You are here: Home / Archives for fishing tips

Canoe Camping at Canaveral National Seashore

November 3, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving hurtles towards us. This holiday kicks off Florida’s finest camping season.

At the north end of the Mosquito Lagoon a labyrinth of islands, channels, and shallow ponds hosts loads of  wading birds, dolphins, redfish, and seatrout. Canaveral National Seashore administers a dozen National Park Service campsites here. Accessible only by water, these are “wilderness” sites. A few have a fire grate and a picnic table. The others have space for your tents, and that’s about it.

A spectacular sunrise over the Mosquito lagoon.

I’ve gone camping here by canoe and kayak many times over the years. While sometimes the fishing hasn’t been good, other times it has been outstanding. Either way, I always have an enjoyable time.

A Typical Trip
Obtain the necessary camping permit from Canaveral National Seashore, Turtle Mound station. Launch your boats at River Breeze Park in Oak Hill, or at Turtle Mound on the east side of the lagoon.

After dinner roast marshmallows and watch the sun set. After it gets dark you can stargaze for hours. During the winter months Orion (the easiest of all constellations to recognize), Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major are all clearly visible. Sirius, in Canis Major, is the brightest star in the sky! If you’re lucky you’ll see satellites, or a meteor streaking across the heavens. You certainly don’t get to see meteors every day.

A lovely Mosquito Lagoon sunset, from a different vantage on a different day.

After breakfast go fishing. Fishing being fishing, sometimes it’s great and sometimes you’ll get skunked. But the wading birds will be thick. You will see pelicans, ospreys, and maybe a bald eagle, and dolphins are commonly encountered. If you don’t catch any fish, cook some hot dogs over a blazing campfire. When you roast a wiener on a stick over an open fire, they are as good as hot dogs can be!

A Warning
You can expect raccoons to visit your campsite while you’re here. Make sure to pack your food in raccoon proof containers. A hard plastic cooler with a rope tied around it works well. On one trip we left our s’mores fixings in a shopping bag, unattended on a table, for less than five minutes. A raccoon quickly found and tried to steal the bag. The chocolate and crackers fell out as he ran off, but he made a successful getaway with all of our marshmallows.

A Quick Look at the Fishing
The most common gamefish here are redfish and seatrout. A ten pound spinning outfit is appropriate. Effective lures include soft plastic jerkbaits, weedless gold spoons, and small popping plugs. The area is shallow with a lot of grass, so weedless lures are a must. Popular natural baits include shrimp and cut mullet. Small crabs can also be effective.

A younger Maxx casts to a redfish in the Mosquito Lagoon.

I kayak fish this area a lot, ordinarily using fly tackle. The preferred technique is to paddle along shorelines, searching for fish to which to cast the fly. Particularly during the cooler months (when camping is most enjoyable) fishing for both reds and seatrout can be excellent.

On the very first camping trip my boys and I made here we paddled over a school of at least 200 redfish. We continued on to our campsite and dropped off our gear, then went right back to where the fish were. Between us we got a dozen fish, many on fly tackle. If you spend some time hunting for fish here usually you will find some.

Redfish this size are quite typical of what you will find here.

Florida saltwater fishing laws apply here. If you choose to fish you will need a saltwater fishing license.

Nuts and Bolts
Canaveral National Seashore lies northeast of Orlando about one hour’s drive. To camp there you must obtain a permit (fee required) from their office at Turtle Mound, on Florida route A1A south of New Smyrna Beach. They accept reservations by telephone one week in advance, and especially during the busy spring season reservations are strongly recommended.

Their website URL is http://www.nps.gov/cana/. Click on the “Activities” button. Then click on the “camping” button to see their camping brochure. The phone number at the Turtle Mound station for more information about camping or reservations is 386-428-3384 Ext. 10.

The different campsites have varying capacities. Some sites, like the two on Orange Island, can fit three small tents maximum. Others, like the spoil island campsites, could hold 20 or more people. Remember, these are unimproved sites with no fresh water, electricity, or toilet facilities. If you don’t bring what you need you won’t have it out there.

