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Charters
The Indian River Lagoon System
Taking 240,000 years to form, and designated as the
most diverse estuary in North America, the Indian River
Lagoon System is well known for its unique plant, fish,
fowl, and shoreline animal life. The Indian River Lagoon
System contains 20 percent of the mangrove forests found
in the eastern United States and provides habitat for
700 species of fish, 310 species of birds, and is home
to 1,350 species of plants in its waters or around its
shoreline. At this time, its waters are also home to
33 threatened or endangered species.
The upper Indian River Lagoon System isn’t really
a river, it’s an estuary, and in the upper reaches
there are three separate and distinct lagoons; the Indian
River, the Banana River, and Mosquito Lagoon. Bordered
by coastal barrier islands broken up by inlets, its
widest and longest bodies of water are in north Brevard
County. The lagoon system extends from Ponce de Leon
Inlet in Volusia County south to Jupiter Inlet in Palm
Beach County. Its length is over 150 miles long, and
its width ranges from 1.5 to 5 miles wide. In the Brevard
County area the lagoon's depth is regulated by rain,
evaporation, and the strength, duration, and direction
of wind. Salinity levels in the lagoon system vary according
to proximity to the ocean inlets, as well as by evaporation
and rain levels.
The seven species of aquatic seagrass living in the
lagoon's waters are a vital keystone to its marine life.
Please do not throw trash into the water or drive motorized
watercraft in areas they aren’t designed to be
in. While enjoying this great ecosystem please leave
“small footprints” to ensure our great fishery
will remain for future generations!
Because of the northern Indian River Lagoon’s
uniqueness, a land-locked haven for large redfish has
developed. Unlike most coastal inshore areas, many of
Brevard County’s mature red drum rarely enter
the ocean. As a result Brevard County has developed
a fantastic shallow water red drum fishery, perfectly
suited to sightfishing for tailing bull redfish!
At the same time, anglers must also take responsibility
for our part in preserving our red drum fishery by protecting
our breeder-size redfish. Treat them gently & with
respect. A mature female red drum can produce up to
2 million eggs per mating event, and may spawn more
than once per season. Our red drum fishery is experiencing
more boating & fishing pressure and pollution than
ever before, and the numbers of boaters, anglers, and
new homeowners is constantly growing. Due to increased
fishing pressure our redfish are now congregated in
smaller areas; especially in Mosquito Lagoon, which
currently experiences more fishing pressure than the
Indian or the Banana River combined. It’s now
common to see multiple shallow draft boats surrounding
schools of redfish in Mosquito Lagoon. The long-term
affects have yet to be determined, but long-term observation
shows that obviously this type of behavior is detrimental.
On a positive note, many guides, recreational anglers,
and marine biologists are now realizing that the ever-increasing
pressure by motorboat anglers is negatively affecting
the behavior of our large breeder-size redfish.
Because of the ever-growing pressure on these fish I
do not promote or participate in local professional
inshore fishing tournaments, nor do I participate in
multi-boat corporate charters. My charters are sightfishing/sportfishing
with artificials; we don’t chase fish with trolling
motors or soak bait, chunks of ladyfish, or mullet.
It’s like fishing in a barrel and really not very
sporting, and these practices result too often in gut-hooked
breeder-size fish. I’ve made these choices to
set an example, and to do my part to help protect our
unique red drum fishery and the seagrasses on our flats.
The MINWR Banana
River Manatee Sanctuary
No-Motor-Zone (NMZ)
The 10,500-acre Banana River Manatee Sanctuary was established
in 1994 on the south end of the Merritt Island Wildlife
Refuge in the Banana River between the NASA Causeway
and State Road 528. The sanctuary was established in
the south end of the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge
in the Banana River between the NASA Parkway (SR405)
and the Beeline/Beachline (SR528). Sanctuary waters
and the land to the north & west are owned by NASA
and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and
is actually the southern-most part of the Merritt Island
National Wildlife Refuge. To the east, (the Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station) is owned by The US Air Force. It
is patrolled by The FWC, the USFWS, the US Coast Guard,
and a Space Center contractor, Space Gateway Systems
(SGS).
The “No Entry" area of the Zone north of
NASA Causeway is the actual manatee sanctuary. Entry
by the general public there in any form is a Federal
violation. Following an environmental assessment after
the closure of the sanctuary in 1990, the lower portion
of the no entry zone was converted into a non-motorized
watercraft area. Camping is not permitted and several
of the islands are closed to protect nesting birds.
Anglers are allowed to enter the southern-most portion
of the NMZ by wading or with non-motorized vessels only.
