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Tiger Key Fishing Report and Photo Essay

April 20, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

Tiger Key Fishing Report

A blessed Easter to everyone. Thank you for reading this Tiger Key fishing report.

FANTASTIC OFFER
Three of my book titles are now available for five cents each, only from my website.
-Flyrodding Florida Salt
-How and Where to Catch Redfish in the Indian River Lagoon System
-Fishing Florida’s Space Coast
Shipping is still $5.95 each. The mailers cost money, the post office wants a cut, and the mail boy has to bring the package to the post office. But you can have each of these titles delivered to your door for six bucks until June 15. Act now!

FISHING!

MONday
Last week I wrote- “Thursday loaded up the expedition kayak (Ocean Kayak Prowler 15) and went to Spruce Creek, which is not much of an expedition.” Monday I took it on an expedition, maybe short, but an expedition none the less. Drove to Everglades City, leaving mi casa at 0400, arriving 1000. Self-issuing camping permit in hand, I loaded up the boat with food, gear, and tackle (fly only) and paddled eight miles out to Tiger Key.

The wind was honkin pretty good out of the northwest and the water, near the top of the tide, was riled up. I did not see any fish other than black mullet on the way out, and did not get a bite after setting up camp. Did not hit it hard, was fairly drained from all the travel.

Campsite, Tiger Key. Nice.

I could not help but notice the army of fiddler crabs, way more than I’ve ever seen anywhere. Why is nothing snacking on them?

Good thing these guys don’t attack people. There were thousands of them.

Tuesday
Beautiful weather! No bugs! Southeast wind made fishing the outside of the islands the thing to do. Cast right off the campsite before breakfast or coffee, getting two small jacks and two small ladyfish on the Bouncer shrimp. Would have liked something sexier but these days be happy with what you get, John!

That’s quite a modest jack. First fish of the trip, though.

After a quick breakfast bite went boating- not far! Saw a place that said, Fish here! So I did. Second cast garnered a strike, a snooklet. Released him after a quick photo and went back to casting. A few casts later hooked a snook that was four pounds, maybe a little more. He went through the #20 Seaguar. Put on an Electric Sushi, 2/0.

The snooklet spit on my lens.  🙁

 

 

Everything was sized modestly.

Before the bite stopped there I’d gotten a redfish (small) and 10 or so trout in the slot. Spent the rest of the day hunting for fish that I didn’t find. There was no bait anywhere. Saw a single snook on top of a bar, did not get a shot. Saw one shark on the same bar. Blind-cast in places that screamed, Fish here! Did not touch a fish all day until I went back to the morning spot, where a half-dozen more trout fell to the Sushi fly.

After supper got another jack fishing by the campsite, for a nice circular ending to the day. Stayed up barely long enough to see some of my favorite constellations, tough under an almost-full moon. Slept well.

Beseeching the fish gods to toss me some crumbs.

Wednesday
Thinking that the outside didn’t work too well, went looking inside. Had a low outgoing tide to start, perfect for hunting shallow bays. Those bays had a few black mullet and the tiniest of fry minnows and nothing else.

There were lots of ospreys, good to see!

The only birds around were ospreys. There were no ibis (didn’t see one in four days!) and very few herons or egrets. No bait, no birds, no fish. I’m going back to where I got the fish yesterday.

Another snooklet.

Once there I had the same conditions as the previous day. Again, a snooklet attacked the Sushi fly almost immediately. A while later I got another. A while later I got another rat red. Then nothing. I stayed longer than I should have, hoping the trout would show. They didn’t. I hopped in the boat and went hunting again.

I worked another point real hard and again got nothing until a flounder took pity on me. It wasn’t much of a fish, but it was a fish.

Deciding a picnic on Picnic Key would be appropriate, I paddled over there. The beach is long and beautiful. The sun was high, the water clear. I walked toward the far end, high on the beach, hoping to spot a snook or redfish.