Another point to keep in mind is that adjacent to Canaveral National Seashore is the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. No camping is allowed here at any time. So if you intend to camp on a spoil island in the Mosquito Lagoon, be sure to find the right one.

While this piece emphasizes paddling to the campsites, there are no restrictions on motor vessel use here. You can easily use a boat with a motor to gain access to any of the CNS campsites, or to go fishing. You will still need the national park service permit to camp, of course.

The Mosquito Lagoon wasn’t named on a whim. The bugs can be nasty when the weather is warm, so the best time to camp is from about Thanksgiving through about Easter. The prudent camper will bring bug spray at whatever time of year they camp, anywhere in Florida.

Remember to bring sunblock and plenty of water. Have fun, and enjoy your trip!

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights are reserved.

Share
|



Filed Under: Fishing Stories, Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On-Location Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Seminar Upcoming

October 4, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

My next Mosquito Lagoon/Indian River Lagoon Show and Tell Fishing Seminar is on November 5.

Show and Tell Seminars are all-day fishing seminars that take place in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, with the express goal of helping you catch more and bigger fish in the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons.

Learn how to catch reds like this bruiser in the Mosquito lagoon and Indian River Lagoon.

We traverse (in vehicles) the dike roads along the margins of the lagoon system. We stop repeatedly to discuss locations, tactics, and techniques for fishing for redfish, seatrout, and other species found in the lagoon system. We cover knots, rods, reels, lines, lures, and baits, as well as how to fish those lures and baits. We visit all the open boat ramps, canoe/kayak launches, and wading access points in the wildlife refuge. I show you where to fish, and tell you how to fish it!

Seatrout like this one are common catches in the Mosquito Lagoon if you know how.

You will learn more in one day during this popular seminar than you could in a year on your own!

Here’s what attendees at past seminars had to say:

“I just wanted to write and thank you again for the seminar on Saturday. It would have taken me at least a year of scouting to learn what we did in nine hours from you, and that’s just the information on when and where to catch fish. The instruction on techniques and tackle would take years of experimentation to learn on my own!” -Steve Crowder

“I want to thank you for a very interesting seminar! I learned a great deal about our resident redfish, and can’t wait to apply what you’ve taught me.” -Jeff Graybeal

” I really enjoyed your seminar yesterday. I am a fly fisherman from the rivers of the Pacific Northwest, so I learned a ton about shallow salt water fishing. It will be invaluable to me as I begin to explore the Space Coast.” – Mark Mielbrecht

“A couple of friends attended your Show and Tell yesterday. Rave reviews. Mark was effusive in his email about the whole experience. He can’t wait to get back out. Every time I send someone your way they come back a satisfied customer. Nice job!” -Mike Adamson

“I really enjoyed Saturday. You made it really hard to go back to work instead of fish!” -Greg Rhodes

The next Show and Tell is scheduled for November 5, 2011. Visit this link for more information or to sign up!

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com

Share
|





Filed Under: Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Silver Salmon, Dolly Varden Fishing Hot in Goodnews River- Goodnews River Fishing Report

August 8, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

The Goodnews River Fishing Report from Spotted Tail 8/7/11

Silver salmon bite steadily in the Goodnews River, with five fish limits being caught daily by most anglers. Weighted salmon flies on size 2 hooks dressed in pink, cerise, orange, and/or chartreuse are working well, as are Pixies, Mepps Flying Cs, and 5/8 ounce jigs with twisty tails. While the run is going well, it certainly hasn’t peaked yet and there’s lots of room for improvement. We prefer to catch fresh fish in tidewater but folks well up the river, fishing for dollies, have been running into silvers too.

Chums, pinks, and sockeyes are still busily digging redds and dropping eggs. Dollies and rainbow trout are sitting just downstream gorging themselves. These fish are suckers for a dead drifted bead or glo-bug.

Dolly fishing is still sensational. The average fish has dropped to about 20 inches long. Most of the bigger fish have moved far up the river. My fishermen have been using a small orange gurgler tied on a #8 long shank hook almost exclusively, the most fun you can have with a Dolly (other than maybe eating one). Most are just starting to color up. A few are already sporting fall colors.

