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Some Fishing and a TAF Report

October 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Some Fishing and a TAF Report

Thank you for reading this Some Fishing and a TAF Report. A couple days of azure skies and light winds allowed for a couple of delightful days on the water, and TAF got a bunch of donations!

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

A huge THANK YOU to all the donors, by name and in no particular order-

-Laura Rice
-Ed Perry
-Dean Altenhofen
-Anonymous
-Walt Sheppard
-Earl Gillespie
-Ken Shannon
-Emily Nelson
-Kelly Holz

What a great group of people!!!

The total raised so far is slightly over $775, 15 percent of my goal, and thank you, thank you, thank you again!

Click here for the fundraiser link if you’re motivated to donate (Please!)

As a reminder, the Assistance Fund helps underinsured people living with life-threatening, chronic, illness obtain treatment and medicine by providing financial assistance for their copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and other health-related expenses.

The updates will continue every week until the fundraiser ends (at Thanksgiving), and of course if you’ve considered donating, it’s not too late!

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Fishing!

Monday the Bang-O-Craft plied the startlingly-clear-even-though-it’s-high water of the Mosquito Lagoon, carrying yours truly and Scott Radloff. We did not tear things up, piscatorially speaking. I got a nice trout on my favorite lure, the 3″ plastic shad, near Vann’s Island, and minutes later Scott got one, too. We saw a few handsome, surprisingly large snook. Not surprisingly, they wanted nothing whatsoever to do with us or our faux minnows.

I got a flounder, a decent one. Susan and I ate it for dinner one night. Scott got a redfish, blind-casting. Actually, such fish as we got all came by blind-casting. The water is deep enough to make sight-fishing difficult. We were out about five hours, saw the Falcon Heavy leave for Jupiter, and were impressed by the amount of bait in the water. Life for the gamefish must be pretty sweet right now!

Tuesday Caleb Vogl joined me for a Banana River Lagoon excursion. Caleb started the festivities by casting to an obvious wake with a Zara Spook. The fish, a crevalle jack, crushed it.

The water was not nearly as clear as Mosquito Lagoon is. And there’s not nearly as much bait. And that jack was it for a couple hours. The place honestly looked pretty dead.

I found a small spot where, in about 30 minutes, I got two juvie snook, a very juvie tarpon, and a ladyfish, all on the plastic shad. Then it quieted right down.

Around mid-day I decided that further searching was most likely futile, and turned the kayak around. On the way back Caleb spotted some breaking fish and I at least got a fish on the fly rod, another jack. Caleb also got one, still using the Spook. Boats were loaded about 3 PM.

The rest of the week was pretty breezy and I had doctors and honey-dos, so no fishing. See ya next week!

That’s my Some Fishing and a TAF Report. Thanks for reading it!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go for a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , ,

One Day Mosquito Lagoon Report

June 28, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

One Day Mosquito Lagoon Report

Thank you for reading this One Day Mosquito Lagoon Report. Caleb and I got out on Tuesday, and a stunning morning it was.

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

Tuesday morning at 6 am Caleb and I met at the ramp. The mosquitos and no-see-ums were glad we were there, and shared their pleasure with us by trying to suck us dry. In the meantime, the sun was trying to break through some clouds over the eastern shore. Not your classic gorgeous sunrise, but it was still lovely, as was the entire morning. The water was clear and full of bait.

Before too long Caleb got a red on a soft plastic bait.

 

 

I didn’t get any bites, but I wasn’t fishing much, either. Just taking it all in- the mullet, the dolphins, the birds, the manatees, even saw a hog up on the bank. I finally got a skunk-chaser, a needlefish on a soft plastic shad. I don’t know how it got stuck on the hook. When I lifted it out of the water to unhook it, it fell off the hook into the water in the bottom of my kayak. I got to pick it up and let it go.