This includes any vessel having an attached or non-attached
internal combustion or electric trolling motor capable
of use. The boundary of the No Motor Zone is delineated
with signs. This is one of the few places in Florida
free from motorboats and is a popular destination for
paddlers and fishermen.
It is a pristine area with extensive seagrass flats
that are comprised mostly of Cuban shoal grass, manatee
grass, and widgeon grass. It’s an extremely special
place and I love the peace and tranquility it offers
canoe & kayak anglers. I fish there frequently because
of its great fishery, and to get away from the motorboat
crowds in the northern Indian River & Mosquito Lagoon.
I work hard for my clients when we’re out there.
Few local guides offer nmz trips because it can be such
hard work. On cold winter days, during the dead-calm
heat of summer, and many times in screaming wind, putting
in my time and poling my canoe in search of big fish
an average distance of 10 to 12 miles or more. My charters
in the nmz are normally six to eight hour trips, and
weather permitting I’m out there two or three
days a week. When you fish the Zone with me, you fish
and I pole, and I commit myself 100% to help you catch
fish!
The open waters of the Banana River can be very rough
during windy conditions, so it’s best to get a
weather forecast before planning your trip or picking
a launch site. Whether you fish by kayak or canoe I
can help you learn how to catch big fish in the Zone.
I know where the fish are, where they aren’t,
and why, and I know when the fishing is good and when
it’s not. When you call me inquiring about a charter
you can trust that I will always be honest with you
so you aren’t wasting your time and money.
The Merritt Island
National Wildlife Refuge
Located east of Titusville, Merritt Island has the distinction
of being the home of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR), and
the Canaveral National Seashore. In cooperation with
NASA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has managed
MINWR since the lands were purchased in 1963. The second
largest refuge in Florida, MINWR and its surrounding
waterways offer a sanctuary for plants and animals from
both the tropical and temperate climate zones. Along
its western edge is the Indian River Lagoon, North America's
longest and most biologically diverse estuary. The Refuge
consists of 140,000 acres of salt marsh, freshwater
impoundments, brackish estuaries, hardwood hammocks,
pine flatwoods and scrub.
The MINWR supports more threatened and endangered animals
than any other single refuge in the continental U.S.,
including the Florida manatee, bald eagle, wood stork,
gopher tortoise and eastern indigo snake. More than
6,000 alligators call the refuge home. Approximately
one-half of the refuge consists of brackish estuaries
and marshes. The remaining lands consist of coastal
dunes, scrub oaks, pine forests & flatwoods, and
palm & oak hammocks. Over 500 species of wildlife
inhabit the refuge, with 15 being listed as federally
threatened or endangered.
Bird watching in a variety of habitats on the refuge
can be exceptional, particularly from November through
March. Impoundments and salt marshes offer the best
viewing opportunities. One of the most popular areas
is Black Point Wildlife Drive, a seven-mile one-way
driving loop, which provides an opportunity to observe
birds and wildlife without leaving your vehicle. Wading
birds, shorebirds, waterfowl, gulls, terns, rails, sparrows,
blackbirds and raptors can be seen along the wildlife
drive. Near the middle there's an observation tower.
The Cruickshank Trail, a semi-natural five-mile walking
trail around an impounded salt marsh, also starts at
this point.
The MINWR Visitors Center is located about 2 miles east
of the Black Point Road & SR402 intersection. The
refuge also offers more than 40 miles of drivable dike
roads for unparalleled wildlife viewing. In late spring
there's a good chance you'll see roseate spoonbill,
reddish egrets, great blue, little blue, tricolor and
black-crowned night herons, great and snowy egrets,
white ibises, brown pelicans, and cormorants. In winter,
lesser scaups, white pelicans, loons, red-breasted mergansers,
and horned grebes may also be seen on the open waters
of the lagoon. Prime bird viewing time is March through
July.
One of the last three strongholds of the threatened
Florida scrub-jay is found in the Refuge's scrub habitat.
An observation tower is located on the Scrub Ridge Trail,
which is north of the intersection of SR 406 and SR
3. About a half-dozen scrub jay families maintain territories
along the Scrub Ridge Trail. A dirt road system on the
southeast side of Haulover Canal also passes through
prime scrub habitat where Florida scrub jays may be
seen.
Mosquito Lagoon info from the US Fish & Wildlife
Service: http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/ccp/MosqLagoonBackgroundInfo.pdf
Capt. Robert A. Jaspers ~ USCG #955013 ~ flatstime@cfl.rr.com
321.626.0104 |
