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Early June Orlando Fishing Report

June 4, 2016 by · 1 Comment

Early June Orlando Fishing Report

If there was any doubt summer has hit central Florida, this week dispelled it. The calendar claims summer won’t be here for a couple weeks, but reality says it’s here now. It’s blazing hot, and this is the early June Orlando Fishing Report.

Still trying to sell that EZ Loader- Details at this link- http://www.spottedtail.com/sale-rebuilt-aluminum-ez-loader-trailer/

Friend and neighbor Karl Dienst somehow came upon a small, cherry, 1950s aluminum boat, a Blue Star perhaps? He got this idea that he should paint it to look like Chuck Yeager’s WWII P-51 Mustang. He got the job done in time to launch the very spiffy-looking boat with his friend Paul Dachoff on, appropriately, Memorial Day. I’m sharing here a couple of the pictures they took.

orlando fishing report

Paul, Karl, and the Glamorous Glen

 

orlando fishing report

A toast!

I had gotten a report from a reliable source that the Banana River Lagoon was not dead, that the water had cleared somewhat, and the fish were biting. On Tuesday I went to check it out. In the cleanest place I found I could barely see my feet in knee-deep water. I saw a few small black drum and caught one on a black redfish worm, and got three small reds on the same fly, all sight fished in real shallow water. While that’s certainly better than “everything is dead”, it was not terribly encouraging.

Wednesday Tom Van Horn and I went out of Port Canaveral. We didn’t find any bait, or any fish other than little tunny. We got ten or so tunny on Sting Silvers, and a single Spanish mackerel that apparently believed in integration. Good for it! We talked to a couple of other guides at the boat ramp who had a similar day.

orlando fishing report

Tunny Tommy

Thursday I went kayaking on the Mosquito Lagoon. The weather was very hot and sunny, with a light breeze until the afternoon, when it started honkin out of the east. The few fish I saw were very spooky. I managed one redfish on a black bunny leech.

Friday George Allen and I went out of the Port on a tunny hunt. We found them about three miles off the beach and got several on Sting Silvers. I pulled out a seven weight fly pole and got one on a bouncer bucktail streamer.

orlando fishing report

I love to see this!

 

orlando fishing report

Tunny on fly- file photo

So fishing was not spectacular this week, and that is the early June Orlando fishing report from Spotted Tail.

Due to travel there’s a very high probability that I will take a bye week next week- don’t expect a report.

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, port canaveral fishing report · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Memorial Day Orlando Fishing Report

May 28, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Memorial Day Orlando Fishing Report

This weekend try to take a few moments to consider all those people who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our way of life. Because Monday is Memorial Day, we have the Memorial Day Orlando fishing report this week.

If you have a few extra moments in there, please say a prayer for both Steve Baker and TC Howard, both of whom are battling illness and could use a spiritual hand. Steve was a mentor to me when I first got to Florida and taught me a ton about fishing here. TC is the master rod builder, retired firefighter, and Viet Nam vet. Good men, both.

Still trying to sell that EZ Loader- Details at this link- http://www.spottedtail.com/sale-rebuilt-aluminum-ez-loader-trailer/

OK, Fishing!

On Monday long-time friend Tammy Wilson joined me out on the Atlantic. Our goal was to hook into a couple of those mongo jack crevalle with flies. Last week when all those fish were out there the wind was from the west. Monday it was from the northeast. Not only was the Mitzi at or slightly beyond its design capacity for the waves, most of the fish were gone. We saw two small groups of fish, got one lame shot that did not work, and got a good, solid, old-fashioned skunking. Ouch.

The wind was out of the east the remainder of the week, making the ocean an impossibility for the Mitzi.

Thursday Scott Radloff and I went kayak fishing on Mosquito Lagoon. The east wind was not our friend, but we managed four redfish between us, me with a fly and Scott with a jerkbait. I even selfied myself with one that got fooled with a black bunny leech. The water is still brown and disgusting looking.

orlando fishing report

Gotta love the selfie!

Scott does quite a bit of work in Sarasota. He asked me not to disclose the place we kayak fished on Friday. While the fishing was not red-hot, we did get some nice fish. I even managed to fool a snook on a redfish worm, and selfied myself again! Can’t say the water looked much better there, either.

orlando fishing report

Still selfie-ing!

Still have open days this month. Give me a call if you want to go fishing!

And that is the Memorial Day Orlando fishing report from Spotted Tail. Please enjoy the weekend safely!

