Fishing in New Smyrna Beach: Inshore, Offshore, and Everything Between

New Smyrna Beach sits at one of the more unusual intersections in Florida fishing. To the west, the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon give you some of the best sight-fishing flats on the East Coast — redfish tailing in ankle-deep water, tarpon rolling in summer heat, trout holding over grass. To the east, Ponce Inlet opens into the Atlantic, and within 15 miles offshore you're finding Spanish mackerel and kingfish. Push 40 miles out to the Gulf Stream and you're fighting mahi-mahi and wahoo. Few towns this size let you do all three in the same week without moving your bags.

• Redfish (red drum): Year-round in the lagoon. Summer and fall you find bull reds in spawning groups in slightly deeper water. The flats hold slot-sized fish most of the year — look for tailing fish or the nervous water that gives away a moving school.
• Tarpon: The silver kings show up in the lagoon from late spring and peak from June through September. They're big — a 100-pound fish is realistic — and they fight harder than anything else in these waters. Catch-and-release only; tarpon require a special permit to harvest in Florida.
• Spotted seatrout: The best trout fishing is actually fall through spring when the fish push into the grass flats in numbers. Summer produces fish, but the action slows in the hottest weeks.
• Black drum: Underrated. Schools of drum move through the lagoon year-round and will take a crab or shrimp presentation without the finicky behavior of redfish on heavily pressured days.
• Snook: Present in the backwaters, bridges, and mangroves — but note that snook harvest on Florida's Atlantic coast is closed June 1 through August 31 to protect spawning fish. Catch-and-release is legal year-round, and summer snook in the inlets will test your tackle.

• Capt. Tony Pantuso — New Smyrna Fishing Guide (newsmyrnafishingguide.com, 386-214-3940). Tony fishes the lagoon 250+ days a year out of a Beavertail Elite skiff — one of the more purpose-built flats boats you can fish from. Targeting redfish, seatrout, tarpon, snook, and black drum. Four to six-hour trips for up to three anglers.
• Capt. Mike Mann — Fat Fish Guide Service (fatfishguide.com). Over 20 years guiding the Mosquito Lagoon. Well-respected among locals and has the kind of deep water knowledge that only comes from decades on one body of water.
• Capt. Drew — Mosquito Lagoon Sight Fishing (mosquitolagoonsightfishing.com). Specializes in light tackle and fly fishing for tarpon and redfish. If sight-fishing with a fly rod in the lagoon is on your bucket list, this is your guide.
• Right In Sight Charters — Capt. Justin Price (rightinsightcharters.com). Coast Guard licensed and specifically authorized to operate inside the Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which opens up sections of the lagoon closed to unguided boats.

• Sheepshead: The rock piles and jetty structure are classic sheepshead habitat. They're there year-round, but the bite is sharpest in winter and early spring. Use sand flea or fiddler crab and fish right on the structure — they pick off barnacles.
• Flounder: The inlet is a natural funnel for flounder pushing between the lagoon and the ocean. Fall migration (October and November) produces the best flounder numbers, but fish are present through the cooler months.
• Pompano: Spring and fall runs through the inlet. When pompano are moving, the action at the jetty can be fast. Sand fleas are the bait; a pompano jig tipped with shrimp works when bait is short.
• Spanish mackerel: From late spring through early fall, Spanish mackerel chase bait through the inlet on the incoming tide. A small silver spoon or a gotcha plug keeps up with them.
• Redfish and snook: Both push through the inlet with the tide, especially in low-light conditions. Early morning and evening at the jetty rocks can produce quality fish without a boat.

• Pompano: The bread-and-butter surf species in NSB. They feed in the wash along the first trough. Sand fleas are the best bait; a pompano rig with two hooks in the 1/0–2/0 range works well. The spring run (April–May) and fall run (October–November) produce the most fish.
• Whiting: The most consistent surf catch year-round. Not glamorous, but they bite reliably and are good eating. Small hooks, fresh shrimp, fish in the troughs.
• Sharks: NSB has an unusually dense shark population in the surf, which is well-documented. Blacktips and spinners are the most common. If shark fishing is your thing, heavy tackle, wire leaders, and cut mullet get you in the game. Be aware of beach closure rules during shark activity.
• Bluefish: Fall runs of bluefish chase bait into the surf. They're aggressive biters and will hit nearly anything metal. When they're in, the action is fast.
• Cobia: In late spring, cobia push north along Florida's east coast in predictable lines close to shore. They're large, strong fish and can occasionally be sight-cast from the beach or the inlet jetty. Keep your eyes up and scan the surface.

