Your NCAA March Madness bracket is most likely in shambles after this weekend’s game, so why not get in on some dynamite fishing along Florida’s East Coast.

The ides of March spark some serious fishing along the East Coast of Florida, enough that you might consider it March Madness in its own right. From the Mosquito Lagoon through Indian River Lagoon to Sebastian Inlet, a bevy of backwater species are on the prowl including redfish, snook, black drum, tarpon and seatrout. Mosquito Lagoon is noted for holding big bull reds of 20 to 40 pounds this time of year as the reds chase down schools of mullet and pods of shrimp.

Offerings include 4-inch DOA CAL jerk baits rigged weedless, 4-inch DOA shrimp, and Bomber 16A plugs. The Indian River Lagoon has been a hotbed of black drum activity, and you can hook into Clydesdales from 5 to 30 pounds with both live shrimp and cut blue claw crabs sent on a freeline with a size 6/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. Snook can be found hanging in the Indian River Lagoon off Port St. Lucie, banging on Mirr-O-Lure Top Dogs and Zara Spooks cast around the St. Lucie Inlet rocks, as well as around dock piling during sunrise hours. Those St. Lucie waters still hold plenty of nice trout on the remaining weed beds, which can be tricked up with very light 1/8 to 3/8-ounce jigheads tipped with 3-inch Berkley Gulp! New Penny shrimp.

Sebastian Inlet is the epicenter for a potpourri of species with all the aforementioned fish available plus a chance at some permit, pompano and sharks. Sebastian can be fished from the North Pier or the South Jetty with the pier a prime spot to drop down live shrimp on fishfinder slide rigs with a 24-inch section of 30-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, and size 2/0 to 4/0 Owner Octopus hook to claim permit, pomps and whiting. Heavy hitters will work the south side casting 1-ounce Spro or S&S bucktails tipped with a large 5-1/4 inch Zoom Super Fluke to trick reds, snook and tarpon. Look for schools of reds to get active on the outgoing tides, tarpon up to 100 pounds to be rolling of the tip of the south jetty and snook of 5 to 20 pounds to be hanging in the south pocket of the jetty. Don’t be afraid to work a TA Popper, rigged with a 200-pound barrel swivel, heavy duty 80-pound test with a 175-pound TA power clip to the popper. Cast right off the jetty tip where tarpon, bull and blacktip sharks and snook will crush it hard enough to buckle your knees. March Madness is alive and kicking on Florida’s East Coast!