My man Kim with one of dozens of Dolly Varden he caught on the gurgler fly.

Dead chums begin to litter the banks. The gulls are sitting there, burping. Trout will be keying on flesh. Time to tie, and use some nasty looking flesh flies.

Dead salmon support life on the Goodnews River. This was a chum salmon.

The weather this past week has, with the exception of one day, been cold, rainy, and windy. Running the boat has not been fun, but the clouds swirling around the mountains have been very dramatic, just beautiful. This is such an incredible place.

The sun tries to make an appearance through a hole in the clouds.

Most days lately have looked like this.

We have a sow bear with three cubs in the vicinity of camp. We see them frequently. She seems to be a very good mama, as all three cubs look fat and healthy.

Mama bear with some of the kids.

Embrace simplicity.

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 2011. All rights are reserved.

 

Share
|



Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Goodnews River- Alaska Fishing Report, Photo Essays · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Bleeding Bait Hooks

May 4, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

All predators, including fish, prey on the old, the sick, the weak. Any technique you use in your fishing to fool the fish into thinking your bait is an easy meal will increase your success rate. The Bleeding Bait hook is one such device.

This hook, developed by Daiichi, features a bright, shiny red finish that, according to the company’s research, simulates the gill flash of a baitfish in distress. Distress means easy meal to a fish, which means more bites for you.

Daiichi’s Bleeding Bait hooks come in a variety of styles for different applications. The octopus and circle wide styles make excellent hooks for bait fishing, while the Copper Head and Butt Dragger hooks are designed with soft plastic baits in mind. The Butt Dragger features a lead weight attached to the hook shank to get it down fast in deeper water.

Tarpon with Bleeding Bait Hook

This tarpon ate a menhaden tethered with a Bleeding Bait hook.

Bleeding Bait hooks won’t make your catch rate triple. But they’re another tool, another little trick, to help shorten the time between bites.

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights are reserved.

Share
|



Filed Under: Fishing Product News and Reviews, Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , , ,

Using Sound to Attract Gamefish

May 3, 2011 by · 1 Comment

Sound Advice

The fish we seek use all of their senses while searching for food. It only makes sense that the more of these senses you appeal to, the more success you’re likely to have catching them.

Adding sound to an otherwise silent bait is easily accomplished with the addition of a rattle. Woodie’s Rattlers makes a variety of products for the fisherman who wants to add the appeal of sound to his lures.

Woodie’s Rattling Hook is designed to be used with soft plastics such as jerk baits, soft plastic shrimp, etc. The hook has a rattle chamber glued to it. These chambers come in a variety of colors, offering a further enhancement.

seatrout on jerkbait

The fish catching ability of the jerkbait is enhanced by the rattle chamber on the hook.

The Versatile Rattle can be added to many different types of lures, subject only to your imagination. Or you can replace the “stick” in a standard popping cork with this rattle, turning the cork into a surprisingly loud fish attractor.

Finally, the plastic worm rattle can be added to flies, or various types of soft plastic baits, again adding a sound component to a bait that previously lacked one.

Adding a rattle to your lures will catch you more fish. Doing so is sound advice.

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights are reserved.

Share
|



Filed Under: Fishing Product News and Reviews, Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , ,

Clouds and Wind Make for Tough Week on Mosquito Lagoon

May 1, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

The Report from Spotted Tail 5/1/11

Upcoming Events-
-Space Shuttle Endeavour is now targeted to launch around 2:30 p.m. EDT, May 2.
-On May 7 I’ll be giving free fly tying lessons at Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka, starting at noon. We’ll be tying Clouser Minnows. Come out and see us, and walk out with some new flies!
-On May 21 I’ll be giving a seminar called Fly Fishing for West Coast Tarpon at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, starting at 10 AM. Tom Van Horn will also be giving a tarpon seminar aimed at east coast fish.

Bad News Dept.- the love bugs are back in all their I-can’t-see-out-my-windshield glory.

