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King mackerelRetention openBay · Florida
Indian River Lagoon
28.26°N · 80.61°W · Bay · Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic croaker74
- Spot72
- Common snook70
- Atlantic tarpon68
- Crevalle jack66
- Gray snapper64
- Red drum63
- Southern flounder63
- King mackerel62
- Summer flounder62
- Spotted seatrout57
- Weakfish57
- Black drum55
- Red snapper55
- Black sea bass53
- Florida pompano52
- Gray triggerfish52
- Red grouper51
- Spanish mackerel51
- Cobia50
- Little tunny50
- Sheepshead49
- Greater amberjack46
- Mahi-mahi46
- Wahoo43
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 9 AM · King mackerel
- Now
- 623 AM EDT
- Best window
- 2 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding2.8 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Indian River Lagoon scores 75+
Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.
14-day forecast
Best days to fish
24-hour conditions · rolling from now
Conditions · 3 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
74Tide: FloodingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
88Wind: 2 kt SSWPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
51Water temp: 83°F, warmLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 0.7 ftSeason & habitat · King mackerel
Species seasonality
89Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
King mackerel
Retention open- Daily limit
- 2 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 24 in, fork length
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Hook and line and spearing only. Open year-round.
From FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel, read Sep 13
Other species here
- Atlantic croaker Retention open (50 per day)
- Black drum Retention open (5 per day)
- Bluefish Retention open (3 per day)
- Bonefish Catch & release (No retention)
- Cobia Retention open (1 per day)
- Crevalle jack Retention open
- Florida pompano Retention open (6 per day)
- Gag grouper Closed (No retention)
- Gray snapper Retention open (5 per day (10 snapper combined))
- Gray triggerfish Retention open (10 per day)
- Greater amberjack Retention open (1 per day)
- Mahi-mahi Retention open (5 per day)
- Permit Retention open (2 per day)
- Red drum Catch & release (No retention)
- Red grouper Retention open (3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined))
- Red snapper Check regulations
- Sailfish Retention open (1 per day (1 billfish combined))
- Sheepshead Retention open (8 per day)
- Snook Retention open (1 per day)
- Southern flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
- Spot Retention open (50 per day)
- Spotted seatrout Retention open (2 per day)
- Summer flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Tarpon Catch & release (No retention)
- Wahoo Retention open (2 per day)
Source: FWC · synced yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When King mackerel is best here
Peak season for King mackerel · 5 more weeks at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Indian River Lagoon
- Depth
- 9-10 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · Semi-exposedBay · flat bottom
- Season
- Peak seasonKing mackerel
NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.
About this spot
Fishing Indian River Lagoon
Indian River Lagoon is a bay in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is 9-10 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads bay, outer water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 29 species here; the best right now are Atlantic croaker, spot and common snook. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, spot, common snook and Atlantic tarpon, and shoulder season for weakfish, black drum, red snapper and black sea bass. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Spot peak from September through October. Common snook peak from April through May and from September through October.
Tackle & technique
- King mackerel
- Kings roam from beaches and pier ends out to reefs, wrecks and ledges in 40 to 200 feet, usually feeding in the upper half of the water column. Slow-troll live menhaden, blue runners or cigar minnows on a light wire stinger rig, or pull spoons and ribbonfish past bait schools. Look for clean green water above 68 F with bait and birds on it.
- Atlantic croaker
- Croaker feed on mud and sand bottom along channel edges, oyster bars, piers and deeper holes in bays and sounds, mostly in 5 to 30 feet of water. A two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and shrimp, bloodworm or squid catches them from piers, the surf and small boats. Fish the hours around high tide and into the evening.
- Spot
- Spot school over mud and sand in bays, tidal creeks and channels and around piers and bridges, generally in less than 25 feet of water. Fish a two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and bits of bloodworm or shrimp, and move until you find a school. In fall the biggest fish run out of the sounds past piers and inlets, and the bite can go all day.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Shortys Pocket74
Bay · 2.6 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 74
- Spot 72
- Common snook 70
2 kt SSWH 5:40 AM · 3.9 ftL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ft
- Sprig Point73
Cape · 2.6 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 73
- Red drum 72
- Southern flounder 71
2 kt SSWH 5:40 AM · 3.9 ftL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ft
- Shortys Banks70
Bar · 2.0 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 70
- Atlantic croaker 69
- Atlantic tarpon 68
2 kt SSWH 5:40 AM · 3.9 ftL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ft
- Cape Cod70
Cape · 3.2 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 70
- Atlantic croaker 69
- Atlantic tarpon 68
2 kt SSWH 5:40 AM · 3.9 ftL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ft
Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with FWC before you keep a fish.
