As our summer doldrums begin to settle in on Florida’s east central coast, site fishing opportunities have improved. Slick calm weather conditions and clear blue skies are making it easier to see pushing and tailing schools of redfish and black drum on the Mosquito Lagoon flats.  Water levels remain high, so access to flats is easier for shallow draft boats.

Yesterday I was privileged to have father and son team Ron and Karl Canty from Orlando grace the deck of Three Quarter Time, spending a day on the Mosquito Lagoon in celebration of Karl’s ninth birthday and his first saltwater fishing experience. Our goal was to get Karl on his first big fish, but he ended the day catching three over slot black drum and a 38-inch redfish instead.  On his first black drum, Karl struggler as he reeled the fish in, but by his forth big fish, he was angling them like a pro.