Eddy Creek, Canaveral National Seashore Fishing

Eddy Creek is the Playalinda District's one doorway to Mosquito Lagoon, a launch and cove on the lagoon side of the beach road where you can fish the edge of one of Florida's best-known redfish lagoons from the bank.

• Daytime bank fishing named by Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
• Redfish and spotted seatrout, Mosquito Lagoon's signature fish
• Black drum and flounder, plus ladyfish and jacks in the warm months
• Wild surroundings, with the ocean beach just across the road

Eddy Creek is on the west side of Playalinda Beach Road in the Playalinda District of Canaveral National Seashore, east of Titusville, between Parking Lots 7 and 8.

• Getting there: take the Max Brewer Causeway (SR 402) east from Titusville through the wildlife refuge to the Playalinda entrance station, then follow the beach road north
• Entry: an entrance fee is charged; the park takes digital passes and cards only, and the private vehicle pass has been $25 for seven days
• Hours: seasonal; the park's rules set 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the summer season (last entry 7 p.m.) and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter
• Parking: the Eddy Creek lot beside the launch
• The road north of Parking Lot 8 often closes after storms and high water; Eddy Creek sits south of that section

Mosquito Lagoon is shallow, clear and grassy, and its fish move with the water temperature.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish and seatrout cruising the shallows, black drum on the flats
• Summer (Jun-Aug): seatrout at first light, redfish in the early morning, ladyfish and jacks on bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): high fall water pushes redfish and bait into the edges; flounder on the bottom
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and redfish on sunny afternoons, seatrout in the deeper holes after cold fronts

Light spinning gear with 10 lb braid and a 15-20 lb fluorocarbon leader suits the clear, shallow water.

• Redfish: a live shrimp or a scented soft plastic on a light jig head, cast ahead of cruising fish and crawled along the bottom
• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a paddle-tail or topwater plug at first light
• Black drum: shrimp or blue crab on the bottom
• Flounder: mud minnows worked slowly along the edges of the cove
• Keep quiet on the bank, wear polarized sunglasses and look for tails, wakes and mullet

The south end of Mosquito Lagoon has very little lunar tide; wind and seasonal water levels set the scene.

• Calm, bright mornings are best for sight-fishing redfish and drum in the shallows
• Wind stirs and colors the shallow water; fish the calmer side of the cove
• Water levels run high in the fall and low in winter and spring, and the fish follow the edges
• Winter cold fronts push fish into deeper holes; fish the warm afternoons after them
• Summer heat and storms make early morning the best time

This is a natural shoreline inside a national seashore, so plan for a remote spot.

• Leave at the first thunder; summer storms build fast over the open lagoon
• Stay clear of boats and paddlers using the launch
• Mosquitoes and biting flies can be fierce on still days; bring repellent
• Bring more water than you think you need; the restrooms have no running water
• Parking is close to the launch; a draft park plan proposes making the Eddy Creek boardwalk fully accessible

Facilities are simple, as you would expect in a national seashore.

• A boat launch and a parking area of about 90 spaces
• A short boardwalk at the launch
• Vault-toilet restrooms serve the Playalinda parking areas
• The restrooms have no water connections; bring water, food and bait with you
• The ocean beach and its boardwalks are just across the road

• Arrive at opening time on a calm day for the best sight-fishing
• Check for launch closures before you drive out; NASA closes the Playalinda District for some launches
• Weekend beachgoers sometimes use the Eddy Creek lot; come early on busy days
• A kayak launched here opens up miles of Mosquito Lagoon flats
• Handle redfish gently and release them quickly in the summer heat

Eddy Creek is in the Playalinda District of Canaveral National Seashore (National Park Service), and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge lists it as a bank-fishing spot.

• Bank fishing is for daytime only; it is not permitted after dark
• An entrance pass is required, and the seashore closes at posted hours and for some rocket launches
• Crabbing is prohibited at Eddy Creek and along the beach road, and glass containers are not allowed on the beach, boardwalks or parking lots
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption, and all Florida fishing rules apply
• Redfish and seatrout in the Indian River Lagoon system, which includes Mosquito Lagoon, are managed by region, and the lagoon region has release rules for redfish; check FWC before keeping any fish
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything