You are here: Home / Archives for fly fishing

A One Striper Report

July 8, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

A One Striper Report

Thanks for reading this one striper report. Susan and I spent the week in Winthrop, with a rocky beach literally a minute’s walk away. I spent at least a little time every day on that beach with a spin rod in hand.

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

We kicked the week off with a walk around Deer Island, the site of a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant (the second largest in the country) that handles the poop from Boston and 43 other communities. Are you listening, Florida? Boston Harbor has clean, fish-filled waters because of this plant. Sure wish we had one or more on the Indian River Lagoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s a hill in Winthrop, the top of which has a water tower. Having caught stripers from the beach below this tower in the past, that’s where I went looking for fish. The only one I saw caught was by a guy who was wearing a wet suit, way out in the water, past where I could cast to, who was casting even farther out. Then, Friday afternoon, I got one, a modest specimen, on a DOA Cal jig. I haven’t seen any bait, any diving birds, and certainly no breaking fish.

 

 

There are oystercatchers nesting there, though. The bird with the number 25 tag has nested here for the past ten years. A woman who works for Mass. Audubon told me the oldest one recorded in the state lived 28 years. The are such cool birds…

 

Scott Deveau and I went to Plum Island and tried fishing there, Scott with a spin rod, me with fly gear. I hooked, and lost, a large American shad, the only bite we got. We talked to a guy with a Hobie kayak who had just come in. He said they were swimming all around him, but he only got one. But one is so many more than none!

We saw the full moon rise one evening, quite spectacular.

We went to see the Winthrop fireworks on a foggy Fourth of July night. They started over an hour late, but we stayed and watched.

 

 

 

That’s the one striper 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, travel blog · Tagged: , , , , ,

A Poor Kezar Lake Report

June 24, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

A Poor Kezar Lake Report

Kezar Lake at dusk.

Thanks for reading this poor Kezar Lake Report. Only two days this week were spent fishing, because we had to drive to Maine from Florida, five glorious days spent in the van.

Needham’s skimmer (I think) at Okeefenokee NW Refuge.

 

At Lackawanna State Park in Pennsylvania.

Hope everyone enjoyed the solstice.

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

Our plan was to visit the Canadian Rockies. Then Canada caught fire. Didn’t they know we wanted to visit? Anyway, we cancelled all our reservations, which was a pretty good financial beatdown. I hope the parks get some of our money.

Ralph Tedesco had a cabin he mostly didn’t rent this summer, and said we could use it! Talk about saving our vacation! Bless you Ralph, and now we’re at Kezar Lake.

I bought my fishing license Friday morning, then put my gear together, dragged a kayak down to the lake, and went for a spin. Nothing like starting a fishing trip in the heat of the day. Predictably, the bite was off. I got a single strike, from a chain pickerel. I saw two fish examine my flies and say no. And that was that, at least for the afternoon.

 

Dragonfly exuvium, on a pine tree.

Saturday morning I got up at 0530 and tried again. I got a few smallmouth bass on a surface fly, and hooked and lost another nice pickerel. Done at 0830.

That’s the poor Kezar Lake 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, travel blog · Tagged: , , , ,

Fished a Day Report

April 1, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Fished a Day Report

Regular readers of this blog know I have been working on building a canoe. I took Monday off from canoe building and used it to go fishing. I fished a day! So we have a fished a day report.

And what a day it was! Spectacular weather, the river to myself, and fish that were pretty cooperative. I started with spin tackle (the fish don’t seem to want to come up until the day warms) and finished strong with a fly rod popper. I lost my well-used fly rod mouse to a monster gar that somehow got hooked when he ate it, then proceeded to show me his impressive dimensions, then proceeded to pop my leader like sewing thread.

First fish of the day.

Got a few sunfish, too. No line-breakers there.

Wildlife observed included wading birds, turtles, alligators, swallow-tailed kites (a favorite), and this guy, who I believe thought he was hiding:

The rest of the week I worked on the canoe, except for the day this went on:

A new drain field for our septic system, in progress.

For interested parties, you can see the details of the canoe-building here:
https://builds.capefalconkayaks.com/2023/04/jks-central-florida-canoe-build-chapter-4-completing-the-frame/

Here a photo of your blogger with his finished canoe frame-

Skinning the boat will happen towards the end of nest week, I suspect.

