Ask 50 hardcore inshore anglers where the best fishing in the country is and a disproportionate number will point to this stretch of Florida coast. Here's why — and why we run charters out of New Smyrna Beach specifically.
A rare combination of water types
Between Mosquito Lagoon, the Indian River, Ponce Inlet, and the Atlantic beaches, we've got:
- Crystal-clear shallow flats for sight-casting
- Oyster-bar backwaters for ambush-predator fishing
- Jetty and inlet structure for snook and sheepshead
- Nearshore beaches for tarpon, sharks, and jacks
Mosquito Lagoon is part of the Canaveral National Seashore — protected federal water, no commercial netting, almost no shoreline development. That means healthy grass flats and a fat, healthy redfish population.
Year-round action
Most fisheries have an "off season." We don't — the species rotate but the bite is constant. January sheepshead. March trout. June tarpon. October redfish. December black drum. Full breakdown in the monthly guide.
Shelter when weather turns
Because we have both open water and protected backwater, we can almost always find fishable conditions — even on windy days when offshore boats are stuck at the dock. That's a big reason our weather-cancellation rate is one of the lowest in the business.
A fishery that's actually managed
Florida's FWC runs one of the tightest, most data-driven saltwater fisheries management programs in the country. The fish populations here are healthy and growing — a rare and good thing.
Not just the fish
The water here is beautiful. Ponce Inlet Lighthouse sunsets, manatees cruising the backwaters, dolphins riding your bow wake. Even on a slow day, a boat ride here is worth the price. If you don't want to fish at all, our dolphin and sunset cruises are the perfect alternative.
See it yourself. Book online or call (386) 748-1585.
Ready to try it yourself?
Book a charter with Captain Brenden and put these tips to work on the water.