Updated: Thursday, October 29, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, November 5, 2026
This Daytona/Space Coast fishing report is a seasonal outlook for the beach, Ponce Inlet and the Mosquito Lagoon. Cooling water has pompano and whiting moving along the surf while black drum gather at the inlet and redfish tail on the lagoon flats. Wind and swell are the main variables for the beach, while the lagoon fishes on clarity and light.
What’s Hitting
Pompano and whiting are the surf highlights, working the troughs along the wash on a rising tide. Black drum are staging around Ponce Inlet and the jetties, and redfish are tailing in the shallows of the Mosquito Lagoon. Speckled trout hold on the grass flats, and flounder are starting to gather near the inlet. Bluefish and Spanish mackerel are still around the beach on active days. Spanish mackerel and bluefish continue to cruise the beach on active days, giving surf anglers a fast-action alternative.
Where to Find Them
Walk the surf from Daytona Beach Shores south toward New Smyrna Beach and look for the second trough and cuts near sandbars. Ponce Inlet’s jetties and the south side of the inlet hold drum and flounder on the outgoing tide. In the Mosquito Lagoon, the flats near Haulover Canal and the shoreline grass beds hold redfish, and the Banana River grass flats hold trout. Pier fishing at Daytona Beach Pier and Sunglow Pier can produce pompano, whiting and Spanish mackerel for anglers without a boat.
Tides & Conditions
With the moon waning, tidal range is easing. The outgoing tide at Ponce Inlet is the key window for drum and flounder, while pompano feed on both tide phases as long as the water is moving in the wash. Surf conditions depend on swell: calm mornings fish best, and rough days push anglers toward the lagoon. Clearer lagoon water after fronts helps sight-casting.
Tackle & Tactics
For pompano, a small yellow or pink jig, or a sand flea on a two-hook pompano rig, fished at the edge of the wash. Black drum take fresh shrimp or crab on the bottom near the inlet. For lagoon redfish, a weedless gold spoon or a soft plastic worked slowly over the grass. Lighter leaders produce more strikes in clear water. A small silver spoon cast from the pier is an effective option for Spanish mackerel when fish are on the surface.
Local Intel This Week
Public access includes Lighthouse Point Park at Ponce Inlet, the Bethune Beach access, and the Haulover Canal launch. Fish are concentrating on the second trough of the beach, around the inlet jetties and on lagoon flats. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish, especially pompano and redfish. Additional shore access includes the Sunglow Fishing Pier, the New Smyrna Beach north jetty and the Canaveral National Seashore parking areas.
This Week’s Tip
Look for the dark, deeper lanes just beyond the breaking waves. Pompano travel the troughs, so working your bait there is far better than casting long.
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