With the new moon and fairy clear water in much of the North/Central Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon, there has been a lot of 10-25 inch seatrout. Look for flats with a seagrass, a good ledge, or baitfish. Trout are often also found in and near channels and canals. Sometimes I’ll see a big 20-30 trout or two while sight fishing reds in skinny water.

I recommend using light to medium spinning gear with 8-15lb braid and 10-20lb fluorocarbon. If I think there’s a chance of hooking a big redfish or black drum, I’d use something on the heavy side. If I see clear water and skittish fish, I’ll go light.

In broad daylight, live shrimp or 2-4 inch soft plastics are the best options in deeper water, usually. Early morning is almost always the best time to target large trout on the flats. Topwater plugs with single inline hooks or 3-6 inch live finger mullet on 2/0-5/0 circle hooks are the best ways to target these trout. During new and full moons at night, live finger mullet and occasionally even chunks yields some of the biggest trout with 30+ inches not impossible.

Seatrout populations really took a hard hit 2016-2018, so please practice catch and release. Always wet your hands before touching. Seatrout have small, delicate scales. Avoid treble hooks, and always use a circle hook when fishing natural bait.

A few large reds and black drum are hit or miss under bridges and deeper flats right now. Use live finger mullet or chunks for the reds and half a blue crab or big shrimp for the black drum. Heavy tackle may be needed in some cases.

Tarpon should turn on soon in the canals and backwaters with the warming weather. I haven’t been offshore, but there should be lots of different opportunities to catch out there.

Beware of the otter(s) if wading.