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December 1st, 2011 New Smyrna Beach & Oak Hill Fishing Report Well the days of summer time are gone for now but will return in no time at all. The cooler days of winter are approaching and are here to stay for a few months. With this it brings clean, clear water and the water levels will begin to drop in depth taking feeding ground away from the fish. What does this mean? Excellent sight fishing days are amongst us. The redfish will begin to gather in large schools, the trout will show up on sand and grass flats and the bite will turn into magic. As long as we do not get a harsh winter again this year it should turn out to be a great winter fishery here on the Mosquito Lagoon and north Indian River. The fishing here in east central Florida is prime on a year round basis. The past several weeks have brought several days of great fishing and some really nice weather. Redfish and trout have been the main staple here along with a few by catches of drum and flounder. Sight fishing for redfish early and throughout the day has been extremely productive using a few different tactics and techniques. As always the main key here is to take your time and do not crowd your fellow angler on the water. Spin fishing methods using the D.O.A. Nite Glow Shrimp on light tackle have been the most successful of the artificial to make hits and strikes. Sight fishing red fish as they are feeding on the flats is the most successful tactic. Look for bait fish and a sign of activity. Approach fish with a stealth like method and be sure to cast past these fish with a soft presentation. Do not land on the fish as it will scare them and then in return it will scare all of them. Along with the soft plastics a well-placed live shrimp or small blue crab will work as well using a small 2/0 or so circle hook. Live mullet as always will bring in strikes as well. Several trout can be landed with this method too on the flats, however please be aware that these fish need to be released until the first of the year. Please be sure to handle all of the fish you land with extreme care for a higher survival rate upon their release. Fly fishing for redfish and trout has begun to improve tremendously as the waters start to clear up making visibility much better. Using an 8 or 7 weight fly rod the past few weeks with a Green Seaducer fly has been very productive on the flats. Just as with using soft plastics or live baits, a stealthy approach along with a soft presentation is a major key to a successful hook up out here. Other flies that have been working well would be a shrimp pattern or a black crab fly pattern. Captain Drew Cavanaugh Florida Inshore Fishing Charters Cell/352-223-7897 Email us at: [email protected] Visit us at: http:www.floridainshorefishingcharters.com/