13 Time Saving Tips for Lucky Anglers

orlando fishing, orlando redfishing, orlando fishing tripLucky anglers get that way because they operate efficiently. They recognize opportunities and act decisively when one presents itself. Let’s take a look at 13 tips that when incorporated into you everyday angling routine will make you one of the lucky ones.

1. Keep your spool full with fresh line. You can cast farther when the spool is full. Fresh line is stronger than old line.

2. Don’t use swivels, snaps, or other similar hardware. These devices have some specific uses, but most of the time they just mess up the action of your bait or lure. Keep as little “stuff” on the business end of the line as you can. Try to keep it line-leader-hook.

3. In the same vein, use as little weight as possible. In the lagoons that may mean none at all, or a small shot. In the surf, use the smallest weight that will get the job done.

4. Wear a line clipper on a piece of fishing line around your neck. I hang mine on a piece of fly line. Any time you need to cut your line the right tool is right there.

5. Carry a good pair of pliers. I like the Gerber MultiTool. Keep them in a nylon holster on your belt. Any time you need them they are within easy reach.

6. Keep a dehooker handy. There are many styles, including home-made, but the ARC Dehooker is the best known. The dehooker not only saves you time, it saves the lives of the fish you release. You don’t even need to touch them!

7. A towel kept in your pocket or on your belt will dry and de-slime your hands when touching the bait, fish, or what-have-you becomes necessary.

8. Keep more than one rod handy, each with a different lure rigged. When you want to change lures, simply switch rods, rather than cutting and re-tying.

9. Practice your knot tying until you can tie your favorites blind-folded. You want to tie good knots quickly when you’re surrounded by fish.

10. When using live bait, keep a little dip net handy for pulling it out of the bait well, bucket, or whatever.

11. When searching for fish, use attractor-type lures that make noise, vibrate, have a lot of flash, or all three. Cover as much water as you can!

12. When you’re on spooky species of fish, use subtle baits like jerk baits or the DOA Shrimp. These baits are less likely to scare off spooky fish. Of course, for aggressive fish like bluefish or crevalle the noisy lures will usually be a good thing!

13. Hire a guide. Let them do all work! I’m available! Call me now! 407.977.5207, http://www.spottedtail.com/Rates.htm

Try incorporating these thirteen tips into your daily fishing routine and watch them increase your luck!

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2010. All rights are reserved.

Shuttle Launch Scrubbed; Why Not Election?

Shuttle Launch Scrubbed; Why Not Election?

The Report from Spotted Tail 11/7/10

in this issue

space shuttle
new kayak book
the election
chiggers
cold weather
the fishing
smoking cobia again

Space Shuttle
Sunday’s charter was changed to Monday and then Tuesday because of the shuttle launch. Today is Friday and it’s still on the ground! Better scrubbed than exploded, I say. Supposedly November 30 it goes up, for now. I want to be over there, it could be the last shuttle to launch. It is an incredible thing to experience.

Tuesday morning David Gustafson and his friend Kim met me at Parrish Park. We already knew the shuttle wasn’t going. Then as I headed down the Haulover Canal the Yamaha softly quit. I couldn’t get it going again.
I freely admit that mechanically I am an idiot. I checked the fuel tank, the fuel line connection to the gas tank, the water separator, even took the cowling off and gazed with a mixture of admiration and frustration at all that mysterious mechanical stuff on which I so depend.
Couldn’t get it to start. Electric motored back, trailered the boat, and brought it to Rod Miller. Charter over. Zero fishing.
Rod puzzled over it for a couple minutes and found the fuel line connector at the motor had come off. Of course. I hadn’t checked that.
Some simple things can make you feel so stupid, duh. Again, David and Kim, I’m sorry.

New Paddling Guidebook
Susan Young and Roger Fulton have published a nice little paddling guide to east central Florida, called, oddly enough, 25 Kayak & Canoe Trips in East-Central Florida (129 pp., spiral bound, 4 x 8 inches, www.CommonManBooks.com, $19.95). It’s written for the common man! Unlike our legal and tax systems. However, I digress.
I checked out descriptions of two trips with which I’m familiar. They were good, giving any paddler all the information they would need to take any of the not rigorous paddle trips described in the book. It’s sized so you can carry it in a back pocket, or a day pack side pocket, or maybe on your lap as you paddle.
While it’s not written with fishermen in mind, any paddling fisherman in the area covered would get some good ideas for places to explore here. Get more information at this link: http://rogerfulton.com/ecotours/FLBooks/CFL-Kayak.htm

The Election
The election was Tuesday and mercifully the ads are done until next time. I hope everyone voted. That’s what gives you the right to complain!
Some people won. Some people lost. There were big parties. There was wailing and gnashing of teeth. Things may change. That’s all I’m going to say about it.

The World Series (a bonus)
Some people won. Some people lost. There were big parties. There was wailing and gnashing of teeth. Things may change. That’s all I’m going to say about it.

Yucky Chiggers
About a month ago I went running in the woods and got torn up by chiggers, nasty little things I knew nothing about. Before I dared go running in the woods again (the other day, the first time I’ve gotten my courage back up), a little research preceded the run.
Except for that biting thing, they’re fascinating little critters. If you like going into the woods to fish, hunt, run, bicycle, or what-have-you, you might read the article at this link: http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/avoid-outdoor-pests/chiggers

Cold Weather Fishing, Florida Style
We had a cold front come through yesterday, the first of this season. The acorn fall this year has been tremendous, goldenrods are blooming, the sweet gum and red maple leaves are falling, autumn is almost over and winter is almost here.

That means it’s time to break out the waders!

The cooler months are my favorite time to paddle fish. If you use a sit-on-top kayak you need waders to not get wet. The water temperatures get down into the 50’s here during the winter, so you definitely don’t want to be wet all day.
Waders also let you wade with impunity, even on chilly days.
Fortunately in Florida rudimentary waders will work as well (almost) as extreme $700 ones.
Paddle fishing when the water is winter low allows you to get into seriously shallow water where skiffs can’t go. It’s hunting for shallow water fishies at its best!
Break out the light-weight fly rods for some serious fun with reds and trout. I’ll be writing about this more in upcoming reports.
I will say this, though, the Redfish Worm fly at this link (http://www.spottedtail.com/FlyOfTheWeek.htm ) is one of my favorite winter patterns.

The Fishing
Tuesday’s trip has already been described.

The first day or two after a cold front is not usually a good time to flats fish. It all comes down to how hard and how cold the wind is. If a good, strong front comes through, the first day of calm weather afterwards is frequently the best fishing of the season. It could be the best day of the year. So getting ready for Saturday’s trip I had my fingers crossed the wind would lay down.
The forecast was for 15-20 out of the northwest and a high of 66. When I got to Parrish Park it was about NW at 20 and darned cold. My fisherman, a fly guy, didn’t want to go out. I don’t blame him. So I drove home again.

After the shuttle didn’t launch Tuesday, Maxx, Scott Radloff, Cindy Kimber, and I made plans every other day last week to go watch the launch. Since it didn’t go up we never got out. I didn’t wet a line this week.

The launch is now scheduled for November 30. I have the day open if any readers want to charter me to watch and fish.

Smoking Cobia, Again
Last week I wrote that I used oak to make smoke in the fish smoker. Reader Ray Kotke wrote, “up here in Michigan we smoke fish all the time, and you REALLY want to try using most any fruitwood chips for smoking fish. Even hickory chips is better than oak! Try some cherry or apple wood chips.”
It sounds like a great idea and thanks for the suggestion! Oaks grow in my yard, so that’s probably what I’ll continue using unless I get a dead orange tree someplace.

Embrace simplicity.

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- go fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com