Hey y’all, this is Capt. Jonathan Moss of Go Castaway Fishing Charters, serving Orlando and the Mosquito Lagoon, bringing you April’s fishing forecast!
Freshwater:
Warming water temperatures have pushed Largemouth bass into deeper grass and structure. I look for areas that are about 7-9 feet deep with 3-4 feet of grass on the bottom and 3-4 feet of water on top. A Number 6 x-rap in the black and silver or green and silver has been highly effective on these aggressive fish. Also a ½ ounce chrome and black Rat-L-Trap produced a solid bite. Don’t forget to keep a top water plug handy. There are times where a fish will swirl at the surface. Make your cast in that area, give it a few twitches and hold on!
Saltwater:
Sight fishing on the Mosquito Lagoon for redfish and trout has been absolutely incredible! We are seeing large schools of redfish tailing and cruising the flats in search of food. Bait fish have shown up in large numbers and as a result, our lure choices have changed. Paddle tails, soft jerk baits, and gold spoons have been the ticket! Also don’t be afraid to throw a top water plug at a cruising red or a Trout laid up on a sand hole.
Fly Fishing:
On the fly fishing front, flies that mimic shrimp continue to be the key to success on my skiff. pOG Flys, www.pierceoutdoorsgroup.com/pog-flys-shop, makes a killer coyote flats shrimp and new for the 2017 spring lineup, the Anarchy Leo Mod Shrimp. Both have been deadly on the tailing redfish! You also might consider a tan gurgler for that top water bite, which is my personal favorite on fly! Side note for the tailers, SLOW DOWN. Make your cast, strip towards the fish, and then slow ticks. Don’t strip your fly through the strike zone to fast as it might not get seen or may spook the fish in this clearer water. Get ready because you are about to get crushed!
Pro Tip: Growing up my dad taught me a few life lessons and one of those was preventive maintenance. He would constantly say, “If you take care of your tools, they’ll take care of you!” And that also applies to your boat and trailer. More often than not, anglers neglect their trailers. I constantly see trailers with broken bunks, busted lights, and rust galore. Here are some quick tips to help keep your trailer road worthy.
- Check your trailer lights, chains, and brakes before you get on the road. Make sure they are connected and in working order. Did you know you can issued a ticket for broken lights or unconnected trailer chains? It’s worth 2 seconds of time to check.
- Spray your lugs, washers and bolts, tongue jack, lock, hitch, wench and gears with WD-40. My boats are constantly in and out of saltwater, so a little WD-40 can and will go a long way in preventing rust to form. This water repelling agent is cheap and saves you money in the long run.
- It’s recommend that you have your trailer hubs repacked every 5000 miles or every 6 months. Keeping your bearings greased with synthetic marine-wheel bearing grease and packed saves your hubs and could also save your trip.
These few tips are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to trailer maintenance but following these simple tips will make your next trip to and from the water a safe and pleasurable one.
Tight Lines and screaming drags,
Capt. Jonathan Moss
Go Castaway Fishing Charters
Serving Orlando, Mosquito Lagoon, Central Florida
www.gocastaway.com
407-760-8593
