Space Coast fishing report: Tarpon, snook, snapper biting before bait run begins

We're at that wonderful time of the year when the mullet run beginning is only a few weeks away, tarpon are at the inlets and along the beaches and snapper fishing is still pretty strong.

The full moon Aug. 30, a blue moon because it's the second one of the month, may trigger the start of the bait migration we see every year. Since there are no tropical systems in the Atlantic basin (sorry, meteorologists), there is a good chance that the run will begin strong and anglers will get a chance to fish for tarpon, jacks, snook, sharks and more. The mullet will start coming out of the bays and lagoons and start pushing south through September and into early October.

Florida fishing regulations and fishing season opening and closing dates:

• Alligator: Hunt season opens Aug. 15-Nov. 1. Permits required.

• Snook: Harvest reopens Sept. 1. One fish bag limit, 28-32 inches, snook stamp required.

• Lobster: Regular season opens Aug. 6-March 31, 2024. Bag limit: 6. Lobster stamp required.

• Golden tilefish: Harvest closed July 17. Harvest re-opens Jan. 1.

• Flounder: Harvest closes Oct. 15 to Nov. 30. Size limit: 14 inches. Bag limit: 5 fish per person.

• Hogfish: Harvest closes from Nov. 1 to April 30.

• Spotted seatrout: Harvest closes November and December in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach counties. Harvest reopens Jan. 1.

• Grouper: Harvest opened May 1. Includes gag grouper, red grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth, coney, graysby, red hind and rock hind. Harvest closes Jan. 1.

• Cobia: New bag and size limits for state waters. Bag limit: Two fish per vessel. Size limit: 36 inches fork length.

• Redfish: Harvest of redfish has been banned in the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon since Sept. 1, 2022. FWC will reevaluate in the future.

• Dolphin: Bag limit is 5 fish per day per angler. Vessel limit is 30 fish per day. Captain and crew may not be included in limit. These fishing regulations began on May 1, 2022, for state waters.

• Bass: Bass at Headwaters Lake will soon become all catch-and-release.

For complete fishing regulations in Florida go to MyFWC.com.

Mosquito Lagoon

Fishing for speckled trout has been getting better at first light on the seagrass beds. Use caution in the shallow lagoon so as not to create prop scars. Use topwater lures likes Skitterwalks, Bombers, Hydro Pencils and MirrOlures. Live freelined shrimp will also catch redfish, snook and jacks.

Offhsore

Trolling has been hot and miss (mostly miss) and we're still a month away from the dolphin migration back south. Snapper fishing has been best in 80 to 100 feet of water. Use dead sardines or cut pinfish to get the most bites. In addition to snapper, triggerfish and sharpnose sharks are around.

Surf

Calm waves and no seaweed has created ideal fishing conditions. But the bite is slow. Whiting, a few jacks, catch and release snook and blue runners are being caught on Fishbites or clam strips.

Sebastian Inlet

It's been slow at the inlet. During the outgoing tides there has been a lot of freshwater from stormwater runoff coming out of the lagoon. Snapper are biting during the incoming tide on shrimp and cut mojarra. At the end of the jetty, some anglers are catching Spanish mackerel. Snook and redfish can still be caught on live greenies and croakers.

Indian River Lagoon

Pitch docks and seawalls to catch snook, redfish and black drum using live shrimp or mullet. Tarpon are being caught in the Thousand Island area. High water temperatures mean anglers have to work longer portions of shorelines to find action. Tarpon have been caught at the mouth of Port Canaveral.

Freshwater

Lipless crank baits are a good way to catch bedding fish along the edges of lakes and ponds. Use live crickets for bluegill and bream.

Ed Killer is an outdoors columnist with florida today. Email him your fishing reports at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Space Coast anglers catching tarpon, snook before bait run begins