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Windy Week Fort Myers Fishing Report

February 13, 2016 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Windy Week Fort Myers Fishing Report

Black drum on black redfish worm.

It blew hard most of the week. I went to Fort Myers to fish with my friend Henrique this week, thus the Windy Week Fort Myers Fishing Report.

Upcoming Events- Lots of ’em!
– 2/28-3/5 Wekiva Paint Out. Thirty nationally-renowned artists come here and paint our beautiful scenery for one week. They start painting on Monday, February 29th and continue through Saturday, March 5th. The event culminates with a Gala at Wekiva Island, an event not to be missed! http://keepseminole.org/event/wekiva-paint-out/
– Ocala Outdoor Expo, 3/5 and 3/6. http://www.ocalaexpo.com/
– Mosquito Lagoon Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, March 5. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/
– Mosquito Lagoon On-the-Water Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, March 6. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-on-the-water-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/

Blowing My Own Horn Dept.
The new issue of Fly Tyer magazine arrived at the Kumiski home this week. In it was a lovely article about fly fishing in Louisiana, by John Kumiski! It looks goooood. If you read it, your life will be improved by an astonishing 638 percent! As TMQ says, All predictions wrong or your money back.

Fishing!
Sunday it blew like snot. I wrote letters to the manager of the state forest and the commissioner of agriculture. We’ll see what they say.

Monday it blew like snot. I don’t even remember what I did.

Tuesday it blew like snot and was very cold besides. I spent the day at the car dealership getting the chariot repaired. I didn’t like sitting there all day, and I didn’t like spending the money. But the van has not run this well in a long time. Now it’s just awesome.
I tied quite a few flies while sitting there.

Wednesday it blew like snot. I took Susan’s car to the dealer and got it worked on, tying quite a few more flies.

Thursday morning I got up ridiculously early and drove to see Rick. When we got on the water (water temperature 54 degrees) we had a shot in five minutes, a redfish I caught on a black bunny leech. “This is gonna be easy,” I thought. Because of the cold wind (blowing like snot) and clouds I got three more shots all day, hooked one more fish. That fly was a black Matuka, tied on a #4 Mustad 34011. A five pound fish bent the hook out and escaped. Won’t be using those hooks any more for anything other than making earrings.

Redfish Ricky!

Friday we tried again. It was not blowing like snot! There were no clouds! Eureka!
There were no fish at the first spot. At the second I spotted a big snook, which blew out as the fly touched down. We’d see three more with identical results. I pooched a few more shots before finally getting a red about noon on a black redfish worm. We ended up with a half dozen reds and a black drum, all on the same fly. We were off the water about 3 PM, and then the Friday afternoon fight through traffic to get home.

Rick looked great and it was really good to fish with him again. Thanks, Rick, for an awesome couple of days!

And that is the Windy Week Fort Myers Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2016. All rights are reserved.

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Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

January 29, 2016 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

The sky can be a wonderful source of entertainment, both day and night. I don’t get to look at the night sky nearly enough. I went solo camping Monday night to do some stargazing, thus the Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon fishing report.

File photo, Orion by moonlight.

The kayak got launched at River Breeze about 11 AM Monday morning. It was fairly cold, but the sky was clear. While paddling I noticed a bunch of footprints on the bottom (the water is fairly clear). “Those are fish.” The boat was staked out while casts were made to those fish. They ate, and I got several reds, some in the slot, some short. A #2 olive green over white Bucktail Bouncer was the fly of choice. Man, it worked well that day!

They were all over the olive over white Bouncer.

When the action slowed the paddling recommenced. There was a skiff at the next spot, well downwind. The painter was tied around my waist as I started wading and blindcasting the Bouncer. The fish were all over it, both trout and reds, about an equal mix of slot fish and shorties. It was pretty novel getting a bite every few casts, though, quite enjoyable. I considered working the spot again but another skiff came. Back in the kayak, paddling again.

Bouncers drying on the rack.

There were plenty of fish at the next spot, all trout, all short. Did not stay long. The Bouncer, about 20 fish old at this point, was starting to unravel.

The trout liked the fly, too.

Checking another spot, I saw two muds flare up as the kayak passed. I staked it out and started wading, blindcasting. Nothing, nothing, was considering giving up when the line came tight, five pound trout, yes!

Worked the spot for a while longer and got two more nice trout. The mono holding the beads on the fly slipped out of the fly’s head and the beads were lost. Waaahhh! I LIKED that fly!

With the shadows getting long I pointed the kayak toward the campsite http://www.recreation.gov/wildernessAreaDetails.do?page=detail&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72791. It was close to a spot where several big trout and redfish were observed last week. I worked it hard, but they were all gone.

As it got dark the stars starting winking on. It’s such an awesome time of year for them. Orion. Gemini. Sirius. Aldebaran. The Pleides. I lay there just gazing at the cosmos, listening to the waves on the distant shore. Five satellites crossed my view, and two meteors did, too. It was better than the fishing.

Done sleeping at 5 AM, I got up to do a little more stargazing. The light from an almost-full moon blotted out many stars, but the planets! At one point Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and Venus were all visible, lined up across the heavens. My God, we live in a fantastic place!

Soon I was paddling under those planets, heading to yesterday’s hot spot. It was just getting light when I started casting. Clouds diffused the sun’s light into a glorious display of colors- purple, bluue, gray, orange, gold, pink. Cast cast cast cast cast cast cast. Nothing. What happened to the fish?

A fox squirrel Bouncer was appreciated, too.

Then the line came tight and all was right with the world. Three nice trout were among the fish that spot produced. No other boats came, and the sun was well up when I saw what looked like tailing fish about 50 yards away. “Probably mullet.” I kept watching though, and finally had to go check it out. They were tailing redfish, at least 15 of them. I got one bite and missed it, and managed to chase them all away.

One of the reds I didn’t miss.

Three other spots were tried without success. Stopping at an old favorite, I staked out the boat and started blind casting. Only one fish bit, but it was the best fish of the trip, a magnificent seatrout about 27 inches long. Another Bouncer was the fly, this one with a fox squirrel wing.

Ha! This was a gorgeous fish.

It had been an incredible trip so far, but on the way back I found some tailing reds and got a couple more. It was the best inshore fishing I’d had since coming back from Alaska, and that includes the trip to Louisiana. Red Hot!

There’s that funny-looking man again.

The rains on Wednesday and Thursday may not have been Biblical but they did make our roof start leaking. Looks like another home improvement project.

Friday was cold and windy. I checked out the St. Johns River from 10 until 1, from Lake Harney to Puzzle Lake. Touched a single fish at the mouth of the Econ. It felt good but it came off quick enough I didn’t know what it was. Talked to Ultra Fly at the boat ramp. He had gotten two shad near Puzzle Lake, “working his butt off” I think he said, adding that the “shad have been really slow.”

The redfish and trout have been hot, though. I have lots of open days- give me a call if you want to catch some fish!

And that is the Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2016. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports · Tagged: adventure fishing, florida fishing, kayak fishing, mosquito lagoon fishing report, Mosquito Lagoon redfish, orlando fishing, orlando fishing charter, orlando fishing report, redfish, seatrout fishing

Two Days Kayaking Orlando Fishing Report

January 23, 2016 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Two Days Kayaking Orlando Fishing Report

We had two beautiful days this week, sandwiched between days that were good for web-surfing. I went kayak fly fishing on those two days- the two days kayaking Orlando fishing report.

Interesting Reads for No-Fishing Days
-Could the Internet Out-Evolve Humanity? A thought-provoking essay on our love affair with devices: http://www.iflscience.com/technology/not-so-science-fiction-after-all-internet-could-out-evolve-humanity

-Got Sunscreen? The Melanoma Foundation wants to keep you from getting skin cancer. They say, Practice Safe Skin! And to help, they are giving away sunscreen dispensers, putting their money where their mouths are. Learn more at http://mfne.org/practice-safe-skin/

-The FWC Confirming Spawning Redfish. Redfish spawn in east central Florida’s lagoons. And the FWC is collecting evidence! It’s an interesting read- http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fish/red-drum/telemetry/

Fishing!
Atrocious weather on Monday kept me home. Tuesday afternoon was cold and windy, Since I had to get out I mounted the bicycle and went for a lovely ride in the woods, flushing a flock of about a dozen turkeys. I’d never seen them all fly off before, pretty amazing stuff.

Wednesday found me launching the kayak in the Indian River Lagoon. The birds (and the day itself) were fantastic, coots and eagles and ibis and herons and egrets and more. The fish, well, not so much, but I did get a trout and a redfish using a black bucktail bendback.

The trout on the black bucktail bendback.

Still, days like that are worth being out fishing on even if the fish don’t bite so well. The fish were gorgeous, too.

File photo of a redfish like the one I caught. Who knows? Maybe it’s the same fish.

Thursday morning I launched at River Breeze. The water is still too high for really successful kayak fishing, but the water is clean up there for the most part!

Remember this? It’s seagrass, and there is still some growing near Oak Hill.

Although cloudier than the previous day it was pretty spectacular again. Between 9 AM and about 230 PM I ran over a dozen or so fish, had a couple half-baked shots, and got one rat red. Between 230 and 4, when I packed it in, I had shots at a couple tailers, got three nice reds and a half dozen trout to four pounds.

This was the last and nicest fish of the day.

Those cold days are always better in the afternoon. If I didn’t have to cook supper I would have stayed until dark.

This sweetheart took a surface fly, a white Gurgler. The gill tear was a pre-existing condition. The fish swam off apparently none the worse for our encounter.

I had been working on an article about Bouncer flies for Fly Tyer magazine. The nasty weather Friday let me finish it and get it sent off.

And that is the Two Days Kayaking Orlando Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2016. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports · Tagged: adventure fishing, florida fishing, florida fishing tips, fly fishing, Indian River Lagoon, kayak fishing, mosquito lagoon fishing report, Mosquito Lagoon redfish, orlando fishing, orlando fishing charter, orlando fishing report, redfish, seatrout fishing

Two Redfish Orlando Fishing Report

December 18, 2015 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Two Redfish Orlando Fishing Report

Yes, we did fish this week, three days. No, we did not catch a lot of fish. We got a total of two redfish, thus the Two Redfish Orlando Fishing report.

Upcoming Events

-Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival- the largest birding and wildlife festival in the United States! January 20-25 at Eastern Florida State College – Titusville campus, 1311 North US 1, Titusville. http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org

-Brevard County Oyster Restoration- the Brevard Oyster Restoration Project has an ongoing need for volunteers. If you care about the health of the Indian River Lagoon, this is a way to show it. Nothing we can do for water quality in the lagoon will be more valuable then restoring water filtration into this ecosystem. I’m signed up for January 15, and hope to see some of you there. http://brevardoystergardens.org/volunteer/?sheet_id=24

A GREAT Idea- You know about electricity, but what about ‘hydricity?’

The new word in solar energy is “hydricity.”

An international team of scientists has come up with a way that can make solar power a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week energy source: Combining the power of the sun with clean-burning hydrogen fuel.

Hydricity combines hydrogen production with a solar thermal power plant’s utility-scale electricity production. During the day excess electricity is used to produce hydrogen by running an electric current through water.

The hydrogen that is produced during the day would be used at night to produce electricity through highly efficient fuel cells that emit water vapor. The technology would be crucial for countries looking to increase reliance on solar energy in the wake of last week’s climate deal in Paris.

The scientists, from Purdue University and Switzerland’s Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne, say the process they are pitching can produce hydrogen at an efficiency of 50 percent and electricity at an unprecedented 46 percent efficiency.

“The concept provides an exciting opportunity to envision and create a sustainable economy to meet all the human needs including food, chemicals, transportation, heating and electricity,” said Rakesh Agrawal from Purdue. “Traditionally, electricity production and hydrogen production have been studied in isolation, and what we have done is synergistically integrate these processes while also improving them.”

The group’s work has been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. I hope it works!

——————

Clean Water

It’s incredibly sad that I am the only fishing guide in Florida to have signed this letter… Where are my colleagues on this???

—————–

Another Blogger

Not to be outdone by me, Mike Conneen has published a real nice blog about our trip to Louisiana, at this link…

—————–

Fishing!

In spite of the fact the gauge read 1.6 I tried kayak fishing again in Mosquito Lagoon on Tuesday. Within the first ten minutes I saw fin tips barely breaking the surface right against the shoreline. I dropped the fly (the same Bouncer Fly I was using last week) in front of him and twitched it once. The fish struck so hard it pulled the rod out of my hand, something that has never happened to me before.

The Bouncer Fly. Click on the image for more information!

I got it anyway! Never panic! It was a handsome redfish, seven or eight pounds. No photos- the world does not need more selfies of me with a redfish, at least not this week.

I got to the spot I wanted to check. The water was the color of butterscotch. It was a short check.

I went back where I got the first fish and explored around. I had three good shots. One fish spooked off the fly. One fish either didn’t see it or was completely disinterested, as there was no response whatsoever. The last one ate the fly and I got him too, a clone of the first one. Did not photograph him either. So I got two fine redfish on a Bouncer Fly, not bad for a cloudy, windy day with high, dirty water.

Wednesday about noon found me launching the kayak in the Econlockhatchee. Someone, probably the river itself, dropped a gum tree all the way across the river just downstream of the bridge. How inconvenient.

I tossed that Bouncer Fly for two hours without a touch. Nothing was moving. The whole place just looked dead. I thought about it a while, and decided to bag it. No sooner had I started back then I ran over a bass.

I cut the streamer off and tied on a gurgler. Five seperate fish made attempts to eat the counterfeit. This reporter missed all of them, although I believe four of them were sunfish. Since I had to cook dinner, the ‘yak was back on the chariot at 4 PM. The whole episode reeked skunkily, I say.

Thursday morning found me and Tammy launching the Mitzi at Mullet Lake Park, Tammy’s favorite early season shad spot. Whether we were too early or too late I don’t know, but there were no shad there. There was not much else that was biting either, although we saw quite a few big gar. In four hours we got one redbelly between us. Tammy got it on a white crappie jig. I was skunked again, second straight day. Ouch.

This noble fish kept the skunk off of Tammy. I, however, reeked again.

And that is the Two Redfish Orlando Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2015. All rights are reserved.

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‘Hydricity’ concept uses solar energy to produce power round-the-clock

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Flies and Fly Tying, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: adventure fishing, Econlockhatchee River, fly fishing, kayak fishing, mosquito lagoon fishing report, Mosquito Lagoon redfish, Orlando Area Fishing Report, orlando fishing charter, orlando fishing report, redfish

Two Bites Orlando Fishing Report

December 13, 2015 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Two Bites Orlando Fishing Report

Kayak fishing two days this week I managed two bites, thus the Two Bites Orlando FIshing Report.

Those readers who do not subscribe and have wondered where I’ve been, my last two reports came from Louisiana and can be accessed here: –http://www.spottedtail.com/blog/venice-la-fishing-report-and-photo-essay/

–http://www.spottedtail.com/blog/the-rest-of-the-kayaking-louisiana-fishing-report-a-photo-essay/

Lots of photos, not much text.

Upcoming Events

Fishing!

Mike Conneen and I got back from Louisiana Sunday night. Unpacking etc. took place Monday. Photo work and thank yous took place Tuesday. Errands happened Wednesday. There were more errandy things to do Thursday, but it was so nice out I tossed a kayak on the roof of the van and went to the Indian River Lagoon.

Fishing was not hot. I saw a handful of fish. Incredibly, one was tailing and rooting around. Using advanced hoping-for-the-best skills, I tossed a black bendback out where I guessed the fish would be. It was quite a surprise when the line came tight!

A bigger surprise was the size of the fish. It was pushing 20 pounds, a real nice fish. Welcome home!

A nice result for one cast.

After a couple photos the fish swam off.

I made one cast, and got one fish. A good afternoon’s work!

After more errands on Friday I decided to try fishing out of River Breeze on Saturday. The water is still a foot higher than I like it, and it’s still real dirty. Expectations were low.

A total of seven redfish were seen, most close enough to be touched by the paddle. I got one shot and hooked and caught the fish. The fly was a Bouncer Fly, shown to me last summer in Alaska by the developer, Steve Duckett. This red was much more modest size-wise than Thursday’s fish but almost as satisfying emotionally. Again, a couple photos and off it went.

Battling the beast.

I made one cast, and got one fish. A good afternoon’s work!

The Bouncer Fly, a great idea I did not think of.

And that is the Two Bites Orlando Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2015. All rights are reserved.

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Fish Pop in Ocean Drop 50% from 1970

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report · Tagged: adventure fishing, florida fishing, florida fishing tips, fly fishing, Indian River Lagoon, kayak fishing, Mosquito Lagoon, mosquito lagoon fishing report, Mosquito Lagoon redfish, Orlando Area Fishing Report, orlando fishing, orlando fishing charter, orlando fishing report, redfish

The Rest of the Kayaking Louisiana Fishing Report- a Photo Essay

December 8, 2015 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

The Rest of the Kayaking Louisiana Fishing Report- a Photo Essay

This is the rest of the Kayaking Louisiana Fishing Report. The astute reader may recall we were getting blown out by a nasty cold front while we were in Cocodrie. But now that I’m home and have access to my computer I can post the photos from part A of the trip, too.

Upcoming Events
-Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival- the largest birding and wildlife festival in the United States! January 20-25 at Eastern Florida State College – Titusville campus, 1311 North US 1, Titusville. http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org

Fishing!

As was stated last week, we started in Venice, fishing with Capt. Brian Sherman and Capt. Carol LeCompte, staying at Reelivin Lodge in Empire.

Capt. Carol kept us well fed.

The lodge is elegant and comfortable.

For the non-fishermen…

A little redfish pizza!

Through the dead cypress forest.

The scars from Katrina have not fully healed, even in the marsh.

I had a magic moment with a flock of purple martins.

And of course some nice fish were caught.

From there we went to Cocodrie, staying at Coco Marina. Bebe McElroy befriended us and took us on a cold boat ride.

Our new friend Bebe, a delightful woman who holds the Louisiana state record for southern stingray.

It was a COLD boat ride.

Our last night there promised better weather.

Then we went to Grande Isle, where we fished in marsh duck ponds with great success in spite of the cold and wind.

Coming on to Grande Isle. Fishing is important here!

Mike fishes in a tiny “pond”.

The marsh was full of fish.

I got this red on a Hootchie Fly…

…and this one on a blue and white Clouser Minnow.

Another red falls to the fly.

I got fish on every fly I tried. If I made the cast, the bite followed.

We fished until late in the afternoon.

The drive home took for-eh-vur.

And that is the rest of the Kayaking Louisiana Fishing Report!

Mike Conneen made a video of the trip, you can see it here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaoxYVpa6to&feature=youtu.be

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2015. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Fishing Stories, Paddle Fishing Florida, Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: adventure fishing, fishing cocodrie louisiana, fishing grande isla louisiana, fishing louisiana, fishing venice louisiana, fly fishing, fly fishing louisiana redfish, kayak fishing, kayak fishing louisiana, photography, redfish

Venice LA Fishing Report and Photo Essay

December 2, 2015 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Venice LA Fishing Report and Photo Essay

Some readers undoudtedly want to know what happened to last week’s report. I wrote it and never posted it, since Mike Conneen and I rolled out of central Florida at 4 am last Saturday morning. Since I did not fish that week there waren’t a whole lot to report anyhoo!

—————–

Upcoming Events

-Ocean Reef Beach Festival- December 5. The ORB returns to Pelican Beach Park, Satellite Beach. Celebrate the ocean lifestyle with exciting conservation and recreation displays, activities and hands on learning! Food trucks, local ocean artists, live music and more! The event is free and will be held from 10am-5pm. Proceeds to benefit Surfrider Foundation and Anglers For Conservation.

—————–

Mike did the driving, aiming his Nissan towards Empire, Louisiana. Besides the two of us, the truck carried two kayaks and accessories, assorted fishing tackle, a variety of cameras, camping and cooking gear, a smattering of food, some clothing and personal items, a computer, a smartphone (not mine!), and odds and ends.

We got to Empire about four in the PM. Capt. Carol LeCompte at Reelivin Fishing Charters was our unbelievably gracious host. He had told me over the phone he would take care of us. He was more than true to his word, going way beyond what was needed, feeding us oysters, crabs, fish, gumbo, jambalaya, and other Cajun specialties the names of which escape me. It was all very delicious! The lodge was elegant yet comfortable, really nice, five stars from this reporter.

We kayak fished two days out of Venice with Capt. Brian Sherman at kayakvenicela.com. I wanted to fly fish. The water was way too dirty for sightfishing, so the first morning I just chucked it. Mike used spin tackle with a variety of lures. The catching started almost immediately and really just kept getting better. I foolishly brought my old computer with me. It doesn’t talk to my new camera so the best pics aren’t even here. Let the pictures do the talking!

Captain Vudu, Carol LeCompte. Vudu, bay-bee!

Capt. Brian Sherman, Kayak Venice LA

Mike Conneen with his first Louisiana redfish. He’d get a few more!

Mike has another fat redfish.

Same fish…

Fish in hand…

…and posing for the photeaux!

I got into the act too, with a DOA CAL jig.

Not a release shot, the fish is still hooked!

It doesn’t matter where they are, reds love the DOA CAL shad tail.

After two days of fishing in Venice, we went to Cocodrie. Our arrival coincided closely to the arrival of a strong cold front. We got in a few hours of fishing on our own, close to Coco Marina, our base during our stay here. We got a couple reds, a few trout, and one black drum. All but one were caught on soft plastics.

We did not fish the following day due to strong winds, rain, and lightning. It looks like the next couple days might get blown out too, so I am going to post this now.

That is this week’s Venice LA Fishing Report and Photo Essay.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short. Go Fishing!

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

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2014. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: adventure fishing, Capt. Brian Sherman, DOA Lures, kayak fishing, kayak fishing Venice LA, kayakvenicela.com, paddle fishing Venice LA, redfish Venice LA, reelivin charters

An Undistinguished Orlando Fishing Report

November 15, 2015 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

An Undistinguished Orlando Fishing Report

Upcoming Events

Ocean Reef Beach Festival- December 5. The ORB returns to Pelican Beach Park, Satellite Beach. Celebrate the ocean lifestyle with exciting conservation and recreation displays, activities and hands on learning! Food trucks, local ocean artists, live music and more! The event is free and will be held from 10am-5pm. Proceeds to benefit Surfrider Foundation and Anglers For Conservation.

Fishing!

This is a very Undistinguished Orlando Fishing Report. I fished three days this week. I’m in the middle of a writing project that’s taking some time.

Some friends went fishing on the Econ Saturday last week and did well, so I tried it on Monday. It was a beautiful day on the river. My friends were throwing plastic worms. I was using a fly rod. A popper garnered two strikes in two hours, so I switched to a matuka streamer. The sunfish loved it, but it kept hanging up and ended up losing it. I tried another, larger streamer and it also kept hanging up. Frustrated, I went back to the popper and got three bass (small ones) in 20 minutes, then nothing else.

The first redfish we got.

Tuesday Tom Van Horn and I went out of Port Canaveral in the Mitzi. We fished in the Bight for a while without success, then found a school of pogies and fished under them with live mullet on a slip-sinker rig. We killed six bluefish and released at least that many redfish. Fishing was pretty hot there for a few hours.

The first redfish Tom got. There were enough around that we had a couple doubles. Show that fish some love!

Wednesday I smoked the bluefish. Smoked fish dip, coming right up!

Friday’s plan was to take son Alex fishing. Alex would not and did not get out of bed. I wrote for a while, then drove to Orlando. A friend had a canoe at his condo, against the HOA rules, and wanted it out of there. I got it, an OT Sport 14. We went to the Econ for a test drive. The boat is fat, heavy, slow, and stable (a good thing), although apparently it has an attractive price point. Two bass and a stumpknocker fell for my fly rod popper in about two hours.

And that is this week’s Undistinguished Orlando Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2015. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Orlando Fishing Report, port canaveral fishing report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: adventure fishing, Bass fishing, canoeing story, Orlando Area Fishing Report, orlando fishing, orlando fishing charter, orlando fishing report, Port Canaveral, redfish

Happy Halloween Orlando Fishing Report

October 31, 2015 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Happy Halloween Orlando Fishing Report

Upcoming Events

Show and Tell Fishing Seminars
Mosquito Lagoon Show and Tell Fishing Seminar November 7 on the MINWR. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/

Mosquito Lagoon On-the-Water Show and Tell Fishing Seminar November 8, in my Mitzi. Please see this link for more information- http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-on-the-water-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/

IRL Paddle Adventure 2015 – Paddle A Portion, November 14. Paddle a portion of the Indian River Lagoon! http://www.irl-paddle-adventure.com

Ocean Reef Beach Festival– December 5. The ORB returns to Pelican Beach Park, Satellite Beach. Celebrate the ocean lifestyle with exciting conservation and recreation displays, activities and hands on learning! Food trucks, local ocean artists, live music and more! The event is free and will be held from 10am-5pm. Proceeds to benefit Surfrider Foundation and Anglers For Conservation.

Fishing!
Monday morning I launched the Bang-O-Craft at CS Lee Park and headed up the Econlockhatchee.

Keith Jones states in his excellent book Knowing Bass, “…fall bass can treat anglers to some of the most spectacular fishing of the year. …days of 50-plus bass per peron fishing crankbaits or soft plastics are not uncommon. …fall bass tend to congregate…in large packs as they prepare for migration.”

Dr. Jones was not with me on the Econ. I did not find any large packs of bass or anything else, coming up with one redbelly on a fly rod popper, one gar on a DOA CAL Shad, and hooking and losing one small bass on the same CAL Shad, in about five hours.

A large flock, nowadays.

I did find a large (for nowadays) flock of spoonbills and shot a few photos, and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Fishing wasn’t very good though.

They take flight.

Thursday found me launching the Mitzi at Port Canaveral. The wind was from the west- how did that happen? I went out to sea looking for weeds and hopefully tripletail. There were very scattered weeds, and I saw about 20 tripletail, the largest of which was about seven inches long.

I was surrounded by this action.

Heading back in to the beach there were lots of diving birds. Breaking fish! I love those! Crevalle jacks in the three to four pound range were going crazy. Mixed in with them were a few bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Big sharks were ripping through the chaos.

The wire fly accounted for quite a few fish. Then I tried a Chug Bug, which was a no-brainer. Jacks are so aggressive on the popper. Then I tried a Floozy popper, good for only one fish. Then a Sting Silver got into the act.

File photo of jack crevalle.

By this point the novelty was wearing off, so I started heading back. Almost immediately the wind shifted and came out of the southeast, which would have shut everything down anyway.

Friday son Alex and his friend John Napolitano wanted to go jack fishing, so we went back to the Port. The wind was out of the north at about 15. We could not get near the jack spot, and by default ended up in Canaveral Bight. It was fairly slow but steady for jacks, bluefish, and ladyfish. Alex hooked a large blacktip shark, which lasted about two minutes before the shark bit off.

Then Alex got a pompano on a bucktail jig, which we will be eating tonight. Not much catch-and-release for pompano! The boat was back on the trailer at about 1:30, after a beautiful if breezy morning.

And that is this week’s Happy Halloween Orlando Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2015. All rights are reserved.

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International Coastal Cleanup Day is Sept. 19

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Orlando Fishing Report, port canaveral fishing report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: adventure fishing, Bass fishing, DOA Lures, Econlockhatchee River, mosquito lagoon fishing seminar, Orlando Area Fishing Report, orlando fishing, orlando fishing charter, orlando fishing report, Port Canaveral, Surfrider Foundation

Blown Off the Water Freshwater Orlando Fishing Report

October 23, 2015 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Blown Off the Water Freshwater Orlando Fishing Report

Some folks might think it’s been windy this week. Fifteen to 20 from the east-northeast, every day! And it’s supposed to continue into next week. This is the Blown Off the Water Orlando Fishing Report. It will have several parts!

Contest of Last Week-

What is it and what is it doing??

The first person who told me 1) what this is, and 2) what it’s doing, was Robert Ridgeway, who responded within 30 seconds of my sending last week’s fishing report out to my subscribers.

The critter was a big manta ray. There were three of them doing barrel rolls through a big school of glass minnows about three miles off the beach at Cape Canaveral, feeding on the minnows. I had never seen this behavior before but apparently it’s fairly common. There are you tube videos…

Do You Eat Gar?