The beach at Picnic Key, home of the mighty houndfish.

When I got to the far end I reversed field. To my amazement, where there was nothing a few minutes earlier there was a fish. But it was almost bright green! What was it?

I cast too far in front. Hoping the fish would move toward me I let the fly sit there. The fish was not moving. When I tried to recover the fly it was discovered it had found a root. Pulling it off the root did not bother the fish, but it did bend the hook. While straightening it I broke the barb off.

The next cast landed a foot in front of the fish. He immediately came over to check. One twitch and BAM! It was a houndfish. He almost beached himself when he jumped, a pretty spectacular 1.27 seconds. Then the barbless hook came free. I suspect they’re hard to hook anyway, what with the bony beak.

While I was picnicking a guide boat with four tourists came to look for shells and whatnot. The captain was a crusty Chokoloskee Island native, knew Edgar Watson’s son. While we chatted he said something which was pretty obvious to someone who’s fished Florida for very long- “There sure ain’t as many fish as there used to be.”

No fish here.

I checked three more islands, saw a single redfish on two big stingrays. Did not get a shot.

No fish here, either.

The day was getting old when I went back to my “spot.” A few trout had come in, got a half-dozen to three pounds. One, once hooked, came in, did not fight until I tried to grab him. Then he thrashed like crazy. “Fish, please don’t do that, you’ll attract a shark.” No sooner did I release him than a six foot bull swam by a rod length away. It wasn’t a soil-your-shorts moment but it could have easily turned into one.

Did I have nice weather or what??

This evening had no breeze. The no-see-ums were a minor annoyance. I didn’t use bug spray once the entire trip, choosing in this instance to retire early.

Thursday
Got up at first light, had breakfast, broke camp and packed up, paddled back to Everglades City, getting there at 1000. Loaded up the chariot and drove home, thinking about no ibis, no gulls (NO GULLS), no bait, can I go to a planet that’s not being ravaged please?

That’s this week’s Tiger Key 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 2019. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida, Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Tax Day Central FLorida Fishing Report

April 14, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

Tax Day Central FLorida Fishing Report

Happy Tax Day to everyone, especially the CPAs. Thank you for reading this Tax Day Central FLorida fishing report.

Cartoon of the Week-

 

FISHING!

MONday Tired of not getting bites, decided to try something different. Loaded the bicycle and a spin rod into the car. Drove to a park. Unloaded the bicycle and fishing rod, wired the rod to the bike. Put hooks and purple plastic worms into my pocket and rode into the woods to a spot I’d been to only once before. Did not carry a camera.

Found the stream, surrounded by second growth cypress. The woods glowed a lovely spring green. Was not encouraged by the appearance of the stream- small, shallow, overgrown, hardly any current. Tossed a worm into a little hole. BAM! Two pound bass.

Under the trees the woods were dark, and other than the songs of birds, quiet. The air smelled sweetly. Lizard’s tail (https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/saururus-cernuus/) was blooming. I found some old footprints but did not see anyone else. Only three pieces of trash were noted.

Lizard’s Tail, Saururus cernuus

The bass attacked that worm like they were starving. At one spot got three two-pounders on three casts without moving my feet. Don’t recall that ever happening anywhere with bass. I didn’t get any bigger than about two and a half pounds, but didn’t get any smaller than one pound. Got 25 or 30, enough to wear most of the skin off my left thumb. The fish were beautiful, healthy, fat. Almost black they were so dark. Even got a mudfish, a personal favorite. In a way the tiny creek reminded me of brook trout fishing in my youth.

Had a pair of otters swim almost right up to me. We observed each other for a couple minutes. I asked them how they were doing. They responded by swimming around and away. They looked like they were enjoying themselves too.

To illustrate just how good it was, after I loaded up the car and started driving home, it started to rain. Perfect timing, too! God smiled on me on Monday.

Would love to go back. Tiny spots like that are delicate, though. It will be quite a while before I return.

