Two Redfish Orlando Fishing Report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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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Happy Halloween Orlando Fishing Report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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

Blown Off the Water Freshwater Orlando Fishing Report

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-

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

…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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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.

orlando fishing report

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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Mullet Run Winding Down Orlando Fishing Report

Mullet Run Winding Down Orlando Fishing Report

This is the Mullet Run Winding Down Orlando Fishing Report. It will have several parts!

Contest of the Week-

To the first person who can tell me 1) what this is…

orlando fishing report

What is it and what is it doing??

and 2) what it’s doing, goes a free copy of Flyrodding Florida Salt! Judges decision final. Hint- I encountered this while out fishing this past week. Please use the Comments Form below.

How Will Global Warming Affect You???

orlando fishing report

The water level may well be different in 2100.

While web surfing I came across a website that predicts the water levels on planet earth in the year 2100. You type in your zip code, and you get two maps- one in 2100 with pollution drastically curbed, and one in 2100 with things continuing the way they’re going now. It ain’t pretty. It will take an extraordinary run of luck for me to make it to 2100, and even if I make it and I’m in the same house I will still not have beach front property.

According to this prediction, the Indian River Lagoon will not exist anymore, the barrier islands all being submerged. It’s an interesting and sobering exercise. Check it out at http://choices.climatecentral.org/#12/28.7254/-81.0920?compare=scenarios&carbon-end-yr=2100&scenario-a=unchecked&scenario-b=extreme-cuts

Tips for Surf Fishermen

Rodney Smith has posted some great tips for surf fishermen. Read them here… http://rodneysmithmedia.com/ten-surf-fishing-fun-facts-2/

Show and Tell Seminars

For those who have enquired about the seminars, first, thank you! I have been working on it. The MINWR requires more paperwork than ever before, can you believe it? Hopefully they won’t make me raise the price to out of reality.

I wanted to run the seminars this month. At this point it looks like November at the earliest.

Orlando Fishing Report!

Sunday I layed around and watched the NFL all day. A complete waste of time, and yet glorious.

Monday– Boat Day! Minor repairs, cleaning, organizing, etc.

Tuesday– Scott Radloff and I ran out of the Port. The redfish were gone! 🙁  We found a few tarpon rolling, and Scott had a nice one on for 10 minutes or so, four or five jumps, the highlight of the day.

orlando fishing report

Can’t argue about its highlightness!

We did a lot of running and didn’t find too much. We did find a big ball of jacks near the beach. Evidently the jacks were being herded by numerous large sharks, because as soon as I hooked one all kinds of hell broke loose. The sharks appeared out of nowhere, all lit up. My jack ran right at the boat and six feet of determined shark ate it right along the gunwale, nearly smacking into the boat, and tossing water all over us.

Scott had one eat his mullet and fought it up to the boat The beast was easily six feet long. I wish I had gotten a picture of it.

For the day we ended up hooking a nice tarpon, eight or nine sharks, one juvenile snook, a dozen jacks, a couple Spanish mackerel, and a couple bluefish. The weather was spectacular. It certainly beat a sharp stick in the eye.

Wednesday– Looking at the weather forecast, Wednesday was supposed to be the last day with west winds, with them shifting to the northeast and increasing in velocity as the weekend approached. So if I wanted to fish along the beach, this might be the last chance this week. I took it, launching at Port Canaveral.

The redfish are definitely gone. There was not much else there either. I ran north up the beach, hoping to find breaking fish, or a school of fish, or predators pounding mullet, or rolling tarpon. Something! I had two fly rods and wanted to use them.

It was a good thing I had a cast net and caught some mullet, or I would not have gotten a fish. As it was all I got were six bluefish, decent ones for east coast Florida, but nothing else. The fly rods were both exercised, but only by casting. Nary a bite came to my flies.

The numbers of mullet appear to be thinning somewhat compared to last week. It’s mid-October, and the numbers of mullet last week were the best in years, so that’s not surprising. I hope I can get out there a few more times before it ends entirely.

Thursday– searched for the mythical source of the Econlockhatchee. Private land surrounds Lake Conlin in Osceola County, not accessible. There’s a bridge crossing at Wewahootie Road in Orange County, also on private property. Went to Hal Scott Park, pulled the bike out of the van, and went looking for the river.

 

orlando fishing report

Tools of exploration.

I found it, not the source but as close to it as I’m likely to get. 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.The bike ride was a good thing- it had been too long.

orlando fishing report

Econlockhatchee Bridge in Hal Scott Park.

 

orlando fishing report

Friday– wasn’t going to go out but Alex asked me to take him and his babe. Forecast NE at 15, we went to the Indian River Lagoon. Not much has changed there since last week. The alligator that follows you is still there.

orlando fishing report

The alligator that follows you.

There were ladyfish at the power station. Alex hooked a nice trout on a jerkbait but it came unglued. There were not a lot of mullet, not like it should be now.

orlando fishing report

The Babes fishing.

And that is this week’s Mullet Run Winding Down 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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Port Canaveral Nearshore Fishing Report

Port Canaveral Nearshore Fishing Report

Did not take a photo this week. These are photos from the files.

Sunday- Went canoeing with sister Cheryl, Tammy, Mike C., Jeff the crematory builder, and several others on the Econ. The water was high enough that Cheryl and I were able to paddle the canoe up on to the foot bridge that spans the river in the state forest. Because of the high water I didn’t bring a rod, but Mike C. got one small bass in two days of casting.

Tuesday- Steve and Janice Murphy of Calgary joined me for some fishing on the Indian River Lagoon, he with a fly, she with a spin. The water is still kind of dirty, and kind of high, so spotting fish is hard. They were there, though. Janice, blind-casting with a DOA CAL shadtail, got a slot redfish and several trout. Steve only had one decent shot. Unfortunately it did not work. We all wilted shortly after noontime. The boat was on the trailer about one PM.

Port canaveral fishing report

Thursday- Anton Faith joined me for some fishing along the beach out of Port Canaveral. The weather was hot but otherwise awesome. Early there were large numbers of fish near Cape Canaveral- bluefish, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, and crevalle jacks. They were feeding on glass minnows. We did some damage with the 3/8 ounce Sting Silver from Haw River Tackle. I pulled out a seven-weight with a sinking line and a simple bucktail streamer and did some more damage.

port canaveral fishing report

We found some tarpon, feeding on glass minnows. They did not want anything we offered.

Friday- Scott Radloff joined me for some fishing along the beach out of Port Canaveral. The weather was hot but otherwise awesome. Early there were large numbers of fish near Cape Canaveral- bluefish, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, and crevalle jacks. They were feeding on glass minnows. We did some damage with the 3/8 ounce Sting Silver from Haw River Tackle. I pulled out a seven-weight with a sinking line and a simple bucktail streamer and did some more damage.IMG_8119

We found some tarpon, feeding on mullet, just spectacular. They did not want anything we offered. Using a mullet, Scott jumped one that tossed the hook on that first jump, a battle that lasted about one second. It was the only one that bit. We did hook a couple of sharks. That was it.

IMG_0022

Saturday- the Brinkman is running, smoking some Spanish mackerel and bluefish. I love to smoke those fish, and love the beach fishing this time of year. It should remain good through October.

And that is this week’s Port Canaveral Nearshore 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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Fished Around Orlando Fishing Report

Fished Around Orlando Fishing Report

Good week this week, five days on the water- two short Econlockhatchee River trips, two days on the Banana River Lagoon, a morning on the Indian River Lagoon, and fish caught in spite of the wind and clouds.

Last week’s report said this: “I think puffers need some PR. I was trying to think of a new name to call them to make them more appealing to anglers but nothing came to mind. If you can come up with a new, sexy name for puffers please email it to me. The best name I get will be worth a free copy of Flyrodding Florida Salt. Judge’s decision is final.”

Orlando Fishing Report

Several people responded with suggestions. Thank you, all of you! I don’t know that any of them will make anglers flock here hoping to catch puffers, but for what it’s worth, here they are:

“Another name for a northern pufferfish is a ‘Sugar Toad’.  Also, an ‘Inhaler’ would be a good name referring to how they inhale a fly as well as how they inhale water to swell.” -Geoff W.

I love the creativity of this one- “I love pufferfish and I was thinking the name Prickly Pickle.” -Olivia L.

“The Puffer through its action, starting at the rear, is a ‘sea wolf’.” -Larry

And my personal favorite- “You can call them Senators, Congressmen or politicians. They are all full of hot air”. -Bill J.

So I have a dilemma. I promised a book, but no one really met the terms of the contest, which was to come up with a name that would make people want to catch puffers. It will have to be a really good name! If it weren’t for shipping costs I’d give all four of you a book, just for participating. Hmmm, what to do, what to do…

A decision has been reached. Please email me your snail mail address, all four of you. The heck with shipping costs, you all get a book. Judge’s decision is final.

indian river lagoon fishing report

Recording the puffer for posterity.

Sunday afternoon son Alex asked me, “Wanna go fishing?” So at about 2 PM we launched the Mitzi at CS Lee Park and ran it up the Econ.

The stumpknocker bite was hot. They are amazingly aggressive little fish, hitting bass flies with some authority.

orlando fishing report

This is a trophy stumpknocker. Really.

This reporter managed a cute little largemouth bass as well. We were off the water at 5 PM, a short, sweet trip.

orlando fishing report

Kind of a scary photo of me with my bass.

orlando fishing report

Heading back to the ranch. Photo courtesy of Mike Conneen.

Monday morning found me launching a kayak on the Banana River Lagoon with Kevin Barnes, a really good fly caster from Georgia. The wind was blowing 15-20 out of the northeast. We found fish though, and Kevin did some damage on the redfish. Heck, I got five myself. Kevin’s fly consisted of a strip of black bunny skin tail and a root beer estaz body, tied on a size four Mustad 23007. Real simple, very effective.

I used a black and purple bendback. All the fish were in the slot, no big boys this trip.

 

Wednesday at noonish I launched the kayak on the Econ. I had floated about 100 yards down the river when the most astonishing sight met my eyes- four healthy women, wearing waders, in the river with dipnets, clipboards, and other sciency stuff. I had to stop to talk with them, to see what they were doing.

They work for Seminole County and do biological assays of surface waters all through the county. I happened to catch them during their annual Econlockhatchee trip. The county maintains a website to let all of us know what these folks are doing, found here: http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/departments-services/public-works/watershed-management/surface-water-quality-program/biological-monitoring.stml

sunfish beds, econlockhatchee river

The redbellies are bedding now.

After a few quite delightful minutes I continued on my way. There were (hopefully) fish to catch.

The redbellies were on it. Actually, they are bedding now. I got a couple beauties that hit my bass fly. I also managed to coax four bass to take it. The clouds continued building and the thunder started rumbling. The kayak got pointed back upriver and some serious paddling commenced. I walked into my kitchen just after 2 PM, another short, sweet trip.

redbelly sunfish

A file photo of a nice redbelly.

Thursday morning again found me launching my kayak with Kevin Barnes, same time, same channel. The wind was now from the northwest, stronger if anything. The lagoon was covered with whitecaps. We’re going fly paddle fishing in this?? At least the sun was out.

We did. The fish were there again, and again, Kevin was on it. He scored a slam with black drum, redfish, and a handsome 25 inch seatrout, all caught on that same estaz and bunny strip fly (I think I’ll be tying some up.). Although we saw a couple fatties we did not make that particular score. When I left at 4 PM, Kevin was still fishing. Gotta love the enthusiasm. That’s probably why he’s so good.

 

Friday morning found George Allen and I launching the Mitzi on the Indian RIver Lagoon. The fish were at the first spot we went to. It did not take George long to catch a beautiful five pound seatrout. He would end up getting two more, one a twin of the first. He also got a couple of slot reds. It was a beautiful morning and we got a few fish. The boat was back on the trailer before 1 PM.

orlando fishing report

George in an epic seatrout battle.

orlando fishing report

He gets the deed done!

And that is this week’s Fished Around Orlando Fishing Report from Spotted Tail.

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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Jumped a Tarpon Orlando Fishing Report

Jumped a Tarpon Orlando Fishing Report

Blog posts this week-

Mystery Tackle Box a Winner

How to Tie the Electric Sushi Fly

Electric Sushi

Electric Sushi

Summer in Alaska is not too far off. One of the things I would like to do this summer is figure out how to catch salmon in the ocean on fly. If any readers have any insight into this, I sure would like to hear from you.

OK, fishing. Wednesday Scott Radloff joined me for an Atlantic Ocean trip out of Port Canaveral. The ocean was a little snotty, and there was a high rain chance. We went to the Cape. The acres of bluefish were gone. But the water along the beach was calmer than in Canaveral Bight so we stayed there. Casting jigs we got steady action from ladyfish, bluefish, and jack crevalle.

Scott put a ladyfish chunk on his big rod, hoping to get a tarpon bite. He hooked a shark in the six to seven foot range instead. We had to use the boat to chase it down. He had it on for at least fifteen minutes, but the fish finally snapped his 50 pound braid. He hooked two other sharks but they both cut him off quickly.

orlando fishing report

Scott battles the brute. The brute won.

I got another bite on the bucktail jig, but this time it was a real fish. Weren’t we surprised when a 70-80 pound tarpon came flying out of the water! I may have been a little undergunned with the outfit I was using, but the fish threw the jig on its third jump. But I jumped a tarpon on April 15, the earliest day ever for me on this coast.

Thursday and Friday I was part of a three boat charter arranged by Capt. Chris Myers, on Mosquito Lagoon. The water is definitely a brown color now. I did not see any clear water at all. That and all the clouds made sight fishing next to impossible- except when tails were showing. Fishing was not fast but by using cut ladyfish we managed two slot redfish and a bunch of hardheads. We got a few short trout on the DOA Deadly Combo, too. Not spectacular but better than a skunking.

Friday saw us out with the same crew, and Rock Man was with me again. He got the first red of the day, a pretty 10 pound fish, in the first 15 minutes.

orlando fishing report

Rock plays a fish on a spectacular morning.

 

orlando fishing report

Noah records Rock’s redfish for posterity.

 

orlando fishing report

Rock and his redfish…

He would end up getting three more reds and a black drum besides. Noah managed a slot red, too. And of course since we were using cut bait there were catfish involved. Again, not spectacular but certainly acceptable.

orlando fishing report

Noah got in on the action, too.

 

orlando fishing report

Just before we finished Rock boated this beauty.

It’s been raining this week, every afternoon. I went to check the Econ this morning, thinking about fishing there. It is blown out, the water having risen almost five vertical feet. Guess I won’t be fishing there for a while.

And that is this week’s Jumped a Tarpon Orlando Fishing Report from Spotted Tail.

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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Acres of Bluefish Orlando Fishing Report

Acres of Bluefish Orlando Fishing Report

Last week an attempt was made to almost poetically describe how lucky those of us who live and fish in central Florida are. This week again re-emphasises that fact. Fact! Not fiction! Not opinion! FACT!!!

So Monday the Sevylor inflatable kayak got pumped up and somewhat unceremoniously dumped into my favorite St. Johns River location. The Sevylor reminded me again how lucky we are to have fairly rigid plastic kayaks for most of the paddling we want to do. That thing paddles so badly. Anyway, the bite was not hot. Five bass came to hand, all on surface flies, in about four hours. The place was just too quiet. No surface activity, no alligators, it just didn’t look right. That’s OK, I’ll be back.

About noon on Tuesday the Ocean Kayak was dropped into the Econlockhatchee. Shortly afterwards I hopped in and we went off down the river.

Godzilla lives there, no kidding. There are some gawdawful big alligators there.

The bass bite again was not hot, although I certainly caught some. Once I switched to streamers I did a little better. Certainly the redbellies and stumpknockers were aggressive.

orlando fishing report

Redbelly on Electric Sushi. What else could happen?

 

orlando fishing report

How about redbelly on sexy fly?

At one point the kayak was pulled up on the bank so I could wade along a sandbar and cast to the shoreline. When the bar ended I turned and headed back upriver to where the kayak waited patiently for me. As soon as I had turned around a fat garfish glided gracefully across the bar, only about 15 feet away. The streamer landed a foot in front of him. One twitch and WHAM! He hit it like a barracuda, just an awesome strike. I actually hooked and landed him, one of two I got.

orlando fishing report

How about spotted gar on sexy fly??

With a small bluegill popper or rubber spider you could easily have 40 or 50 fish days there right now. Please let me know if you’d like me to show you.

orlando fishing report

This bass took an ugly foam gurgler.

orlando fishing report

Same fish, different angle. It was a decent sized one.

Wednesday the Bang-O-Craft was launched at River Breeze for some scouting for my Thursday/Friday charter. The water is low, but in most places it’s also kind of dirty. I saw a fish here, a couple fish there, and managed to successfully sight cast two nice redfish into submission using a silver Johnson Minnow. I got a lot of fish on the DOA Deadly Combo but all of them were small ones. Still, enough fish were observed that I thought we had a reasonable chance of catching a few over the next couple of days.

Thursday Dr. Jim Colgan and Dr. Bill Thomas joined me for a day’s fishing on Mosquito Lagoon. Good guess if you said we launched the Mitzi at River Breeze. With the exception of a single anemic seatrout caught using the Deadly Combo, we got our only fish, a rather anemic-looking 15 inch red, at about 2 PM, on a Johnson Minnow. We maybe saw a dozen fish all day. Yeah, it was not a skunking but it was dangerously close, certainly a real tough day. The good doctors decided that they had had enough fun and declined the option on Friday.

With my newly opened up Friday I decided to use the kayak to really explore a place I had unsuccessfully dabbled in several years earlier. My Friday attitude was, “If there are fish here I will find them.”

The paddle was lovely with lots of birds. I got to watch skimmers skimming, coots cooting, and bald eagles bald eagling. The only fish I found, however, were Gambusia and mullet. The experiment, although extremely pleasant, failed.

 

My friend Tammy has a job and can only fish on weekends. Even though I don’t like fishing weekends I do like fishing with Tammy, so Saturday morning an 830 we launched the Mitzi at Port Canaveral and went out onto a somewhat snotty Atlantic hoping to find tripletail. We did not find one. But we did find acres of bluefish, with lots of crevalle jacks and a few big ladyfish thrown in. All these denizens of the deep attracted a load of big sharks, too. We lost a couple hooked fish to shark attacks and hooked several big sharks on chunks of ladyfish.

Tammy used a big ChugBug until a shark relieved her of it, then used a Mirrolure. A jack tore the back hook off and she kept right on catching fish with it. I used several Upperman jigs. I’m pretty sure anything with a hook would have worked. The fish were REAL numerous and REAL aggressive. We had a wonderful time.

orlando fishing report

The fish were plentiful and aggressive.

And that is this week’s Acres of Bluefish Orlando Fishing Report from Spotted Tail.

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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Finally Got Cobia Orlando Fishing Report

Finally Got Cobia Orlando Fishing Report

A blessed Easter to all the Christians out there.

Although it’s not saying much, we found way more fish this week than last.

It started on Monday, when on a solo trip the kayak was launched on the Banana River Lagoon. The wind was light and there were no clouds. In some clean water, holy cow, there was an honest-to-God school of redfish, at least 100. They were small ones, about 24 inches, but I got four- two on a pink Electric Sushi and two on a brown slider. Then they made themselves scarce.

Orlando Fishing report

For those wondering what Electric Sushi is, here’s a real bad picture of one.

Orlando Fishing report

Sushi would not be my first choice in redfish flies. This red did not know that.

Orlando Fishing report

Another red, on the more traditional Slider.

In the meantime I had seen some nice seatrout lying sunning themselves. The next several hours were spent sight-casting to fish that were averaging about 25 inches long. Four different flies were tried, all unweighted minnow imitations- Electric Sushi, Polar Fibre Minnow, EP Streamer, and SexyFly. All worked. It was an awesome day that came to an end too quickly.

Orlando Fishing report

Speaking of bad pictures, here’s one of a fly-caught seatrout.

Orlando Fishing report

The fish splashed water all over the camera, but you can see the Electric Sushi fly.

Tuesday the now retired Dr. George Allen joined me for a Port Canaveral excursion. The weather was awesome, light winds, hardly any clouds. A couple of weeks ago I had found a big school of black drum out there. I went back to the place because that’s what you do. It’s not like I expected the fish to be there weeks later. But to my surprise and joy they were. George got one, a brontosaurus-sized beast, on a jig.

Orlando Fishing report

George and the brontofishsaurus.

We went along the beach looking for surface activity. Spinner sharks kept jumping out of the water. We saw a ray swimming. I got one cast off before the ray dove. That cast did not get a bite. Did not see much else.