We got split up. When we re-joined Caleb said he’d gotten two more reds, and the smallest snook he’d ever seen. Just before pulling the boat (midday) I got a snook, 22 inches or so. The bugs were still bad at the ramp.

Fishing wasn’t especially good, but we got a few, and enjoyed a beautiful morning.

That’s the One Day Mosquito Lagoon Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go for a bike ride! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report · Tagged: , ,

The Meh Fishing Report

June 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

The Meh Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Meh Fishing Report. I’m sorry it’s not exciting. Summer is setting in, I can’t tarpon fish without a boat, and the fish have not been as bitey as when it was cooler. Hopefully that will change. Or maybe a horde of big tarpon will show up where I can paddle to them. Ha!

I did not carry a camera either day. The photos are from my files.

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

Tuesday

I went to the Econ. The gauge read 0.8 feet, so I launched at Snow Hill Road. There was still get-out-and-drag over some spots. I threw a gurgler for over an hour, with a single, modest bass to show for it. So, like last time there, I switched to spin tackle.

It was still work getting bites. In many spots I could see the fish, and they were just giving me the fin (the middle one, of course). The catch ended up being eight or ten bass, with one solid one. Beautiful river, beautiful if warm day- I’ll take it. As if there was a choice.

Friday

morning saw me paddling Mosquito Lagoon. Fish were hard to find. Blind-casting while wading, wondering if I’d get anything, the line came tight. Surprise! And it was a real nice fish! I really was surprised!

Turned out to be a red that was pushing 20 pounds, which, had I gotten nothing else, would have made the day. The fly was a black Redfish Worm. It would be nice to write that the fish kicked off a wild couple of hours, but a pinfish and a puffer followed. Again, tiring of casting practice, I picked up the spin pole with a weedless jig, which produced a nice trout in the 3-4 pound range, a modest jack crevalle, and another puffer.

Nice day, water looked great, and I got a couple fish. I’ll take it!

That’s the Meh fishing report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go for a bike ride! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , ,

Four Days in Paradise Fishing Report and Photo Essay

May 3, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Four Days in Paradise Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Four Days in Paradise Fishing Report. The weather this week has been incredible. I fished three days, and went to the wetlands park one. Thus the title.

-Public Service Announcement-

May 12 is Mother’s Day. That’s a week away! Go to the store right now and take care of your domestic needs!

May Day passed a few days back. Time to dust off this baby, even though I probably won’t be fishing for the big boys-

an ideal world
hot sun, blue sky, clear, slick water
sweat
a graphite wand, a sliver of steel, a wisp of feathers

a flash of silver breaks the mirror
then another, and another
feathers land in water
magically, they come to life

line tightens
mirror smashed
power
water flies, gills flare, body shakes, shudders
again, and again, and again

the beast tires
arms ache
hand grasps jaw
feathers removed
great fish swims free once more

tarpon
one of God’s gifts to fly fishers

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Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

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An Econ update– here’s how the authorities responded to my reporting the green water:

I guess there’s not much to be done except wait for it to run its course. Or, with much more difficulty, find the source of the nutrients that feed the algae, and stop them from reaching the river.

Sunday

the camera and I went for a short-ish walk, a mile or a little more, at the wetlands park. Dragonflies, sandhill cranes, alligators, and more. Always a good time! When it started to get hot, I bailed out.

Needham’s skimmer, female.

 

Halloween Pennant, male.

 

Four-spotted pennant, male.

 

The adult, preening!

 

The youngster, preening!

 

The photographer, not preening!

 

Four-spotted pennant, female.

 

This beast was lying right at the edge of the path.

 

The bullfrog was much less intimidating.

 

Eastern pondhawk, male.

Monday

I fished the Econ, upstream of the Little Econ. I took some pictures with my point-and-shoot and they were all blurry, so this is a representative file shot-

The water is low and the fish fairly bitey. Even though fly fishing is impossible there for someone at my skill level, I’m looking forward to going back.