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, port canaveral fishing report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Jackzilla Port Canaveral Fishing Report

May 22, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Jackzilla Port Canaveral Fishing Report and Photo Essay

Four days fishing out of Port Canaveral this week led to some outstanding catches, particularly if you consider a 30 pound plus crevalle jack an outstanding catch. The fishing out there was fairly sizzling. So we have the Jackzilla Port Canaveral fishing report this week. Still trying to sell that EZ Loader- Details at this link- http://www.spottedtail.com/sale-rebuilt-aluminum-ez-loader-trailer/

orlando fishing report

For sale!

The Indian River Lagoon is not the only great Florida waterway suffering from gross mismanagement. See this link about Lake Okeechobee- https://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/2016/05/15/sucking-in-the-algae-bloom-lake-okeechobees-s-308-slrirl/. We desperately need a new governor and an almost entirely new legislature. Not that I have strong feelings about it! Monday was not about the Port, though. Monday morning found two gentlemen from Jacksonville in the Mitzi, Mr, Jeff Weir and his friend Marinis. We were out on Mosquito Lagoon, looking for redfish. We found decent numbers of fish, although they were uncooperative enough that they only got one each. We had a good time!

port canaveral fishing report

Jeff with his only redfish of the day.

Tuesday Scott Radloff and I went out of the Port. It was snotty at first and I almost turned around. Jim Ross gave me a bunch of menhaden and invited us to follow him, which was really nice of him. We did. It took a while to get a bite, but when we did it was a double of mongo jacks. Quite a way to kick off the action. Jackzilla!

port canaveral fishing report

Scott’s hands were full for a while with this beast.

Soon there were jacks swimming all around us. One day several years ago Scott and I hooked 14 of the beasts, but we’re older (and maybe wiser) now, besides the been there done that aspect. So after he got his second one it was time to look for some other action.

port canaveral fishing report

He’s happy it’s no longer on his line!

The wind layed down, and the sun came out. The weather just continued improving all day.

port canaveral fishing report

Jackzilla!

We found some tarpon rolling. They were scattered and I didn’t think we’d hook one, but a fatty came up and ate my pogy. It proceeded to jump all over the Atlantic trying unsuccessfully to dislodge the hook. What it did succeed in doing was to saw through the #80 fluorocarbon leader. So it got away. And the rest of the fish disappeared. While we soaked baits hoping a stray was still around the biggest, baddest, meanest jackzilla of all bit my bait and proceeded to cause me some serious pain. No kidding, that fish kicked my alpha, you know what I mean?

port canaveral fishing report

This fish caused me some pain. Although it does hurt so nice…

Now I was really done with the jacks. We were still seeing them all around, but neither of us wanted anything else to do with them. I saw some activity and went to check. Breaking tunny! I love tunny! We fired jigs out. Bam! I was on. Still trying to recover from the jack, now I had the tunny. Tunny are awesome but compared to a crevalle pushing 40 pounds it was pretty easy. We got a couple more before we were done.

port canaveral fishing report

A phalanx of blacktips.

We saw another bunch of activity and went to check. It was a school of sharks, sharpnose and blacktips, up on the surface, on a ball of anchovies, with Spanish mackerel and tunny blasting through them to get at the anchovies. Neither of us wanted anything to do with the sharks as far as a fishing rod was concerned, but I wanted photos. I got the camera out and started firing, resulting in a couple good shots.

port canaveral fishing report

Sharks and ‘chovies!

So the day started slowly, and ended up being my best day out of the Port this year. Lots of big fish, hungry, and awesome weather. Yeah, it was good. Thursday found me back on the Atlantic, this time with Tom Finger in the Mitzi. Tom’s biggest crevalle to date was about eight pounds- I’m not sure he believed me when I told him there were 30 pounders out there. Again, it started slow and just kept getting better. His first fish was a small shark, which did nothing to prepare him for the second fish- a 30 pound crevalle. Jackzilla! He fought it hard, and in only 25 minutes or so had it boatside. I pulled it in and photographed him with it, and off it went.

port canaveral fishing report

Tom with a small shark, one of many.

The sharks were almost a nuisance. The tunny never showed up. We hooked several more jacks, and then found some tarpon. Tom jumped a smallish one, and then another fatty ate my bait. This fish, well over 100 pounds, jumped only once and proceeded to kick my alpha. Twice in two days! He got down on the bottom, and despite using every trick I know I could not lift him. After 20 minutes I broke him off.

port canaveral fishing report

Tom met jackzilla, too.

