Light Tackle, Backcountry Flats Fishing
And Charters On Florida's
East Coast,
Indian River And Mosquito Lagoon
with Mosquito Lagoon Redfish Guide Service
If a Guaranteed catch of a Redfish on light tackle sounds exciting, then you finally found the right place.
Backcountry flats fishing in the waters of the Indian River Lagoon Estuary will introduce the novice or expert to a new fishing experience. These waters are home to a variety of fish such as Mosquito Lagoon's Big Bull Reds, flounder, trout and snook.
Captain Larry L. Fowler targets Redfish as a specialty, and routinely catches reds over 20 lbs on light tackle. You'll catch a redfish, or you pay nothing! Guaranteed!
Email mrsnook@bellsouth.net
Click here for the
All New 2000 Radical Redfish Slide Show
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The redfish or red drum is a member of the drum family whose cousins include the spotted seatrout, black drum, and the Atlantic croaker. The Redfish makes a drumming sound by rubbing internal muscles against the inflated air bladder. This is part of the courtship ritual and is also repeated sometimes when the fish is caught.
The Latin name translated means "shady eye-like spot", due to
the most noticable mark on the red drum, one
large black spot on the upper part of the tail base. Having multiple spots is not uncommon (even up to 100 spots!)for this fish, but having no spots is extremely rare. 
Popular tournaments are held each year with the fisherman catching the fish with the most spots winning a variety of prizes.
The color of red drum ranges from a deep blackish, coppery color to almost silver in some waters. The most common color is reddish-bronze.
The Redfish is a pretty fast growing fish reaching about 10-12 inches and one pound in its first year, 17-22 inches and 3 1/2 pounds in two years, and 22-24 inches and 6-8 pounds in three years. The all-tackle record redfish was over 80 pounds and was caught on the east coast of the United States.
Redfish reach maturity between their third and fourth years when they are about
thirty inches long. On the Florida flats and near the inlets spawning occurs about from mid-August through mid-October.
On the Gulf side and near the mouths of passes, (around the big bays) spawning occurs about from late July through mid-October.
Eggs hatch within 1 day or so and are carried into the bays by incoming tides.
The larval red drum seek quiet, shallow water with grassy or muddy bottoms, mangrove roots, and backcountry habitat. A female will usually lay 500,000 eggs or so.
For the first three years of their lives red drum live in the bays, the backcountry flats,
or in the surf zone near passes and inlets.
They remain in the same area and generally move less than 3 miles for their first few seasons. As they become adults, they move from the bays to the ocean or the Gulf of Mexico where they remain the rest of their lives, except for occasional forays into the bays.
Although there is little evidence of seasonal migrations, anglers find concentrations of
red drum in rivers and tidal creeks during the winter.
Young redfish feed mainly on smaller shrimp, crabs, and marine worms. As they grow bigger, they feed on small fish, larger crabs, and shrimp. They generally are bottom feeders and as such are usually looking downward, but will feed on swimming food when the right circumstance occurs. A behavior called "tailing" happens when the redfish feed in shallow water with their head down near the bottom and the tail above the surface.
Red drums prefer shallow water 1-4 feet deep and Florida's Moquito Lagoon is just about perfect habitat. They are sometimes found in water so shallow that their dorsal fins are exposed while swimming.
They are found over all bottom types but they seem to prefer areas with submerged vegetation
and sand spots. These fish are also commonly found around oyster bars.
Differences in structure along shorelines such as creek points, jetties, and old pier pilings attract them.
Poling the shallow grass flats for redfish is a real challenge for most anglers. A weedless spoon is used in areas of heavy submerged or floating vegetation.
Flyfishing for redfish is gaining in popularity, with fishermen fly casting small popping plugs, baitfish type streamers or shrimp and crab imitation flies to "tailing" or cruising redfish. Captain Larry can arrange a flyfishing trip. (for experienced fly fishermen)
Spinning rods and Reels are the preferred choice of Captain Larry L. Fowler, and he builds them himself. All the reels Larry uses have a very good drag system.
You will fish just outside the Kennedy Space Center near Titusville, Florida. Many types of birds and wildlife abound in the Cape Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, even though it is only a few minutes east of Orlando. Redfish to 30 pounds or more are often caught there on 6-8 pound test line, and Snook, Tarpon and Speckled Trout are also common.
Snook Homepage with Slideshow
"My promise to you as a customer on any fishing trip with me is that I
will always be on time and 100% prepared. We will use the finest tackle
and equipment available, the boat will be clean and ready to go.
I will give you my best effort on each and every trip and will hopefully help you to become a better angler. My goal is not just to catch a fish or two but to absolutely tear the the fish up. To have a day that will be memorable, enjoyable and satisfying. From the most serious anglers to the beginners I will cater your trip to you. Thanks and lets go rip some lips! "
Capt Larry L. Fowler
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"
I have been fishing with Capt. Larry for almost ten years. During that
time we have probably been on 200 or so trips of various types. I have
brought many different friends, family and colleagues along on these
trips and all have concluded that Capt. Larry is the best fishing guide
they have ever been with. He is a master teacher of the fundamentals
from proper rod & reel choices and operation of those many different
types, to presentation of lures and baits and fighting and landing all
types of fish.
He is also is a master rod builder and has taught me to make finer custom rods than I ever thought I could. Our fishing trips have always been successful with over half of those trips bordering on unbelievable. If it were not for the hundreds of pictures I have of those trips people would surely think I was making up fish stories. From Snook to Redfish and even freshwater Bass he is unsurpassed in his profession. I now purchase Blocks of ten trips at a time to ensure securing dates to fish with Capt. Larry. Thanks for all the great fishing and memories over the last ten years and I am looking forward to the next Ten. Dr Richard Lovas M.D. Orlando Fla. "
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"Redfish? They are huge in Mosquito Lagoon, and with Capt. Larry L. Fowler's techniques they are fun to catch.
While fishing a daytime trip with Capt. Larry, I caught and released my biggest ever Redfish as well, a 25 pound+ model, on 6 pound test. Oh yeah, big fun! Took 20 minutes. My first trip with Larry, I broke my big Snook record 5 times in 6 hours. During those 4 trips, I also hooked and lost several Snook which I am SURE went over 20 pounds, but since I was a bit inexperienced, or unprepared mentally, I let them beat me. My biggest Snook with Larry so far, was a 19 pounder. On my most recent trip with Larry, we caught and released over 30 10lb and over Snook. We only fished 3 hours. On every trip with Larry, I learn more and more about what I am doing. Folks, I have been fishing for 40 years. I am no rookie. Still, I learned more in one night than I did in 10 years of fishing for Snook on my own. Is it worth it to go fishing with Larry? You bet it is. He is like a teacher and a coach at the same time, telling you why we do things, showing you how to do them, then coaching you as you do them yourself. Want to catch a big Snook? Go fishing with Capt. Larry. You WILL catch a 10lb Snook, probably several of them."
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"Thanks for a great snook fishing trip. I have not caught so many nice
fish in a long time. I lost count but I would guess we probably caught
14 or 15 snook all in the 10 to 25lb. range. It seems than on every pass we hooked up! We also caught the 30lb. Tarpon that did a
great job getting me wet and the nice redfish that put a good bend on my
partner's homemade rod. There is no reason to travel all over the world
having your fishing spots in our state.
I also thank you for spending the time teaching me about rods, reels,
hooks, baits and all the techniques for successful snook fishing. Very
few guides spend the time teaching their clients how to be successful
fishermen. Thanks again and I am looking forward to our next trip."
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