you cast repeatedly and walk the stretches of shoreline.

March Surf Fishing Report Melbourne Beach And Cocoa beach Spring surf fishing on the Space Coast equates to big catches of pompano, whiting, flounder and sharks. Melbourne beach surf fishing for pompano continues to pickup as they infiltrate local area waters. Pompano will be making their way back north for the summer time. Cocoa beach fishing tours produced whiting on the inside trough or second trough as they peruse the surf for crustaceans. In addition, we’ll see flounder fishing firing up as they ambush bait in the first trough near Patrick Auir Force Base south to Sebastian Inlet. Furthermore the shark fishing charters near Cocoa Beach is in full swing! For this interested in these catching strong acrobatic species from the beach, March and April are great months. Pompano Fishing Florida Pompano on a parade, as we circle back to the spring run which can provide great spurts of schooling fish. Melbourne beach surf fishing reports are showing fish in this region along with Cape Canaveral. The key to finding and staying on these schools of pompano will directly relate to water temperature and clarity. With that being said pompano prefer water temps ranging from 66-74 degrees. Not only do they prefer specific water temps, but water clarity holds the key for getting on the bite. Shades of green and blue, Caribean sea colors, make for the most probable scenario. Best Family Beach Fishing Trips Catching pompano in the surf can be tricky for most anglers, regardless of their experience. Pompano are simply one touch species because of their patterns to move and cover so much ground. There one day and gone the next! “Should of been here yesterday,” pompano stories are enough to drive one crazy. With that being said we are here to inform and guide you to pompano success. If you’re still not having the pompano fortune you desire, simply read these articles and/or contact us to book a trip or lesson. Best Beach Fishing Rigs For Pompano Fishing for the much desired pompano will indirectly lead to decent bycatches of whiting, black drum and bluefish without the predetermined effort. Pompano rigs with chartreuse floats and pearl colored beads make a great combination in the spring! In addition, Fishbites electric chicken crab scent is highly recommended in tipping your pompano rigs. The combination of Fishbites paired with live sand fleas, fresh shrimp and clams will produce the knockout punch you’re looking for. Catch Flounder In The Surf Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters is ramping up for the spring flounder run. The flounder run kicks off in the spring months from March through May. Using artificial lures such as swim baits, buck tails and diving plugs produce ocean roaming flounder year after year. The excitement of casting lures with light to medium action rods make for a fun and exciting surf fishing adventure. Consider working artificial lures or live baits close to the shore in the first and second trough in order to target these camouflage ambush predators. With that being said, you can’t catch them at home, so hit the surf during this pristine time of year!

Beach Shark Fishing and Pompano Fishing At Its Best Bountiful catches and beautiful beach days continue to comprise the winter surf fishing season for 2024. Well there have been detrimental weather windows here and there, but overall at least we’re not scraping ice from our windshields right? With that being said, let's take a look at what’s been happening in the surf fishing realm along the Space Coast. Furthermore, we’ll take a look ahead of what's to come. Pompano Fishing: Florida’s Central East Coast The pompano fishing in Brevard County absolutely went off beginning in December and should continue into March. While there’s definitely different pockets of life based on conditions it continues to be a stellar season for surf fishing pompano. Firstly, the days of clean water held fish in multiple areas from Cocoa Beach south to the Sebastian Inlet. Fishing multiple runouts, rip currents and troughs held the keys to success. In addition, the top baits for catching pompano are live sand fleas, fresh shrimp and Fishbites in an assortment of colors and flavors. Look for this trend to continue into February as long as the water temperatures don't get into the low 60’s. Whiting, Bluefish, And Black Drum One of the main species that’s been active in the surf are large bull whiting. The big whiting didn't make much of an impact in the surf fishing last year, so the initial signs are extremely encouraging. Large whiting used to be a staple in the Space Coast fishery that even the most novice surf fishing anglers could rely on. Known for their flaky white meat and naturally curious behavior. It was typically assumed you could head home with a bucket full of whiting for dinner. In contrast to the headliner pompano fishing that’s been taking place, I'm personally encouraged on the whiting front as well. February Is The Month For Giant Black Drum Start your engines if you’re looking for that trophy catch of the enormous black drum that comb local beaches. Winter surf fishing for giant black drum means you could hook into anywhere from a 40-70lb black drum. Hence be prepared for the tackle to combat these, “big uglies”. Large schools of black drum will be working their way up and down the beaches feeding on crustaceans. Use a beefed up pompano rig, jig or fish finder rig and place them in front of the schools approaching. Long casts are often needed, so be sure to have plenty of line capacity on your surf fishing reels when targeting the large ones. Not to mention, once you hook into a big drum the drag is going to go screaming! You’ll want anywhere from 20-50lb main line for your best opportunity to land one. Shark Fishing Brevard County Shark fishing remains active along Brevard County beaches. Blacktip sharks, sandbar sharks and bonnethead sharks are the main species we're catching in the surf. Fresh cut bait continues to deliver best results cast into the second trough. Be prepared to quickly release sharks in the manner performed in the mandatory shark fishing Florida course online. Have fun and enjoy the great surf fishing on tap!

