Big Black Drum

February was nothing short of incredible for black drum and redfish here on the Space Coast. We saw strong numbers of black drum moving onto the bridges and shallow flats, with steady action and some true giants mixed in. The redfish bite stayed consistent as well, giving anglers quality shots on both schools and larger fish. As we roll into March, things should only get better. With warming water temperatures, we expect prime opportunities at large black drum and bull redfish, especially around bridges and deeper structure. March typically marks the transition into spring patterns, which means more aggressive feeding windows and bigger fish showing up. We’ll also start seeing the first push of snook activity as they begin staging and feeding more consistently. On top of that, triple tail season kicks off — keeping an eye on crab trap buoys and floating debris can produce some exciting sight-fishing opportunities. If February was any indication, this spring is shaping up to be special. Now’s the time to get on the calendar — the big fish season is just getting started.

The late-fall bite around Port Canaveral is firing. Tripletail have been stacked on the buoys and any floating structure you can find, with plenty of quality fish and killer sight-fishing windows on the slick-calm days. Redfish action has stayed strong, from slot fish tucked inside to big bulls blowing up along the channel edges and nearshore pockets when the weather lines up. Snook are still chewing way better than they should be this time of year, especially on those hard outgoing tides. And yes—there are still a few tarpon hanging around. Smaller fish inside, and every now and then a beach cruiser shows up to surprise you on a warm, calm day. But the real excitement is what’s coming: December means BLACK DRUM season. Big, moving schools will start sliding into the river and onto the flats, creating some of the best winter sight-fishing of the year. When you find those waves of drum, it’s game on. Overall? The fishing is wide open, and December is shaping up to be straight-up electric.

October is prime time for redfish on the Space Coast, and this month has been delivering some incredible action. The fall mullet run has the fish feeding hard, with big bull reds stacking up in the inlets, channels, and deeper backwaters. Slot-size reds are also active along shorelines, oyster bars, and creek mouths, giving anglers plenty of opportunities throughout the day. We’re finding the best success on natural baits such as live mullet and cut bait. With higher water levels this time of year, the fish push deeper into the mangroves and backwater creeks — but that also gives us more options to stay on the bite. No matter the wind, we’re able to isolate on leeward shorelines and in protected areas where the fish are holding. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to chase redfish, October is hard to beat. The bite is strong, the conditions are right, and now is the time to get in on the action.