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Some Fishing and a TAF Report

October 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Some Fishing and a TAF Report

Thank you for reading this Some Fishing and a TAF Report. A couple days of azure skies and light winds allowed for a couple of delightful days on the water, and TAF got a bunch of donations!

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

A huge THANK YOU to all the donors, by name and in no particular order-

-Laura Rice
-Ed Perry
-Dean Altenhofen
-Anonymous
-Walt Sheppard
-Earl Gillespie
-Ken Shannon
-Emily Nelson
-Kelly Holz

What a great group of people!!!

The total raised so far is slightly over $775, 15 percent of my goal, and thank you, thank you, thank you again!

Click here for the fundraiser link if you’re motivated to donate (Please!)

As a reminder, the Assistance Fund helps underinsured people living with life-threatening, chronic, illness obtain treatment and medicine by providing financial assistance for their copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and other health-related expenses.

The updates will continue every week until the fundraiser ends (at Thanksgiving), and of course if you’ve considered donating, it’s not too late!

———————————————————–

Fishing!

Monday the Bang-O-Craft plied the startlingly-clear-even-though-it’s-high water of the Mosquito Lagoon, carrying yours truly and Scott Radloff. We did not tear things up, piscatorially speaking. I got a nice trout on my favorite lure, the 3″ plastic shad, near Vann’s Island, and minutes later Scott got one, too. We saw a few handsome, surprisingly large snook. Not surprisingly, they wanted nothing whatsoever to do with us or our faux minnows.

I got a flounder, a decent one. Susan and I ate it for dinner one night. Scott got a redfish, blind-casting. Actually, such fish as we got all came by blind-casting. The water is deep enough to make sight-fishing difficult. We were out about five hours, saw the Falcon Heavy leave for Jupiter, and were impressed by the amount of bait in the water. Life for the gamefish must be pretty sweet right now!

Tuesday Caleb Vogl joined me for a Banana River Lagoon excursion. Caleb started the festivities by casting to an obvious wake with a Zara Spook. The fish, a crevalle jack, crushed it.

The water was not nearly as clear as Mosquito Lagoon is. And there’s not nearly as much bait. And that jack was it for a couple hours. The place honestly looked pretty dead.

I found a small spot where, in about 30 minutes, I got two juvie snook, a very juvie tarpon, and a ladyfish, all on the plastic shad. Then it quieted right down.

Around mid-day I decided that further searching was most likely futile, and turned the kayak around. On the way back Caleb spotted some breaking fish and I at least got a fish on the fly rod, another jack. Caleb also got one, still using the Spook. Boats were loaded about 3 PM.

The rest of the week was pretty breezy and I had doctors and honey-dos, so no fishing. See ya next week!

That’s my Some Fishing and a TAF Report. Thanks for reading it!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go for 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, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , ,

One Day Mosquito Lagoon Report

June 28, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

One Day Mosquito Lagoon Report

Thank you for reading this One Day Mosquito Lagoon Report. Caleb and I got out on Tuesday, and a stunning morning it was.

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

Tuesday morning at 6 am Caleb and I met at the ramp. The mosquitos and no-see-ums were glad we were there, and shared their pleasure with us by trying to suck us dry. In the meantime, the sun was trying to break through some clouds over the eastern shore. Not your classic gorgeous sunrise, but it was still lovely, as was the entire morning. The water was clear and full of bait.

Before too long Caleb got a red on a soft plastic bait.

 

 

I didn’t get any bites, but I wasn’t fishing much, either. Just taking it all in- the mullet, the dolphins, the birds, the manatees, even saw a hog up on the bank. I finally got a skunk-chaser, a needlefish on a soft plastic shad. I don’t know how it got stuck on the hook. When I lifted it out of the water to unhook it, it fell off the hook into the water in the bottom of my kayak. I got to pick it up and let it go.

We got split up. When we re-joined Caleb said he’d gotten two more reds, and the smallest snook he’d ever seen. Just before pulling the boat (midday) I got a snook, 22 inches or so. The bugs were still bad at the ramp.

Fishing wasn’t especially good, but we got a few, and enjoyed a beautiful morning.

That’s the One Day Mosquito Lagoon Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go for a bike ride! Stay active!

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

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report · Tagged: , ,

The Meh Fishing Report

June 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

The Meh Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Meh Fishing Report. I’m sorry it’s not exciting. Summer is setting in, I can’t tarpon fish without a boat, and the fish have not been as bitey as when it was cooler. Hopefully that will change. Or maybe a horde of big tarpon will show up where I can paddle to them. Ha!

