East Central Florida Report
Thank you for reading this East Central Florida Report. Wow, did we have fantastic weather this week! Cool mornings, warm afternoons, no clouds, no wind, just perfect!
Monday
was clean-up time after being away for a week. and errands, let’s not forget those. Kept me busy.
Tuesday
I went a-kayaking on Mosquito Lagoon. The water did not look good, very brown and turbid. Seeing the fish was difficult, even with everything else being perfect. And, there were not that many fish around. It was after lunch before I had my first bite, a shoreline cruising redfish that took an unweighted slider, modest in size (the fish, not the slider). It was a skunk-chaser, though, and we always like those.
A while later I hooked a nice one, also cruising along the shoreline. While I was playing the beast, I was considering getting the camera out. Then the leader broke. I was fairly stunned. It’s been a looong time since I broke off a redfish.
A while later, here came a gang of fish cruising the shoreline, chasing bait and all lit up. The cast was good, as was the hookup. I got the fish and did get the camera out.
While at Harkers I photographed some flies while indoors. The ISO setting had to be moved up to 3500 to get this job done. I failed to change it back to its usual 200. So when the photos appeared on my computer screen, they were too blown out to be salvaged.
As a consolation I hooked and lost another fish. The boat was on the car by 3 PM. This blog did not discuss all the refusals and blown shots. I thought more fish should have bit.
Wednesday
it was tempting to go back, but boldly I chose to try the Banana River Lagoon. Although I’ve seen it worse, the water looked like crap. The first fish, a red (all the caught fish were reds) was caught on a blind cast with a spin rod, on the old reliable plastic shad. A while later another, smaller fish was caught on the same bait. Then I put the spinner away and picked up the fly rod.
There were black drum around, mostly singles and pairs, not tailing. There wasn’t much wind, just a gentle breeze, but if I stood in the kayak I was a sail, and the breeze would push me off the fish. If I sat, I couldn’t see them. I had some good shots, but never got a bite from them.
I had some shots at reds, though. The two I got were right by the kayak, so much so that both bites were with the leader in the rod. I guess they couldn’t see me very well, either. I pulled one of them near the shore, where I got the photo that had eluded me the previous day. One took a crab pattern, the other a slider. Several fish spooked off whatever fly was on at the time. Feeding did not seem to be a high priority for most of the fish this day.
An amazing thing happened while I was out there, though. My phone rang, pretty amazing, I answered it, more amazing, and it was Chris Myers asking if I wanted to fish with him Thursday, most amazing. It had been years since we fished together, and heck yes I did!
If there’s a downside to fishing with Chris Myers, it’s the sleep I lose.
Thursday
I met him at 0530 and we went to Mosquito Lagoon, launching his skiff before sunrise. He brought me to a place loaded with tailing reds, and I got one on my first cast just as the sun peeked above the horizon. The lost sleep suddenly seemed unimportant. But, had we unleashed the first-cast jinx?
For a while it felt like it. I cast into tailers for another three hours, changing flies several times, and could not get another bite. When the bite finally came, I missed it.
Finally, after yet another fly change. I got another bite and captured the fish, which Chris photographed.
We each got another redfish on spin tackle, and a couple seatrout, too. All in all, a wonderful day.
If you want to get in on this action, give Capt. Chris Myers a call @ 321.229.2848.
Friday
still perfect weather, but more errands (one of which was writing this). So I got six or eight fish this week. I’ve had better days, I’ve had worse months. So goes fishing!
That’s the East Central Florida Report. Thanks for reading!
Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!
John Kumiski
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