The Report from Spotted Tail 2/21/11
Upcoming Events
February 26- Beachside Hook Kids on Fishing program in Satellite Beach from 9-11am. The program will be held at the pond located directly west of the Satellite Beach library and east of the skate park. Volunteers should show up no later than 8:00 am.
March 5- MINWR Show and Tell Fishing Seminar. See this link for details.
March 6- Mosquito Lagoon On-the-Water Show and Tell Fishing Seminar. See this link for details.
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I just put a short sleeve shirt on and am not wearing socks- and I’m still comfortable! Maybe winter is ending here finally.
I fished every day this week past so will just be hitting the high- and low- lights.
Monday Tim Dennin and his wife (whose name I already can’t remember a week later, very embarrassing) who we’ll call Brenda, spent the day in Spotted Tail. I picked them up at Turtle Mound. We found an extremely cooperative school of redfish and caught them pretty much non-stop all day long. Tim got his first, second, third, etc. redfish on fly, using a #4 brown merkin crab. Brenda was using a RipTide weedless jig, sadly no longer made. The weather was perfect- no clouds, very little wind, cold in the morning warming to about 65 degrees. Awesome day.
One of many during a stunningly beautiful day.
Tuesday son Maxx and I went scouting on the Indian River Lagoon. There were four spots I wanted to check that historically have been good to me this time of year. We didn’t see a fish and got a few trout on jigs around one of the spoil islands.
Wednesday Rob and Steve from North Carolina joined me for a three quarter day on the Mosquito Lagoon. It was overcast and definitely looking like rain when we left Beacon 42. I had a rain jacket and rain pants. Steve had a rain jacket, but only jeans on down below. Rob had neither rain coat nor rain pants.
When you come fishing here, please bring clothing for the forecast weather. Dress just for what you hope the weather will be at your own risk.
Steve got a 26 inch red on a Johnson Minnow at the first spot we visited. It started sprinkling then, too.
We visited the spot where Tim had gotten so many redfish on Monday. All the big ones had vacated, although a bunch of rats were still there. My anglers got eight or ten on jigs and Johnson Minnows.
Then it started to rain in earnest, a good, soaking rain. Steve got half soaked, Rob completely so. We had to go in two hours early and did not get another fish. Of course the sun came out as soon as the boat was on the trailer.
Thursday Peter Missick and I went kayak fishing out of River Breeze. Peter had never been kayak fishing before. He grew up about a half mile from where I did, went to the same elementary, junior, and high schools, had the same teachers. He was three years ahead of me so I didn’t know him before Thursday. Weird. We did have some friends/acquaintances in common, though.
The weather was beautiful if perhaps a tad breezy. We found some tailing fish and a small school of reds. I got three on a redfish worm, he got five or six on a DOA CAL Shad Tail. He enjoyed the day. So did I.
Friday Dr. Bud Robertson joined me for some fly fishing on the Mosquito Lagoon. I always enjoy fishing Bud, whose motto is “Success happens when opportunity meets preparation.” He was certainly prepared for the first shot he got, nailing a 36 inch red that ate his Puglisi streamer, less than 30 minutes after launching the boat. He also got a 30 inch red and another smaller fish.
Success happens when you're prepared!
Saturday Dr. Bud and I took the Dagger up into the no motor zone. We found a lot of fish in one small spot. They would not eat anything we tried. Bud got a good black drum on a Bunny Booger. I got a slot red on a black Clouser Minnow. That was it for the day.
Dr. Bud with another fine fish.
Sunday Tom Geis, his 17 year old son Conner, and his brother-in-law John joined me for a day on the Mosquito Lagoon. We would throw three different lures- a Johnson Minnow, a four inch DOA CAL jerk bait, and the Rip Tide weedless jig. We would also use cut mullet. We caught fish everywhere we went and on everything we tried. Fishing was good all day and they ended up with fifteen or so reds to 28 inches.
This morning Andy Bitner and his 11 year old son Hunter joined me on the Mosquito Lagoon. Who flipped the switch? The fish wouldn’t bite. Hunter got a slot red on a chunk of mullet and missed a strike on the DOA Shrimp. We were on tailers and a school and they fled from everything we tried. It was a nice day too, until the wind started honking. We were off the water at 1230.
The only fish was very nicely spotted!
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.
John looks like you have been a busy guide. Since you love your work, and like money, this is good. Thanks for the Beachside Hook Kids on Fishing program plug!
Wish you could join us.