UTERFlounder fishing in Indian River Lagoon
In Indian River Lagoon, flounder peak April and October–November and are around year-round, spawning in November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. November: Ponce and Port Canaveral on the outgoing.
Fall peak: reds, trout and snook everywhere; flounder at the inlets. The lagoon's best month — reds and trout all day on the flats as the water drops through the 70s; flounder on the inlet sand.
Flounder in Indian River Lagoon, month by month
- JanuaryAroundClear water sight fishing: reds and black drum on the flats. The clearest water of the year in Mosquito Lagoon — sight-fish schools of reds and drum on calm sunny afternoons; big trout in the deeper troughs.
- FebruaryAround
- MarchArriving
- AprilPeak
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeakFall peak: reds, trout and snook everywhere; flounder at the inlets. The lagoon's best month — reds and trout all day on the flats as the water drops through the 70s; flounder on the inlet sand.
- NovemberSpawningPonce and Port Canaveral on the outgoing.
- DecemberAroundWinter sight fishing begins; snook closes mid-month. Cold clear water: reds and drum on the flats on sunny afternoons, trout in the troughs, sheepshead on the pilings.
Where to fish flounder near Melbourne, Cocoa, Titusville
Mosquito Lagoon, the Banana River and the northern Indian River Lagoon — shallow, clear, grass-and-sand flats famous for sight-fishing tailing redfish and giant trout — plus Port Canaveral and Ponce Inlet, the beaches, and the nearshore reefs.
Fish Scouter charts 225 dock / pilings, 11 beach / surf, 3 pass / inlet spots in the The Space Coast Lagoons map area — the kinds flounder hold on.
What to use for flounder
- Mud minnows (killifish)Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait.
- Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Leader20–30 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook1/0–2/0
- Jig head1/4–1/2 oz
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 54–82°F water, best at 60–75°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch flounder in Indian River Lagoon?
Peak season is April and October–November, with fish spawning in November (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Flounder are here year-round. November: Ponce and Port Canaveral on the outgoing.
Where do flounder hold in Indian River Lagoon?
Look on channel edge, dock / pilings, pass / inlet, beach / surf — around Melbourne, Cocoa, Titusville, Port Canaveral, New Smyrna Beach.
What is the best bait for flounder in Indian River Lagoon?
Live bait: mud minnows (killifish), finger mullet, live shrimp, pinfish. Mud minnows (killifish): Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait. Tackle: leader 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, hook 1/0–2/0, jig head 1/4–1/2 oz, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for flounder in Indian River Lagoon?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.
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