Updated: Thursday, October 15, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, October 22, 2026
This Indian River Lagoon fishing report covers mid-October, when fall brings schools of redfish onto the flats along with the first cooler mornings, and the mullet run keeps the inlets busy. Schooling redfish are the lead target on the shallow flats and oyster edges, with trout on the grass beds and snook at the inlets and dock lights. Plan around the rising tide on the flats, the best window for reds, and use calm mornings for sight-casting as tides ease toward first quarter.
What’s Hitting
Redfish school on the shallow flats and along the oyster edges, trout sit on the grass beds, and black drum and sheepshead hang around the docks and bridge pilings. Snook are at the inlets and the dock lights, and pompano are in the surf near Sebastian. Jacks and ladyfish crash bait on the surface.
As the weather cools, expect more redfish in the shallows and better trout fishing on the grass.
Where to Find Them
Look for redfish on the flats on a rising tide, particularly near mangrove edges and oyster bars. Rising water floods those edges and gives reds access to crabs and shrimp that are out of reach at low tide.
Drift the grass beds in 3 to 5 feet for trout, and fish the inlet jetties at Sebastian and Fort Pierce for snook on the outgoing tide, when falling water flushes bait toward the inlet mouths.
Tides & Conditions
Tides are easing with the moon heading toward first quarter. A rising tide on the flats is the best window for redfish, and calm mornings help with sight-casting. Check a current tide chart and wind forecast, since wind direction has a strong effect on water levels in the lagoon.
Tackle & Tactics
- Reds and trout: a weedless gold spoon or a paddle-tail soft plastic on a quarter-ounce jighead. The weedless spoon comes through grass and over oyster without fouling.
- Grass flats: live shrimp under a popping cork is hard to beat.
- Gear: spinning tackle with 10 to 15 pound braid is plenty.
On the grass flats, drift with the wind and cover water until you find a pod of fish, then anchor up and work the area thoroughly. Trout gather in loose groups, so where one fish comes up, others are usually nearby.
Local Intel This Week
Sebastian Inlet State Park gives access to the inlet jetties for snook and the nearby surf for pompano. Fort Pierce Inlet State Park covers the Fort Pierce jetties on the outgoing tide. Round Island Riverside Park in Vero Beach is a launch for the grass flats and oyster bars of the central lagoon, and Donald MacDonald Park and the Wabasso Causeway also offer public access. Fish concentrate at the inlets, the grass edges and the oyster bars, and redfish, trout and snook each have their own rules. Check current FWC and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
Stay quiet on the flats. In shallow water, redfish spook easily, so pole or use a trolling motor on low and make long casts. Sound travels well through water, and a dropped hatch lid or a hull slap can push a school off a flat before the first cast.
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