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A Poor Kezar Lake Report

June 24, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

A Poor Kezar Lake Report

Kezar Lake at dusk.

Thanks for reading this poor Kezar Lake Report. Only two days this week were spent fishing, because we had to drive to Maine from Florida, five glorious days spent in the van.

Needham’s skimmer (I think) at Okeefenokee NW Refuge.

 

At Lackawanna State Park in Pennsylvania.

Hope everyone enjoyed the solstice.

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

Our plan was to visit the Canadian Rockies. Then Canada caught fire. Didn’t they know we wanted to visit? Anyway, we cancelled all our reservations, which was a pretty good financial beatdown. I hope the parks get some of our money.

Ralph Tedesco had a cabin he mostly didn’t rent this summer, and said we could use it! Talk about saving our vacation! Bless you Ralph, and now we’re at Kezar Lake.

I bought my fishing license Friday morning, then put my gear together, dragged a kayak down to the lake, and went for a spin. Nothing like starting a fishing trip in the heat of the day. Predictably, the bite was off. I got a single strike, from a chain pickerel. I saw two fish examine my flies and say no. And that was that, at least for the afternoon.

 

Dragonfly exuvium, on a pine tree.

Saturday morning I got up at 0530 and tried again. I got a few smallmouth bass on a surface fly, and hooked and lost another nice pickerel. Done at 0830.

That’s the poor Kezar Lake report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, travel blog · Tagged: , , , ,

Looking for Tarpon Report

June 17, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Looking for Tarpon Report

Thanks for reading this Looking for Tarpon Report. Only two days this week were spent fishing, but I paddled one day, and walked another.

Happy father’s day to all the dads. The solstice is this week. Pagans, get ready to celebrate!

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

Monday I took the Bang-O-Craft (which had been very lonely) and launched at Port St. John, with intent to go looking for tarpon. It was a long shot, but I have found them around there in the past. When I went to put the trolling motor on the boat, I realized the battery was still in the garage, on the charger. At least it was fully charged! With more breeze than I expected, I did not find the tarpon this time, and didn’t find much else, either. There was nothing at the power station.

I pulled the boat and drove up to Titusville, where I launched it again. I poled a long way and did not see much, except at one spot, where I managed to get a nice red on a plastic shad, and two snooklets on fly. No skunk for me this day.

Tuesday morning Tom Van Horn picked me up, then drove to Port Canaveral and launched his boat. We went north up the beach, looking for tarpon. We found and netted menhaden, which was the highlight of the trip as far as fishing goes. Although we saw a handful of tarpon roll, we drove home reeking of skunk.

Wednesday morning I paddled my canoe around Lake Mills. The cypress trees are gorgeous, and I spend a couple minutes observing an otter. Didn’t see much rooted vegetation (other than trees) in the water, or any fish. Wasn’t expecting tarpon there, though.

Wasn’t expecting tarpon at the wetlands park either, where I went walking Saturday morning.

Green heron.

 

White ibis, adult and juvenile.

 

Anhinga.

 

Four-spotted pennant on pickerelweed.

 

Four-spotted pennant on arrowhead (Sagittaria).

 

That’s the looking for tarpon report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida destinations, central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports · Tagged: , , ,

North Brevard County Fish Report

June 10, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

North Brevard County Fish Report

Thanks for reading this North Brevard County Fish Report. Only two days this week were spent fishing, but I did get my car’s AC fixed, had an MRI and blood work done, saw a dentist and a chiropractor, and enjoyed other, similar fun activities.

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

Tuesday saw me and my kayak (and no camera) at Mosquito Lagoon on a fabulous morning. Since no bites were forthcoming (except for the puffers, who were biting much too well), I paddled across the ICW to Tiger Shoal. There the water was clean and crisp, with plentiful grass, and lots of bait. There were breaking fish! I got several trout and big ladyfish on both spin and fly before the breeze came up and ended it, at which time I picked a lee shoreline to explore. I saw a few reds, had shots at none. The water was deep, with the gauge over 1.5′.

Playalinda sunrise.

 

Sargassum on the beach.

Thursday morning Tom Van Horn picked me up, then drove to Playalinda, where we met Rodney Smith, Earl Gillespie, and Warren Wnek. There was sargassum, but reasonable amounts, not like I’d read about. Between the five of us we got a small jack and two hardheads, not exactly scintillating fishing.

We weren’t the only ones not catching fish.

Off the beach a ways, pelicans were diving on menhaden, lots of them. We’d see a blow-up in the bait now and again. I wished I had a boat…

 

As it was I had to settle for a beautiful morning on a beautiful beach with my aging but beautiful friends. Easily enough done! Thanks, boys!

That’s the North Brevard County Fish Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

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Indian River Lagoon Report

June 2, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Indian River Lagoon Report

Thanks for reading this Indian River Lagoon Report. Only one day this week was spent fishing, but I did paddle the Econ and get a walk in at the wetlands park.

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

The Econ

Last week’s rains have raised the water level in the Econ. I paddled it Monday. The Snow Hill Road gauge read 5.5 feet. I didn’t bring a fishing rod, just a camera…

Buttonbush.

 

Wildflowers in a small meadow.

 

Seeds from a dandelion-like flower, waiting for the wind.

Indian River Lagoon

Last week’s rains have raised the water level in the lagoon, much higher than I like. I went kayaking in a spot that’s an old friend, one I hadn’t been to for a while. One red on fly, a couple trout, and no reason to rush back. The water is just too deep. You can’t see anything.

From there I went to another spot where I have been fishing lately, with some success. I tried wading. The water, formerly knee deep, now tickled the jewels. I got right back in the kayak. I did get a black drum on a 3″ plastic shad, to my surprise. Beautiful day, great paddling, tough fishing because of the water depth.

Orlando Wetlands Park

A walk in the wetlands park followed. Who cares about the water level? It was cloudy. I got some nice photos.

 

An old and beat-up four-spotted pennant.

 

A young and virile four-spotted pennant.

 

Great blue heron. Looks a little silly from this angle.

 

Needham’s skimmer, male.

 

Needham’s skimmer, female.

 

Tilapia.

 

Eastern pondhawk, male.

 

Doctor for me, doctor for the van, week over. Enjoy your weekend, see you next time.

That’s the Indian River Lagoon Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Photo Essays · Tagged: , , ,

Mosquito and Indian River Lagoons Report

May 26, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Mosquito and Indian River Lagoons Report

Thank you for reading this Mosquito and Indian River Lagoons Report. There was rain and lightning every day this week, making fishing more interesting. Nothing like playing hide-and-seek with giant sparks to make fishing seem less important! In spite of that, a few fish were caught.

It’s Memorial Day weekend. Spend a moment or two silently, thinking about how lucky you are that thousands and thousands of Americans died fighting for your liberty. They deserve that much, at the very least.

The week started with a walk at the Orlando Wetlands Park. Wildlife doesn’t come any more accessible than at this artificial wetlands, where there is no admission fee.

Bullfrog.

 

Cooter turtle.

 

Night heron.

 

Great blue heron.

 

Roseate spoonbill.

 

Four-spotted pennant, ♀︎.

 

Sandhill crane.

Scott Radloff joined me for a paddle day on Mosquito Lagoon. I was hoping for great things. It was not to be. Scott got a couple trout. I stank like a skunk all afternoon. Lightning drove us off the water. We took the opportunity to cruise Biolab Road, the first time I’ve seen the south end of the lagoon for a long time. The water was fairly clear, but we did not see any fish, or fishermen.

 

I went solo to the Indian River Lagoon one day. Since I was greeted by a rainbow, you could guess what the weather was like. A red on fly, another on spin, and jumped a small tarpon with a fly. Off the water by noon, more than slightly damp.

 

 

Met some folks crabbing while checking out some old fishing spots. They were having good luck!

 

Passionflower, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.

 

Who can tell me what this is?

That’s the Mosquito and Indian River Lagoons Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida destinations, central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports · Tagged: , , , ,

Indian River Lagoon and Econlockhatchee Report

May 19, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Indian River Lagoon and Econlockhatchee Report

Few things in life get a fly fisher more worked up than seeing tarpon rolling all over the place. Except hooking a couple, of course! Welcome to this week’s Indian River Lagoon and Econlockhatchee Report.

A walking, bank-fishing Econ trip with a spin rod started the week. I’d love to fish that stretch of river with a fly pole, but I lack that kind of skill. The fish were biting well, the song birds were singing, the Cooper’s hawks were shrieking, and I got some photos of otters. Fantastic day!

 

 

 

Next, Mike and River joined me for some Indian River Lagoon quality time. Redfish, black drum, and seatrout fell for our offerings. Water looked pretty good. That invasive exotic, grassy-looking stuff is taking over the bottom, though. We have a new exotic mussel, too. If they were larger, I’d eat them.

 

I returned to the scene of the crime a couple days later, hoping to cash in on what I’d learned from the day with Mike. That’s when I found the tarpon rolling! I hooked two, one on a streamer that jumped off, one on a gurgler that I unhooked and released. I got five other species (seatrout, jack crevalle, ladyfish, black drum, and redfish) for a total of six altogether. What was weird is, I got only one of each! All but the red were caught on fly.

 

Some serious jacks were showering mullet. It looked like the good old days! I love the jacks, I hope they stay around until after the mullet run.

Our governor and legislature keep passing one horrible, hateful, hurtful, and un-Christ-like law after another. It’s making me sick.

That’s the Indian River Lagoon and Econlockhatchee Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

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

Short Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons Report

May 12, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Short Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons Report

Only a single day on the water this week, split between two locations. Thus, a Short Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons Report.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, and everyone else, too. Mother’s Day and Earth Day have something in common- every day should be mother’s day, and every day should be earth day.

Subscribers- no photos? https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/

Got up early Tuesday. Launched the kayak behind the Education Center in the Wildlife Refuge, paddled out of Dummit Creek. Beautiful morning, but the water looked lifeless- no birds, hardly any bait. Once I cleared the creek the water cleared and looked good. Grass is starting to grow back there, too. But in two hours I did not see or touch a fish.

I loaded up and moved to Mosquito Lagoon.

It wasn’t exactly gangbusters there, either. I got one redfish and a nice trout on fly. Tiring of fighting the wind, I broke out the spin rod and got a handful of trout and – drum roll, please- a jack crevalle on the plastic shad. I suspected there were jacks around, as the mullet were showering sporadically. The only photo I took was of the jack, it’s become such an unusual catch in the lagoons. Maybe they’re making a comeback!

In an ongoing effort to provide entertainment to my valued readers, I’m including a bunch of paddling photos from years past. Enjoy!

Daryl “Bones” Benton, 2013 Indian River Lagoon Paddle Adventure. We should be  this happy every time we’re out!

 

Dee Kaminsky, 2013 Indian River Lagoon Paddle Adventure.

 

Peter Camuso and your reporter, Westfield River, Massachusetts, 1980.

 

Low tide on the Gulf. Photo courtesy of Mike Conneen.

 

Jim Tedesco, East Bay.

 

Your reporter, on the Gulf. Photo Courtesy Mike Conneen.

 

Jim Tedesco and your reporter, Machias River, Maine, circa 1976.

 

Nick Colantonio, 2013 Indian River Lagoon Paddle Adventure.

 

Maxx Kumiski, Indian River Lagoon.

 

I got this snook in a tiny Everglades creek. The next one I hooked broke my rod, then my line.

 

Brian Jaye and Maxx Kumiski, Nantahala River.

 

Mike Conneen, on the Gulf.

 

Don Causey, Everglades National Park.

 

Alex Kumiski, Everglades National Park.

 

Maxx Kumiski, Chattahootchee River.

 

Maxx tosses a nice loop, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Contrasting styles, Manatee River.

 

Tammy Wilson, Econlockhatchee River.

 

Mike Conneen, Banana River Lagoon.

 

Mike in a jack melee, Manatee River.

 

Your reporter amongst the crocodiles, Everglades National Park. Photo courtesy Mike Conneen.

 

Jack Hutson, Nantahala River.

 

Backcountry paddle, Everglades National Park.

 

Fish on, Everglades National Park. Photo courtesy of Mike Conneen.

That’s the Short Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Photo Essays · Tagged: , , , ,

Fishing and Paddling Around Central Florida Report and Photo Essay

May 7, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Fishing and Paddling Around Central Florida Report and Photo Essay

Fortunately, I got out paddling and walking this week. The weather, so unpredictable last week, was splendid every day. And it’s officially tarpon season, not that I’ll be going. No boat 🙁

Subscribers- no photos? https://www.spottedtail.com/blog . Please bookmark the page!!!

Monday and Tuesday I went paddle fishing on Mosquito Lagoon. I could be verbose, but will let the photos do the work. The water was clean and the seagrass was thick!!!

Swarms of minnows, clean water, and seagrass. Have we turned a corner?

 

There were snook in places like this.

 

Aggressive little snapper. I got two.

 

The dark patches are seagrass.

 

 

 

A manatee vertebra?

 

One of several.

 

One of many.

