Florida Space Coast Fishing Update

The Florida Space Coast is situated along the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, providing a diverse range of fishing environments. Anglers can fish inshore, offshore, on the beaches, from piers, and in the numerous rivers, estuaries, and canals that crisscross the area. Here's what's currently going on with the Florida Space Coast Fishing as Of February 2024. Information provided by the Florida Space Coast Office of Tourism. It is currently Pompano season, mostly along the Space Coast beaches for surf fishermen and in boats close to shore. Pompano must be at least 11” measured to the fork of the tail.  Anglers can keep up to 6 per day. Snook just opened on Feb. 1 so anglers with a Snook stamp on their Florida Fishing License can keep one per day if it is between 28” and 32” in total length. Tripletail are hitting live shrimp now on navigational buoys, near bridge pilings and crab trap floats. They have to be a minimum of 18” in total length and anglers can keep 2 per day. Largemouth Bass are in their spawning season, so they will be on the grass beds and will strike topwater frog lures and lipless crank baits. Anglers can target these fish as well as Speckled Perch (also called Crappie or Specks) on small jigs with live minnows. These species can be caught throughout the St Johns River system and its associated lakes on the Space Coast. Headwaters, in Palm Bay, is not the only Bass fishery. The Stick Marsh/Farm 13 compound is also constantly producing Bass. The FWC just made a bunch of improvements to this lake and the fish are taking to it well. As are Lake Washington in Melbourne and Lake Poinsett in Cocoa. In saltwater within the next few weeks, the mahi will show up in strong numbers along with cobia. [caption id="attachment_170789" align="alignnone" width="1500"] Stick Marsh - Palm Bay[/caption] Tournaments at Sunrise Marina at Port Canaveral. The offshore fishing tournament season normally begins in April and continues through July. Ed Dwyers Other Side Invitational Tournament is in April. The Central Florida Shootout is in early May. The 38th Annual CFOA Tournament is in late May. The 55th Annual FSFA Offshore Slam is in early June. CCA’s STAR Tournament is a statewide event that runs all summer and features many categories targeting several species of fish, with a low entry fee and big prizes like boat/motor/trailer combos and college scholarships for students. [caption id="attachment_170795" align="alignnone" width="1500"] Stick Marsh - Palm Bay[/caption] [select-listicle listicle_id="130106" syndication_name="florida-has-3-of-the-top-10-bass-fishing-lakes-in-the-country" description="yes"]