And that’s the Fished a Day 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 · Tagged: , , , , ,

Fished Around Central Florida Report

March 10, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Fished Around Central Florida Report

Thanks for reading this Fished Around Central Florida Report. Was fortunate enough to get out four days, and visited the dermatologist again. The weather maintains a fantastic level between fabulous and awesome.

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

Saturday

 

Bob Hosking and I went to the Econlockhatchee. It being Saturday, I was expecting a plastic horde, but we had the place to ourselves. We got quite a few fish, and while there were no monsters, a couple four-pounders came to hand. Bob used a plastic worm. I used a fly rod mouse and a Senko. It didn’t seem to make much difference.

Bob, average-sized Econ bass.

 

Monday

noting the water was low, I visited the Banana River Lagoon. The water makes up for its low level with a distinct lack of clarity. I got a nice trout blind-casting the Senko, and a couple shoreline redfish (the only way I could have seen them) on a black Clouser Minnow. Don’t need to go back for a while.

The fish threw saltwater all over my camera.

Tuesday

I tried Mosquito Lagoon again. I could copy and paste what I just wrote about the Banana River Lagoon. Low, dirty water, the only fish I could see were on the shoreline. Incredibly, managed three reds on fly. Took zero photos, somewhat of a relief, actually.

Thursday

Took a solo Econlockhatchee trip. It’s been good, the water is at the right level. Flies and soft plastics are what I’ve been using. Saw lots of gatorsaurusses.

 

Friday

my PA (I feel like we’re developing a relationship at this point) at the dermatologist froze another pre-cancerous lesion off my face. That’s what I get for spending so much of my life in the sunshine.

That’s the Fished Around Central Florida Report 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: central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Off the Injured List

March 3, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Off the Injured List

Thanks for reading off the injured list. As Mel Brooks would say, It’s good to have two functioning hands! Happy to be ambulatory, I fished six days in a row.

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

Friday

I launched at CS Lee Park on the St. Johns River to test the transom. What a difference! And, once there, it only made sense to try and catch some shad. There weren’t many around. Mine was the only boat there. Two shad came to hand in four hours. Got some nice crappie and a fat redbelly, too, all on crappie jigs.

Saturday

I went scouting out of River Breeze, using the jonboat. Although I got a nice red and a couple trout, I found a lot of places to not go back to for a while.

Sunday

Bob Hosking and I went to Mosquito Lagoon in the Bang-O-Craft. The water is getting dirty and fishing was slow. We got a small snook and two marginal seatrout between us in almost six hours. Sadly, the fish abandoned all the places where I’d been getting them prior to the surgery.   🙁

Monday

I took the stitches out of my thumb. Not sure if paddling was a good idea yet, I went walking along the Econlockhatchee, alternating tossing a plastic shad and a Senko-style bait. The fish weren’t suicidal, but I got five or six bass, smallish ones, in four hours. A lovely afternoon it was!

Tuesday

On a gurgler dressed like a mouse…

Susan dropped me and my kayak off at the Econlockhatchee, armed with both fly and spin rods. Both worked well! The bass averaged a pound to two, with a couple heftier ones to keep it spicy.

 

Which view do you prefer?

The gatorsauruses kept it REAL spicy. When I got to the take-out Susan came and picked me up. Yes, I am lucky. It helps we live nearby. When the water runs low and clear, the Econ is such a lovely stream.

Wednesday

was a Mosquito Lagoon kayak day. I saw only four redfish all day, hooking, and losing, the last one. Just when things were looking bleak a black drum tailed. There weren’t a lot of them, just enough to keep me entertained. Had good shots at six, caught and released two.

 

Thursday

Redbelly on the mouse gurgler. Must have been HUNGRY.

I returned to the Econlockhatchee, hitting a different section. No gators! Got a channel cat on a Senko, a first for me. Also got a sunfish slam on fly. And the usual largemouth bass assortment, some (the biggest) on spin, most on fly.

 

The weather was awesome all week, the fish mostly bit, and both my hands work again. Life is great!

That’s the off the injured list 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 · Tagged: , , , , ,

Central Florida Fishing and More Report

February 18, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Central Florida Fishing and More Report

Thanks for viewing this Central Florida Fishing and More Report. I thought I was to see the doctor on Monday, hoping to get off probation then. Imaging my dismay when I realized my appointment wasn’t until Wednesday, and I didn’t get off probation fully anyway. No paddling for another couple weeks.

Subscribers, if the photos (not many this week, and all file photos) don’t load, please visit my blog at https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/

Sunday-

I went walking with Bob Hosking at the Black Bear Wilderness Area in Sanford. Not to be picky, but there are no wilderness areas that are only 1600 acres. Let’s not dilute the meaning of the word “wilderness”. If I can hear internal combustion, if there are boardwalks, it ain’t wilderness! Anyway, nice enough walk. Didn’t see any black bears, but did see several black feral hogs. Lots of songbirds, too.

Monday-

After the seven-mile walk I was a little gimpy, and just took it easy.

Tuesday-

The weather was fantastic. I’m going fishing! Took a spin rod and walked along the Econ, tossing a 3″ plastic shad. My third cast landed in a branch on the far side, one lure down. Rust shaken, I got serious and managed to take four bass, none very large. I then tried under the Snow Hill Road bridge for shad, without any luck.

Wednesday-

I saw the surgeon. She liked the way I was healing, but I can’t immerse the hand in bacteria-laden waters for two more weeks. I never thought much of Vibrio, anyway…

Thursday-

Took the Bang-O-Craft onto the St. Johns for a feasibility test. Got one big redbelly, two nice shad, and a half-dozen crappie on crappie jigs in four hours. Test passed!

 

Friday-

Took the Bang-O-Craft to Mosquito Lagoon  to see if the fish I had been catching almost three weeks ago were still there. As best as I could tell, they were not, although there were boats on a couple of my spots. The water is much cloudier than it was, too. My spin reel was seized up, so it was fly only. I had several shots at shoreline reds, and actually hooked one. Final tally was one red and one trout, both blind-casting while wading.

I also realized the Bang-O-Craft needs transom-replacement surgery, and soon. Not surprising, it’s close to 40 years old.

I also finally got the cedar boards I need to start building my canoe, which hopefully I can start soon.

That’s the Central Florida Fishing and More 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: central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports · Tagged: , , , , ,

An Ode to Redfish

December 17, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

An Ode to Redfish Photo Essay, and a Merry Christmas to All

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Ode to Redfish. I only went fishing one day this week. Weather was fine when I left home, started pouring as soon as I put the boat in the water. I waited in the car for an hour, hoping it would stop. Then the boat resumed its place on my car’s roof, and we went home. No fishing.

And a Merry Christmas to all! And the Winter solstice 2022 in Northern Hemisphere will be at 4:47 PM on Wednesday, December 21!

Wanting to post this week because I won’t again until 2023, the Ode to Redfish idea struck. Here it is!

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

The Copper Coated Crab Cruncher

By John Kumiski

The copper coated crab cruncher
just crunches crabs all day.
He’ll also eat some shrimp and fish
to while his time away.

You’ll find him sometimes tailing.
Sometimes he just sits still.
Sometimes he keeps a-cruising,
hoping his gut to fill.

He’ll sometimes be all by himself.
Other times he’ll be with friends.
No one can say why he does what.
On him it all depends.

They come sometimes as little rats.
They come as big bull reds.
I’d rather see them live and swimming
than in someone’s cooler, dead.

I catch them while I’m wading.
I catch them from my boat.
Some days I catch none at all.
But always I have hope.

I catch them with my spinning rod.
I catch them with my flies.
No matter how I catch them,
It almost gets me high.

I really love that redfish,
though he’s a simple beast.
Spending a day where redfish live
is a wonderful sensory feast.

I know this is a silly poem,
but I’m a silly boy.
One thing you can be sure of though,
redfish make me jump with joy!

I don’t know if Santa likes to fish. Rodney Smith, Banana River Lagoon. Merry Christmas!!!

 

Scott Radloff, off Cape Canaveral.

 

The late Joe Mulson casts, Tom Mitzlaff poles, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

The late Lefty Kreh, Indian River Lagoon.

 

River and Mike Conneen, St. George Sound.

 

Mark Marsh with a fatty, Indian River Lagoon.

 

Mosquito Lagoon tailers.

 

Son Maxx, first redfish on fly, Indian River Lagoon.

 

Patrick Phillips, Banana River Lagoon. I still use the kayak, 20 years later!

 

The inimitable Tamazon, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

George Allen, early morning Mosquito Lagoon.

 

My brother-in-law Richie Surprise, Indian River Lagoon. This image was a Florida Sportsman cover.

 

Laurel Boylen, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Maxx and Alex, Indian River Lagoon.

 

Redfish portrait, Banana River Lagoon.

 

Bryan Carter, Ken Shannon, Plaqueman’s Parrish, Louisiana.

 

Austin Warmus, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Bob Duport and Terri, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Tom Van Horn, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Alex and Maxx, Banana River Lagoon.

 

I forget this guy’s name, unfortunately. He got this big red and it squirted milt all over his legs. Indian River Lagoon.

 

Kevin is holding what looks like a redfish but is actually a trip to the Haunted House with Dad at Disney World.

 

Susan, Little Talbot Island.

 

Redfish school, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Valentine redfish, East Bay.

 

The late Steve Baker, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

A deformed redfish, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Charlie Chapman, Banana River Lagoon.

 

Marcia Foosaner, Indian River Lagoon. The Space Shuttle, carrying John Glenn, goes up behind her.

 

Redfish portrait, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Redfish portrait, Indian River Lagoon.

That’s the Ode to Redfish. Thanks for reading! And a Merry Christmas to all!!!

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: Photo Essays, Uncategorized · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Fished 1.25 Days, and an Ode to Seatrout

November 26, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

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.

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

An Everglades Retrospective

November 10, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

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.

Filed Under: Fishing Stories, Paddle Fishing Florida, Photo Essays · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Three Lagoons Fishing Report

October 28, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

Three Lagoons Fishing Report

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Three Lagoons Fishing Report. Fished three days this week- one day for each lagoon! The three lagoons are on the east coast of Florida, wrapped around and extending north and south from the Kennedy Space Center. The length of the system is about 160 miles, so three days in a kayak is likely to leave a few spots totally unexplored…

October historically has the highest water levels of the year. A hurricane passed recently, dumping LOTS of rain. The water is high and dirty brown everywhere I went. Sadly, dirty brown has replaced crystal clear as the new normal.

I like the gauge to read below 0.5. Maybe after New Year’s…

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

Monday

Sight fished with a fly.

The idea was to try and sightfish with fly tackle on Mosquito Lagoon. This required finding areas that are often dry during normal water levels. I wouldn’t say the trip was a resounding success, but it was a spectacular day, I had five or six shots, and actually hooked and released two fish. Mission accomplished!

Wednesday

This guy didn’t know it was a tarpon fly.

Indian River Lagoon was on the menu this day. I knew where there were baby tarpon, and had tied some new flies for the attempt. Regular readers may recall when last I fished these guys, I had a bite on the first cast and then nothing but one ladyfish afterwards. A classic tarpon fly called a Cockroach was tied onto the end of my leader. I saw some fish rolling, so cast it into the area (no seeing these guys in that water). A bite and I had… a redfish! A beautiful, nine-spot fish it was.

It had four more spots on the starboard side.

A while later the line came tight again. The fish finally jumped, and it was a tarpon. Small, five or six pounds. I was able to photograph it. It was the last fish the Cockroach would catch.

I went a long time without a bite.

I ran into another fly fisherman. He’d gotten a variety of fish on a weighted streamer, just chucking it. I kept tossing a Polar Fiber Minnow at rolling tarpon, and got a seatrout, a decent one.

I went a long time without a bite, again.

Changing tactics, I tried the spin rod with a DOA Shrimp. A bite! A snook! Another bite! A redfish! Tried a Closer Minnow, and got another redfish. And then, to complete my Indian River Lagoon Super Duper Fly Rod Grand Slam, a snooklet!

I went a long time without a bite, again. I tried the tarpon again- they all said no. I paddled back, loaded up, and went home.

Thursday

I tried Banana River Lagoon, launching at KARS Park. The gate guard told me no one had fished the previous day, and I was the first one there at 8 AM. So clearly the fishing wasn’t very good. Hurricanes have knocked a lot of trees into the water along the shoreline, and it looks extraordinarily fishy. Looks can be deceiving. I paddled all the way to Buck Creek, getting a trout while trolling, a snook while casting the shoreline (both on the rubber shad), and spotting one redfish and three black drum in all that distance, maybe four miles. Mind you, there was no wind. You could have seen a fish move from a quarter mile away.

You would think there would be oodles of fish here. How many does it take to make an oodle, anyway???

At Buck Creek, two or three tarpon rolled in almost an hour. Blind casting a streamer got me casting practice.

I got another trout dragging the shad behind me as I paddled back to the launch, at which point I loaded up, having gotten plenty of exercise. But I wasn’t skunked once in three days.

That’s the Three Lagoons Fishing 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 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Next Page »