Yes, the gar is a delicacy! And you can use the eggs to make your enemies ill! I’m not making this up, nor have I tried it. I just may try eating the fish (although they are kind of stinky), but will leave the eggs alone. Visit this link for more information… http://www.eattheweeds.com/gar-treasured-trash-fish/

Do You Eat Chowder?

At the upcoming Ocean Reef Beach Festival there will be a Chowder Cook-Off. The public (that’s us!) decides who has the best stew. It sounds like a great time.

Visit this link for more information, clammer! http://oceanreefbeachfestival.com/cook-off/

People Messing With Stuff

The Swiss Army Knife has gotten an upgrade! Can you believe people messed around with a classic outdoor icon? Actually, in this case it might be a good thing, because the re-designed knife looks awesome. Check it out at this link…

Show and Tell Seminars! Show and Tell Seminars!

For those who have enquired about the fishing seminars, first, thank you for your patience! This fall’s seminars are scheduled for November 7 for the Mosquito Lagoon Show and Tell Fishing Seminar that takes place on the MINWR, and November 8 for the On-the-Water Show and Tell Fishing Seminar that takes place on the waters of the Mosquito Lagoon, in my Mitzi. Please see this link for more information-http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-schools-and-seminars/

Fishing!

Sunday morning I launched the Bang-O-Craft at CS Lee Park. It had not been run in months. It ran well, and even started again after I turned it off! WOW!!! I guess using that new-fangled non-ethanol gasoline really works, Maw!

I took a few casts without result, did not see any signs of piscatorial life. Did not work it hard at all, barely worked, honestly. The wind was howling out of the northeast. The river is still quite high.

Tuesday- I brought the chariot in for its annual physical. Its rotator cuffs were shot. $1500 later they were as good as new. Wow, that hurt.

Wind still howling out of the northeast. Otherwise a beautiful day.

Wednesday- In spite of the forecast 15-20 mph winds I launched the kayak at my favorite bass pond. In deference to the wind I brought a ~~Devil’s Stick~~ spinning rod, instead of the usual fly rod. It wouldn’t have mattered.

I did not get blown away when I was here…

I flailed the water with a variety of lures for almost six hours, and netted three yearling bass. In that breeze, even with the spin rod, fishing was difficult. At least the wind blew me back to the launch point.

…or here. It’s like the vegetation held me in place or something.

Thursday- Although the gauge read 3.5, a good foot and a half higher than I like, I went to the Econ with two rods, one fly, one spin. Both were equally (in)effective.

The water may be higher than I like, but it was clean. I got several small bass and a few sunfish. I saw a large reptile, couldn’t tell if it was a monster alligator or Godzilla.

The beast was a solid 11.354 feet.

It was somewhat easier fishing the river than the pond the previous day, although that may have been entirely psychological. There were many places that required my paddling downstream to move that way- the wind was coming up the river hard enough to blow me upstream against the current.

Friday- tired of fighting wind, my mind drifted back to something I wrote last week- “I should have brought a fishing rod because there were a few fish popping. I’ll bet they don’t see many anglers up there either.” I went bicycle fishing at Hal Scott Park.

Tackle wired to bicycle and ready to go.

Catching was not fantastic. Fishing pretty much was. The Econ is tiny up there. I haven’t fished such a small stream in a long time. And although I could hear the wind tearing through the treetops, down at ground level there was no wind at all. The only footprints I saw belonged to a variety of non-hominids.

I got a couple small bass on a popping bug.

Nearly crapped my pants when my foot almost came down on a big, thick-bodied snake. Very cool.

The redbelly whacked a mini-crankbait. There were a few others.

It’s gorgeous up there, enough there will be occasional bicycle trips there again. And it was pretty nice not having to deal with a boat, especially in the wind.

Spotted sunfish, a.k.a. stumpknocker, a very aggressive little fishy!

And that is this week’s Blown Off the Water Freshwater Orlando Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.comhttps://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2015. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Orlando Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: adventure fishing, Bass fishing, Econlockhatchee River, florida fishing, kayak fishing, Orlando Area Fishing Report, orlando fishing, orlando fishing charter, orlando fishing report, St. Johns River

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