Tom got one more shark and we called it a (great) day. Friday Mike Conneen and son Alex joined me, hoping for some big fish, especially tarpon. Alex started off the festivities with a big tunny that smoked some line off the reel before succumbing rather easily, at least compared to some of the other fish we would hook.

port canaveral fishing report

Alex and Mr. Tunny.

Then Mike hooked and got butt kicked by a big shark that in 30 minutes we only got a couple glimpses of. Finally the fish, tired of toying with Mike, bit through the leader and made his getaway.

port canaveral fishing report

Mike got a hand from Alex so he could boat his fish.

Mike then hooked a massive crevalle. Jackzilla! When he finally got the fish released he said, “I do not want another jack today.” OK!

port canaveral fishing report

You can’t really blame him for not wanting another one. Jackzilla!

We found some breaking tunny. Alex got one on a jig. I love tunny but it was as a minnow compared to everything else we got. We went looking for tarpon. We saw a handful but nothing that was really targetable (is that a word?) But we did find another school of jacks. Alex cast a menhaden in front of them and they raced each other to get there first. Alex hooked and caught the winner. Unless you compared it to the one Mike had caught it was a giant.

port canaveral fishing report

What is this again? Jackzilla!

We spent the rest of our day searching without success for tarpon. We got in just before the sky cut loose with torrential rains and winds. Saturday Dr. Jacob Garrett of Fort Worth joined me on the Atlantic, hoping to meet some sharks, some big jacks, some tarpon. He fought the first creature he hooked for 30 minutes. It broke off without us ever seeing what it was, not even a flash of color.

port canaveral fishing report

Dr. Garrett was thrilled to catch this shark.

Without going into the sordid details, he got a small hammerhead, a large jack, hooked and lost two tarpon and got broken off a few times, just an outstanding day. Thank you for fishing with me, sir, and I hope to see you again!

port canaveral fishing report

Jacob was certainly not to be outdone by my other anglers.

Still have open days this month. Give me a call if you want to go fishing!

port canaveral fishing report

Dr. Garrett, hooked up again.

And that is the Jackzilla Port Canaveral fishing report from Spotted Tail. 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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Orlando Fishing Report, Photo Essays, port canaveral fishing report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Lone Ranger Orlando Fishing Report

May 13, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Lone Ranger Orlando Fishing Report

Somewhat self-fishly, I fished alone every day this week. Thus the Lone Ranger Orlando Fishing report.
I fish alone, yeah, with nobody else.
You know when I fish alone, I prefer to be by myself!
My apologies to George Thorogood.

Fishing alone lets me try new techniques and places I probably wouldn’t try if someone else was with me. So this week was an opportunity for personal growth. Yeah, that’s it.

My old EZ Loader trailer has been rebuilt. It is now for sale. Details at this link- http://www.spottedtail.com/sale-rebuilt-aluminum-ez-loader-trailer/

Some fascinating reading about dinosaurs here-—

orlando fishing report

I would love to tie some flies with these feathers!

Who doesn’t love reading about dinosaurs? I would like to tie some flies with dinosaur feathers. Probably won’t happen…

Monday, went out in the Mitzi on the mightly Atlantic. I wanted two things- Spanish mackerel for my aunt and a neighbor, and tarpon for me. Got the macks, at least. There was a load of them out there. Yes, the Sting Silver from Haw River Tackle is probably the best mackerel lure on the planet.

I did see one tarpon roll- talk about the Lone Ranger! My booby prize was a mongo crevalle jack that crushed a DOA Bait Buster. I got to try my new fighting belt, it worked quite nicely. It was an awesome day that I enjoyed tremendously.

orlando fishing report

This fishie crushed a deep running Bait Buster.

Tuesday morning found the kayak on the Econlockhatchee. Of course I was expecting it to be as good as the last time I was there and of course it was not. Five hours, five small bass, a missed strike or two, and again, one redbelly that managed to impale itself on the bass bug. The river looked great, running low and clear. It was an awesome day that I enjoyed tremendously.

Wednesday found the kayak on the Mosquito Lagoon. It had been wet all of five minutes when my somewhat disbelieving eyes spotted a pod of eight or ten redfish, tailing. The cast, the bite, the 16 inch trout that spooked all the other fish.