Wednesday

found me doing something I had not done in a while, which was to launch the kayak at River Breeze. Most of the fishing was fair at best. I found a few tailing redfish and even with an unweighted fly, managed to spook all of them. Got a couple decent trout blind-casting the plastic shad.

I looked in some little nooks that I’d never really looked in before (there are so many of them around there), and found some relaxed fish there. How relaxed? The first one I got required a cast of about five feet- it trashed the shad. The second bite, which I somehow missed, came with the leader (at most three feet long) in the tip of the spinning rod. The fish was almost directly underneath me when it took the shad. Even though the fish swam off unharmed, it was amazingly cool to watch. That was it for the day, fish-wise. Probably paddled ten miles.

Thursday

found me paddling on Mosquito Lagoon. Fly fishing exclusively, i dun gud! Let the photos tell the tail-

First fish, a tailer.

 

Hooked up.

 

This one was cruising the bank.

 

 

And I do mean “cruising the bank.”

That’s the four days in paradise fishing report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, ©John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida, Photo Essays · Tagged: , , , ,

Green (Econlockhatchee) River Fishing Report

April 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Green (Econlockhatchee) River Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Green (Econlockhatchee) River Fishing Report. Only went to the Econ once this week, and was pretty upset about what I found.

I’m selling some spinning rods. Go to this link https://www.spottedtail.com/spinning-rods-for-sale/ to see what’s available.

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

Early morning, everything looked fine.

Was looking forward to getting on the Econ on Tuesday. Started at Snow Hill Road, before 8 am. Thought the water looked odd, but didn’t dwell on it. Nothing touched my gurgler, which I also found odd. Switched to a Senko, got a solid bite, but the fishie came unbuttoned. I never saw it.

Came to a place where I almost always get a fish. Fished through it twice- nothing. By now the sun is up and the water is distinctly green, and quite murky.

Once the sun got up, the water looked bad.

Talked to some fishermen on the bank. One said the water was clear all last week, and then Saturday it was green. Bam. Just like that.

Fished until noon, got a single 12-incher on a purple worm, the only other bite I got. Decided to find the source of the green, so loaded up the canoe and brought it home. Went to the 419 bridge, walked to the Econ/Little Econ confluence-

Econ on left, Little Econ on right, one clean, one gross.

The Little Econ was almost radioactively glowing green.

Went to the Oviedo swimming pool complex on Lockwood Boulevard- the stream runs by in the back-

Went to the Alafaya Trail bridge crossing.

Went to the SR 50 bridge crossing.

It looks better here. Don’t know if it’s because it’s shallow or I’m above the source of the green.

Went to Jay Blanchard Park.

Didn’t find the source of the green, but I got photos. Once home, I went on the internet to the Seminole County Water Atlas and the Orange County Water Atlas and made pollution reports. A few hours later Robert Renk, Regulatory Compliance Coordinator for Orange County, called me for information. I don’t know what, if anything, he is doing about the problem; hopefully something. I intend to get back to him and find out, will let you know.*

Wednesday took the kayak to the Banana River Lagoon, hoping for some late black drum, or giant snook or redfish. Ha! In spite of the sublime weather, my fantasies weren’t realized.

I almost ran over a redfish that was hanging with some black mullet. I tossed a new-penny-colored Bass Assassin at him and he trashed it! It was the first time I’ve used a Bass Assassin at least ten years- they still work! The fish was modest, 22 inches or so.

Later I got a couple more reds and a snook on a synthetic minnow fly, and one more snook on the Bass Assassin. Getting a good shot can be so hard, but sometimes it’s ridiculously easy. I was wading, when a redfish crossed a sandy patch on the bottom, about 40 feet away. The fish couldn’t have been more visible if it were carrying LEDs. Its angle was perfect, too. I flicked the streamer out. It landed a foot to the left of the fish. Two strips, BANG.

