The warm brackish waters of Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach draw fishermen from all around. On colder days, great-tasting game fish like reds, black drum and snook escape the shallow waters of the nearby Tomoka Basin for the park s deep channels and peaceful lagoon. Tall palm trees and thick brush provide the ultimate shady seclusion. There are multiple spots throughout the park where you can pitch a line out, said Joe Isaacs, Tomoka Park services specialist. Adventurous anglers know there s plenty of captains in Volusia and Flagler counties offering off-shore fishing trips.
Charter boats are big business.
The trip may be pricey, but as former charter booking agent Ed Neff pointed out, there s nothing like hooking a great big grouper or a mammoth mahi-mahi. Charter boats aren t the only vessels tearing up the Atlantic Ocean. Joe Zsembik, a Port Orange resident and frequent deep-sea fisherman, said the ocean all year round serves up a wide variety game fish. Zsembik said his crew motored 30 miles off shore last month into 130-feet of water and pulled out 37 fish, a combination of groupers, snappers and sharks. As long as the weather is good, the fish are out there, he said.