A few minutes later a pair of tails appeared, but disappeared before a cast could happen. Splash! Crash! Something chasing a shrimp. The fly (a rootbeer colored Sparkle Crab) fell there and an 18 inch trout bit. So I’ve been out ten minutes and have already released two fish. Before lunch I would release four reds, all in the slot, all sight fished.

After lunch six or seven more would get released, with a couple at the top of the slot, excellent fishing. Plus there were missed strikes and blown shots. It was going on! I got to that wonderful point where you say, “I do not want to fish anymore.” And I passed up a bunch of shots paddling back to the launch. It was an awesome day that I enjoyed tremendously.

orlando fishing report

For the fly tyers, here’s a photo of the very simple Sparkle Crab.

Thursday, doing something I don’t often do. I went to Playalinda hoping to pull a fish or two out of the surf. This involves walking the beach, as far into the water as I’m comfortable going, and casting a pair of bucktail jigs (rigged tandem) into the waves.

The surf was high enough that conditions were marginal. So was the fishing. In a little over an hour I had jumped a single bluefish.

Since I had the kayak and a fly rod, I went to a different spot in the Mosquito Lagoon than the previous day. Of course I was expecting it to be as good as the last time I was there and of course it was not. There were fewer fish and they seemed more spooky. But eight or ten decent shots came my way, and two handsome, seven pound redfish were released, still on the same Sparkle Crab. It was an awesome day that I enjoyed tremendously.

Friday I went to my favorite spot on the St. Johns River. Before launching the kayak I knew it would be tough fishing- there was no fishy activity going on. The bullfrogs were ribbeting, the birds were chirping and scolding, the coots were being goofy as always- but no fish. I never thought I would get skunked there, but that’s exactly what happened. I was out of there before noon. I had the whole place to myself, and it was still an awesome day that I enjoyed tremendously.

orlando fishing report

Hard to believe you could get skunked in a place like this, but there you go.

So fishing was a mixed bag this week, and I learned a few new things. The weather was great all week. I am so lucky to be able to do what I do.

Still have open days this month. Give me a call if you want to go fishing!

And that is the Lone Ranger Orlando fishing report from Spotted Tail.

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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One Day Fishing Orlando Fishing Report

May 7, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

One Day Fishing Orlando Fishing Report

For a variety of reasons, some of which were entirely out of my control, I only fished one day this week. So we have a one day fishing Orlando fishing report.

My apologies if this reads a little like an infomercial, but a couple things need to get moved.

One of the things I did other than fish, which took up most of a day, was to finish rebuilding the EZ Loader trailer. It is now for sale. Details at this link- http://www.spottedtail.com/sale-rebuilt-aluminum-ez-loader-trailer/

orlando fishing report

For sale cheap!

Another thing that took up most of a day was publishing a new ebook, Practical Flies for Spotted Seatrout. You can see it at these links- www.smashwords.com and www.amazon.com.

Seatrout flies ebook cover copy 2

I took my long-time friend (one of the longest!) Kevin paddling on the Econ on Thursday. We used to play baseball and ride bikes together as kids. The weather was spectacular, the river beautiful. The water had come up a foot in two days from the rain, but was still pretty clear.

orlando fishing report

The water level rose a foot, like right now.

Redbellies are on their beds, although we hardly fished. We saw several alligators, including some big boys.

orlando fishing report

Kevin and the tool of propulsion.

 

orlando fishing report

Me and my good luck charm.

I visited a couple other long-time friends on Friday. I am certainly blessed to have friends that I’ve known for 20 years or more.

My fishing day was Tuesday. The spot was the Econ. The vessel was a kayak. The method was fly fishing with a deerhair bug. The fishing started off slow, built to a thundering crescendo, and then completely died. The bass were mostly small ones, but I got one pushing four pounds that was blind in one eye (photo below) and an even larger one that I did not get a photo of. The sunfish were aggressive, smacking that big bug. One even managed to impale itself on the #2 hook. It was a beautiful, very enjoyable day. One weird thing, I did not see an alligator. Where were they???

orlando fishing report

His name wasn’t Polyphemus, but he had only one working eye.

And that is the One Day Fishing Orlando fishing report from the Spotted Tail.

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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May Day Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

April 29, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

May Day Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

At one time in this country, May Day was quite an important holiday, and it still is in many parts of the world. Fishermen ought to celebrate May Day- great fishing traditionally kicks off this month, all over the country! I’m not sure of the reason we no longer celebrate it, but I am making this the May Day Mosquito Lagoon fishing report, in honor of May first, of course.