All the fish were modest, size-wise, so I didn’t get the camera out. Saw one trout all day. The water was pretty clear and seagrass is starting to grow back. Now all we need is for the fish populations to recover to their former abundance. Based on what I saw today, I needn’t go back there for a while.

Thursday, another fantastic weather day, saw me kayaking on Mosquito Lagoon. I saw a redfish and threw a streamer to it. I got this instead-

A nice start to the day.

I did get a redfish, on a different fly (the streamer fell apart, after only four fish, too. I need to have a discussion with my fly tyer), a tan slider.

If I could get a trout or a black drum, I’d have some slammage. I did not see any trout, but did find and catch a black. Yes, it was a lovely day, a great excursion.

*This Just In!

I just received an email from Robert Renk at Orange County about the Econ. Here’s what he had to say-

“The sample results that have been completed thus far all indicate a presence of Cyanobacteria: Dolichospermum (aka anabaena).  These Cyanobacteria get their color from phycocyanin that is often released as they are dying off.  In addition, all the samples so far have not had any toxins detected.  Here are some useful links that you can visit to follow algae blooms (including the ones reported below) in Florida.”

FDEP Algal Bloom Dashboard

Protecting Florida Together website

Florida DOH website

So no one was dumping green stuff- it’s an algal bloom.

That’s the Green (Econlockhatchee) River fishing report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Puffers, Dali, and More Fishing Report

April 20, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Puffers, Dali, and More Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Puffers, Dali, and More Fishing Report. Dali has little to do with fishing, but I’ve always liked his work.

In a totally different direction, how about Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck? Wednesday night he pitched a full nine-innings of shutout ball, taking 96 pitches to register 27 outs against the Cleveland Guardians. It was the first full game by a Red Sox pitcher in two years, and only the third this season in major league baseball. Sox won by two.

We also have a guest blog this week by Julia Mitchell- Beyond Borders: Diverse Careers That Embrace the Digital Nomad Lifestyle. It’s an interesting read!

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

Monday found me paddling on the Indian River Lagoon on a spectacular morning. There were only a few redfish around- very spooky. The leader on my fly line is easily 15 feet long, and it seems too short for them. I had two decent shots, had one bite (missed it) and one extended follow where the fish finally turned off. The puffers, however, liked my fly, enough I got three of them. Don’t know which is worse, getting skunked or getting three puffers. Rodney sez No fish is a bad fish, tho.

Tuesday Susan and I journeyed to St. Petersburg, Florida, home of the Tampa Bay Rays and the Dali Museum. We were visiting the latter. I hadn’t been there since they moved into the new edifice. There was an exhibit of Impressionists, and the permanent collection. A few of my favorites from the latter:

 

Lovely place, well worth a visit.

When our work there was over, we moseyed (by way of Dunedin) to Hillsborough River State Park, where we spent the night. HRSP boasts one of Florida’s two river rapids:

Hillsborough River Rapids.

Lovely place, well worth a visit.

Thursday I tried the Mosquito Lagoon. The road to the boat ramp looked like this-

 

I wrote to the refuge, asking for an explanation. I got one. They are trying to improve the habitat for the scrub jays- “Florida Scrub Jays need low scrubby habitat with lots of sandy openings. This habitat is maintained by fire. In the absences of fire, the habitat transitions from open scrub to dense, tall forest and scrub jays can not survive. ”

Other than that, the day was a lot like Monday. The weather was incredible, the water was clean, there was seagrass, and there were relatively few spooky fish around. I saw 12-15 reds, a handful of snook, two or three trout. Unlike Monday, I did not get a shot at a decent fish. I did get four more puffers, however, and two snappers, a hockey-puck-sized crevalle, and a black drum of about three pounds, all on fly. Wouldn’t toss a soft plastic bait out there with the hordes of puffers. It’s definitely yacht season again.

Friday I was joined by Alastair Worden. He uses an electric motorized kayak because of an injury he’d sustained. We missed several strikes between us, and all that kept me from a skunking was a six-inch snapper that took my slider fly.