I did not carry a camera either day. The photos are from my files.

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

Tuesday

I went to the Econ. The gauge read 0.8 feet, so I launched at Snow Hill Road. There was still get-out-and-drag over some spots. I threw a gurgler for over an hour, with a single, modest bass to show for it. So, like last time there, I switched to spin tackle.

It was still work getting bites. In many spots I could see the fish, and they were just giving me the fin (the middle one, of course). The catch ended up being eight or ten bass, with one solid one. Beautiful river, beautiful if warm day- I’ll take it. As if there was a choice.

Friday

morning saw me paddling Mosquito Lagoon. Fish were hard to find. Blind-casting while wading, wondering if I’d get anything, the line came tight. Surprise! And it was a real nice fish! I really was surprised!

Turned out to be a red that was pushing 20 pounds, which, had I gotten nothing else, would have made the day. The fly was a black Redfish Worm. It would be nice to write that the fish kicked off a wild couple of hours, but a pinfish and a puffer followed. Again, tiring of casting practice, I picked up the spin pole with a weedless jig, which produced a nice trout in the 3-4 pound range, a modest jack crevalle, and another puffer.

Nice day, water looked great, and I got a couple fish. I’ll take it!

That’s the Meh fishing report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go for a bike ride! Stay active!

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

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

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

Take a Kid Fishing Report

May 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Take a Kid Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Take a Kid Fishing Report. This week we got our first taste of Florida summer, which lasts into October. Daytime temperatures in the 90s. The only thing missing were the lightning storms. Honestly, it makes me want to stay in the AC. What a wuss.

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

Monday

This reporter has been known to preach, “Take a kid fishing!” It’s still good advice. Son Maxx has a high school friend, Danny, who wants to take up fishing. Mind you, this “kid” is 35. Still, it’s new blood. I took him and Caleb out of River Breeze.

Danny doing some paddling, plenty of it this day.

Danny is really at the beginning of the learning curve. I didn’t spare him on the paddling, and it got pretty windy. He not only survived it, he liked it- now, that’s a good sign! He got a dink trout and a ladyfish on the DOA Deadly Combo, and missed some bites. Caleb got a handsome red on a swimbait. I spent most of my time on instruction, and did not touch a fish. More to come- stay tuned.

Caleb and friend.

Tuesday

Mike Danagher and I walked the Econ, throwing soft plastics. It was not red-hot, but we each caught some bass and a gar. Mike had never fished the Econ before, and found it to be great fun!

Mickey D and his fish.

Wednesday

I started on the Indian River Lagoon. My heart jumped- a rolling tarpon! They were little ones, but still. I stuck two on the RipTide Sardine, putting one in the air. Total contact time was on the order of 1.37 seconds. I did not see or touch any other kinds of fish, and soon pulled the kayak and went to Mosquito Lagoon, where the water was clean and the reds and snook spooky.

After just chasing fish away with the fly rod, I stuck two reds, also on the RipTide Sardine. I landed the smaller and broke off the larger, with a contact time on that fish of 0.13 seconds. All-in-all a beautiful, windy, enjoyable, but not very productive fishing-wise, day.

Thursday

– everyone’s favorite, errands day!

Friday

Jorge Hidalgo and I went walking the Econ, bass fishing. For me, two stumpknockers and two warmouth crashed the party. It got hot, but we had a good time. The fish were fairly cooperative.

Didn’t touch a fish with the fly rod all week.

That’s the take a kid fishing report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!

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

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

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

Another Tough Week Fishing Report

March 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Another Tough Week Fishing Report

Thank you for reading the Another Tough Week Fishing Report. Only two days were spent fishing, because fishing is always more enjoyable when the fish participate, and they didn’t wanna play much this week.

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

A rumor came my way, something about guides posting on Facebook pictures of fish caught in Mosquito Lagoon. To which my response was, if you believe social media, most guides never have a bad day. But Monday, the weather looked not terrible, so with a late start, I took the Bang-O-Craft out for some scouting.

Found some clean water, breathtakingly clean. Found some dirty water, not very far from the clean water. Saw quite a few boats, more boats than fish, probably. Did not get a shot at a fish all day. But at the last spot, blind-casting with the spin rod and a soft plastic shad, I got a solid thump, which turned out to be a fine seatrout, 25 inches or so, the only bite in six hours. I considered trying to get a photo, but released it without removing it from the water. That fish is too valuable to risk for a photo. I’ll use a file photo!