It’s Monday afternoon. It’s cloudy and windy. I’m sick of looking at the computer.

I grabbed a three weight and six foam spider flies and drove to the Econ River. In two hours I lost all six flies, caught some handsome panfish, fished around a large alligator, had a good time, and learned, or I should say re-learned, a few lessons.
-Use at least 8 lb. test for tippets. The five pound test I used just breaks too easily when you hang up. In the Econ, hang-ups are expected. Sunfish aren’t very leader shy.
-Don’t tie your spiders in black. You can’t see them! When you can’t see where your fly is you hang up more often.

Redbelly Sunfish

This green bug is much easier for the fisherman to see than a black one.

The water in both the Econ and the St. Johns is low, at a perfect fly fishing level. Sunfish ought to be bedding soon if they’re not already. So tie up some spiders and go try it.

Tuesday Scott Radloff and I went looking for fish in the Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River Lagoon. We got quite a few trout on DOA Shrimp, but didn’t see very many redfish anyplace and only got one junior leaguer on a wiggle jig. There was a fair wind blowing out of the south and it didn’t help us at all. The only school of reds I know of right now is down the south end of the Mosquito Lagoon, which is closed to entry until that shuttle blasts off.

Seatrout Head w/ DOA SHrimp

A DOA Glow Shrimp has been a hot lure this week.

Wednesday Dr. Lou Payor and his son Steven joined me for some fishing. We started in the Mosquito Lagoon. We fished around, using DOA Shrimp and Johnson Minnows, getting a few trout and ladyfish and seeing very little else. We went through the canal into the Indian River Lagoon and looked in a lot of places, none of which had any fish at all. Again, a fairly hard south wind didn’t help us. While we didn’t get skunked, it was hardly scintillating fishing.

On Friday afternoon Paul and Janet Moase joined me for some fishing and a space shuttle launch. We launched at Scottsmoor. My, what a crappy place to launch! The wind was howling (20-25) out of the north and it had blown all the water out of the north end of the lagoon. We barely made it out to Turnbull Basin. My outboard overheated on the way, all gunked up with mud and decaying vegetation.

Once we got out into the basin we started by casting DOA Shrimp. We got some trout and ladyfish, all fairly small. We looked along the edge of the flat for redfish but only saw one. Between the clouds and the wind though Moby Dick could have been there and we would have missed him.

Then Tom Van Horn called to tell me the launch was scrubbed.

We fished for almost four hours. Our best fish was a 19 inch trout we got on a DOA Shrimp. Tired of battling the wind we quit a few minutes early.

The shuttle is supposed to go up on Monday. It’s going to mess up my Monday charter, but a launch will make it all good.

Embrace simplicity.

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 2011. All rights are reserved.

Share
|





Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

More Ways to Avoid Catching Fish

April 30, 2011 by · 2 Comments

Here are a few more sins to use when you wish to scare off every fish on any flat you find yourself working. This time we’ll look at some fly casting errors.

Too Short- If you make a cast that is too short the fish will never see your fly.

Too Long- If you make a cast that’s too long several results can happen, none of which lead to a hookup.

In extreme cases, the fish sees your fly line. This won’t bother fish that don’t see many fishermen, but pressured fish won’t wait around for an explanation.

A cast made slightly too long causes the fly to approach the fish. Again, in lightly fished waters this may work. In heavily fished waters you’ll get a good view of the fish’s tail waving goodbye. Fish don’t expect to see a minnow, shrimp, crab, or whatever attacking them. They don’t like it when it happens.

If you cast too far into a school of fish, you will line the fish on the school’s edge, spooking them. One spooked fish in a school usually leads to a spooked school.

When casting to a school, work the edges. There are some clear floating fly lines available now that may solve this particular problem somewhat. Monic makes a completely clear line, and AirFlo makes a conventional line that has a 10 foot long clear tip. There’s nothing like a good, accurate cast, though.

