Orlando area in August - your top tips!

[Editor]

The Brits are coming! Just an early warning that I will be over with the family for a couple of weeks in August from 7th-21st doing the theme park thing but also totally intend to slip quietly away for several outings in the vicinity.

Looking for your top tips for where to go for some great fishing. Should be able to manage a couple of full days, plus some late evenings hopefully too.

Definitely want to get to Mosquito Lagoon/Indian River and sight fish and photograph those reds for example but what/where else should I be thinking of??

Appreciate your insider information and you can expect to see a couple of features up on the website and possibly elsewhere in due course!

Open to any and all types of fishing suggestions from grass carp, to peacock and largemouth bass, to snook, tarpon and beyond :thmbup:

Thanks

Paul

 

[moe b]

...............
I lived there for about 4 years, long before moving out west. August of course can be rather HOT and humid, and you can count on a vicious afternoon thunderstorm every day. Still, if you can arrange your visits to theme parks super early in the day (7AM arrival times at gates) and plan on the inevitable storm, which will likely drive your family back to your hotels' poolside.

Then post-storm you might have the rental car idling in the parking lot, and make your way toward the eastcoast of state New Smyrna maybe (about an hour/half away) and have a pre-booked Captain waiting on-standby to take you out for an evening fishing saltwater..?

................

As far as large mouth bass there are several nice lakes and ponds right around the parks that have some nice fish big in them. Try to do as much rekon now on where you'll stay; as its possible you might get a hotel with its' own bass-lake on the same property?

:thmbup:

I dont think you'll find Peacock anywhere in Orlando, but I could be mistaken. Dont have advice other than that on fishing. I know theres more FL guys on here who can help better, but threw-in what I could.

Lastly a bit of common advice, buy SPF 50 and dont try to get 'a savage tan' your first day - to later impress your mates back home else; you might not be able to move on about your third. Also, no matter how tempting it seems- with offers of "Free Theme Park Tickets" under any circumstances whatsoever; accept an invitation 'to an hour tour of some bloody timeshare' while your there!!!!!!

DONT DO IT!!

If you fall into this trap, not only will your kids not see Mickey but you wont see any fishing either...and might even get back to England and realize you bought a $15,000.00 timeshare while you were there, but only have two huge beachtowels to show for it?!

:yikes:

Good luck and have fun!

Moe

Moe Bird Hunts

 

[Capt Chris M]

August can be a great time for tarpon fishing on the east coast. The Stuart area is consistent for both large and small fish and snook are there as well. I can recommend several fly guides in that area, if needed. It's about 2 hours from Orlando. The tarpon can show up in good numbers in the Indian River and the Mosquito Lagoon around Titusville but this can vary from year to year. In a good year, you can target tarpon inthe morning and redfish, drum and trout the rest of the day.

Southwest Florida can also have some excellent runs of false albacore (little tunny) along the beaches as well. These members of the tuna family will put your fly gear to the test.

Capt. Chris Myers

 

[Editor]

Thanks guys, all useful advice and I will be referring back to this thread as I do my research and planning.

 

[Red Owl]

If you read between the lines- I'd say the hot August weather is not tops for fresh water- stick with salt water fishing. Also- on the afternoon rains. Usually about 3 p.m. but often only for a half hour or so and then the sun comes out again and within a short time all is dry. Since time is a factor I would definitely plan on using a guide and following his advice.

 

[futuramille]

Best shot at fresh water at that time of year is Butt crack of dawn. Not to say you can't snag something from under hydrilla later in the day but...first light is best...last light is the second choice.

if you hit around one of those afternoon spot storms....about 15 to 30 minutes after the rain stops (after the water turns over) can be productive in cove areas of lakes.

Since almost all the developed land was cut from swamp, there are canals everywhere and in such numbers that many hold hungry, unfished to bass and panfish. Never hurts to cast and drag a few streamers through any of them and if no luck there, plop a little popper out there.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Paul,

Do a search on Walt Disney World Bass Fishing. You find that Disney has some public fishing on its waters. You can go with a guide and some is no guide. I have never done it but I don't think it is real costly.

If it was me I would try fishing in the morning and avoid the afternoon thunderstorms. July/August can have some really serious lighting storms. At least that is the case on the West coast.

Frank

 

[futuramille]

Frank is right on both counts. If your staying inside a Disney park they do guide. A few friends have tried it and were quite satisfied, reasonably priced considering.

I didn't mean go out in the storms, they can be heavy and electric. They pass rather quickly and the cooler water from the rain goes down the water column a little after (turn over). Can happen between 20 min to an hour after a good downpour. If you feel the ambient temp drop some after, its usually a good bet the water will turn. Sometimes it brings action...especially when it happens (rain stops) a couple to three hours before dark. Top water action with BIG poppers....

ALSO big hint....when fishing around cannals and...well...being around florida water, please keep your eye out for those BIG lizards. Nothing messes a back cast or a Golf back swing more than an 600lb gator coming of a bank into the water right next to you. I lived right on Little lake harris (40 miles west of Orlando) in the small retirement community of Howey-In-The-Hills for 9 years. Had a house boat on the St. John's (Lake Mary) for 4 years. I can count the times I didn't see a gator when summer fishing on two hands. Nothing to be afraid of really and shouldn't stop you....but nothing you want to surprise or step on either. I used about the same amount of care as I do snakes when fishing streams. Only a couple times did I ever feel threatn'd and nothing happened ever..but they've startled me bad so many times I'm sure it shortened my life some. All they ever want to do is get in the water away from you...so just don't get between em and the water.

 

[Editor]

More great advice - thanks boys - keep it coming.
I'm off to check out the Disney bass fishing - might be a story in that and I remember seeing it on tv once on one of the bass shows now you mention it.

 

[Editor]

I'm on official Cape Canveral type countdown - less than 2 weeks to go and I can't wait to get my feet wet exploring the shoreline of Mosquito Lagoon looking for reds and checking out the local fly shops and my first Bass Pro Shop too which is just down the road from where we are staying in Kissimee I noticed.

 

[Editor]

Getting real itchy now - time to start sorting out the gear before Saturday. Got some great flies coming that have caught the big 3 well in Cuba (over 100 Grand Slams on this one pattern so far I am told) and I want to try them out on the reds.

 

[floridaflyer]

Hi Paul.

Glad to hear your coming to my neighborhood. It's a great place and I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Peacock bass are found in Southern Florida around the Miami canals. You are going to be over 200 miles North of that so you won't find them here.

The bass fishing is fantastic in Orlando, but the heat of high summer really shuts down the bite. Pre-dawn or evening fishing is your best bet.

Now the Mosquito Lagoon is another thing altogether. This is a great time to go. The fish have been very active. There are plenty of places to wade if you are going that route. There are canoe and kayak rentals you can take advantage of.

If you are interested in a very good Orlando fly shop you can't do better than Orlando Outfitters.

I know a guide that works out of that shop, Todd Fuller. Nice guy. He'll get you on fish if you want to go that route.

That's all I can think of right off the top of my head. I hope this gets you on to some fish.

Take care,
Ed Mercado.
Merc Consulting - Web Design for Central Florida

 

[Editor]

Just wanted to check back in post-trip and say we enjoyed the Orlando area despite the heat doing its best to melt us daily.

Only managed one days fishing - self-guiding down the Space Coast for 2 small catfish and my first speck which was cool. Not enough action at the spots I could fish - only saw one small pod of reds all day busting mullet and not interested in anything else. Great experience though.

Best part of the trip was the chace to hook up with Frank at long last and shoot the breeze over a trip to the Bass Pro Shops and a very nice lunch - thanks again Frank! Did you get out and use those monster worms yet??