The Space Coast is fishing well across both the surf and the lagoon this week. In the surf, tarpon and snook are cruising the trough — the Atlantic snook season is closed, so those fish are catch-and-release only. A few late-season pompano are still mixed into the surf along with whiting and the occasional bluefish on sand fleas and Fishbites.
In the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon, redfish are schooling on the flats and around the spoil islands on the higher tides, and spotted seatrout are reliable on the deeper grass and potholes with the better fish early. Topwater at first light has been drawing explosive strikes before the sun gets high.
Black drum are holding around the bridges and docks, taking dead shrimp on the bottom, and mangrove snapper have moved onto the structure in fishable numbers. Jack crevalle are roaming the lagoon and provide steady pull when the gamefish go quiet.
Offshore out of Ponce Inlet, the kingfish and cobia action has been decent over the nearshore reefs, with bottom fishing producing snapper and a few flounder. The inlet itself has held tarpon and big jacks on the moving tide.
Summer heat means early mornings are the move. The lagoon redfish and trout bite should stay productive on the low-light periods, and the surf is worth a dawn walk for cruising snook and tarpon.