What a way to spend the day with family and friends of all ages!! All month we’ve caught tons of fish and shared the experiences with generations of family groups. That’s the beauty of surf fishing! From children to grandparents it’s a fun fishing adventure for the entire family! Checkout the beautiful catches we’ve had through December and will continue into January. Pompano, whiting, sharks, jack crevalle, bluefish and more!! Don’t wait to get in on the action because it’s hotttt right now.

January Space Coast Surf Fishing Forecast This is the season for surf fishing anglers in the Space Coast to rejoice with bountiful catches and picture perfect weather. January marks the busy season for anglers fishing Brevard County beaches. As a result, the influx of residents that spend winters here in the Central East Coast of Florida take part in this recreation. Hence one can expect crowded beaches and busy shorelines filled with surf fishing anglers. As a result make sure to arrive at the popular surf fishing locations early or else you'll be stuck at a less than desirable spot. What’s all the hype about? A multitude of factors contribute when speaking on what’s special about winter surf fishing in Florida. Firstly, as mentioned previously, the outstanding weather Florida winters provide make for a great excuse to hit the beach. Secondly the surf fishing can be outstanding with big catches of pompano, whiting, black drum and bluefish. For instance, a good report of pompano catches contains the propensity to create a stampede of surf fishing anglers. Anglers looking to lay claim are worked into a frenzy by way of reading public forums and visiting their local bait shops. In order to beat the herds and be in front of the bite make sure to be consistent and do one’s homework when partaking in this local fishery. For one, choose days that suit your level of fishing experience. Beginners should look for days that have less than 15mph wind and three feet or less of swell. Local weather forecasting websites will assist you in dictating what days will be suited best. If you’re ever unsure or need some direction on weather, equipment, or where to go, feel free to contact us with the information below. Next you'll need the appropriate surf fishing rigs and bait in order to receive a higher probability of success. Surf fishing rods in the 11-12ft range are my personal favorite for long cast and backbone for heavier rigs. Paired with surf fishing reels in the 5000-8000 series. These reels make for the perfect combo to have enough line capacity to cast far and reel in the big one. Finally, use pompano rigs that contain a combination of floats and beads to maximize your efforts. Top baits of choice for winter surf fishing in this order are sand fleas, clams, shrimp and crab knuckles. Be advised we personally pair all these baits with Fishbites products in a range of flavors and colors. Not to mention one particular bait may work better on particular days or weeks. That’s why it’s always advisable to have a variety of baits on hand and pay attention to what's working best. Now that you’re rigged and ready it's time to hit the beach! Look for outflows, rip currents, clean water and bird activity in order to choose the best spot. Furthermore be sure to work multiple zones of the surf by casting different distances from the shore. This ensures you to cover all your bases and make sure not to miss fish that may be closer in or further from the shore. Expect to catch the prized Florida pompano, whiting, black drum, bluefish, and jack crevalle. While it’s worth mentioning these are the majority of fish species you can expect to catch frequently, there's many more that can be present at any given time. I recommend you fish as often as you can. This way you stay up on the bite and you’ll be the one writing the good fishing reports versus chasing old information on the public forums.

Black drum have just started showing up in large numbers. Winter is a phenomenal time to target these monster fish! We have caught them up to 44” inches in recent trips, from deep water or sight fishing them on the skinny flats its a great fight and some of my favorite fishing to do in the winter time.