No Fishing Report, Fishing Photo Essay

No Fishing Report, Fishing Photo Essay

Thanks for reading my No Fishing Report. There was no fishing this week. The weather all week was terrible, and I’ve been simultaneously trying to move my website and fight a respiratory infection. Since I have thousands of images of fishing, we’re going for a walk down memory lane with a few of my favorites.

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

First, my website saga. I found a new host. Moving the website has been an ongoing problem, but I hope to finish it by the time you read this. I guess we’ll see come November 25!

These photos share some of the reasons I’m compelled to fish. The fish bring me to beautiful, wild places! Fish are beautiful, wild beings! Truth is, I often feel sorry for the fish, even while I try to catch them. But nothing brings me “into the moment” more than stalking a fish. I love the fishes and the places they live.

Tammy Wilson slings a line, Okonoluftee River, NC.

 

Hillsborough River, Florida.

 

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.\

 

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.

 

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.

 

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida.

 

Canaveral National Seashore, Florida.

 

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.

 

My favorite bass flies.

 

Drop shot with Allison and Alex, Goodness River, Alaska. The fish was an Arctic grayling.

 

Maxx battles a mahi with a three-weight, off the Florida Keys.

 

Waiting for the storm, Everglades National Park.

 

A nice snook does a flyby near our canoe, Everglades National Park.

 

Big man, big fish, big water, little boat. Off Cocoa Beach.

 

On Cape Sable, Everglades National Park.

 

Near Port Canaveral.

 

Maxx, Matt Van Pelt, and Alex, Everglades National Park.

 

Any time can be nap time. Goodnews River, Alaska.

 

Mike Conneen, Shark Point chickee, Everglades National Park.

 

Tyler Williams with a double, Goodnews River.

 

Crappie fishing, Lake Monroe, Florida.

 

Boating a halibut, near Whale Pass, Alaska.

 

My smallest tarpon ever, Everglades National Park.

 

Tammy takes Barbie fishing, Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.

 

During a kid’s fishing outing at Lake Ashby, this girl caught this killifish. She was real happy about it!

 

Slinging line at sunset, St. George Island, Florida.

 

River Dog, Everglades National Park.

 

Campsite on Tiger Key, Everglades National Park.

 

Little tunny causing a fracas off Port Canaveral.

 

American crocodiles, Everglades National Park.

 

Battling silver, Goodnews River.

 

Battling silver, Goodnews River.

 

Me, circa 1955? 56? My dad made the image.

 

Shuttle launch from the Indian River Lagoon.

 

Halloween Pennant, Everglades National Park.

 

Willie’s log, Goodnews River. He used a bunny leech, and 10-pound tippet, on an eight-weight.

 

Exploring the backcountry, Everglades National Park.

 

Maxx battles a tarpon, his first on fly, off LaCosta Island, Florida.

 

That’s the No Fishing Report. Thanks for reading!

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

Tips to Improve Your Fishing Photography

Tips to Improve Your Fishing Photography


As you know, fishing is a great activity to connect with nature and soak up some scenery. Because of this, you probably want to document your experience and look back at your experiences — especially if you get an impressive catch or go on a long journey to the most perfect fishing location. We do that here on the site, taking pictures of our fishing trips around the United States.

Now, you don’t exactly have to be a professional photographer to capture these moments effectively. But to get great shots, you’ll need to have the proper gear, not to mention technique. That being said, here are some tips to improve your fishing photography.

Bring the proper camera

Not all cameras are suitable to be near water and constantly exposed to the elements. If you’re using your smartphone’s camera to shoot, make sure you’re being careful and have a good waterproof case to protect against unexpected splashes. Nowadays, there are many cases that don’t obstruct the camera lens and still allow your photos to look sharp.

If you’re looking for something more high-end but still functional, you can invest in a durable, outdoor-friendly camera. The Olympus Tough TG-6, for instance, is waterproof up to 50ft below sea level. Plus, it’s also shockproof and crushproof, so you don’t have to worry about damaging the camera if you’re packing it with your fishing gear. All in all, try to look for something compact too, so that it doesn’t get in the way of your main activity!

