Daytona and Space Coast fishing report for the week of September 10, 2026. The mullet run has arrived on the Volusia and Brevard beaches in earnest this week, and the surf from Ormond Beach down through Canaveral and Sebastian has been alive at first light. Tarpon, jacks, sharks, and snook are all following the bait south, and the inlets are the choke points where it all comes together.
What’s Hitting
What’s hitting is tarpon in the surf. Fish from 40 to 120 pounds have been rolling through the mullet pods just off the beach, with the best action at dawn. Big jack crevalle are crashing bait on every beach, and snook are showing in the wash from New Smyrna south. Redfish are feeding at Ponce Inlet and around the Sebastian Inlet jetties on the tide changes. In the lagoons, trout and slot reds are on the flats of Mosquito Lagoon and the northern Indian River at first light.
Offshore, the party grounds and the reefs in 70 to 120 feet off Ponce have kingfish and some cobia, and there have been mahi reports on the weedlines in 200 to 400 feet.
Where to Find Them
Drive the beach at dawn and look for birds and dark patches of mullet. The stretches from Ponce Inlet south to Bethune Beach and from Canaveral National Seashore down to Patrick Space Force Base have been most consistent. At Ponce Inlet, the north jetty on the outgoing tide has redfish and snook. Sebastian Inlet has been producing reds, snook, and jacks on both jetties. In Mosquito Lagoon, the flats around the spoil islands and the edges near Haulover Canal are holding trout and reds early.
Tides & Conditions
The new moon this weekend brings strong tides through both inlets, which makes the outgoing tides especially productive for snook and reds. Winds have been northeast at 10 to 15, and the beach has had 2 to 3-foot surf with some rougher mornings. That wind pushes the mullet tight to the sand, which is good for shore anglers. Water is in the low 80s. Lagoon water clarity has improved since last week.
Tackle & Tactics
Live mullet is the bait for tarpon and snook in the surf, on a 6/0 circle hook with 60-pound fluorocarbon. If you are casting artificials, a big swimbait or a plug that matches the mullet in size works when the fish are feeding aggressively. For jacks, a topwater popper cast at the blitz. At the inlets, a live mullet or a flair-hawk jig on the outgoing tide. In the lagoon, a topwater at dawn then a soft plastic jerkbait or a shrimp under a cork.
Local Intel This Week
Public ramps: the Ponce Inlet boat ramp at Lighthouse Point Park is the closest to the inlet, the Haulover Canal ramp puts you in the north end of Mosquito Lagoon, and the Sebastian Inlet State Park ramp covers the south end. Beach access is easy along A1A from Ormond to New Smyrna, and Canaveral National Seashore has multiple parking areas on the Playalinda side. Fish are concentrating on the mullet pods along the beach at first light and at the inlet jetties on the outgoing tide. Check current FWC regulations, slot limits, and seasons before keeping fish — snook season is open on the Atlantic coast but slot rules apply.
This Week’s Tip
When tarpon are rolling in the surf, the temptation is to cast at the rolls. Instead, cast to the edge of the mullet school closest to the tarpon and let the bait drift with the current. Tarpon feed by rolling under the school and taking what falls out the bottom. A bait working along the edge of the school gets eaten far more often than one dropped on the roll itself.
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