Head Shots- Another casting flaw I call the splashdown. This is a cast that’s just a little too accurate. You hit the fish on the head (or other body part) with your fly. In lightly fished areas or in deeper water this actually works sometimes, but with heavily pressured fish in the shallow stuff you have blown opportunity.

The opposite of the splashdown occurs when you lead the fish too far. Optimum lead distance varies depending on the species of fish, how fast it’s swimming, the depth of the water, the current, and other factors, but if you lead the fish too far it will not see your fly. Sometimes an angler will lead a fish too far, then move the fly immediately after it hits the water. The fish never sees it, or is unwilling to chase it from such a great distance if he does see it. A too far lead can still work if you leave the fly there until the fish gets near it.

Many folks move the fly too much. Sometimes the best thing you can do after a cast is wait and see how it plays out.

Normally (where I do most of my fishing, at least) when you throw to a cruising fish you want to anticipate exactly where the fish will go (never an easy task), put your fly directly in its path, and leave the fly there until the fish is close enough to see it when you move it and respond to it in what you consider to be a positive manner.

The only way you can minimize these casting sins is to become a more proficient caster. Never mind worrying about how far you can cast. Speed and accuracy are all important in most flats situations. Get a few lids from five gallon buckets, set them on a lawn at various distances, and practice hitting them in sequence with only one or two false casts in all kinds of wind and weather conditions.

Good casters will always catch more fish than mediocre casters.

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights are reserved.

Share
|





Filed Under: Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , , , ,

Fly Fishing for West Coast Tarpon

April 19, 2011 by · 3 Comments

Why– if you have to ask…

Where– I fish the Fort Myers area but from Everglades up to Appalachicola. Homosassa, Tampa Bay south to Fort Myers Beach, Naples, and Everglades, all produce a lot of fish.

When– peak May and June. Some fish remain in Everglades, Charlotte Harbor into October

How?

Boat– a necessity. Fly fishing friendly, equipped w/ trolling motor(s). Flats skiffs and bay boats both work- water usually at least 3 feet deep, usually more. An anchor with float necessary.

Tackle

Rods-12 wt, 9 ft standard

Reels- highest quality- Abel, Tibor, Islander, etc.- 300 yds 30 lb. Dacron backing plus line

Line- ideally three rods w/ floating, sink-tip, & intermediate

Leaders- three piece big game style, at least 12 feet long.
-Butt- 6′ of 40-50 lb nylon
-Tippet- 6′ of 20 lb nylon/fluorocarbon, tied big game style
-Bite tippet- 12-24″ 60 lb fluorocarbon. Anything more than 12″ NOT IGFA compliant.      Longer bite tippet eliminates need for tarpon box.

Flies- Lots work, every guide has strong opinions. 2/0, 3/0, highest quality J-            hooks, sticky sharp!

Traditional hackle tarpon streamers, EP style, bunny flies, crab imitations, toads, shrimp. Variety of colors, brown, black, orange, purple, chartreuse, green. Never underestimate the power of the Cockroach!

Setting the drag- drag should be set at 25% of the tippet breaking strength, in other words, 3-4 lbs. Use a scale to learn. It’s hard to pull line from a drag set this tight.

Techniques

Needs for both- clean water, clear skies, moderate winds. Lots of fish help. Best to avoid weekends, especially Memorial Day.

Two main styles- wait and ambush vs. hunt them down.

Wait and Ambush– find a spot where visibility is good and fish frequently pass. Anchor and wait for them to come to you.
Advantages-  fuel efficient, no motor noise, lots of shots when fish are moving
Disadvantages- no shots when fish aren’t moving. Popular spots fill up.

orlando fishing, orlando fishing charters, orlando fishing trip, orlando fishing guide

Good light, light bottom, clear water, and a sizable tarpon school.

Hunt Them Down– Cruise w/ outboard, with electric, or on pushpole, hunting for fish at which to cast. When found, stalk fish w/ electric and/or pushpole to get into casting position.

Advantages- in some areas (Homosassa, others) fish don’t follow “paths”
-psychological feeling of being involved
-when fish aren’t moving it’s the only way to find some

Disadvantages-not fuel efficient. Motor noise, even trolling motor, spooks fish

You can use ambush style, then chase large groups of fish when they pass.

