Daytona and Space Coast fishing report for the week of October 1, 2026. The fall mullet run is still the dominant pattern from Flagler Beach down to Sebastian Inlet. Bait is moving along the beach every morning and the predators are right behind it. Inside, the lagoons are producing as the water starts to cool.
What’s Hitting
What’s hot this week: tarpon are rolling along the beaches and inlets as they follow the mullet south. Snook are feeding hard at Ponce Inlet and Sebastian Inlet, particularly at night and on the outgoing tide. Jacks, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel are blitzing the bait schools along the beach. Inside, redfish are schooling in Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River, and black drum are on the docks and bridges. Flounder are starting to move toward the inlets.
Where to Find Them
For tarpon and snook, focus on Ponce Inlet, Sebastian Inlet, and the beaches near Canaveral. Look for bait schools and follow them. For redfish, Mosquito Lagoon and the Banana River are both producing schooling fish, and the shallow grass flats along the Indian River near Titusville are holding tailing fish on calm mornings. For black drum, fish the bridges and docks along the Halifax River near Daytona.
Tides & Conditions
Tides are softer with the last quarter moon this weekend, which makes the inlets easier to fish. Mosquito Lagoon has minimal tide, so wind is what moves the water there. Water temperatures are in the low 80s and dropping slowly. Expect more northeast wind as October progresses, which can churn up the beaches but often concentrates bait close to shore.
Tackle & Tactics
For tarpon and snook, a live mullet on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook with 50- to 60-pound fluorocarbon. Large swimbaits and bucktails also work at the inlets. For redfish in the lagoons, a gold spoon, a 3-inch paddle tail, or a small topwater on 20-pound fluorocarbon, and a stealthy approach. For black drum, a piece of blue crab or a shrimp on a jig head bounced along the pilings.
Local Intel This Week
Public launches include the Ponce Inlet ramp at Lighthouse Point Park area, the Riverbreeze Park ramp in Oak Hill for Mosquito Lagoon, and the Kelly Park ramp on the Banana River. Shore anglers do well at the Ponce Inlet jetty, the Sebastian Inlet State Park jetties, and the Main Street Pier in Daytona. Fish are concentrated at the inlets on the outgoing tide and in the lagoons on the shallow flats. Parts of Mosquito Lagoon are within Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which have their own rules; check current FWC and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
In Mosquito Lagoon, the fish are pressured and the water is shallow. Pole or drift instead of running the motor, and make long casts. A schooling red that gets spooked takes the whole school with it, so lead the fish by several feet and let it come to the bait.
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