Last Sunday I took the Mund-sters fishing! Larry and Julie Mund, that is, and their grandson Ashton, who was celebrating a birthday. They were not big, green, or scary, actually pretty normal folks! We went to the Mosquito Lagoon and enjoyed what was pretty much a perfect day, weather-wise. And, some fish cooperated!

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Larry with his trout.

 

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Julie with her trout!

 

mosquito lagoon fishing report

And Ashton with a real purdy redfish.

They used a DOA Deadly Combo to catch a couple decent seatrout, and some cut mullet to get a couple nice redfish. Julie, a colleague back when I was a school teacher, sent me the following: “Our grilled red fish was delicious. We brushed it with olive oil, drizzled lemon and fresh garlic. Yum. Ashton says it was the best day he had ever spent.” I am glad he enjoyed it.

An east wind prevented an ocean scout on Monday, so I opted for River Breeze instead, hoping the rising water level would mean cleaner water up that way. I’m not sure that idea was correct, although I did see a half-dozen reds. After pooching a couple fly redfish shots I got one on a DOA Shrimp. I also got ladyfish, snapper, seatrout, and a hardhead cat, all on the same lure.

Tuesday Bob and Teri Duport of Western Mountains Fly Fishing in Maine were my guests. A visit to his website to see the size of the brook trout he gets in western Maine is worth any fly fisher’s time!

The guy can fish.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Bob the Maine Guide with a nice redfish.

 

mosquito lagoon fishing report

The fish hit a black Matuka Bouncer.

We met at Parrish Park and were soon riding in the Mitzi on the Mosquito Lagoon. The winds and waters were calm and there were no clouds, great sight fishing conditions, even with the dirty water. We did not see a ton of fish, but those we did see were eating. There were plenty of shots, a half dozen eats, and three released redfish, not at all a bad day. And the Duports were so well behaved!

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Bob and Teri release another redfish.

Wednesday Mr. Larry Reynolds was my guest. We tried going out on the mighty Atlantic. It was mighty unfriendly to the Mitzi. I went down to the Cocoa Beach Pier, turned around, returned to the ramp, and put the boat back on the trailer. The sea was too rough.

Scuttlebutt is the run of dolphin out of the Port this year is the best in years. The parking lot is full of sizable trailers- the fish are out about 30 miles.

We went to Mosquito Lagoon. Larry caught and released ten fish, all slot reds but one, an exquisite seven pound trout, most of them by sight fishing. Fishing was good!

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Larry with one of several fish he got.

Thursday Tammy and I had our last Thursday fishing together for a while. Her day off switches to Monday next week. If it’s like daylight savings it will take a month for me to adjust.

We tried going out on the Atlantic too. HA! It was rougher than Wednesday. We turned right around, put the boat on the trailer, and drove to Mosquito Lagoon.

I had forgotten what a good angler she is, probably better than me. Damn, she’s a good caster. She got six shots, four eats, and released two reds at the boat, both taken on a Homer Rhodes Shrimp Fly. Nice work, baby!

mosquito lagoon fishing report

The Homer Rhodes Shrimp Fly- simple and effective.

And that is the May Day Mosquito Lagoon fishing report from the Spotted Tail.

I have a lot of open days coming up, so if you want to get in on this fishing, please contact me!

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, port canaveral fishing report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

A Fairly Boring Orlando Fishing Report

April 23, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

A Fairly Boring Orlando Fishing Report

One charter this week, combined with high, dirty water, did not make me want to go to the lagoon. Howling east winds all week prevented me from visiting the ocean. Most of my fishing was in retention ponds. So it’s a fairly boring Orlando Fishing report.

Sunday morning found me at a new (for me) retention pond. I tried the black matuka streamer first and got a dink bass, then nothing. I switched to a popping bug and got three more dink bass. All this in about an hour.

I checked out a three other ponds. One was almost inaccessible, the other apparently fishless. The third produced five fish in about 45 minutes, all on a Z-Man worm. They were all decent fish, with one striving to be something more…

orlando fishing report

It’s something less than five pounds, but it’s the best bass of the week for me.

Monday I was at the auto mechanic’s all day. Got quite a few flies tied.

Tuesday found me scouting the St. Johns and the Econ. Nothing was happenning in the St. Johns, and in four hours on the Econ I got two redbellies. Talk about slow fishing! Word on the street was that the bass were schooling at daybreak.