Tides and Fish

Simple explanation- Incoming tides generally push fish closer to shore. Falling tides cause fish to move farther out. In most places these are main tidal effects.

Complex explanation- Gulf has one tide days and two tide days. On one tide (“hill” tide) days Boca Grande Pass, Captiva Pass, and to a lesser extent other SW Florida passes have “crab hatches.” In afternoon big falling tide flushes pass crabs through passes. Pass crabs are tarpon candy. They rise to these like brown trout to mayfly duns. Fly fishing possible but crazy during crab hatch. Fairly easy to hook up sometimes, almost impossible to catch the fish. Current, depth, sharks, other boaters big problems.

Fish Behaviors

Backcountry fish- will lay up, fin out, and act in a generally relaxed way. Great to see. Relaxed fish will eat. Deep water rollers- hard to target with fly.

Beach fish are generally moving- cruisers.

Generally, you want fish high in the water column. When deep they’re hard to target with fly.

orlando fishing, orlando fishing charters, orlando fishing trip, orlando fishing guide

Generally you want the fish coming at you and high in the water.

-Singles vs. schools- fish range in numbers from one to hundreds. All are legitimate shots. Singles eat. If the shot is there, take it!

-Flashing- fish rolls on side and flashes. Fish that do this generally relaxed.

-Rolling- fish come to surface and gulp air. Visible from a long way off, 200-300 yards.

-Daisy chain- fish get in circle and swim nose to tail, clockwise or counterclockwise. Both BC and beach fish will daisy chain. Great opp for fly caster. Always cast to fish coming at you.

Presenting the Fly

#1 Rule- Wait until you’re sure you can make the cast!

#2 Rule- wait for a good angle! Best angle- fish coming straight at you. Next- crossing shots. Fish moving away- no chance.

The higher in the water the fish is/are, the better your chance.

#3 Rule- lead the fish. Allow it to encounter the fly.

#4 Rule- strip just fast enough to keep the fly in front of the fish, or just keep contact with it, depending on presentation angle. Keep the fly in the strike zone as long as you can.

Strike zone with single fish is fairly small. With a big school it’s huge.

These fish live a long time and have seen it all. It is not easy to get a bite, even when you do everything perfectly.

The Bite

The moment a big tarpon takes your fly is the finest, most amazing moment in angling. Nothing else comes close.

When the fish turns, strip strike. And again! And again! Often he’ll only give you one chance though.

Job one- clear line to the reel.

Put rod butt against forearm. Circle thumb and forefinger on line hand and allow line to clear to reel. If a knot forms turn the rod guides up. The knot has a better chance to clear this way.

When the fish is to the reel, if he’s not jumping, use the rod and set the hook again, 3, 4, 5 times. It’s like driving a nail. Get that thing stuck!

Bow to the king! When he jumps lower the rod and point it at him. You need slack when he’s airborne or he’ll break the leader.

orlando fishing, orlando fishing charters, orlando fishing trip, orlando fishing guide

Bow to the king when he jumps to put a little slack in the line. This helps prevent leader breakage.

His first rush often requires a chase with the boat. That’s why you need a float on the anchor. Don’t try to stop or slow him, and pray he jumps a lot. Fish that don’t jump will hurt you.

Once he slows down get the fly line on the reel and start pulling. How hard do you pull? As hard as you’re able to. This part isn’t so amazing, and is really hard work. Many wannabe tarpon fishers realize during this part of the fight that this isn’t something they want to repeat.

One of you is always taking line.

Change the angle of pull frequently. Pull in the direction opposite that of the fish. Use the “down and dirty,” especially when he tries to roll.

When the fish surges, back off. As soon as he slows go back to work.

If your drag is properly set, if you use good technique, and if the fish jumps at least a couple times you should have him boatside in 30 to 45 minutes. If you get past an hour you should just break him off before a shark eats him.

