Indian River Lagoon fishing report for the week of September 10, 2026. The mullet have pushed into the lagoon this week through Sebastian and Fort Pierce inlets, and the trout and redfish on the flats have responded. I have spent most mornings on the flats between the Fort Pierce power plant and the Jensen Beach causeway, and the topwater action at first light has been the best of the summer. The water is still warm, but the fish are eating like it is fall.
What’s Hitting
What’s hot this week is trout on topwater. Big fish are on the flats at dawn from Sebastian down through Fort Pierce and the Jensen Beach area, feeding on the mullet that are everywhere. Redfish are on the same flats and along the mangrove shorelines, with some schools starting to form on the spoil islands. Snook are stacked at Sebastian Inlet and Fort Pierce Inlet on the outgoing tide, and around the bridges and docks after dark. Jacks and ladyfish are blitzing bait all over the lagoon. Flounder are showing along the inlet rocks.
Around the spoil islands, mangrove snapper are still on the deeper edges and docks.
Where to Find Them
For trout, the grass flats on the west side of the lagoon from Vero Beach to Fort Pierce in 2 to 4 feet at first light, and the flats around the spoil islands near the Wabasso and Sebastian causeways. Redfish are on the mangrove shorelines of the spoil islands and the flats near the power plant at Fort Pierce. Snook are at Sebastian Inlet on the north jetty and at Fort Pierce Inlet on the outgoing tide, and around the Jensen Beach and Stuart causeways at night. Flounder are on the rocks at both inlets.
Tides & Conditions
The new moon this weekend brings strong tides at the inlets and more water movement in the lagoon near the inlets, which should keep the snook feeding. Winds have been light out of the east in the mornings with a stronger northeast breeze some days, and afternoon storms have been regular. Water temps are in the mid-80s and clarity has improved on the flats since last week.
Tackle & Tactics
A topwater walking bait at first light is the trout lure this week, then switch to a soft plastic jerkbait or a paddle tail on a 1/8-ounce jig head once the sun gets up. Redfish are taking gold spoons and weedless soft plastics on the flats, and cut mullet on the shorelines. For snook at the inlets, a live mullet or a flair-hawk jig on 40-pound leader on the outgoing tide. Flounder want a mud minnow or a Gulp on a jig head worked along the rocks.
Local Intel This Week
Public ramps: the Sebastian Inlet State Park ramp is the closest to the north inlet, the Fort Pierce Inlet State Park and the Stan Blum ramp cover Fort Pierce, and the Jensen Beach Causeway has a public ramp for the south lagoon. The Wabasso Causeway ramp is a good middle option. Shore anglers have been doing well at the Sebastian Inlet jetties and the Fort Pierce south jetty. Fish are concentrating on the flats at first light and at the inlets on the outgoing tide. Check current FWC regulations, slot limits, and seasons before keeping fish — snook season is open on the Atlantic coast and trout have zone-specific limits in this area.
This Week’s Tip
The trout are feeding on the mullet schools, but they are hitting the stragglers, not the school. Cast your topwater to the edge of the school and work it slowly with long pauses. The big trout this week have all come on the pause, not the walk.
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