Capt. Doug Blanton's Cocoa Beach Fishing Report
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Hell's Bay Boatworks Day - To help celebrate the combining of two great boat building companies (Hell's Bay and Gordon Boatworks), The event is scheduled for Saturday, January 10, 2009. The event will start at 10am and run throughout the day. There will be a huge boat display, several guides giving seminars, casting demonstrations, tying demonstrations, and fun for everyone. The event is free, so stop by and check out the boats and the seminars. So far, the following guides are scheduled to speak: Captain Kent Gibbens, Captain Doug Blanton, Captain John Tarr, Captain Jeremy Whaley, and others are being confirmed. For more information call 321-267-0348
Flats Report for Cocoa Beach & Titusville areas
January 5th, 2009 fishing report by Capt Doug Blanton
Summary
Is it summer or is it winter? Well the fish don't know ether. They have started to act like it is spring. We have a good number of big trout feeding on the flats in the early mornings. Small schools of big reds working the deeper edges of the flats in the afternoons. Scattered smaller reds tailing in the pre dawn hours in less than a foot. Snook and tarpon near deeper water mangroves. It looks like spring. The only difference is we still haven't had enough cold weather to clear the water up.
Redfish
We are catching a lot of slot size and under reds in the early morning on top water. All of these fish have been holding in less than a foot of water on flats near schools of bait. I say near because we have yet to catch any around the bait. Most of the time it is on flats just after the schools have worked by. We have been doing pretty good with these fish but most mornings it is all over by 0930.
Now the bigger reds have all be working the deeper water and have been extremely spooky. On a good day we have been able to pull one maybe two fish out of a school before they lock up. As soon as we see them getting skittish we have been moving on looking for a second and third school. All of these bigger reds have been pushing 40 pounds and have been willing to take a slow moving walk the dog.
On fly we have been having our best luck with Capt. John Tarr's Sexy Slider in the early mornings and dear hair mullet patterns in the afternoon on the bigger reds. In both cases I have been needing a little longer cast than normal. We have had a had time getting within 60 feet of the larger fish.
Trout
The trout bite has been great for this time of year on the flats. We have had a few good days out where we haven't caught a trout under 5 pounds. Best of all, all of these fish have been caught on top water. I preach this every year so if you haven't heard it before, BIG BAITS for BIG TROUT. I haven't been throwing anything under a 4.25 High Roller. Also, for all you that have had a hard time finding them, The Fly Fishermen in Titusville just restocked.
Our best luck for these trout has come just before sunrise to a few hours after. All have been in 2 feet or less in and around schools of mullet. On fly we have had our best luck just before to about a half hour after sunrise with most casters. As the sun comes up it has been taking a much longer cast to hook these big girls.
Tarpon and Snook
Yes we are still catching snook and tarpon. Things slowed off a little during the last cold snap but as the water stays in the upper 60's to lower 70's they should continue to be there. We have been doing much better on fly than on spinning due to the size of the flies they have been willing to eat.
Other stuff
The Fly Fisherman in Titusville is having a Hells Bay Day this Saturday. I will be there most of the day so if you get a chance please stop by and say hi. I will be happy to show you some of the patterns I have been using and answer any questions I can. I will never claim to know it all but I have been doing it long enough to learn a trick or two.
For those of you wanting to put together a trip to this area my wife is now booking hotel rooms for my clients. She can get you a rate as good as any of the online sites and knows what places are nice and the ones you want to stay away from. There is no charge for this service and she can book any hotel you want. She also does airline tickets, car rentals and cruises
Many of you have asked me over the years about the Fishing Lanyard I wear. I have started making them for the Fly Fisherman and they now have them in both stores. These make a great gift for the fisherman that has everything else. I now also have them on my website at this link Fishing Lanyards.
until next time.....
Get out there and catch a memory.
Capt. Doug Blanton
To book a trip with Capt Doug click here or call 321-432-9470
Pictures of fish caught on my charters
Here is the "Inshore Flats Kit" High Roller put together with my favorite High Roller Lures. This is a must for redfish, trout, snook and tarpon. Click on this link for more information on High Rollers Inshore Flats Kit.
Places to find the lures I use.
In Titusville go to the Fly Fisherman or call 321-267-0348
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My Fishing Tips
Tips for catching redfish in Cold Water
Tackle I use. rods, lures and more
Sight fishing flat, clear, skinny water
Sight catching fish with Top Water
Links to weather forecasts I use
Here's one for all you that I have convinced their is a science to fishing.
