Where they're biting in the Daytona Beach Area July 13,2007

[BigEarl]

GOOD TO FAIR

Surf & Piers

Flagler Pier regular Bob Burns said Angel Nieves caught a 16-pound, 8-ounce king off the end of the pier. Lots of spots, a fair amount of whiting, a couple of nice black drum and some flounder up to 6 pounds are being caught as well, he said. No mullet run yet, though.

Tomoka Basin area

Capt. Kent Gibbens said right after the afternoon storms the tarpon have been going nuts, and out in the basin, some big trout and flounder to 5 pounds are showing up.

Offshore

Chris Blankenship, 15, from Illinois fished with his dad on the Sea Lover and caught a 48-pound gag grouper on his first offshore trip ever. And it was his birthday! How's that for luck. The ship's mate, Jeremy Williams, held up the fish for passing boats to see and Chris was screaming, "I did it! That's my fish! Waaahoooo!" said Capt. David Stokes, owner of the boat.

Offshore anglers said the bottom bite has been on fire and visibility has been unreal.

Ponce Inlet area

Capt. Luke Pearson said, "Snook fishing is at its finest up in Spruce Creek right now." He said he's had trips with 13 fish to 36-inches long and he's been getting them in the middle of the day. Oversized reds are thick around the jetties, he said. "I've never seen so many redfish in the inlet, even in the fall, when you usually catch them out there," he said.

Halifax River

Ike Leary at Granada Pier Bait & Tackle said the shrimp are still running the whole length of the river. They're getting limits of mediums, but it's almost over, he said. Good sized mangroves are at the Granada and Main Street bridges, he said.

Mosquito Lagoon

Rich LeBlond at The Flyfisherman said there's a few reds schooling out of season, and overall, reds have been very picky lately, especially if you're offering flies to fish that have already seen cut bait that day.

Indian River Lagoon

Downtown Titusville and between the 405 Causeway and Kennedy Point Marina has had lots of cruising reds, LeBlond said.

Matanzas Inlet area

Karen Miles at the Devil's Elbow Fish Camp said a few tarpon are showing up and sizeable flounder and mangos have been very active.

St. Johns River

Capt. James Hillman at Highland Park Fish Camp said limits of bluegill taken on crickets in the Norris Dead River and in Lake Woodruff is the main story.