Learn how to use the camera settings

Often, it’s the photographer who makes a shot great. A camera is just a tool that will help you get good images, so it’s important you get familiar with your device and learn its settings. Modern mirrorless cameras have a host of settings to master, but they’re also much the same from one piece of equipment to the next. A Nikon Z 711 and Canon EOS R5 may well have slightly different interfaces, but the general settings are the same, so you only need to ensure you master the basics to get a good image.

Both models and those from Leica, Sony and others will allow you to set your autofocus settings display to the highest number of points that your camera is capable of. This will ensure you get pristine shots. Two other modes you should be familiar with are the shutter priority and aperture priority, as they help you “stop the action.” A fast shutter speed essentially helps freeze the action. You’ll be able to capture someone in the act of casting their line or bringing a flopping fish on board.

Taking action photos is tricky, so be patient when getting the right ISO and shutter speed balance.

Keep it fresh

Do you want to ensure that the fish look vibrant in your photos? Try to capture them while they’re still fresh. Once you place them in a cooler for even just five minutes, they turn a dull gray that won’t look as striking on your pictures. For instance, the mahi mahi has neon yellows, blues, and greens, while a rainbow trout has beautiful blues, greens, and silvery whites. To get these beautiful colors, be ready to clean up once someone has a catch, especially if you’re fishing for saltwater fly fish. Scrub the bait board on the boat, push clutter out of the way, and move any rods from the frame to snap away as soon as possible.

Always pay attention to the lighting

The fish is the star of the show, so you’ll, of course, want it to be well-lit in the photo. Ideally, the sun should be behind the photographer’s back and the fish should be held at an angle where shadows don’t cover it. The time of the day is important if you want to achieve a certain effect. For example, the middle of the day will make your shots sparkle, and the fish will appear more vibrant. But early morning and late afternoon will give a warmer, softer light. You can always experiment to see what time of the day you like best for your shots.

Get creative and have fun

Don’t feel restricted to just photographing your catches. You can also capture the whole process of fly fishing too — whether it’s getting your equipment ready, casting, or sipping some beer while waiting for something to tug on the line.

However, remember to still be sensitive to your surroundings; fishing may be a quiet and peaceful sport, but it won’t do anyone good if you’re impatient and noisy, which may scare away potential catches.

Most of all, have fun! Don’t stress over orchestrating the most picturesque shots. What matters is being able to document something you love to do.

 

Contributed post by Melissa Martin.

Gone Fishin’ Photo Essay, Part 2

Gone Fishin’ Photo Essay, Part 2

Thanks for viewing this Gone Fishin’ Photo Essay. There was no fishing done by this reporter this week due to last Monday’s surgery- still on probation, doctor’s orders. I go see her Wednesday, hopefully I can get the bandages off!

Subscribers, if the photos don’t load, please visit my blog at https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/

On Plum Island, Massachusetts.

 

Trent River, Ontario.

 

The Oconaluftee River, North Carolina. Yes, it is Tammy.

 

Playalinda Beach, Florida.

 

Jim Tedesco, St. George Sound, Florida.

 

Big man, big fish, big water, tiny boat. Off Cocoa Beach, Florida.

 

Spartina saltmarsh, Louisiana.

 

Jim Tedesco, near Navarre Beach, Florida.

 

St. Johns River system, Florida.

 

Hauling a halibut aboard, Kasheverof Strait, Alaska.

 

Clinch River, Tennessee.

 

Tom Van Horn sinking the gaff, off Cape Canaveral.

 

Manatee, Indian River Lagoon, Florida.

 

St. George Sound, Florida.

 

Almost got it! Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.

 

Off Cape Canaveral.

 

Alex, Bulow Creek, Florida.

 

Tammy, Econlockhatchee River, Florida.

 

Mike Conneen, Gulf of Mexico, Florida.

 

Port Canaveral.

 

Mike Conneen, Gulf of Mexico, Florida.

 

Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.

 

Everglades National Park.

 

Ken Shannon, Belize.

 

Maxx, Everglades National Park.

 

Your blogger, shortly after he got his driver’s license, on the Merrimac River, Massachusetts.

That’s the gone fishin’ photo essay part 2. 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.

Gone Fishin’ Photo Essay

Gone Fishin’ Photo Essay

Thanks for viewing this Gone Fishin’ Photo Essay. There was no fishing done by this reporter this week due to Monday’s surgery- doctor’s orders. Wanting to give my readers something fishy to fantasize about, I put together this photo essay.

Subscribers, if the photos don’t load, please visit my blog at https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/

Watching the space shuttle, Indian River Lagoon.

 

Bass fishing, central Florida.

 

Son Alex, blacktip shark, Collier County.

 

Jumping silver salmon, Goodnews River, Alaska.

 

Running through Buttonwood Canal.

 

Netting bait, Brevard County.

 

Tom Mitzlaff poles the late Joe Mulson, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Tarpon fishing, Gulf of Mexico.

 

Tarpon fishing, Atlantic Ocean.

 

Maxx, tarpon, Lee County.

 

Maxx, looking for tarpon, Lee County.

 

On Rock Island. Courtesy of Mike Conneen.

 

Mike Conneen releases a seatrout, St. George Sound.

 

Alex, gone fishin’.

 

Happy kid, Lake Ashby.

 

Rodney Smith, gone fishin’, Banana River Lagoon.

 

Alex hooked up, Goodnews River.

 

Chuck Hunt, Goodnews River.

 

Willie’s trophy log, Goodnews River.

 

Playalinda Beach.

 

Little Talbot Island.

 

Everglades National Park.

 

Seth Vernon, Wilmington, NC.

 

Busting bonito off Cape Canaveral.

And a personal favorite-

Tammy and Barbie, gone fishin’.

Which one do you like best???

That’s the gone fishin’ photo essay. 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.

Fished 1.25 Days, and an Ode to Seatrout

Fished 1.25 Days, and an Ode to Seatrout

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Fished 1.25 Days and an Ode to Seatrout. The weather has been unpleasant! We had Thanksgiving to deal with! Actually, I fished less than 1.25 days, but that will come out in the text.

I’ll be on the road next week, so do not expect a post. I won’t be able to deliver one.

For subscribers- if the photos don’t load, click this link- www.spottedtail.com/blog.

Monday’s weather made me stay home, but I got tired of hanging around. Went to my favorite local retention pond for a couple hours, bugging for bass. Got one bite, a feisty one-pounder that was, of course, released.

Tuesday Scott Radloff joined me for a Bang-O-Craft trip to Mosquito Lagoon, where the water is still too high. We fished in the rain. The seatrout were on! We probably got thirty, maybe more, all on soft plastics. Most were at the bottom of the slot, a few smaller, a few larger. All were released, since the season is closed! Scott got a single ladyfish in the interests of variety. We fished until we were soggy, about four hours.

And now for that Ode to Seatrout

Blindcasting with a Clouser Minnow on Mosquito Lagoon produced this fish.

 

Tom Van Horn, Banana River Lagoon.

 

Alex and Vic, Banana River Lagoon.

 

A BIG sea trout, Mosquito Lagoon, caught blind-casting with a Bouncer Shrimp.

 

I used to make poppers I called Floozies from an old boogie board. Clearly, they lacked durability. Banana River Lagoon.

 

Maxx, Mosquito Lagoon, sight-fished.

 

Dr. Aubrey, Indian River Lagoon, sight-fished.

 

The Texan’s biggest-ever sea trout, sight-fished, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

My use of purple flies has fallen way off, but they work well. Banana River Lagoon.

 

Capt. Chris Myers, Mosquito Lagoon, sight-fished.

 

Mosquito Lagoon, sight-fished.

 

Mosquito Lagoon, sight-fished.

 

Rusty Chinnis revives a big trout caught in the Indian River Lagoon near Stuart, on a DOA Shrimp.

 

Mosquito Lagoon, blind-casting.

 

Banana River Lagoon, blind-casting.

 

Mosquito Lagoon, sight-fishing.

Trout aren’t as exciting as tarpon, but I love them anyway!

That’s Fished 1.25 Days, and an Ode to Seatrout. 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.

