The Report from Spotted Tail 1/23/11
Upcoming Events
On February 3 I start teaching the course, “Fundamentals of Flats Fishing” at Brevard Community College. Read more here…
On February 22 I’ll be speaking to the Florida Fly Fishing Association in Cocoa.
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Between King Day, computer work, a speaking engagement, and some nasty, rainy weather, I only got out one afternoon all this week.
Signs of spring- red maples are not only flowering, I found some seeds yesterday. At Lake Mills Park I noticed a bush starting to leaf out.
The Tri-County Fly Fishers meeting went well. There were a lot of people there. They asked lots of questions, keeping me on for a couple of hours. I’d like to thank Ed Rapisardi and the rest of the club for having me up to the Villages. I had a good time, guys, thanks!
The Report-
John left the house at 11 AM, kayak strapped to the roof. His destination was the Indian River Lagoon. A three-weight fly rod was in the back of the van.
When he got to where he was going something was wrong. The weather was beautiful, warm, sunny, no wind. But the place just didn’t look right, feel right. After considering for a moment, he went elsewhere to try a spot he hadn’t fished in a couple of years.
The water was dark, dirty. John paddled the kayak halfway around the pond. No fish were showing. He decided to try wading, blind casting.
He perused the contents of his fly box, then chose a chartreuse rattle rouser. He carefully tied it onto his leader. He cast it several minutes without success, remembering good days there, wondering if any fish were in the pond now.
Suddenly a fish crashed against the shore, 150 feet away. John started working his way towards it. A fish spooked off from John only a few feet away from him. At least he knew there was still one fish left in the pond.
A few more minutes of uneventful casting went by. Suddenly John’s line came tight. It was a redfish, a nice one. John wondered if he should have brought something beefier than a three-weight. But before long he was releasing a 28 inch fish.
Several more bites came in rapid succession. It was as if a school of fish had swum up to John. He released three more fish in the next ten minutes. Then the bite slowed.
He could hear another fish crashing periodically at the far end of the pond. He got back in the kayak and paddled over, then got out and started wading and blind casting again. He was looking for that fish.
He noticed a couple of tiny ripples working along the shoreline. John made a cast out in front of them. When the ripples got near the fly John twitched it. The ripples turned into a boil and the line came tight. Minutes later he released a 26 inch redfish.
He kept blind casting. Bites came steadily, from both redfish and seatrout. The best fish of the day then struck.
It was a trout, a gator. The rattle rouser was hooked in the bottom jaw. The fish fought strongly, splashing, diving, running, but the little rod soon wore it out. John admired the 28 inch fish briefly. Enormously satisfied, he turned it loose.
Smiling, John got back in the kayak. The day, the place, felt like a Louisiana bayou. He partly paddled, partly floated back to the car.
John will be tying more rattle rousers today.
Embrace simplicity.
Life is great and I love my work!
Life is short- go fishing!
John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com/
All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights are reserved.
Once upon a time, John wrote his blog in the third person. If the rattle rouser and the next trip produce similar results John may have to continue this literary style to protect the streak. And we’ll all live happily ever after. Nice post.
Dave once wrote John…….A nice change in writing style!Some of Daves best and most memorable days of fishing,have been those occasions when he had to blind cast,and leave it up to the “Gods of Chance” to get a “tight line”On one particular outing,a giant redfish”eye” was reeled in after an inital strike……….a little sad indeed,however,these are
few in comparision to the many wonderful days of “chance”when sight fishing was just not an option.Like Forrest Gump once said……….”You never know what you’re gonna get”……………………………….
Dave once wrote John…….A nice change in writing style!Some of Daves best and most memorable days of fishing,have been those occasions when he had to blind cast,and leave it up to the “Gods of Chance” to get a “tight line”On one particular outing,a giant redfish”eye” was reeled in after an inital strike……….a little sad indeed,however,these are
few in comparision to the many wonderful days of “chance”when sight fishing was just not an option.Like Forrest Gump once said……….”You never know what you’re gonna get”………………………………. Dave would rather be blind casting in the wind,or the rain……even on a cold n chilly day…………………then (of course)being at work!
Blind casting – what a mis-nomer. When Chris is casting for an unseen quarry his eyes are open to the world and his attention is on wide-angle. Movement under or on top of the water narrows his focus and his attention goes to telephoto close-up mode essentially causing him to be blind to all else save his quarry. I get the concept though.
Chris told John: “Great story and nice change of pace for technique.”
john sez ‘glad you liked it!”