Thursday loaded up the expedition kayak (Prowler 15) and went to Spruce Creek, which is not much of an expedition. The boat handled beautifully. Fishing was slow. Got a decent trout (18”?), a smallish crevalle, and a flounder. Hooked and lost a beefier jack. That was it. Didn’t see much other than fishermen. Quite a few of those.

Friday Tom Van Horn joined me for some Mosquito Lagoon flats fishing. The wind was stiff from the south. We could not find any clean water, saw exactly two redfish. Did not get a shot, did not hit a fish blind casting the plastic shad. A juvenile blue crab pinched my line and was brought into the boat, our only animate catch. Does that chase the skunk away??

That’s this week’s Tax Day Central FLorida 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 2019. All rights are reserved.

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

Meh Central Florida Fishing Report

March 30, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

Meh Central Florida Fishing Report and Herbicide Rant

Thank you for reading this meh central Florida fishing report and herbicide rant.

A Deal For You-
Three of my book titles are now available for five cents each, only from my website.
-Flyrodding Florida Salt
-How and Where to Catch Redfish in the Indian River Lagoon System
-Fishing Florida’s Space Coast
Shipping is still $5.95 each. The mailers cost money, the post office wants a cut, and the mail boy has to bring the package to the post office. But you can have each of these titles delivered to your door for six bucks until June 15. Act now!

T-Shirt of the Week-

 

FISHING!

Monday morning I had an appointment, so the start was quite late. The decision was to go somewhere “new,” to me at least. The destination was Fox Lake, in Titusville, the boat, the Bang-O-Craft.

The initial response was favorable. Quiet pond in a big park, lots of water lilies, nice ramp and dock, lovely. Fox Lake has a canal connecting it to South Lake. South Lake looked awesome, lots of vegetation, grackles working the lily pads. Lots of bullfrogs croaking, a sound associated with good bass fishing. I started casting a fly rod popper. Sunfish kept investigating.

In the distance I could hear an airboat, didn’t think much of it.

Casting doesn’t get the lake explored, so I went riding. I saw two airboats, spraying poison.

I shot this photo a few months ago on Rainbow River. We’re poisoning everywhere.

Disgusted, I went back to the boat ramp. Two pickups from Applied Aquatics Management were parked there. One of them had a bunch of boxes of diquat dibromide locked in a cage in the back.

In the lagoon system the algae is killing all the grass. We bemoan the fact. In the St. Johns River, South Lake, and other freshwater bodies around the state, we’re killing it on purpose. WTF??

We’ve known the following about diquat dibromide since at least 1993 (information from http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/dienochlor-glyphosate/diquat-ext.html):

Diquat dibromide is an herbicide and plant growth regulator. It is a quick-acting contact herbicide, causing injury only to the parts of the plant to which it is applied. It is nonselective, meaning that it does not spare ‘nontarget’ plants from its herbicidal effects.

Diquat dibromide is a moderately toxic chemical. It may be fatal to humans if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Concentrated solutions may cause severe irritation of the mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach followed by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe drying out of bodily tissues, gastrointestinal discomfort, chest pain, diarrhea, kidney failure, and toxic liver damage. Very large doses of the herbicide can result in convulsions and tremors.

Diquat dibromide is acutely toxic when it is absorbed through the skin and the possibility for poisoning increases with repeated exposure. Cows appear to be particularly sensitive to this herbicide.

Diquat dibromide also causes eye irritation.

EPA has required more testing on the capability of this herbicide to cause mutations, since available information is contradictory.

Diquat dibromide is slightly toxic to fish. Its toxicity to fish, and food organisms on which fish survive, has been reported in many studies.

Traces, or residues, of diquat have been found to persist in soil for many years with very little degradation. Field and laboratory tests show that diquat usually remains in the top inch of soil for long periods of time after it is applied. Groundwater quality can be affected if soil adsorption sites become totally saturated because water moving down through the soil can carry any non adsorbed herbicide into the groundwater. Diquat has been found in the bottom soil of pools and ponds four years after application.