Wednesday found Dick Dolloff and Chris Jones in the Mitzi with me, at daybreak, on the St. Johns. The bass were in fact schooling, chasing minnows. We did not have their number, getting only two or three bites and boating exactly one small bass.

At 830 we pulled the boat and drove to the Mosquito Lagoon. If you check the gauge you’ll see the water has been rising steadily for about a week. It’s still dirty. So places where I could see the bottom last week are now featureless because you can’t see the bottom any more.

Chris got a slot red on a sparkle crab, casting blindly. Dick managed to see one and worked it for almost 15 minutes before the fish finally took. He said it was the single most difficult fish to get a bite from in his life. Unfortunately I did not get a photo of either fish. And that was it for the day.

Thursday I got this idea that if I were going to fish retention ponds, some black Culprit worms should be in my repertoire. So I went to get some. The store didn’t have any. The closest I could get was red shad.

Friday and Saturday I fished eight or nine different ponds. The bass seemed to like the red shad worms quite a bit, although from some ponds I got nothing at all. The good ponds made up for the bad ones, though.

The search for ponds and the thrill of getting some nice fish out of unlikely-looking places is surprisingly enjoyable.

orlando fishing report

This bass-producing retention pond is in an industrial park.

And that is the fairly boring Orlando fishing report from the Spotted Tail.

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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

The Mudfish Orlando Fishing Report

April 16, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

The Mudfish Orlando Fishing Report

We fished all over central Florida this week, thus the Orlando Fishing Report.

One of the features of fly fishing in the midwest is the farm pond. One of the features of fly fishing here in Florida is the lowly retention pond, a mostly ignored resource. Lawn and street yuck drain into a hole that was dug in some neighborhood so the dirty water has a chance to clean up before moving into the local watershed. In spite of the yuck fish live in them. Fish are pretty adaptable creatures. Because not many folks fish them, the fish that live in these ponds tend to be unsophisticated and aggressive. I like my fish that way!

Sunday evening after dinner I went to a retention pond in Oviedo for maybe an hour’s casting. On a black matuka I got five strikes and unhooked and released four chunky bass, all of which were about a foot long.

Monday morning after visits to the bank and post office I went to a different retention pond and cast a new fly I needed to test. There was a strike on the second cast, and another shortly afterwards. I tried five flies in that pond and the new one was the only one that worked. Five chunky bass fell for it, decent if not exceptional for a couple hours of casting.

Monday evening after supper I tried still another pond. I did not see anything or get a bite. Click here to read more about fishing in retention ponds…

Tuesday morning found Scott Radloff and I searching the mighty Atlantic for denizens of the deep. We could not find any bait. But we did (after significant searching) find some breaking fish- Spanish mackerel, with an occasional bluefish mixed in. The fishies were thick enough that I broke out a six-weight and caught a bunch of fish, as well as lost several flies. White bucktail jigs and Sting Silvers were effective with the spin rod.

orlando fishing report

We ran into macks and blues intermittently all day, only seeing a few leaping spinner sharks for variety. The weather was outstanding, a gorgeous day.

With a fly trip coming up on Friday, I went scouting on the Mosquito Lagoon Wednesday. The water level is about the same, and its color is exactly the same. A dozen or so real shots came my way and I converted three of them, landing and releasing two slot redfish. One fell for an olive Bouncer minnow, the other two for a root beer sparkle crab. The weather was really nice and the day was extremely enjoyable.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Thursday found me sitting in my kayak on the St. Johns River. The morning started foggy, spooky, mist enveloping me and limiting visibility to maybe 100 yards. Bullfrogs croaked an impromptu chorus. I wish I could say the fish were on fire, but that was not at all the case. The first fish was a small chain pickerel that released such a flood of memories I had to write about it (read the piece HERE).

orlando fishing report

I worked it hard, getting a dozen bass. The largest maybe hit 12 inches. Or I might be being generous. A couple bluegills fell for my fakes, too.

orlando fishing report

But from a size perspective the fish of the day came on an almost terrifyingly violent strike on the popping bug. The fish jumped four or five times, putting up quite a respectable battle.

It was a mudfish, two or three pounds. They’re not very pretty. But I certainly enjoyed our encounter.

orlando fishing report

Friday found my fly charter, Bob Wikan and his friend Mike (just Mike!) and I out on Mosquito Lagoon. Oi vey, what a day! Cloudy, cool, and windy, with dirty water, the perfect combination for sight fishing with a fly rod.

