Rodney Smith isn't afraid to promise anglers that if they fish the Indian River Lagoon, their chances of catching a world-class redfish are good to great.

"When it comes to red drum, we have the best sight fishing in the world," says Smith, one of the Space Coast's top fishing guides. "There is no other place where you can consistently catch big redfish."

Red drum, commonly called redfish, live their early years in the sheltered bays then move offshore to spawn. But in Indian River Lagoon, tidal flow is minimal and conditions so ideal, that these prized game fish have no need to leave.

The lagoon, which actually encompasses three major bodies of water (Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River and Banana River), stretches from Ponce de Leon Inlet in the north to Jupiter Inlet in the south.

Located where the Temperate and Tropic zones meet, this pristine waterway has cool water species swimming down from the north and tropical species following the Gulf Stream up from the south.

With more than 2,200 different species calling it home, the Indian River Lagoon holds the title as "America's Most Diverse Estuary."

But most of the anglers who visit "The IRL," as it is called in sport fishing circles, come for one reason: bull reds, a misnomer since the larger members of the species Sciaenops ocellatus are exclusively female.

Currently, seven of the 14 existing fly fishing records for red drum registered with International Game Fish Association were set in the Indian River Lagoon system.

"The largest redfish ever landed on a fly rod was caught aboard my boat in the Banana River Lagoon on May 7, 1995 by Dr. Greg Braunstein," Smith said. "It was a 43-pounder and fish that size are not uncommon."

Catching a redfish on a fly rod takes skill - the angler must be able to cast at least 50 feet - and a certain degree of luck.

"Conditions have to be perfect," explains Shawn Foster, a Cocoa Beach guide who has built a career on catching big redfish. "Most anglers are better off using spinning tackle."

Red drum feed primarily on crustaceans, fish and mollusks. These thick-bodied bruisers can live for more than 20 years and reach weights in excess of 90 pounds.

"We'll see several 50 pounders caught every year," Foster says. "And every now and then somebody will bring in a 65-pounder."

Foster and his anglers prefer to "stalk" redfish in shallow water when conditions permit. A trained eye can see the wakes pushed by the big schools of 100 fish or more as they move across the grass beds in search of food.

"We'll cast live bait - blue crabs, pinfish or mullet - if the fish are active," Foster explains. "If the conditions are good for sight casting, then we'll use dead bait, something with a scent so the fish can find what they cannot see."

Both Foster and Smith are light tackle enthusiasts. Today's new braided line gives anglers the best of both worlds - lightness and strength.

Red drum feed primarily on crustaceans, fish and mollusks. These thick-bodied bruisers can live for more than 20 years and reach weights in excess of 90 pounds.


"If you hook into a 30-pound redfish on light tackle, there is only one thing you can do," Foster warns. "Hold on."

Artificial lure enthusiasts will find that the IRL's red drum will also hit top-water plugs, gold spoons and jigs.

"If you have never fished the lagoon before, your best bet is to hire a guide," Smith advises. "But if anglers do their homework, this lagoon is so fast, they should be able to find fish."

Foster, who helped pioneer the Indian River Lagoon red drum fishery, will not divulge his favorite fishing spots.

"But I will say that redfish love points of land," Foster said. "They use them to ambush their prey."

As a result of large-scale commercial netting and the blackened redfish craze of the 1980s, authorities closed down the fishery for two years. The State of Florida adopted strict conservation measures and currently requires that anglers release fish that do not fall into the 18- to 27-inch slot limit. Anglers may keep one fish per day.

Anglers can still target big, bull reds but should handle their catch as little as possible to assure the fish's survival upon release.