The EPA requires a 14-day interval between treatment of water with diquat dibromide and use of treated waters for domestic, livestock, or irrigation purposes. Swimming, fishing and watering of domestic animals should not be allowed for at least 14 days after application of the herbicide to water.

Diquat contains small amounts of a highly toxic chemical impurity, ethylene dibromide (EDB).

Diquat is only one of 17 herbicides (https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/manage/control-methods/chemical-control/details-about-the-aquatic-herbicides-used-in-florida/ ) the state of Florida uses to control aquatic “weeds.” FWC in in charge of permitting the use of these chemicals. Thanks, FWC. “Control” and “elimination” are not the same thing. Why are we poisoning our fish?

Several people, including me, were out fishing while they were spraying. The St. Johns River gets huge doses of these chemicals daily. Someone is making some serious money, and we’re paying for it, in more ways than one.

Americans sure do love poison. There are aisles with nothing but in the home improvement store. We put it in our homes, our yards, our food, our water. We eat it, drink it, rub it on ourselves, smoke it. We use it to power our machines. They then give off poison exhaust. We put a LOT of poison into the environment. Is it any wonder so many of us get cancer? The surprising thing is that we all don’t get it.

Tuesday I took a kayak to the Mosquito Lagoon, spending seven glorious, sunshine-filled hours paddling, walking, and casting a plastic shad. Every once in a while a fish of some sort interrupted my daydreaming. I found some clear water, if not a lot of fish.

I got two fish on flies, even. One was a trout that may have been legal, blind casting with a Clouser Minnow. One was a slot red, one of a pair of tailers, that I got on a Homer Rhodes Shrimp Fly. The leader was in the rod when the fish took- up close and personal!

Homer Rhodes developed this fly in the 1930s. His, and the one I used, did not have lead eyes.

It wasn’t epic by any means, but I would do it again.

Wednesday, clouds, rain, wind, and lightning kept me off the water.

Thursday clouds and wind kept me off the water. Went for a bike ride with my camera.

Bronson State Forest

 

 

The trees there are awesome!

Friday the Bang-O-Craft got launched at the St. Johns River at State Road 50. I was curious to see if I could run it upstream to the Beeline. Google maps made me think I couldn’t. I made it past the powerlines at Tosahatchee. There the river braids a lot. The braid I took got too shallow, and I was forced to abandon the endeavor.

Red-winged blackbird. If someone can tell me what flower it’s sitting in I’ll gladly send you a book!

 

A “controlled burn” was going on.

 

Seven Palms shelter.

If alligators were a good indicator of environmental health the place looks really healthy. There were hundreds of them. The water, however, looked like the Banana River Lagoon looks. In other words, the water looks like s—.

Alligator, file photo

I didn’t fish much but picked up a whopper five inch bass on a small jig. Nothing I saw made me want to fish, or indicated that there might actually be fish. No aquatic plants hindered my running the boat, though.

If the wind stops blowing (not supposed to), the reports will soon be coming from near-shore Atlantic waters.

That’s this week’s Meh Central Florida 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 2019. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: , , ,

South Florida Exploration Fishing Report

March 1, 2019 by · 2 Comments

South Florida Exploration Fishing Report

I visited the Keys and Everglades National Park this week. It’s a south Florida exploration fishing report.

Upcoming-
–Mosquito Lagoon Show and Tell Seminar, March 23. An all-day fishing seminar that takes place in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, with the express goal of helping you catch more fish in the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons. For more information, http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/
–On-the-Water Show and Tell Seminar, March 24. Fun, educational four hour fishing seminar that takes place in my Mitzi on the waters of the Mosquito Lagoon, with the express goal of helping you catch more fish. For More information, http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-on-the-water-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/

For Sale– Canoe Creek racks, fit any pickup truck (except Dodge RAM with toolbox). https://orlando.craigslist.org/pts/d/oviedo-tuff-truck-rack-by-spring-creek/6791721077.html

First off, the traffic in south Florida is out of control. This reporter does not wish to inflict that on himself ever again. South Florida fishing has declined to the point where it’s certainly not worth that kind of aggravation.

Saturday I helped Allison Bowman, official girlfriend of Alex Kumiski, move to Rockland Key to be with Alex. Even making the drive as pleasant as possible with snacks, music, etc., it was awful. On Islamorada I watched an old man who was walking slowly pass me and disappear into the distance.

I learned (or re-learned) a couple of things during that drive:
-any time is a good time for oral hygiene. The GUM Proxabrush is a fine little tool; and
-a harmonica makes traffic jams more enjoyable. Mine is a Hohner Progressive Special 20 tuned to C. For $40 it’s a portable entertainment system. The world needs more harmonicas and fewer guns.

Sunday John Napolitano took Alex and I out into the Keys backcountry. He stopped the boat and started poling. Before I finished getting my fly line out he shouted, “Permit!” There were a half-dozen fish at one o’clock. I could have spit on them. Needless to say they evacuated the area in a hurry. Additionally we saw a tarpon roll, a single bonefish, and another pair of permit (I did not see these fish, nor the bone). We wrapped it up early since Alex had to go to work.

In the afternoon I paddled out into the Saddlebunch Keys to do some exploring. I found lots of Cassiopeia jellyfish (they seem to be doing fine everywhere down there). I also saw one small permit (no shot), four or five barracudas (no shots), and a single blacktip shark.

A Cassiopeia jellyfish.

Monday Alex took Allison and I out into the same area as the previous day. We looked and looked five or six hours worth. We did not find much. I cast a plastic shad about 1000 times, got one small snapper and one small grunt. We did not see any crabs, did not see much bait.

The Keys are the most over-rated inshore fishing spot on the planet. Not only have I never done particularly well by myself there, I have fished with the following guides with the following results:
-Tommy Busciglio, with Steve Baker. We jumped two big tarpon (no complaints there!)
-Ben Taylor- skunked
-horrible guide (Ah-chee-wa-wa) at Hawk’s Cay- skunked
-Dexter Simmons- skunked
-a week in the Marquesas with Rick DePaiva, Blake Matherly, and Paul Hobby- one bonefish, one permit, and one tarpon between the four of us
-wade fishing Long Key with Bruce Chard- one bonefish between three of us
-Mike Gorton, twice- one large barracuda
Maybe I suck, but I seem to catch fish most other places.

Excuse my rant.

Four AM on Tuesday I got up and drove to Flamingo, hoping to get the boat wet by 8. I was out at nine, not too bad. Blame that Anhinga Trail stop.

This purple gallinule was feeding on a water lily flower.

 

Morning glories are lovely.

 

The soul of the Everglades.

 

Anhingas photograph well!

It was windy. Concerned about crossing Coot Bay on the rebound, I stayed and fished it’s lee, catching a lot of snook on fly rod poppers. I was glad I brought a four weight- it was probably too heavy for the fish I got. The largest was 18 inches or so. Two 12-inch tarpon succumbed to my wiles, too.

Lots of snooklets I caught.

 

Tarponitas too!

Spent some quality time on my back on a picnic table watching clouds dance. They are so graceful for being so large! They boogie to the music of the planet. Truly a wonderful hour spent there.

The waltz of the clouds. Still photo can’t do justice.

 

Home, under a mahogany tree.

Wednesday saw perfect weather so I put on my paddling shoes and hit it. My spot, a long-time favorite, was pretty barren, by its own lofty standards, anyway. Five snook were fooled by my popper with the largest weighing about four pounds. That fish was worth the price of admission- stunning strike, ridiculous acrobatics, the whole schlemeile. Awesome! Saw a few crocodiles, paddled through some mangrove tunnels, had a great time, and was glad I went.

I love paddling through the mangrove tunnels.

 

The fish of the trip.

Thursday at 0530 I got out of the tent so as to hit the road early- going home! The stars demanded I spend some time watching. Scorpius and Sagittarius were in the southern sky. The crescent moon was in Sagittarius, flanked by Jupiter and Venus. The Big Dipper pointed at Leo (whose nose was almost touching the western horizon), Polaris, and Arcturus. It was SO freaking spectacular I didn’t want to stop watching. But mosquitos reminded me I had places to go.

That’s this week’s South Florida Exploration 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 2019. All rights are reserved.

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

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report and Econlockhatchee River Fishing Report

February 17, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report and Econlockhatchee River Fishing Report

This fishing report covers the Mosquito Lagoon and the Econlockhatchee River.

Picture of the Week, from my friend Kevin Linehan-

Link of the Week– A woman by the name of Laarni Tadeo sent me this link on packing for fly fishing trips- https://mightygoods.com/flyfishers-packing/
Good stuff!

Monday Tom Campbell and his friend Jack joined me for a day’s fishing from the Mitzi on Mosquito Lagoon. Jack started the day with a trout and a redfish within minutes at the first spot we stopped. Then Tom and Jack doubled up on slot reds! I’m looking at an epic day, maybe.

No, we pretty much had shot our load already. We caught plenty more fish, mostly undersized trout and a couple dink reds. But an epic day it was not, and as so often happens, all my scouted spots were dry this day. So goes life.

Tom looks happy with one of many shad he caught.

Tuesday Tom Campbell and his friend Jack joined me for a day’s shad fishing from the Mitzi on the Econlockhatchee. We got shad at the first place we stopped, and at every other spot as well. We’d fish a spot until the bite slowed, then go to another. I tandem rig the jigs. We had six or seven double hookups during the day, and probably got 30 or so shad, as well as bass, sunfish, even a crappie. Good day. Thanks for fishing with me, Tom and Jack!

Wednesday we did not fish for a couple reasons, one of which was the cold rain that fell all morning.

Thursday Tom Finger joined me for what began as Mosquito Lagoon fishing. We got there and it was all whitecaps. We reversed our field and went to CS Lee Park to fish for shad. The shad fishing had fallen off a cliff. We worked it most of the day in both the Econ and the St. Johns and only got six or seven. The best fish of the day was a big crappie from the Econ. Thanks for fishing with me, Tom!

On the way home I stopped at the Snow Hill Road bridge over the Econ and fished ten minutes. Got three shad for the best fishing of the day. ARRgghhhh.

Friday I went kayak scouting out of River Breeze. There is a lot of fishless water around there. But if you look in the right places there are trout and reds. Quite a few fish were caught, including a season’s best trout of seven or eight pounds. No photo, don’t want to hurt those girls.

Saturday Steve and Brad Myott, father and son,  joined me for some paddle fishing on Mosquito Lagoon. We paddled quite a bit. I thought the fishing better on Friday, but Steve got his personal best redfish and Brad got his personal best trout. They kept a couple slot trout for dinner, too. Beautiful day, great people. Thanks for fishing with me, gentlemen!

Steve’s redfish…

That’s this week’s Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report and Econlockhatchee River 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 2019. All rights are reserved.

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

Orlando Shad and Redfish Fishing Report

February 3, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

Orlando Shad and Redfish Fishing Report

We fished for shad (three days) and redfish this week, so we have an Orlando shad and redfish fishing report.

Monday the weather was too cold and windy (for me!) for fishing.

Tuesday I took the Bang-O-Craft on the St. Johns and up the Econ looking for shad. Six were caught, along with a single crappie, in six hours, all on crappie jigs. Mr. Creel Survey, at the dock, told me shad had been electroshocked in the Econ. Interesting indeed.

Wednesday the weather was awful, cold, gray, windy. I drove to the Snow Hill Road bridge and fished under it for about 45 minutes, releasing four shad and hooking and losing another. Mission accomplished!

orlando fishing report

The shad love the Al’s Goldfish.

Thursday I had a shad charter with Bob Gilbane and his brother-in-law, Dennis. We went straight up the Econ. Got only two in the first spot, three in the second. The third spot was a keeper though. We spent about four hours there, getting at least 20 fish, even a couple doubles. And TWO, count them TWO, red breasted sunfish as well! It was cold and windy but we were protected by the trees and it waren’t bad ay-tall.

Thank you for fishing with me, gentlemen! I had a great time!

Friday saw the kayak raised to the roof of the car, which then drove to River Breeze Park. Surprised and delighted to see genuinely clean water, like I thought I would never see here again. There was not a lot of grass except in really shallow spots. I paddled at least ten miles over shallow flats and through canals, and saw exactly one redfish. But in the three holes I fished there were fish. I was using a six-weight with a faux slider (Borski’s is awesome but I’m not tying anything that’s that much trouble.).

The first hole yielded two dink trout. Hey, ya gotta start somewhere.

The second hole gave up a mix of dink reds and trout, about a dozen fish.

Slider redfish!

The third hole reminded me of the old days. There were at least 40 slot reds in there, as well as a couple giant trout. The trout eluded me but I released four nice reds (one had seven spots, just lovely), and missed a half-dozen strikes. I saw every take, just awesome. No, I was not on top of my game. Yes, I may just go back next week.

That’s this week’s Orlando Shad and Redfish 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 2019. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Around Orlando Fishing Report

January 12, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

Around Orlando Fishing Report

This is an around Orlando fishing report, covering the St. Johns River, the Mosquito Lagoon, and Farm 13, a rather long ride from Orlando.

While web surfing this week I chanced upon an article about the evolution of beauty by a writer named Ferris Jabr. It was brilliantly written. I give you it’s conclusion-

“If there is a universal truth about beauty — some concise and elegant concept that encompasses every variety of charm and grace in existence — we do not yet understand enough about nature to articulate it. What we call beauty is not simply one thing or another, neither wholly purposeful nor entirely random, neither merely a property nor a feeling. Beauty is a dialogue between perceiver and perceived. Beauty is the world’s answer to the audacity of a flower. It is the way a bee spills across the lip of a yawning buttercup; it is the care with which a satin bowerbird selects a hibiscus bloom; it is the impulse to recreate water lilies with oil and canvas; it is the need to place roses on a grave.”

– Ferris Jabr

If you enjoy reading the English language used well do a search on his name. His website will come up.

FISHING!

Monday
Having heard about shad in the St. Johns the Bang-O-Craft came out of seclusion and transported me to the mouth of the Econ. There were no shad. That’s not just my conclusion. There were four other boats there- no one got one. This reporter got two crappie and two bluegills in three hours.

Tuesday

orlando fishing report

Best fish of the day (of the week, actually), took a Culprit worm.

Drove to Farm 13 hoping to get some bass, and just maybe- a Lunker! You could not ask for a nicer day in January, that’s for sure. My first and biggest (no lunkers though) came on plastic worms, but I got a dozen or so, and one bluegill, on Krebs poppers tossed with a 5-weight. That’s an awesome place, but it’s too far from my house.

Wednesday
Towed the Mitzi to Beacon 42 ramp for some Mosquito Lagoon scouting. Got there late, around 10. There were two trailers in the lot. I knew then catching would not be good, but launched the boat into the VERY dirty water anyway.

Checked several favorite winter spots. All were barren with the exception of a single tailing redfish to which I did not get a cast. On the bright side I pretty much had the whole place to myself.

I kept hitting the bottom with the MinnKota. Why? I could not see the bottom. To those hoping the water would clear up when winter came, sorry, it ain’t happening.

At the last spot (why does it usually work that way?) I got a dozen or so trout and three reds. One trout was in the slot. Everything else was short. The plastic shad fights off the skunk again!

Thursday
It was cold. I stayed home and cleaned the garage. Good thing it was trash day. https://orlando.craigslist.org/pts/d/oviedo-tuff-truck-rack-by-spring-creek/6791721077.html

Friday

orlando fishing report

Shad hit the silly jigs, but not the flies.

Launched the Bang-O-Craft at Mullet Lake Park circa 10 am. By 1230 I had gotten one shad on a crappie jig. Some kind of sea monster hit one of the jigs and straightened the hook before revealing itself. Those were the only two bites.

orlando fishing report

Got a nice crappie on the jig, too.

In spite of Monday I pulled the boat and went to CS Lee Park. On my first cast I hooked a shad double, although one broke off. It was one of three doubles I would get on the spin rod. Try as I might, no shad came to the fly today. Got a crappie. Got a bluegill. But no shad. Fifteen or so shad fell for those silly jigs though.

That’s this week’s Around Orlando 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 2019. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Merry Christmas Fishing Report

December 22, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

Merry Christmas Fishing Report

Best wishes to all my readers for a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years in this Merry Christmas fishing report!

A piece of good news came across my “desk” this week. The headline read, ‘Red Tide’ Lawsuit Launched After Feds Ignore Wildlife Harms of Lake Okeechobee Discharges. If you’re inclined to read about it, this is the link- https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2018/red-tide-12-19-2018.php

Fishing!

Right next to the boat ramp…

Monday I drove to Teneroc, kayak on roof. A cold front just came through. I had never been there. You know I don’t have a depth sounder. I fished two different lakes and got exactly one bite from a dink bass that jumped off.

The ramp in question.

The gentleman at the registration desk told me no one did well that day, but Tom Van Horn wanted to know how I got skunked in “the best fishing around,” as he put it. That’s fishin.

He got some bigger ones.

Tuesday Alex and I drove to Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area, two kayaks on the roof, where we met Mike Conneen, and the Queen of Farm 13, Dee Kaminski.

Long live the Queen!

The weather was awesome. The fish were biting. I got more on fly, but better average size with plastic worm. The tough decisions I have to make sometimes! That’s fishin.

There is some vegetation in the water.

 

Alex got into the act, too.

Wednesday Mr. Mitzi and I went to Mosquito Lagoon. It was good to see the old friend, even if the water still looks bad. There were redfish at the first spot I went, got one on a plastic shad. Switched to the fly rod and got one on a Seaducer and another on a slider. Went trout fishing and got many slot fish on the DOA Deadly Combo. Did not see many big trout, but that’s the worst I can say. It was a good day.

That’s the Merry Christmas 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.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Post-Paddle Fishing Safari Fishing Report

December 9, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

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.

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

Happy Thanksgiving Central FLorida Fishing Report

November 17, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

Happy Thanksgiving Central FLorida Fishing Report

A peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving to everyone. Here is a short Happy Thanksgiving Central FLorida Fishing Report

Sunday and Monday I got to prep for and receive one of the wonderful parts of the adventure called aging, the colonoscopy. System performing within normal parameters, thank you.

Tuesday I took son Maxx and friend Catalina out on Mosquito Lagoon. Let’s just say it was really slow and leave it at that. The water was high and very dirty. We did not get skunked.

Thursday was an Econlockhatchee River trip. Two new flies needed to be tested. One was a crayfish pattern that failed miserably. Perhaps modifications are needed! The other was the Krebs popper (see how to tie here…), which I cannot say enough great things about. It accounted for numerous redbellies, stumpknockers, largemouth bass, and a single chain pickerel, something I have never caught in the Econ before. I did not put legs or paint mine. No photos were taken.

The rest of the week was spent getting ready for Thanksgiving. Again, best wishes for yours to be wonderful!

That is the Happy Thanksgiving Central FLorida 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.

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