Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report
- Captain John Tarr
- Dec 28, 2025
- 4 min read
We are nearing the end of 2025 and I wanted to take a moment to say Thank-You to all of my clients that spent time with me this year. I know 2025 was a challenging year for a lot of people, but we made some great memories on the water together and I can only pray that made your year a little better. I also know there were a lot of clients that didn't get the chance to come fishing this year. Life happens and it can make it difficult to get away. But the good news is, 2026 is right around the corner and the Mosquito Lagoon and surrounding waters are only improving with each passing day.
Lets talk about the Mosquito Lagoon fishing and give a fishing report on it, as well as a health status report. If you have followed me for very long, you know the fabled Mosquito Lagoon has been imperiled since 2011. That year, we saw a perfect storm of events completely destroy our estuary; seagrasses annihilated, fish populations on the decline, water quality going down the tubes, and more. Since that fateful year, there have been a ton of local residents pushing to protect Mosquito Lagoon and bring her back to her glory days. It has been a long, arduous, uphill battle and one that we still must continue. Each and every day, we face new challenges, but we are dug in, entrenched, and ready to fight.
The good news; we have seen a lot of improvement. I first started reporting on the return of seagrasses about 6 years ago. People called me crazy for getting excited about seeing little sprigs of widgeon grass returning. But, its' those little steps that keep us hopeful and let us know that a system can return. Now, our seagrasses are trying their best to return and they are accomplishing it quite well. There are areas of lush widgeon grass spread as far as the eye can see and even more important, there is life in that grass. Shrimp, crabs, pinfish, and predators alike are returning to those areas and the ecosystem is improving. We've worked hard to make sure cities cannot use the Mosquito Lagoon and surrounding areas like their own toilet bowl; a fight we still have a ways to go on, but one that has dramatically improved over the last 15 years. We have people working on oyster restoration, clam seeding, mangrove restoration, and more. These are private organizations that realized the area needed help and brought citizens together to get that help. The results have been very encouraging. Add in the fact that redfish were made catch and release in the waterways from New Smyrna Beach south, to Jupiter Inlet. Again, this was a battle we fought long and hard for, with several of the fishing guides heading up the fight. It's been a little over 3 years since the catch and release program went into effect (September 1, 2022). The numbers of fish are slowly on the rise, and our fishing gets better and better with each passing year.
What does and improved fishery mean for my clients? Simple: making even more memories and having spectacular days on the water. First and foremost, understand that it is still fishing and it is still an outdoor activity. That means anything can happen and there are a lot of outside factors that can influence any given day. If you do much traveling to fish, or take destination trips with groups, you understand this. If you are a casual trip booker, it can be a little frustrating. That frustration comes from the fact you book a trip that promises to be wonderful, only to have Mother Nature turn the fan on, or plummet temperatures about 30 degrees overnight. These are factors out of our control, but it doesn't mean a trip is ruined. In fact, some of those horrible weather days have made the best memories; even as recently as a week ago for me. With that understanding though, my clients are seeing plenty of days with legitimate shots at double digits of redfish, snook, seatrout, and black drum. We are talking actual shots at tailing, cruising, or laid up fish that we see, get good shots at, and have an actual chance of catching; not just fish we spook or see running away from us. On my most recent trip, we found fish everywhere we went, with the exception of one spot. Yes, for eight solid hours, we had shots. We caught fish, blew shots, and had some fish just refuse our offers, but they were there and giving us opportunities. This is what I mean when I say our fishery is coming back in the Mosquito Lagoon. Five years ago, this wasn't the case.
This increase in fish and opportunities doesn't mean you can bring less than your best. Casts still need to be quick and accurate. I need my fly anglers to make a 40-50 foot cast, with two or three false casts, and drop it on a dinner plate. If you can bring that type of ability, your chances of success dramatically improve. If you can't do this, PRACTICE! Practice before you get on the bow of the boat and have that fish of a lifetime tailing in front of you. It doesn't take hours of practice every day. Just 15 or 20 minutes a day will help you improve and get the most of your trip. Check out this video for practical practice in fishing conditions.
If you are ready to kick off 2026 with a great fishing trip, then give me a call (386) 314-5998. I'll get you booked and we will enjoy making some great fishing memories on Mosquito Lagoon. Have questions? Call me or email me at captainjohn@tailhunteroutdooradventures.com
Until next time, Tight Lines and Screaming Drags!
Captain John Tarr
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