I saw another fly caster (Bob Vaughn by name) hook and boat a redfish, which I photographed. His fly was tied with fur from his dog. Gotta love that!

 

At least someone is getting reds!

Assuming Alastair had a watch, I asked him what time it was. It turns out he does not use a watch, and had to take his phone out- it was 1204. While the phone was out, he noticed his daughter had texted him. Like a good dad, he answered her. Unfortunately he did not turn off the motor. While he was texting, his kayak went around in a circle. It ran over his line, which fouled the propeller. He had to go ashore and remove the propeller to un-foul it.

At this point, seeing he had an issue but not knowing what it was, I paddled over to him and asked if he was OK. He said, “Never text and drive.” He didn’t say “No”, so I assumed (incorrectly) that he was OK, and off I went.

After he put the rig back together, it wouldn’t run. He started paddling back to the launch, but it hurt his back. He got out and started dragging the boat. I saw this and paddled back over to him. Then a guy in a motor boat came over, and kindly took Alastair in tow. Near the launch, a manatee almost knocked Alistair out of his boat, just to make the day even more interesting. Thank goodness the kayak didn’t roll over! I  really hope Alistair’s back is OK.

I fished three days this week, caught fish every day, and did not get a single species I was targeting. That’s fishing!

That’s also the Puffers, Dali, and More fishing report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Fishing Stories, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Spring Equinox Fishing Report

March 22, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Spring Equinox Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Spring Equinox Fishing Report. I try to fish on all the pagan holidays- the equinoxes and solstices. This particular equinox happened just before midnight on Tuesday. I fished Wednesday and Thursday.

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

On yet another glorious central Florida day, Wednesday saw me paddling solo on Mosquito Lagoon. My first fish encounter was with a small group of snook. When I cast to them, they spooked. Then they came back. I cast. They spooked. I cast and left the fly out there, waiting. They came back. I gently stripped the Clouser Minnow through them, and one ate it. The fish was cold and didn’t fight real hard, but it might have weighed four pounds. Not wanting to risk hurting the fish, it was released without a photo. Nice start to the day.

There was no one home at the next several spots. The thought came to me- If there’s no one at the next place, I’m going back to the car. Paddling is fine, but catching fish was the objective.

Approaching the next place, I spotted a red. I made a bad cast with the spin rod and spooked the fish. Before any berating could happen, there was another red. This cast was a touch too accurate, and the fish jumped. But it came right back to see what the disturbance was, and then ate the plastic shad. Aye, ’twas a handsome fish.

Put the spinner away, picked up the fly rod. There are a few fish here! Made a cast to one. It ate the Clouser Minnow! Black drum, seven or eight pounds. Nice. Release. Repeat. Release. Repeat. Release.

The blacks all looked like this one.

Say, this is some good fishing! Next fish was a fine red, even photographed it. Then, just for good measure, another black drum.

Equinox red on fly.

Looked hard for a trout all day, greedily hoping for that grand slam, but never saw one. Still, quite a satisfying outing.

Thursday, Caleb Vogl joined me for a sight-fishing mentoring session, in the Bang-O-Craft. Due to the east wind and small craft advisory, we went to the Indian River Lagoon. I honestly think it’s harder to catch fish from a motor boat than a kayak. You’re up so much higher, the fish see you coming. Caleb got three undersized trout to start the day. Then there was a long dry spell.

He’d never poled a boat before, so after a couple hours it was time for Poling 101. He picked it up fast. He was poling when I spotted a red, ridiculously far away, and made one of my best casts in a long time. The fly landed about 14 inches away from the fish, who immediately went over a took it. The fish was only four pounds or so, but still, a very satisfying catch because of the cast.

We switched places and he got a similar-sized red on a soft plastic shad, one of mine, actually. And that ended up being our tally for the day, which I was fine with.

That’s the Spring Equinox fishing report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!

 

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , ,

Another Tough Week Fishing Report

March 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Another Tough Week Fishing Report

Thank you for reading the Another Tough Week Fishing Report. Only two days were spent fishing, because fishing is always more enjoyable when the fish participate, and they didn’t wanna play much this week.

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

A rumor came my way, something about guides posting on Facebook pictures of fish caught in Mosquito Lagoon. To which my response was, if you believe social media, most guides never have a bad day. But Monday, the weather looked not terrible, so with a late start, I took the Bang-O-Craft out for some scouting.

Found some clean water, breathtakingly clean. Found some dirty water, not very far from the clean water. Saw quite a few boats, more boats than fish, probably. Did not get a shot at a fish all day. But at the last spot, blind-casting with the spin rod and a soft plastic shad, I got a solid thump, which turned out to be a fine seatrout, 25 inches or so, the only bite in six hours. I considered trying to get a photo, but released it without removing it from the water. That fish is too valuable to risk for a photo. I’ll use a file photo!

File photo of a seatrout.

Thursday Caleb Vogl joined me for some kayak fishing on the Indian River Lagoon. Although we got a few small trout, we saw very little. After almost three hours, we pulled the boats and tried Mosquito Lagoon. Didn’t see a whole lot more there, but at least the water was cleaner. I hooked a snook (caught him) and a redfish (lost him) on  an olive slider fly. Caleb got a snook, a solid trout, and a couple snapper on spin tackle. We ended up putting in nine hours, paddling literally miles. Mucho trabajo, poco dinero…

File photo of a snook.

Both days were dee-lightful, weather-wise. But it’s a good thing I wasn’t looking for groceries.

And that, folks, is the Another Tough Week fishing report. It will be better next week! Because hope springs eternal in the heart of a fisherman! Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go hiking! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: ,

Not So Hot Fishing Report

February 17, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Not So Hot Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Not So Hot Fishing Report. Good thing I philosophized about enjoying your time on the water last week. This week, only a few small fish distracted me from that enjoyment.

Our friend Michelle Hartman has another guest post this week. Please read it here…

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please. Oh- there aren’t any photos this week.

Weather kept me off the water Monday and Tuesday. Of course the van got worked on, minor electrical stuff. Wednesday was Valentines Day. My valentine and I went to Lake Mills Park and had a picnic by the lake, gorgeous, warm sunshine, pleasant breeze, sublime company. A lovely little celebration it was.

I’ve been tying some articulated streamers for a trip to Montana. (If any readers have tips about fishing Montana in September, I would love to hear from you!) After the picnic, a trip to the local retention pond followed. I wanted to see how the flies look in the water. Frankly, I was disappointed.

I’ve tied three unweighted ones, which is what I tried. The damn thing sat on the surface like a dead moth. I globbed all kinds of saliva on it, trying to convince it to get wet. Didn’t work. Once it got forced it under by stripping it, it didn’t look particularly good, either. Although a bass did hit it. I missed it. Back to the drawing board on that.

Thursday, under a solid overcast, the kayak and I visited Mosquito Lagoon. There weren’t a lot of fish around. When I was sitting, I couldn’t see them. When I was standing, they all saw me first. I did not get a shot.

I visited a number of my blind fishing spots. Finally, four hours in, the skunk was chased- by a puffer. Does that even count??? At the last spot of the day, a few trout and reds fell to the DOA Shrimp, which ended up being shredded by more puffers. All the fish were modest, although the trout would be in the slot. It beat no fish.

Because hope springs eternal in the heart of a fisherman, Friday I tried the Indian River Lagoon. There were high clouds, enough to cause a lot of glare. Again, such fish as there were saw me first. Then a yahoo ran his boat the entire way down the flat I was fishing, taking particular care to get close to me. Thanks, you jerk.

I did manage two small trout and a small red on the plastic shad. Once the wind came up, I bailed out. Boat was on the roof by 1PM. Altogether, the day was beautiful, the fishing not so hot.

And that, folks, is the not so hot fishing report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go on a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Flies and Fly Tying, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , ,

A Gift from God Fishing Report

February 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

A Gift from God Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Gift from God Fishing Report. The theme here is, if you learn to enjoy just being out around the water, watching Nature do her work, any fish you catch are a bonus. How much of a bonus? A gift from God, obviously. Food for thought, especially when the skunk follows you home.

Subscribers without photos- go to https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/, please.

-Public Service Announcement-
IF you have a valentine, save yourself some headaches and aggravation by going and getting that card, etc., RIGHT NOW. You can thank me later.

Fishing and Other Bits

Monday it was cold. Tuesday and Wednesday we had gale warnings, small craft advisories, the whole nine yards. I worked some on the van, but Wednesday afternoon found me needing some movement. I went for a walk along the Econ, just to walk. Beautiful afternoon if a bit blustery. Spring is here. The red maples have already gone to seed, the willows are completely leafed out, and many of the other trees are breaking their buds and growing new leaves. There are wildflowers blooming. It’s gonna be new green around here for three or four weeks!

An Econ resident suns himself along the riverbank. Taken with my phone.

From a fishing perspective, the Econ is still high, with the gauge at about four feet. If it doesn’t rain, it might be fishable in a couple weeks.

A cloudy Thursday found me at the Banana River Lagoon, in a different spot than last week. It may have been wind-caused, but the water looked terrible. I paddled a long way before seeing a fish. But when they were found there were a lot of them, big black drum, tailing. Not real interested in my fly. In fairness, it was impossible for me to see what was going on. After 30 or 40 frustrating minutes I got a bite. The fish was on just long enough to stampede all the other ones. Then he came off.

This is what I was looking for. When I found some, I couldn’t seal the deal.

I waited 30 minutes, hoping. I left and came back, something I almost never do. The game was over. After tying on a DOA Shrimp and inserting a rattle into it, I made a cast. Bam! First cast, nice trout, pushing five pounds, a great skunk chaser.

Fat trout on a DOA Shrimp.

Unfortunately, that was it. The next four hours was, for the most part, casting practice. I enjoyed a few ospreys and a bald eagle. There was no bait, no grass, and very few fish. It will probably be a while before I try that spot again…

Friday morning the kayak and I visited Mosquito Lagoon. The water there is amazingly clean! A qualifier- I was north of the canal. No idea what it looks like down south. Anyway, I was just getting started when here comes a fish, right at me. I hadn’t even uncorked the fly pole yet! I threw the DOA Shrimp in front of it and got the eat, but missed it.

It was a while before another chance came.

That chance came in the form of a tail, up and down. Made my best guess and let the slider fly. That never works, but it did this time, a black drum of eight or ten pounds, decent fish. Skunk chaser!!

A skunk chaser!

The next chance had two fish tailing within 10 or 12 feet of each other, the closer clearly a redfish. After at least two handfuls of casts (that didn’t spook the fish!!!) it finally ate the slider. I even took its picture.

Now if I could get a trout I would have not just three fish, but a Mosquito Lagoon Winter Slam, which sounds way more badass than “three fish.”

That trout was hard to find. Several reliable winter trout spots were checked. None produced a fish. Running out of time, I tried one more spot.

It would be awesome to say, “They were stacked in there like cordwood!” Reality was, one bite, one seatrout, all I needed, on a black and purple Clouser Minnow. O, successo!

This fish represents slammage.

Even though I only got three fish, I got more than three fish. I got the Mosquito Lagoon Winter Slam! And got to enjoy a simply superb weather day on the water in the process, which, when you think about it, makes those three fish a gift from God. Every fishing trip should be a day of thanksgiving.

And that, folks, is a Gift from God Fishing Report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go on a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , , , ,
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