Eldora Lagoon Shore, Canaveral National Seashore Fishing

Eldora Lagoon Shore is the Mosquito Lagoon edge of Canaveral National Seashore, reached from Eldora Road. It is a quiet, wild shoreline where shallow grass flats come right to the bank, and the lagoon's reputation for redfish and seatrout is the reason to come.

• Bank and wade fishing on Mosquito Lagoon flats
• Redfish and spotted seatrout are the draw
• National park setting with almost no development
• Closed to bank fishing after dark

The spot is reached from Eldora Road in the Canaveral National Seashore, on the lagoon side of the barrier island south of Turtle Mound. Parking Lot 7 is the access point, giving access to the islands and fishing. The National Park Service runs the seashore.

• An entrance fee applies; one traveler guide lists a per-vehicle price, so check the park's current fee
• The park opens at 6 a.m.
• The walk to the water is on sand and grass; expect soft footing
• Lot 6, nearby, is used by kayakers

Mosquito Lagoon is a shallow, seagrass-rich estuary, and its fish follow the water temperature.

• Spring (Mar-May): spotted seatrout over the grass, redfish cruising the edges, flounder on sandy spots
• Summer (Jun-Aug): early-morning redfish and trout, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait, tarpon rolling now and then
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best redfish season as mullet move; black drum and sheepshead too
• Winter (Dec-Feb): trout and black drum in deeper holes on cold days, sheepshead near oyster shell

Travel light and keep moving along the shoreline.

• Spinning rod, 8 to 12 lb braid with a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader
• Live shrimp under a popping cork or on a jig head for trout and redfish
• Gold spoons and weedless soft plastics over the grass
• Cut crab or shrimp on the bottom for black drum and sheepshead
• Polarized glasses to spot tailing fish on calm mornings
• Bring bait or buy it before you arrive; digging bait is not allowed in a national park unit

Mosquito Lagoon barely moves with the tide, so water level is driven mainly by wind and season.

• Calm, clear mornings are best for sight-fishing redfish
• Fall is the time of high, clear water when fish push onto the flats
• A steady west wind can pile murky water against this shore
• Cold fronts shut the bite for a day, then reward the warm afternoon after
• Midday summer sun makes the fish sluggish and the walk hot

This is a remote shoreline and you should plan for it.

• Biting insects are fierce in warm months
• Alligators live in the lagoon area; keep your distance and do not clean fish at the water's edge
• Wade carefully: oyster bars cut skin and stingrays hide on sand
• Summer thunderstorms build fast; leave the open flats at the first rumble
• Cell service can be patchy
• The trail and shore are soft sand and grass, so it suits anglers comfortable on uneven footing

The seashore is lightly developed, and Lot 7 should not be expected to have more than parking.

• Parking lot at the access point
• Chemical toilets at the seashore's beach lots; do not rely on facilities at this lagoon lot
• No bait shop in the park: stock up in New Smyrna Beach or Edgewater first
• No food, water or lights; bring your own
• Check at the entrance station for current facility notes

• Arrive at first light; the bank fishing closes after dark, so plan to be out before sunset
• Wade slowly and quietly; the water is shallow and fish spook easily
• A pair of polarized sunglasses is worth more than any lure
• Check the fee and any pass you hold before driving in
• Carry out all line and trash; the refuge is a protected habitat
• On windy days try the side of the lagoon that blocks the breeze

Canaveral National Seashore is managed by the National Park Service.

• Fishing is permitted in the lagoon; bank fishing is not permitted after dark
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt, and the Merritt Island refuge waters need a free refuge sport fishing permit
• Do not dig bait in the national park unit
• Special rules apply to redfish in parts of the Indian River Lagoon region; check FWC
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything