The Econ was On Fire Report
Thanks for reading this Econ was On Fire report.
Monday
Early morning I drove to Brevard Zoo for a 7:30 rendezvous with Hope Leonard, who runs the restoration program for Restore Our Shores. I was a volunteer. We were going clam monitoring!
Measuring distance, digging clams.
ROS has research clam beds in the Indian River Lagoon throughout Brevard county. We went to five different sites to see how the clams were doing. You’d think with all the algae in the water, filter feeders like clams would have it made. But, crown conchs and other predators make clam life more dangerous than a casual glance would make it seem. Hope says the clams have about a 25 percent survival rate to this point.
The clams are protected by a net.
It was wet work in water that, if we’re being honest, didn’t make you want to jump in. But I got to spend a day with three strong, intelligent, and lovely women, doing some basic science that the lagoon needs done. Didn’t care for the drive to the zoo, but I’ll do it again. If you’re interested in volunteering, contact me and I’ll put you in touch with Hope.
Hope digs clams!
Wasn’t there a band called Counting Clams?
Tuesday
Had my eye surgery follow-up. Everything looks great- my eyes are 20/20 without glasses. When, as a 20-year old, I was at the rifle range at Fort Dix learning how to shoot, my buddies were hitting a Canadian bull target at 25 meters. I couldn’t see it. I’ve been wearing corrective lenses ever since, until two weeks ago. Now all I need are readers for close up. The adjustment should be easy!
Wednesday
We were under a small craft advisory. But the Econ river gauge was at 1.7, below my “threshold.”
Rod attached to bike.
The vehicle awaits.
Before I learned to drive, my bicycle was my transportation to my fishing spots- Mystic Lake, Wright’s Pond, the Malden Res, Brooks Pond, etc. I don’t often bicycle fish any more, but I did Wednesday, a mile-and-a-half each way, to go bass fishing in a place where the wind wouldn’t be a problem. The fish were biting! At the end of my line was a plastic Culprit worm on a 2/0 hook. I got five stumpknockers, big ones, on that rig, as well as a couple big redbellies. Bass to almost four pounds, and probably released 15 or so. And the missed strikes! I need to use that bike more often.
The river flowed through a beautiful cypress floodplain.
The Econ, kinda small.
Good fish, though!
Even the sunfish hit the worm.
Thursday
The kayak, perhaps a more “normal” way to access fishing spots, was used to access a different section of the river this day, even though we were still under the sc advisory. I figured with the low water, wading would be an option. I hate beating up the same place day after day, so to a different section I went.
One on fly…
The fishing was at least as good as the previous day, and I was able to use my fly rod, too. It worked better than the spin rod! Yeah, the Econ was on fire, just awesome.
…and one on plastic.
Friday
A bonus Banana River Lagoon report!
I launched at KARS. Within 10 minutes what certainly looked like a small school of fish, fifteen or so, came down the shoreline towards me. I tossed a Clouser Minnow at them and got immediate gratification!
I got three of these in about two hours.
I followed that school for a couple miles and a couple hours, hooking three more reds and boating two- the other one bulled into the shoreline trees and cut me off.
After I lost them I just scouted, looking around for more fish (not many), checking out the water (astonishingly clean past the radar station- almost crisp!), noted the total lack of any green thing growing on the bottom, and then packed it in. Had the boat on the roof by 1130 hours. Darned good morning.
That’s the Econ was On Fire report. Thanks for reading!
Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Ride a bike! Stay active!
John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog
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