After a few hours of looking without success, we tried blindly casting towards the surf. Bam! Bam! Ladyfish, bluefish, jack crevalle, all on bucktail jigs, steadily. No big fish, but some solid action. I kept four bluefish for the smoker.

Finally we reversed course, moving farther out off the beach. I spotted a ray and moved to intercept. It dove. George spotted a ray and we moved to intercept. It dove. They were very spooky. We couldn’t get close enough to cast at them. I spotted a ray and moved to intercept. It maintained its course, and a well-placed cast resulted in a nice cobia coming up and eating the jig, plainly visible to us, a beautiful thing to see. George fought the fish up to the boat where I netted it and bingo- we finally got cobia, the first of the year, a nice fish of 30 pounds or so!

Orlando Fishing report

Coe-Bee-Ahhhh!

Wednesday the Brinkman was busy, as I sat there and fed it charcoal and wood chips for four hours while the fish smoked. Yum-mee! We’ll be eating smoked cobia and smoked fish dip around here for a little while, at least.

Thursday the Reverend Jay Bergstresser and his brother Hank the Mercenary joined me for a half-day’s fishing on Mosquito Lagoon. We were taking it easy, just fishing for seatrout. We used DOA Deadly Combos in some of my favorite spots. The bite was not on. We caught quite a few fish, but all but one were undersized. Still, the weather was nice and the company was good, and we enjoyed ourselves. Hank got de-stressed, an important consideration. And of course we all got closer to God, a real important consideration.

On Friday the USGS gauge on the Econlockhatchee at Snow Hill Road read just over two feet. Time to go fishing!

While the river was low and clear and the weather was awesome, the bass bite was relatively slow. Although I missed a couple strikes, I got three bass in five hours. I also got a sunfish slam, and a spotted gar, all on a white foam popping bug. The river is so beautiful…

Orlando Fishing report

You have to love how aggressive the stumpknockers are.

Orlando Fishing report

The best bass of the day.

Those of us who like to fish are lucky we have such a wide variety of fishing we can do in central Florida. Even with the continuing onslaught of progress there’s still lots of incredible fishing here.

And that is this week’s Finally Got Cobia Orlando Fishing Report from Spotted Tail.

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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Fished Around Orlando Area Fishing Report

Fished Around Orlando Area Fishing Report

Emails have come in asking, “When is the next Show and Tell seminar?”
The Mosquito Lagoon Show and Tell is on March 14. For more information or to register see this link…
The On-the-Water Show and Tell is on March 15. For more information or to register see this link…

So, since I didn’t have any work this week 🙁 I fished around, mostly by myself.

Sunday I went down the street to the Econlockhatchee. As I prepped the kayak I thought, “The water is still too high and too cold.” I floated for maybe 3/4ths of a mile tossing a crayfish pattern, did not get a bite or see any fish other than Gambusia minnows. The wind howled through the new green on the trees and it was absolutely stunning out. No fish, but I was so glad I went.

Monday Maxx and I did a wheel bearing job on his sailboat trailer. The bearings were pretty bad, lots of water and rust, but he successfully towed the boat home when we were done.

Tuesday I checked out a spot on the Indian River Lagoon where I like to fish occasionally. The water was dirty and there were absolutely no fish there, mullet or anything. Pure wild goose chase, pure and simple.

Wednesday I visited another spot on the IRL where I had not been for years. Apparently neither had anyone else. I’m not going into details because no one would believe them (I did not bring a camera), but it was one of the best days of inshore fly fishing I’ve had in years. Cha-CHING!

Friday I visited a remote corner of the St. Johns River that I sometimes fish. There used to be an old, leaky beater boat there. It’s not there anymore. I’m trying to figure out how I will fish that place now.

orlando area fishing report

Saturday Tammy Wilson and I tried the St. Johns River for some shads, launching at SR 50. We got a few right out of the gate, but then it slowed down a lot. Working it pretty hard we got a dozen or so. Tammy managed a double on a rig consisting of a Road Runner with a shad fly tied on a dropper above.

orlando area fishing report

We got some on a 1/8 ounce Pixie spoon, too. A lovely day, a little too much boat traffic for my taste but it was Saturday and the weather was beautiful. I always like fishing with Tammy.

orlando area fishing report

Perhaps this was the point of the entire affair…

And that is this week’s Orlando area fishing report from Spotted Tail.

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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