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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: , , ,

Wetlands Park Post

February 21, 2021 by · 4 Comments

Wetlands Park Post

Thank you for reading this week’s Wetlands Park post. Lots of pictures this week!

The Wetlands Park visit happened Monday. The winds, like today’s, made it too hard to fish. So I took a couple cameras and went for a walk, about two miles, and a little more.

It was Gatorama.

Surprise! There were lots of cars there when I got there- President’s Day. Didn’t bother the wildlife at all.

It was Gator-ama. And of course there were birds there. Saw a mudfish and some gar, no bass, although I’m sure they are there. Perfect place for them, protected from human predation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday afternoon, another blowy day, I visited the Econ on foot. Got one redbelly on a crappie jig. Then I lost that on some lumber. Tried the plastic shad and plastic worm, cast for about two hours, for a couple gar bites.

Friday afternoon I fished another section of the Econ, again it was blowy (it was blowy all week), and again I was on foot. Again tried the shad and the worm. Did not touch a fish.

So I put five hours or so into the Econ with a single redbelly to show for it. Not very good catching there.

Van update- wired the fans and the inside lights, and finished wiring the DC side of the distribution panel. Ran a wire from the battery to the DC-DC charger. The prediction, and goal, was to have the wiring completed by month’s end. It looks like that will happen. Hopefully nothing will catch fire when I flip the power switch to “ON”!

Thank you for reading this week’s Wetlands Park post!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida destinations, Photo Essays · Tagged: , ,

A Quick Econlockhatchee River Fishing Report

April 7, 2019 by · 1 Comment

A Quick Econlockhatchee River Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Econlockhatchee River fishing report.

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-Flyrodding Florida Salt
-How and Where to Catch Redfish in the Indian River Lagoon System
-Fishing Florida’s Space Coast

Shipping is still $5.95 each. The mailers cost money, the post office wants a cut, and the mail boy has to bring the package to the post office. But you can have each of these titles delivered to your door for six bucks until June 15. Act now!

FISHING! Not much this week I’m afraid.

A pastoral scene on the St. Johns.

SUNday morning I took the official sister of Capt. John out to see alligators in the Bang-O-Craft. The water body was the St. Johns River. We went upriver from SR 50. The gators were thick, as I expected.

One of many.

We went as far as the powerlines, where we got out to stretch our legs. A trio of turkeys flew right over to us like they were expecting handouts.

Was never approached by turkeys before.

When we got back in the boat a problem developed.

Another of many.

The Bang-O-Craft is powered by an 8 HP Mercury, 2003 vintage, with a pull start. When I pulled, the pull cord got caught between the flywheel and the cord windup spring mechanism. I did not have any tools. [note to self- do not make that mistake again]

Third and last one for today.

There were six guys there trying to net Plecostamus (They eat them). They had a small johnboat with a Mariner 8- same motor! But they did not have the tools I needed either. So I did what any red-blooded American male would do. I called my wife and asked her to bring me my socket set. The road through Tosahatchee ends under the powerline, right where we were sitting.

Susan showed up a while later. I disassembled the top of the motor, used my mooring line to start the Merc, and we were on our way.

Monday was not a chamber of commerce day. One of the things I did was rewind the spring mechanism and put the Mercury back together.

Wednesday Susan had retirement meetings all day. I accompanied her.

Thursday morning I launched a kayak at Snow Hill Road on the Econlockhatchee. The gauge was at 2 feet. The river was running low and clear, just how I like it.

There was no one home.

My plan was to just fish for sunfish, knowing I’d pick up a few bass that would hit the sunfish bug. I was wrong.

Four hours of casting netted me four stumpknockers and one small redbelly. The river was as lifeless as I’ve ever seen it. I saw only two bass, four turtles, and zero alligators.

Ordinarily I would get sick of catching sunfish and put a larger bug on, hoping to cull them out while I concentrated on bass. This day I could hardly catch anything. Mind you, conditions were perfect.

Ordinarily you see lots of fish in the Econ- sunfish, bass, catfish sometimes, gar, Plecostamus, loads of fry minnows. This day I saw a few fish, but nothing like I should. No fry minnows! There’s some serious concern about the river at this end.

I used to catch fish like this almost every trip. Now it’s hard to get a stumpknocker!?

The kayak was already on the car roof so I was going to try to get out on Friday. Rain and lightning in the morning made me quickly change that plan!

That’s this week’s Econlockhatchee River Fishing Report! Thanks for reading!

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 2019. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Orlando Fishing Report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , ,