High Pressure, Full Moon Reds, and Endeavor Blasts Off- Orlando Area Fishing Report

The Orlando Area Fishing Report from Spotted Tail 5/22/11

Upcoming Events-

-June 11, free fly tying lessons at Mosquito Creek Outdoors.

The quick and dirty fishing report for the week of the full moon!

Monday, Mosquito Lagoon. Eric Robbins used DOA Shrimp during a half day trip to get a slot red, numerous trout, a couple of bluefish and a bunch of ladyfish. We also watched space shuttle Endeavor blast off. We didn’t see a lot of reds but really didn’t spend much time looking for them.

Endeavor blasts off on a cloudy Monday morning.

Tuesday, Mosquito Lagoon. Keith and Myrna Daugherty used DOA Shrimp to catch a bunch of seatrout. At the end of the day a mullet chunk produced a nice red for Keith. We didn’t see a lot of reds.

One of many trout Myrna and Keith caught.

Keith got this nice red on cut bait.

Wednesday, brothers Steve and Dave Ritchie, Mosquito Lagoon. We tried flyfishing for reds. Spot #1, the fish were there in decent numbers. The fish wouldn’t let us into casting range, and the Ritchie brothers can cast. Spot #2, a school of fish bolted and waked off when we were about 150 feet away, no chance at them. So far the fish were not uncatchable, they were uncastable. Spot #3, we had some shots at spooky big reds. One actually checked out the fly, a black bunny leech. That’s as close to a bite as we got. Subsequent spots had no fish. On the bright side it was a beautiful, windless day. We ended up with a suicidal eight inch trout and a small pinfish.

Thursday, Ritchie brothers, Indian River Lagoon. Scouted large portion of IRL looking for a redfish school or tarpon. Didn’t find either, despite incredible weather. Found an area with some singles. Dave struck first, getting a slot red on a Merkin crab, his first redfish ever. Steve got another one on the same pattern a short time later, his first on fly. We had a couple shots at 20-30 pound class fish that were tailing, and numerous shots at black drum, none of which were converted. Dave hooked and lost another slot red. Not a great day but an improvement over Wednesday.

Steve's first fly rod red. A Merkin did the trick.

Friday, Ritchie brothers, Indian River Lagoon. Heavy fog early. Clouds hampered visibility but it remained almost slick calm most of the day. We fished the same area as the previous day and did not get a shot until almost noontime. The fish were lying in the thick grass. We would only see them after we ran them over. There was no tailing, there were no busts. It was like they were comatose. It was very frustrating.

Steve started throwing a Zara Spook and got a nice trout, over 20 inches.

I finally spotted a push coming at us. Dave made a perfect cast and hooked a fish, Hallelujah! It was a black drum of tem pounds or so, fooled by a Merkin. Steve hooked another one a short time later but the hook pulled, on the same fly pattern.

Dave used a Merkin to get this black drum.

Nearing 2 PM some breeze came up. Shortly afterwards I spotted a big red tailing. Dave had a shot at it but did not convert. Later Steve had a shot at another big red, made a perfect cast. The fish took the Merkin. Steve fought it for 20 minutes and then the hook pulled again, heartbreaking. We tried to find another without success. The boat was back on the trailer about 3 PM.

On Saturday Tom Van Horn and I gave a tarpon fishing seminar at Mosquito Creek Outdoors. There were about 30 seats there and most were filled, a nice bunch of people. There were raffles and prizes given away, and lots of good information was exchanged.

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.