An Everglades Retrospective

An Everglades Retrospective- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, An Everglades Retrospective. Couldn’t fish this week because of the weather. Since “official” camping season (to me) kicks off at the end of this month, I thought I’d pay some homage to my favorite Florida place to camp- Everglades National Park. My first trip there, a six-day canoe/camping trip, was in 1980,

For subscribers- if the photos don’t load, click this link- www.spottedtail.com/blog.

Got my kids started early. Maxx with a Snake Bight seatrout.

 

Maxx running the Bang-O-Craft.

 

Alex in the mud at Lake Ingraham. Hey, he wanted out of the boat!

 

Me at Lostman’s Key. This photo ran in the very first magazine article I had published, around 1985.

 

Tarpon on fly, Coot Bay.

 

Maxx, Matt Van Pelt, and Alex, in Lake Ingraham. Matt was one of my students, back when I was a public school teacher.

 

Maxx, Pavilion Key.

 

Anhinga, on the Anhinga Trail.

 

Alex got this trout on the Middle Grounds, near east Cape Sable.

 

Don Causey paddles across Coot Bay.

 

Put-in at Hell’s Bay.

 

Maxx going mano-a-mano…

 

…with this guy, Mud Lake.

 

Alex, different day, same place.

 

Campsite on New Turkey Key.

 

The beach at Cape Sable.

 

Paddling on the Buttonwood Canal.

 

A dragonfly, a Halloween Pennant, sits on a mangrove leaf.

 

Waiting for the storm, Jewell Key.

 

Maxx, Jewell Key.

 

Alex, Bear Lake.

 

Nesting ospreys near Tiger Key.

 

Fish on, Garfield Bight. Courtesy Mike Conneen.

 

Rabbit Key.

 

This guy came up right next to the boat, checking us out long enough for me to get a shot.

 

Mike Conneen and River, somewhere near Everglades City.

 

American crocodiles, behind Cape Sable.

 

Campsite, Tiger Key.

 

Where are we??? Mike Conneen tries to see his phone screen.

 

Hand propelled craft only.

 

Mike Conneen and River, Jewell Key.

 

Along the Anhinga Trail.

 

In a tiny creek…

 

Where are we??? Behind Cape Sable. Courtesy Mike Conneen.

 

Mike Conneen and River, Jewell Key.

 

If memory serves, this is the south Joe River chickee.

 

One of the reasons I go!

 

Mike Conneen on the Shark Point Chickee.

 

Campfire on Cape Sable.

 

One of the reasons I go!

 

Campfire on Jewell Key.

 

Jack Radloff, Bear Lake.

 

This snook swam right past our boat.

 

Hooked up, Whitewater Bay. Photo courtesy Maxx Kumiski.

 

Got ’em! Maxx holds the beast.

 

Little blue heron, Anhinga Trail.

I’m looking forward to my next visit! Anyone want to go???

That’s An Everglades Retrospective. 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.

Ode to Cabbage Palms Report and photo essay

Ode to Cabbage Palms Report and photo essay

Thank you for reading this Ode to Cabbage Palms Report. There may be a couple fishy mentions in here too!

Monday and Tuesday must have been pretty dull, for I don’t remember what was done. I did repair our clothes dryer in there. My brain must have blotted out that terrible memory! On the other hand, the dryer does get hot and dries our clothes now.

Wednesday afternoon found me in the Bang-O-Craft, launching at CS Lee Park. Target, shad! Went to the mouth of the Econ, where casting commenced. The weather was fantastic. There were some signs of life in the water, and before long I had a fat crappie. A while later I got another. Shortly after I got a little one. And finally, the first shad (for me) of 2021, a little buck, which took a pink crappie jig, right next to the boat. All fish were released.

The noble sabal palm photographs beautifully.

I had been wanting to photograph some palm trees against the setting sun. The sky was spectacular, the light was golden, and I had my cameras.

They’re so Florida!

I went to a stand of sabal palm (Sabal palmetto) trees. Out came the camera. I may have gotten carried away, even trying imitate a palm tree myself.

Silly John, you can’t photosynthesize!

Would life be easier for us if we could photosynthesize? Imagine if we were green and could stand in the sun and make sugar!

Palms at sunset.

You can eat the heart of the sabal palm tree. Only once, though, as removing it kills the tree. Sabal palms are also called cabbage palm because of this edible heart.