• Mahi-mahi: Summer is the offshore peak. The Gulf Stream edge sits roughly 40 miles east of the inlet and holds dolphin fish (mahi) all summer long. A good weed line in July or August can produce double-digit fish in a morning. Trolling ballyhoo under sea witches is the standard setup.
• King mackerel: Year-round offshore target. The nearshore reefs from 30 to 60 feet hold kingfish through most of the year, with the bite sharpest in spring and fall. Slow-trolling live bait (blue runners, pogies) produces the biggest fish.
• Wahoo: Less common than mahi but present in the Gulf Stream in summer. High-speed trolling with a skirted lure at 12–15 knots is the way to find them.
• Red snapper: The bottom reefs and hard structure offshore hold snapper, but be aware that federal red snapper season in the South Atlantic is subject to annual changes by NOAA and has historically been open for only a limited number of days in July. Check current regulations before targeting them.
• Cobia and amberjack: Both show up on structure offshore, with cobia particularly active in spring around buoys, channel markers, and stingray schools.

• Plan to be offshore by sunrise. The Gulf Stream run from Ponce Inlet takes about 90 minutes at trolling speed, so a 5 a.m. departure gets you on the fish line as the sun comes up.
• Most summer offshore trips are 6–8 hours, wrapped up before early afternoon. Full-day 10–12 hour trips are better suited to fall and winter when the weather is more stable.
• Watch for afternoon storm buildups on the western horizon. When you see the anvil tops forming, you head in — no argument. Every experienced captain does this.
• Morning sea conditions are also typically calmer. Afternoon sea breezes can build 2–3 foot chop on top of swell, making the ride back uncomfortable and sometimes rough.

• Holy Smokes Fishing Charters — Capt. Dan Ballard (holysmokesfishing.com, 407-702-5309). A Florida native with 25 years of experience fishing the east coast. Runs a 25-foot Mako center console with Yamaha 300, downriggers, outriggers, and a 30-gallon live bait well. Offers 4-hour inshore and 6/8/10/12-hour offshore trips, up to four anglers. Operates out of NSB and Daytona Beach.
• Central Florida Fishing Charters (central-florida-fishing-charters.com). Offers structured offshore packages including a 6-hour trip for up to six anglers, priced around $900. Well-reviewed and covers nearshore reefs and the Gulf Stream depending on conditions.
• New Smyrna Fishing Charters (newsmyrnafishingcharters.com). Multi-captain operation covering both inshore and offshore trips from the NSB/Ponce Inlet area. Good option for groups that want flexibility on trip type.

• The area around the inlet breakwater holds sheepshead, flounder, and redfish, especially on moving tides when bait gets flushed through.
• Access is by boat only — there are multiple public boat ramps near Port Orange and Ponce Inlet. The island is roughly 10 minutes by boat from the ramps near the inlet.
• Plan your visit around low tide for the sandbar itself, but incoming tide is typically the better fishing window for predator fish around the structure.
• If you're anchored near the island and fishing, keep the tides in mind. The island can go from a few inches of sand to underwater faster than first-timers expect.

• Saltwater fishing license: Required for all non-residents fishing in Florida's coastal waters. Available online at MyFWC.com. Prices for non-residents: approximately $17 for 3 days, $30 for 7 days, $47 for one year. Florida residents fishing from shore get a free shoreline license.
• Charter coverage: When you book a licensed charter, all anglers aboard are covered by the captain's vessel license. You do not need a personal license on a charter trip.
• Snook harvest closure: Atlantic coast snook harvest is closed June 1 through August 31. Catch-and-release is legal year-round. This affects NSB and Mosquito Lagoon fishing. The slot is 28–32 inches total length when the season is open.
• Tarpon: Harvest requires a special tag ($50 per fish). Most guides practice mandatory catch-and-release regardless. A tarpon greater than 24 inches cannot be removed from the water without a tag.
• Bag and size limits: Always check current FWC regulations at MyFWC.com before your trip, particularly for snapper, grouper, and flounder, which have frequently changing federal and state rules.

• Summer (June–August): Prime tarpon season inshore; best mahi offshore; redfish active on early morning flats; snook catch-and-release only. Heat and afternoon storms require early starts. The most productive overall window for variety.
• Fall (September–November): Excellent transition season. Snook harvest reopens September 1. Bull redfish in spawning aggregations. Flounder migration through the inlet in October and November. Offshore king mackerel. Best weather for fishing — comfortable mornings, fewer storms.
• Winter (December–February): Trout fishing peaks on the flats. Sheepshead stacked on jetty rocks. Bluefish offshore. Cooler water pushes tarpon out, but the lagoon produces drum and trout consistently. Fewer crowds on the water.
• Spring (March–May): Cobia migration along the coast, often sight-castable from the inlet area. Pompano run through the surf. Spanish mackerel nearshore. Snook activity picks up before the June closure. A short window but one of the more productive of the year.