In your search for a guide you will likely see widely varying rates. The term, “You get what you pay for” can certainly hold true. Over the past 3 years or so, more and more people have become “guides” to supplement their income. Some guides on Mosquito Lagoon charge as little as $150 per 8-hour day. The fact is, the going rate for a full eight-hour day of fishing is $350-450 from an experienced and seasoned FULL TIME guide. Rates that seem very cheap are most likely from part-time guides or those just starting out in their business. Why gamble with experience?
Guides on Mosquito Lagoon and portions of the North Indian River must be Federally Permitted to conduct business within the Meritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Sadly, a great number of guides who advertise that they guide on Mosquito Lagoon are not legal, or they try to encourage you to fish elsewhere in the Indian River Lagoon area where a permit is not required.
Using the name “Mosquito Lagoon” on websites to attract business by “non-legal guides” has also become common, and very misleading to the visiting angler.
What does this mean to you…? It most likely means that they do not have adequate insurance and/or the licenses needed to conduct business on federal land. Such permits are also required in most National Wildlife Refuges and National Parks within Florida.
The Canaveral National Seashore office lists “legal” guides on their website, and finding a “legal” Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guide is as simple as clicking here. Compare this list to those who advertise that they are Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Guides, and you’ll plainly see the great number of misleading advertisements.
Any guide that requires you to purchase your own Florida Saltwater Fishing License is most certainly not properly permitted to guide on Mosquito Lagoon!
Ask your potential guide what style of guide he is…some guides stand on the bow running the trolling motor, making casts for their clients and then handing the rod off to the angler. You (the angler) are essentially playing backup to the guide’s own fishing. In my opinion, this is a poor way to conduct business and a method used to boost the catch number at the end of the day. When you fish with us YOU make the casts and catch the fish…NOT the guide.
Do your homework before hiring any guide that claims to provide services on Mosquito Lagoon. The redfish fishery on Mosquito Lagoon is alive and well, and far surpasses any other region of the Indian River Lagoon system…if Redfish are your intended target; this is THE place to fish. The Mosquito Lagoon also offers seasonal tarpon, snook, tripletail (yes, we do have tripletail), black drum, pompano and seatrout.