Reflections of palms. It’s an ode to cabbage palms!

The Bang-O-Craft lacks lights, so I left before I wanted to, but got some more shots of the sky as I made my way back to the boat ramp.

St. Johns sunset, fantastic.

 

SR 46

Thursday played out in similar fashion, except I went to Mosquito Lagoon, and the photos happened at Black Point Wildlife Drive.

Note the brown slider. Eyes are bead chain.

Two black drum ignored my flies, and a redfish did not. I’m still using the brown slider. The water was quite low, and dare I say it looked a little cleaner? Some green stuff, that exotic algae from the Pacific Ocean (I can’t find the name right now), is starting to grow on the bottom of the lagoon. When that gets established we can be sure we’ll never see manatee grass there again.

The Release!

Friday began the process of installing the solar electrical system in the Sienna, which is probably how much of next week will be spent. At the moment I’m trying to figure out where all the components will go, and how to best mount the solar panel on top of the van.

The spoonbills are still at the wildlife drive.

 

Telephoto sunset.

 

Wide angle sunset.

Thank you for reading this Ode to Cabbage Palms Report blog!

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.

Post-Paddle Fishing Safari Fishing Report

Post-Paddle Fishing Safari Fishing Report

The Sunday after Thanksgiving Mike Conneen picked me and my gear up, early, and we went off adventuring. We were on the 2018 west Florida paddle fishing safari. This is the post-paddle fishing safari fishing report.

We took one day off to wash clothes and re-organize our things. Other than that we paddled and fished every day for two weeks. Some days had good fishing, and all days had good paddling. This was an exceptionally enjoyable trip! The weather was brisk sometimes, but the light was so often spectacular!

We paddled and fished, in the following order, Deer Prairie Creek, the Myakka, Peace (overnighted on river), Little Manatee, and Manatee Rivers, Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve, the Hillsborough, Chassahowitzka, Withlacoochee, Rainbow, and Suwannee (overnighted here) rivers. The original plan included Weedon Island (too hard to get to, through Tampa), Anclote Key (15 MPH plus winds that day), and Oklawaha River (big rainstorm, who needed that at the end of the trip?).

Special thanks need to go to George Allen and Mary Jo, who got our trip off on such a great, positive step, Nathan Whitt at Rainbow River Canoe and Kayak, who went way out of his way to make sure we had a good time there, and of course Mike Conneen. A better travel and paddling partner would be hard to imagine.

Enough text. Let’s see some photos.

paddle fishing fishing report

Sign at Chassahowitzka River ramp. We should all do this on all waters.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Lots of alligators. Everywhere.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Mayan cichlid, Deer Prairie Creek.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Mike, not thrilled with his channel cat? It took a Vudu Shrimp, Myakka River.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Spinnerbait snook, Peace River.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Purple asters signal winter is close.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Little Manatee River.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

School of crevalle jacks, Manatee River.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Hillsborough River State Park.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Hillsborough River.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Waterfront property, Chassahowitzka River.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Resident of the Chassahowitzka.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Anhinga, Rainbow River.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Cooter turtles, Withlacoochee River.

 

paddle fishing fishing report

Paddling on the Suwannee.

That is the post-paddle fishing safari 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 2018. All rights are reserved.

Independence Day Whale Pass Fishing Report

whale pass fishing report

These salmon don’t know they have an unsolvable problem.

Independence Day Whale Pass Fishing Report

Happy birthday, America!

Pacific salmon exhibit an incredible will to procreate.

Across the bay from the Lodge a hatchery sits atop what is, for salmon, an impassable waterfall. At the top of the falls, in addition to the hatchery, lies Neck Lake.

Now this hatchery is not run by the state of Alaska for the purpose of making more salmon for everyone. It’s run by a commercial fishing consortium interested in making a profit from an investment.

It’s my understanding that the salmon eggs used in this operation come from a river to the north of here, a long river that the fish must enter early in the season in order to get to the spawning grounds far upstream. The hatchery takes the eggs from fish from this other river, hatches and grows the alevins for a while, then puts the smolts in pens on Neck Lake.

Once the smolts are ready to return to the sea, they are released from the pens, they find their way to the waterfall, tumble down into the bay, and swim off into the sunset.

They return four years later, wanting to spawn. Ha! The joke is on you, fish.

The adult silver salmon cannot get up the falls, but they do find the fish ladder cleverly placed there by the builders of the hatchery. They climb the ladder only to end up in a large holding tank. Two or three days a week during season, depending on how many fish are present, the fish are removed from the tank, prepared for and shipped to market. Apparently they are in great demand, since they are the earliest run of silver salmon commercially available from Alaska.

These fish are the silvers we’ve been fishing for and catching since I got to Whale Pass a month ago. The run is in full swing, and lots of fishermen are over there working it now. We’re still catching lots of salmon, although it’s harder to get a bite than it was.

Daisies grow everywhere around here.

Daisies grow everywhere around here.

Although I haven’t been out, the halibut bite has been hot all week. The Wallace party from Massachusetts limited out on fish up to 40 pounds in less than one hour. There were a few Pacific cod tossed into the mix, too.

Tuesday Alex and I took a van on the back roads of Prince of Wales Island, looking for adventure in the form of fly fishing. First we stopped at Twin Island Lake. I waded out with the fly I had tied on, an Ultra Clouser. It was not the right fly. I could see trout jumping out in the lake but I did not get a bite, and ended up casting off the fly. Funny that the four pound tippet wouldn’t hold a Clouser Minnow tied on a #2 hook.

Next we stopped on upper 108 Creek. The stream passes through a cavern, and I wanted to show it to Alex. A natural run of silvers comes up this stream, goes through the cave and into the lake above. I am looking forward to seeing it.

Following this we came to a trailhead for Red Bay Lake. We hiked the trail, one of the finer walks I’ve taken in quite a while.

whale pass fishing report

Alex on the beautifully maintained trail to Red Bay Lake.

There were some big trees in there! One may have been the largest tree I have ever seen, and that includes the Amazon basin and Joyce Kilmer National Forest. I hugged one for a moment, then we continued.

The photo doesn't begin to do justice to one of the biggest trees I've eve seen.

The photo doesn’t begin to do justice to one of the biggest trees I’ve eve seen.

At the far end of the trail was a beautiful lake. Tied to a tree was a boat, with a plug and three oars. We lost no time in putting the plug in and launching the craft. The lake was full of cutthroat trout, no big ones, but fat healthy fish of 12 inches or so. Although I wish I had a rod smaller than a four-weight, it was a wonderful afternoon.

whale pass fishing report

Alex was hot to get on the oars.

 

whale pass fishing report

Even Dad got into the act.

 

whale pass fishing report

Cutthroat trout are lovely fish. I want a five pounder, though.

Finally, we stopped at Neck Lake, across from the salmon pens. There were fish rising and Alex got two little cutthroats before we hopped back in the van and returned to Whale Pass. We’d seen some wonderful new territory, caught plenty of beautiful fish. All in all it was an awesome day.

 

This flower, which I must learn the name of, was on a rock in the lake.

This flower, which I must learn the name of, was on a rock in the lake.

The past couple days I have had trout fishing trips up into Barnes Lake. While I am still figuring this fishery out the fishing has been outstanding, although we did not catch any fish over about 14 inches. Brightly colored flies in pink or orange have been working best.

whale pass fishing report

Jack tries to subdue the mighty cutthroat trout.

Spin fishermen are tossing number three spinners from Mepps and Blue Fox. Color of those has not seemed to matter.

Yesterday eleven year old Clay had a sockeye salmon smack his little spinner. After an exciting battle Clay pulled the fish up to the bank, where I grabbed it and dispatched it, definitely the fish of the day.

Eleven year old Jack got a nice cutt on a spinner at the same spot.

whale pass fishing report

Jack was successful, although the fish was released.

We all had some quality time at the tide pool where the sea stars live.

 

whale pass fishing report

Jack also got this trophy sea star, also released.

And that is this week’s Lodge at Whale Pass Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short. Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com

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

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Summer Solstice Whale Pass Fishing Report

Whale Pass Fishing Report

Pagans everywhere! Celebrate the summer solstice!

Here at Whale Pass we celebrate such holidays by fishing, of course.

Morning view from the Lodge at Whale Pass.

Morning view from the Lodge at Whale Pass.

Our only guests this week were Linda Stern and her grandson William, both from New York. Tuesday Alex and I took them fishing for silver salmon in the quintessential Alaska weather, that is to say cold and rainy. There were quite a few fish around. It’s almost like fishing for schools of redfish. You can see the fish pushing a wake and attempt to have the lure intersect the fishes’ path. They are not as spooky as are Mosquito Lagoon reds, though. They hooked five, only to have four escape. Cold and wet by lunchtime, we took the three-minute boat ride across the bay, back to the lodge.

 

whale pass fishing report

Linda Stern with a nice silver salmon.

The weather improved and we went back out in the afternoon. The sun was peeking through the clouds now and again and the fish were there. So were a couple of seals.

If you’re fishing, seals are kind of like sharks in that they will steal your hooked fish from you. William had a salmon on when a seal grabbed it. We chased that seal around for a solid 10 minutes, and the seal finally let the fish go. We got it! We had a couple other close calls, where the seal was chasing a hooked fish but didn’t quite catch up to it. In spite of the seal harassment we got eleven more salmon, for a nice limit for two, a great way to start their fishing off.

 

whale pass fishing report

Salmon will strike spinners.

 

whale pass fishing report

That’s a lot of fine eating.

Yesterday I went out as a deckhand on the Thorne, captained by Jared Cook. The fishing party was a family from Oregon, with a pair of 11 year old fraternal twins.

We saw whales, sea lions, seals, and porpoises. I’m still looking for a good whale photo.

We first went fishing for halibut. Twin Robert caught the first one, a fish of 25 pounds or so. Then his sister got one. Then Mom got one. Then Dad got one. Very democratic, these fish.

The Etolin, one of the Lodge's vessels, on the halibut grounds.

The Etolin, one of the Lodge’s vessels, on the halibut grounds.

Having our limit, we went for rockfish next. They are lovely little fish but I wouldn’t target them. Too small a fish, too heavy tackle. My understanding is they are very long-lived and very slow growing, too. Best to leave them alone. You’ll catch them while fishing for salmon anyway. But we got the limit of these, too.

A type of rockfish, beautiful little fish.

A type of rockfish, beautiful little fish.

Then we went trolling for king salmon. Downriggers. Flashers. The whole thing was all new to me and I learned a lot. We got three kings, although only one was a legal fish of thirty inches.

Day over, we headed back to the dock where we had a fish cleaning party.

Thursday we went out as anglers with the Stern party on the Etolin, captained by Kurt Gorlitz, again fishing for halibut. Except for me, the bite was on! Eight halibut to about thirty pounds were brought to the boat, although half of them were released.

whale pass fishing report

Capt. Kurt swings a halibut aboard.

 

whale pass fishing report

Alex with his ‘but.

 

whale pass fishing report

William and Linda show a halibut double.

Thursday night we had a fish fry party in the rec room. Fresh halibut fish and chips, yum-mee! Darts, pool, foosball, and other games were played, and we had a faltering attempt at karaoke. A fabulous time was had by all.

The recreation room at the Lodge.

The recreation room at the Lodge.

Friday Alex and I took the jet boat out exploring. There are lots of rocks around here, and I mean rocks the size of mountaintops. We came to a rapid that was unrunnable when we got there. Kevin, the owner of the Lodge at Whale Pass, had told us that at low tide we couldn’t get past that spot. We beached the boat and went exploring while we waited. We followed a black tailed deer for a way. They run like cartoon deer, bouncing along on all fours like a big bunny.

We found some stars in a tide pool.

seastars

Kelp grows everywhere around here.

kelp

After an hour or so the water had risen enough that we could run the rapid. We did, and several others as well, ending up at a small stream where we caught some cutthroat trout, lovely creatures that we released.

whale pass fishing report

The wooly bugger did the trick on this cutthroat trout.

On the way back we got turned around a couple times, but found another spot for cutts. We were back at camp in time for dinner.

 

whale pass fishing report

Alex used a big orange streamer for this cutt.

And that is this week’s Whale Pass Fishing Report.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short. Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com

 

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

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