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Fishing Reports

July 24 Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, and Orlando area fishing forecast

By July 24, 2014No Comments
DAYTONA BEACH-PONCE INLET 

DAYTONA OFFSHORE-Red snapper are still open on Friday and Saturday of this week. Although anglers are catching good numbers and decent sizes on the 90 to 250-foot reefs and wrecks, it seems like the 21 fathom area is holding the best numbers on most days.  Look for areas of the reef that are marking good bait or schools of snapper on them and drop cut sardines, squid, and large chunk baits 
on a standard bottom rig.  Large mangrove snapper to 10 pounds can also be found on many of the wrecks in the 70 to 150-foot depths.Chum these fish up in the water column, and drop small live or cut baits back to them. 

DAYTONA INSHORE-A mixed bag of fish can be found near docks and pilings in the New Smyrna area. Bluefish, trout, tarpon, snook, redfish, flounder and black drum are possible. Anglers using Saltwater Assassin sea shad tails rigged on a 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jig head make for a good minnow imitation that can be fished near these structures during the incoming or outgoing tide.  Live shrimp or mud 
minnows can be good baits to use at the change of tide.  If you replace the Assassin shad tail with one of the live baits mentioned above, please be prepared to loose quite a few because these fish can be sneaky when striking on live baits.  

COCOA BEACH- EAST ORLANDO-PORT CANAVERAL 

COCOA BEACH-EAST ORLANDO-OFFSHORE-Red snapper are the main target for anglers running offshore to do some bottom fishing this weekend.  Most of the reds are coming from the 120 to 250-foot depths.  Large baits will keep the smaller fish off of your offering.  Cobia, mangrove snapper and triggerfish are possible while fishing for the reds.  King mackerel are scattered along the 70 to 90-foot reefs and wrecks.  Also look for them cruising the beaches in the 15 to 40-foot depths while slow trolling live sardines or pogies. Tarpon, shark, and bonito will also hit live baits intended for the Kingfish in these depths. 

COCOA BEACH-EAST ORLANDO-INSHORE-Redfish continue to be a good bet for anglers working the bars and flats of the Mosquito Lagoon this week.  Snook, mangrove snapper, and trout are possible here as well.  Live shrimp or pigfish rigged under a cork or free lined 
into grassy areas will usually get them to strike. Lures like the Rapala Skitterwalk and new waking minnow are good options if you prefer to trick your reds instead of feeding them. 

Until next time....Catch a memory!!!! 

Capt Jim Ross