Sometimes I wonder why I scout. Of course the fish were not where I found them Wednesday. A search mission ensued, largely unsuccessful. By lunchtime we had seen a total of three fish and had not gotten a shot at any. It was looking pretty bleak.

The afternoon continued that trend, until I looked someplace I seldom look. Holy cow, there’s a tailer! Wow, there’s another one! Since I could not control the boat in the gale, we abandoned it and went at the problem on foot. Bob got one of the most extended shots at a tailer I’ve ever seen, following and casting to the same fish for 10 or 15 minutes. In spite of the effort he did not convert. The fish simply disappeared to end the drama.

Mike got a nice slot fish by blind casting the root beer sparkle crab, the only bite and fish we would get.

As I loaded the boat on the trailer the rain hit with a vengeance. It was so nice of it to wait until then! Thank you gentlemen, it was a blast fishing with you!

And that is this week’s Mudfish Orlando fishing report from the Spotted Tail.

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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

Some Good News Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

April 9, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Some Good News Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

The water in the Mosquito Lagoon has dropped. I’m not sure that it’s any clearer, but in many places you can see the bottom, and thus the fish. Since this is good news, we have the Good News Mosquito Lagoon fishing report.

Monday Dr. Michael Sweeney joined me for some Mosquito Lagoon fishing, with both fly and spin. After launching the boat at River Breeze we found some tailing fish at the first place we looked. Tailing redfish! Not a lot of them, to be sure, but tailers nonetheless.

They may have been tailing but they were not suicidal. We did not get a bite.

We checked several other spots where we saw nothing at all. The last spot we checked, however, had redfish cruising the bank, blasting minnows now and again. The fish were not easy to see, but they were there. We hooked one on a DOA CAL shad, which eventually shook the hook. We ended up fishless.

Tuesday morning found me at JB’s Fish Camp where I picked up Al and Adam Winnicky, father and son who now both live in New Smyrna. We went to the tailing spot from the previous day. Curses! Two boats there already.

We went to the last spot from the previous day. We did not see a fish, did not get a bite. Time to punt.

I went down into the Mosquito Lagoon to check a place I had not visited in quite a long time. Wow, there’s a fish! Adam made a pinpoint cast with the DOA CAL shad and BANG! the fish struck.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Adam with his redfish.

We ended up spending the rest of the day there, seeing redfish cruising with some regularity. We did not make a killing, but got two more reds on mullet chunks. We had quite an entertaining ride running back to JB’s into a north wind somewhere between 15 and 20 knots.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Son and father, and a pretty redfish.

I was able to sight fish two consecutive days, certainly good news from the Mosquito Lagoon.

Thursday’s forecast caused me to bag fishing. I went out to the MINWR and shot photos instead. Got a few decent ones.

dabbling spoonbill

 

mosquito lagoon fishing report

 

mosquito lagoon fishing report

 

mosquito lagoon fishing report

And that is this week’s Good News Mosquito Lagoon fishing report from the Spotted Tail.

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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

Broken Trailer Orlando Fishing Report

April 2, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Broken Trailer Orlando Fishing Report

My aluminum trailer crapped out on me this week, thus the Broken Trailer Orlando Fishing Report.

News of the Week
My friend Rodney Smith attended the Brevard County Commission meeting this past week. My understanding of our telephone conversation is that almost four hours of citizen comments and discussion were spent as Brevard County citizens requested the Commission declare a state of emergency due to the condition of the Banana River Lagoon. One of the Commissioners made a motion to make such a declaration. That motion did not receive a second. The matter did not come to a vote.

One of the Commissioners was heard to say, “They’re still catching fish at Sebastian Inlet and in the Mosquito Lagoon.” Apparently all life in the lagoon system will have to die before the weasels will take action. No, they probably will not take action even then.

These were Mitchell Roffer’s comments to the Brevard County Commission, reprinted with his permission:

“I am Mitchell Roffer, President of Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc. of West Melbourne and I live on Melbourne Beach. I have my Ph.D from University of Miami ‘s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences in Biological Oceanography. Property owner [in Brevard County] for more than twenty years.

“We have a three billion dollar ($3.7B) ecosystem economic machine called the Indian River Lagoon. We have not done enough to maintain its upkeep and health. Its like your valuable car that you don’t do enough servicing on until a hose breaks and then you realize that the engine and transmission are blown too. It hurts to pay the bill, but you have to.