Use gloves to lip the fish. For his sake and yours, leave him in the water. Use your trolling motor to drag him to revive him. When he’s ready for release you won’t be able to hold him.

orlando fishing, orlando fishing charters, orlando fishing trip, orlando fishing guide

Use gloves and grab the fish's jaw with your hands.

A good guide is your best tool if you’d like to try this.

Capt. John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com

All content in this blog, including text and photographs copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights reserved.

Share
|





Filed Under: Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

The Return of the Ambassadeur

April 14, 2011 by · 2 Comments

Long, long ago, the Ambassadeur was the king of the plug reels. That time may be gone, but lots of Ambassadeurs are still out there. They are still fine, serviceable pieces of equipment. Except that darned drag may not be working so great.

I have three of the silver Ambassadeurs, and I wanted to bring a couple to Alaska for king salmon duty. The drags were terrible. A little time searching google brought up the solutions.

One is Smooth Drags (http://www.smoothdrag.com). They sell the parts you need to make that drag as smoooth as a baby’s butt.

The other is (I’m not making this up) the United States Catfish Association website (http://www.catfish1.com/forums/f184/replacing-upgrading-drag-washers-ambassadeur-reels-13940.html), where they have a step by step instruction on how to disassemble, replace the drag washers of, and reassemble your Ambassadeur.

I just finished repairing two of my three Ambassadeurs and just ordered the parts for the last one.

Those reels better pack some long underwear. They’re going to Alaska.

John Kumski

Home- Spotted Tail Outdoors and Travel

All content in this blog, including text and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights reserved.

Share
|





Filed Under: Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , ,

Three Ways to NOT Catch Flats Fish

April 13, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Learn a few sins to use when you wish to scare off every fish on any flat.

Big Mosquito Lagoon Redfish

You'll never catch fish like this one if you're noisy.

Clothing
If you can see them, you should assume they can see you, too. Flats fish can see bright clothing, especially brightly colored shirts or hats, more easily than more subdued shades. My friend Barry Kent was disgusted with himself one day while we were fishing together, saying his white hat had spooked several fish. White, bright red, and bright yellow are definitely colors to avoid when chasing skinny water fish. Wear subdued earth tones to avoid becoming a neon DANGER sign to your quarry.

For the ultimate in flats camouflage, Aqua Design makes a line of technical clothing printed with computer enhanced images taken from underwater photographs looking through the water’s surface. If you make it harder for the fish to sense your presence you ought to get more good shots at fish.

Noise
Fish in shallow water respond negatively to noise, even the human voice. They hear everything you do with your feet. The following two examples illustrate this.

One recent morning three of us were stalking a school of about 200 redfish from my boat when my angler moved the Fly Lane Tamer, trying to get it into a better position for casting. The Tamer’s base bumped the lip that goes around the edge of my casting deck. The school, almost in casting range at that point, immediately stampeded and never slowed down as long as they remained in sight, pushing a receding wake for at least a quarter of a mile. A golden opportunity was lost because of one small bump.

On another picture perfect morning (the kind fishermen dream about) I was wading with a friend. We were surrounded by tailing redfish, literally hundreds of them, in water less than knee deep. My friend decided he needed to tell me something, even though he was 100 yards away. After he shouted over to me, every tail in the vicinity immediately disappeared.

If you want more shots at fish while on the flats conduct yourself as though you are stalking wary wild animals that are intent on surviving, because that’s exactly what you are doing.

Hesitation
An old proverb says that, “He who hesitates is lost.” Flats fishing proves this adage true over and over again. If you hesitate once the fish is in casting range, the fish either moves too close and sees you or else it moves too far away and you can’t reach it. It’s better to do anything, screw up, and learn from your mistake than stand there wondering what to do and let the opportunity disappear.

Fly fishermen often ask me, “How far will I need to cast?” In most flats fishing speed and accuracy of delivery will be more important than distance. Fifty feet, on target and right now, will usually do the trick.

There are more common sins. They will be the subject of upcoming blogs.

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com

All content in this blog including text and photos copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights reserved.

Share
|





Filed Under: Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »