Hello,
Right now in the indian river and banana river in Merritt island Florida The reds are just now hitting the flats. With the 80-90 degree weather we have been having for the past 2 weeks, it has brought the water temperature to a nice 76 degree's. Meaning Red Fish or Red Drum are starting to make there way to the flats.

Red fish right now are still feeling the effects of the cold winter we had though. I know this because of how they have been behaving on the flats. They are hitting slow moving jigs. No faster than a few pops off the bottom a minute...

Trout on the other hand are loving it! I have never seen so many big gator trout on the flats. Trout tend to like cooler water or deep holes, and when the water temperature is arpound 70- 75 degree's they just go CRAZY.

WHAT TO USE

Red fish right now are hitting neon green soft baits or (very slow moving) top water plugs. I suggest waking up early and walking a flat with a hard sandy bottom ( Murky water ) with patches of seagrass scattered along the flore. Lately ive noticed that if you get onto a flat with large deep holes ( about waist high ) and cast into them and slowly pop a soft bait ( trout tout )  slowly off the bottom like you would a DOA shrimp you are almost garenteed a Bite. Just yesterday i caught a 40 inch red behind the hospital ( not telling wich 1)
using a green double tailed trout tout. and right after i casted into a deep hole on the flat and hooked up on a 28 inch trout. Even though the water is a little cool the Reds are still hitting like a ton of Bricks!

Trout right now i have noticed are hitting verry soft. So soft that every hook up is in the verry outer part of there mouth. almost making it impossible for your hook not to pull through. Why that is a have no idea.. But the trout ( the big gator trout ) have been  tearing up the mullet and pogies on the flat areound 4pm to 9pm every night.... do to the large mass mullet runs and the dolphins ripping there schools to shreds, leaving scraps for the smaller fish. I suggest going out around 3pm and walking a flat with 3 pole holders placed a good 10 feet from eachother and casted into the deeper spots of the flat with live bait kicking. ( and even if your getting no hits DONT  GIVE UP ) im telling you by dark every line you have out will have been hit!

im predicting that this will last for another month until the mullet runs go down south to sabastian inlet...
so HURRY up and get out there!

Ps. its about 3pm time to go catch a red!!! look at my pictures often too see anything new i have caught... ( no old pictures will be posted only new ones starting yesterday)  My status will tell you how i did and where i went and how they were hitting.......

Thank you and reply if you have any Questions.