“Yes we have not been paying to maintain and protect the IRL. This is not a new problem. This has been going on for at least 15 years.

“So now prepare yourself to pay. Yes be prepared to pay on the order of 500 million dollars.

“The press releases I’ve read from certain government offices are a sad joke that insults my intelligence. If water quality was such a top priority in the state of Florida, then we would not be in this situation. The IRL has been under managed and understudied. Protection has been negligently weak.

“Yes the problem is obvious: Too much nitrogen and phosphorus.

“We must act. We must declare a state of emergency so that we can:

1. Get rid of the muck within five years.
2. End residential fertilizer use.
3. End septic tanks.
4. Remediate water entering the IRL.
5. Mandate the reduction of nutrients coming from agriculture including farms, citrus and cattle.
6. Improve water treatment infrastructure to modern tertiary and quartinary treatment, as well as, stopping sewage spillage.
7. Restore the ecosystem through sea grass planting, oyster and other bivalve culture and fish restocking.
8. Improve the monitoring and science.

“Yes we need state, federal and regional money. I think we need a large bond issue. Interest rates are low.

“Asking you to act. The Tampa Bay leaders acted and succeeded to repair and restore the Tampa Bay estuary. Be the leaders you were elected to be.”

They’re weasels, Mitchell, not leaders. It takes fortitude to act for the greater good, and those weasels don’t have it.

I expect there will be more major IRL fish kills in 2016 as the weather heats up. The problem has not gone away.

Fishing!
Oi, what a week.

Monday was cleanup day from the Everglades trip. I checked the Econ gauge online. Wednesday night before the trip to south Florida it read two feet. Monday morning it read eight feet. What?!!! It must be broken.

I hopped in the car and went down the street to check. The gauge is working properly. Weekend rains blew out the river, just when it was hitting the right level, too.

orlando fishing report

Quite a jump in just a few days, isn’t it?

Tuesday son Alex and his Lady Allison joined me for a day on the mighty Atlantic. As I was backing the trailer down the boat ramp I heard a disturbing grinding noise. The trailer had broken and was dragging on the ramp. We got the Mitzi into the water and went fishing. We got several bluefish and Spanish mackerel, most on jigs but a few on fly too.

orlando fishing report

It was really broken, snapped right off. I’ve done a little work disassembling here, but the corrosion is obvious.

After several telephone conversations (during our fishing) I determined my course of action. I would tie the boat to the dock at Blue Points Marina ($2/foot/night), effect such repairs on the old trailer that I could get it home, go buy a new trailer, and come back and get the boat the next day. That way I maybe could get my Wednesday charter in as well.

I would like to thank Allen McMillan at Central Florida Marine for making the purchase of that new trailer (a Continental) as painless and expedient as possible. Great work, sir!

How fortunate am I that after taking a 500+ mile trip with that trailer it breaks on the boat ramp at Port Canaveral, THE most convenient place it could ever have broken??

I am in the process of rebuilding the old trailer, an EZ Loader, and will be selling it. If you’re looking for a trailer please consider it. I will have an “official” for sale notice when I finish the job.

Wednesday Mark and Janet Soley met me at Blue Points for our rendezvous. The wind was out of the east at 15. We got to the jetty and turned around. That was that. I put the Mitzi on her new wheels and drove her home.

Thursday I may have been dreaming, or maybe I entered another form of alternate reality. In that dream reality I went paddling with Tim McFall. We found some clean water in the Indian River Lagoon system. In that clean water we actually found a few redfish we could see, and I actually convinced one to take a fly I had tied from rooster feathers, a Homer Rhodes Shrimp Fly.

orlando fishing report

An alternate reality redfish.

It was a fantastic experience. Sadly, I don’t expect it to ever happen again, at least in my lifetime. I so hope I’m light years off base with that prediction.

Friday I returned to normal reality. I took the Bang-O-Craft scouting out of River Breeze. The water looks awful. In spite of that I actually saw in the murky stuff that now passes for water four redfish, alive and swimming, a group of three and a single. I cast a DOA CAL jig at the group and one of them slammed it with zero hesitation. The single spooked off the same lure.

orlando fishing report

A redfish from the current reality of the Mosquito Lagoon.

Three dink trout were taken by using the DOA Deadly Combo. That was the total catch in about five hours of hunting.

And that is this week’s broken trailer Orlando fishing report from the Spotted Tail.

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 2016. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing News, Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, port canaveral fishing report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,
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