File photo of a seatrout.

Thursday Caleb Vogl joined me for some kayak fishing on the Indian River Lagoon. Although we got a few small trout, we saw very little. After almost three hours, we pulled the boats and tried Mosquito Lagoon. Didn’t see a whole lot more there, but at least the water was cleaner. I hooked a snook (caught him) and a redfish (lost him) on  an olive slider fly. Caleb got a snook, a solid trout, and a couple snapper on spin tackle. We ended up putting in nine hours, paddling literally miles. Mucho trabajo, poco dinero…

File photo of a snook.

Both days were dee-lightful, weather-wise. But it’s a good thing I wasn’t looking for groceries.

And that, folks, is the Another Tough Week fishing report. It will be better next week! Because hope springs eternal in the heart of a fisherman! Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go hiking! Stay active!

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

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: ,

Two Fine Days on Mosquito Lagoon

January 6, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Two Fine Days on Mosquito Lagoon

It’s wintertime, which means even in central Florida, you have to pick your fishing days around the weather. I had two fine days on Mosquito Lagoon this week, both beautiful days. I went to different places. Although the water was remarkably clear in both places, the results (from a fish-catching perspective) were markedly different.

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

One thing I noticed in both places was that wherever there was hard substrate (rocks and/or oyster shells) there were sponges growing. I don’t know what species they are, or if they are native or exotic. How many sponge experts are there??? When’s the last time you saw a field guide to sponges of the southeastern United States?

I do know sponges filter enormous quantities of water, and provide hiding places for small fish, shrimp, and crabs. So I was glad to see them, and am hoping they are not a sign of a coming apocalypse.

Best fish of the day!

Wednesday I fished around spoil islands. Nothing, nothing, nothing, then a load of fish on a small spot maybe 50 yards long. Seatrout and red drum, lots of little guys, but a couple decent ones, and no puffers were caught. I used one of those synthetic Clouser Minnows I tied last week- one fly all day. No collateral puffer damage, mission accomplished. Saw a few fish along the shoreline of the return trip, had one good shot using a bendback, got an eat, pooched it.

Same fish, different perspective!

Friday I went to River Breeze. Water looked great clarity-wise. Not much grass, lots of Rhodophyta. A saw maybe a dozen fish, some quick math, it came out to about one fish seen per paddled mile. Not gonna catch much with that density. Had one bite all day from a trout, watched it take the RipTide shad, and I missed it to complete the skunking. I went to several of my favorite winter spots up there, too. While I very much enjoyed the day and the paddling, I won’t be visiting again for a while…

And that, folks, is a Two Fine Days on Mosquito Lagoon Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go on 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, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , ,

Short Mosquito Lagoon Report

October 21, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Short Mosquito Lagoon Report

Thanks for reading this short Mosquito Lagoon report.

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

Fifty-two degrees Monday morning when I hopped in the chariot, Bang-O-Craft in tow. Wanted to try the east side of the lagoon. Once I got to the ramp, that idea was trashed. Three- and four-foot waves meant crossing was a stupid idea.

I stayed on the west side, found what lees were there. Saw some snook, saw some reds. Had one good shot at a red with the fly while wading (with my waders on). I thought it took the fly. I was mistaken. Shot blown. Ran over what fish there were all day. Late in the afternoon, had two shots on spin, from the boat, and converted both. Eureka!

First fish. Note the water clarity.

 

Soft plastic shad works again!

 

The second fish was larger, but I didn’t photograph it.

Tried it again Tuesday. Water on the east side was nasty, and water everywhere is high (gauge at 1.6 feet). By now the wind had come up, making that crossing dangerous again, but now I had no choice. Fished the west side, had three shots, converted none. Did get a couple pinfish on fly, though.

Discovered a wet leg when I took off the waders. Where’s the Aquaseal?

That’s the short Mosquito Lagoon report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go on a road trip! 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, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report · Tagged: , , ,

Short Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons Report

May 12, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Short Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons Report

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

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

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

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

I loaded up and moved to Mosquito Lagoon.

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

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

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

 

Dee Kaminsky, 2013 Indian River Lagoon Paddle Adventure.

 

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

 

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

 

Jim Tedesco, East Bay.

 

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

 

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

 

Nick Colantonio, 2013 Indian River Lagoon Paddle Adventure.

 

Maxx Kumiski, Indian River Lagoon.