Wednesday afternoon saw me walking at Orlando Wetlands Park, camera in hand-

Great blue heron.

 

Roseate spoonbills.

 

Alligator mississippiensis.

 

Alligator mississippiensis.

Friday Jorge Hidalgo accompanied me down the Econlockhatchee-

The vessel.

 

Hooked up.

 

The fish.

 

The release.

Saturday found me paddling the Juniper Springs Run with a group from the Central Florida Freethought Community –

 

 

 

 

 

It was a very cool week! That’s the Fishing and Paddling Around Central Florida report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida destinations, Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida, Photo Essays · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Stormy Monday (and Tuesday, and Wednesday, etc)

April 29, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Stormy Monday (and Tuesday, and Wednesday, etc)

Wow, have we had some weather this week. Talk about stormy Monday!

Because of the weather, I did not fish much. But Wednesday saw me driving to Melbourne, canoe on the roof, to visit Rodney. Rodney loved the canoe, as much of it as he could see, and then we hung out a while for a chat. During the chat, a storm passed.

I didn’t realize what a close call I had.

When I left to go home, I got on 192 west. Traffic was awful. There were downed limbs and leaves all over the ground. The traffic lights were out. As all the vehicles crawled towards I-95, the ground started steaming. There was all this white stuff. What the heck is that?

It was hailstones, piled almost a foot thick in places. It was only a couple miles from where I’d parked. Realizing I’d dodged a bullet, I hoped all the storms were past.

They weren’t. One hit while I was on Taylor Creek Road, complete with hail. I was concerned for the canoe, but it was fine.

Red-breasted sunfish.

I know because I used it Thursday on the Econ. A bald eagle flew over, several times. Red-cockaded woodpeckers were seen and heard. The egrets, both great and snowy, were in their breeding plumage.

Spotted sunfish, a.k.a stumpknocker. A very aggressive creature.

The bass were biting, both worms (spin rod) and gurglers. I got two spotted gar on gurglers. Also fooled were spotted and red-breasted sunfish. My best fish was about five pounds, altogether an awesome morning. And, I broke off a bigger one trying to keep it out of the lumber! I made a conscious decision to not bring a camera, so all pictures are from the file.

You can see this photo in the current Florida Sportsman issue.

The surprising thing is that the river is still low. If the rain keeps up, that won’t last.

There are some amazingly large alligators living in that river.

It’s supposed to rain today and tomorrow.

And that’s the Stormy Monday report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , ,

The Canoe is Finished

April 21, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

The Canoe is Finished

The canoe is finished. Except for minor tweaks. And I took it out and caught some fish from it!

Subscribers- if the photos don’t load, please visit https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/. And please, bookmark the page!!!

The weather at the beginning of the week didn’t make anyone want to go fishing. I went to Publix and got a copy of this year’s “Kayak Fishing Fun.” There was an article in there by John Kumiski about a dog who goes fishing. Cute.

The boat before coating with polyurethane.

I worked on the canoe, enough that I could water-test it and then go fishing. That was after I spent a couple hours casting flies at my local retention pond, catching several big bluegills and small bass.

The water test.

I water-tested the canoe in the same place, with both single-blade and double-blade paddles. It’s tippier than my kayaks, but oh, so much easier to carry when it’s out of the water! It paddles very nicely, and is faster than the kayaks, too. And it looks fantastic.

I took it out on the Econ Thursday afternoon. I had a bass within five minutes. Several bass (no big ones) and stumpknockers were fooled by my bugs. The new canoe performed well- I think I’ll keep it!

The first fish from the new boat! You can see the frame reflected in my sunglasses.

I’ll be using it some more over the next few days.

Friday Dean Altenhofen came by. We spent the afternoon in kayaks on the Indian River Lagoon, where this snook met up with a black-and-purple streamer:

A man and his snook.

Dean had never caught a largemouth bass before (they are not common nor desirable in Oregon, apparently) so we paddled (and dragged) the Econ on Saturday. It was not a hot bite.

The new boat, ready for its first real test.

We saw fish the whole way but had a heck of a time getting any bites. Dean, however did get the bass.

Hooked up.

 

Not huge, but respectable.

As I type this, Dean is winging his way home. Bon voyage, Dean, and thanks for coming!

The canoe got stuck on submerged stumps, and had other misadventures. If you examined it now, you would never know it. To say I’m pleased with the way it came out would be a massive understatement.

And that’s the canoe is finished report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take 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, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , ,
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