 

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

 

Brian Jaye and Maxx Kumiski, Nantahala River.

 

Mike Conneen, on the Gulf.

 

Don Causey, Everglades National Park.

 

Alex Kumiski, Everglades National Park.

 

Maxx Kumiski, Chattahootchee River.

 

Maxx tosses a nice loop, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Contrasting styles, Manatee River.

 

Tammy Wilson, Econlockhatchee River.

 

Mike Conneen, Banana River Lagoon.

 

Mike in a jack melee, Manatee River.

 

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

 

Jack Hutson, Nantahala River.

 

Backcountry paddle, Everglades National Park.

 

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

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

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

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

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

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

Storm Aftermath

October 15, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

Storm Aftermath

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Storm Aftermath. This was a survey week, with hope to find a fish or two. Susan was ill, which affected my liberty- I didn’t want to leave her alone while I went fishing.

For subscribers- if the photos (only one this week!) don’t load, click this link- www.spottedtail.com/blog.

Monday, though, she joined me for the preliminary survey. I needed to see how high the water was, and which boat ramps were open. We went to Kelly Park, Port Canaveral, Port St. John, Kennedy Point, Parrish Park, Biolab, and Playalinda. Playalinda was open to Parking Lot 7, meaning you couldn’t get to the boat ramp on the Mosquito Lagoon side. Everything else was open. There were surprisingly few trailers at Port Canaveral. The water looked high and brown in the lagoons.

Tuesday found me in a kayak on the high, green, and nearly opaque waters of the Indian River Lagoon, armed with both a spin and a fly rod. I saw two redfish, one tailing right against the bank (no shot) and one that I ran over. I ran over two or three black drum. I caught three small snook, one by casting a rubber shad, the other two by dragging the same lure while I paddled. I found a few baby tarpon rolling, and one bit my streamer, leading to this not very good photo-

It’s hard to fight the fish AND get the jump shot at the same time. I used my Dr. Slick pliers to unhook the beastie. When I got home, Susan was sick, and I was sorry I wasn’t there.

Friday morning Tom Van Horn picked me up and we went to Mosquito Lagoon, launching at Haulover Canal. Tom spent the summer at Katmai Lodge in Alaska, then went to Europe for a few weeks. His boat had been sitting for over three months, so of course it didn’t work right. We hid from the wind and waves behind the spoil islands while we made our way back to Haulover Canal. I cast a DOA Deadly Combo, coming up with a single, skunk-chasing 12″ seatrout. I was home at noon.

I saw very little bait anywhere, and the water doesn’t look good anywhere. Might have to try fishing somewhere else.

That’s the Storm Aftermath post. 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 2022. All rights are reserved.

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

There’s a New Ebook on Fishing Florida’s Space Coast!

November 7, 2014 by · Leave a Comment

There’s a New Ebook on Fishing Florida’s Space Coast!

Fishing Florida’s Space Coast- Newly Revised Ebook Edition, By Capt. John Kumiski

Fishing Florida's Space Coast

Do you want to catch fish along Florida’s Space Coast?

This stretch of Florida’s Atlantic coast and the adjacent Indian River Lagoon system offers world class angling for redfish, black drum, spotted seatrout, tripletail, and more. In addition, snook, tarpon, cobia, Spanish and king mackerel, little tunny, jack crevalle, bluefish, barracuda, sharks, and many other species can be found in these waters at various times of the year.

Do you know how to catch them?

This ebook will make you a better fisherman. You will learn:

-How to choose rods, reels, lines, lures, baits, rigging, and techniques that work along the Space Coast.

-When to fish. The fishery changes with the seasons. This book will help you adjust your strategies.

-Where to fish. The text pinpoints hotspots all along the Space Coast and tells you where to find them with Google Maps.

 

Many of the Space Coast’s finest anglers shared secrets contained in this ebook.

This new ebook is your constant reference on how, when, and where to fish along Florida’s Space Coast. Whether you have fished here all your life, are an experienced angler fishing here for the first time, or are just getting involved in fishing, you will refer to this guidebook again and again for the information you need to be more successful.

 

The print edition sold thousands of copies!

 

Capt. John Kumiski has been guiding Space Coast fishermen for over 25 years and touches every page of this book with his wealth of knowledge and expertise.

This book will make you a better fisherman!

Fishing Florida’s Space Coast Newly Revised Ebook Edition, $4.99!

Available from Smashwords, https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/490918.

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