You are here: Home / Archives for orlando fishing report

Noodled Trout Orlando Fishing Report

March 5, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Noodled Trout Orlando Fishing Report

This is the Noodled Trout Orlando Fishing report, covering the Mosquito Lagoon and the St. Johns River.

Upcoming Events-
Saturday, March 12th Beach ‘N Boards Fest Paddle Board Catch & Release Tournament Ramp Road Park, Cocoa Beach, Florida. Registration and other event information at
https://racehubhq.com/races/BeachNBoardsFestSUPFishingTourney

What is the impact of Big Sugar in your life? Check out this new video on the sugar industry! http://www.sierraclub.org/florida/BigSugarVideo

Mystery Photographer
The Mystery Photographer sent me these photos of Nautilus Fly Reels. As you can see they are gorgeous reels…

orlando fishing report

That is a fine looking fly reel.

orlando fishing report

 

Fishing Story of the Week
It’s been way too long since we had a fishing story of the week. I am the principal in this one, too.

Sunday Tammy and I went kayak fishing out of River Breeze. The water is no longer clean up there. I went to a hole I know and started casting blindly. A couple of small reds were caught and released. Then I saw what I mistakenly thought was a crawler red up near the bank. I waded into range and made a few casts. The fish did not respond to the fly at all. Stranger still, it didn’t change its position.

Starting to think it was distressed I waded still closer. It turns out to be a really nice trout, six or seven pounds. Curiosity driving me, I got closer still. Now in range to simply strike like a blue heron, I reached down and grabbed the fish.

It wiggled and broke my grip, but could not swim away. I just picked it up again, while fumbled for the section of nylon cord I keep for such occasions.

I went noodling for trout in the Mosquito Lagoon! The fish I grabbed was boatkill!

The poor fish had been hit by a boat and had four prop cuts, starting on its head and moving down its port side. Somehow, it wasn’t yet dead. I cut its gill arches and carried it around on the string for the rest of the day.

orlando fishing report

My noodled trout, boatkill.

At the boat ramp as I was cleaning the fish I could hear some of the folks in other boats saying, “Wow, look at the size of that guy’s trout!” I didn’t have the heart to tell them I caught it with my fingers, hardly more difficult than picking up a squashed ‘possum off the side of the road. Tammy and I had a good laugh about it afterwards.

News of the Week
A Record 6,250 Manatees Counted Off Florida Coast
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/record-6250-manatees-counted-florida

I am so sorry I missed this news item- http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/watch-porn-and-help-save-whales-month . We live in a crazy world.

Fishing!
As already noted, on Sunday Tammy and I went kayak fishing out of River Breeze. So far as I could tell, all the clean water that had been in this part of the lagoon is gone. Now it looks as nasty as the rest of the lagoon.

orlando fishing report

Tammy having fun in the mud.

I got a handful of reds blindcasting a streamer. Three were short, two were low-end slot fish. One short trout took the same fly. Tammy got a redfish on a jerk bait, a fish she spotted and cast to. No one else we saw had anything. The day was absolutely perfect, the kind of weather you dream about, but fishing was slow. The water finally was at a winter level, though, nice and low. Now if the algae would just disappear…

Having three fishing charters scheduled for this week, Tuesday I used the Mitzi and went scouting out of River Breeze. I could not find any clean water, and ran aground twice. The water was very dirty, as the algae-laden water from the south lagoon drained north towards Ponce Inlet as the water level dropped. I saw exactly two fish and did not get a bite, and wondered how my fishing season can possibly work when the place I fish is apparently ruined, at least for the foreseeable future…

Wednesday’s charter was a fly caster who lives in Virginia, Dr. Ross Thomas. We launched at C.S. Lee Park on the St. Johns River. A strong bite of hybrid stripers kicked off our morning. Minnow imitating streamers tossed on sinking lines worked very well, as we were into double digits numbers-wise, fish that ran two to three pounds.

orlando fishing report

Dr. Ross with a bass.

When that action slowed we went shad fishing. By now the wind had come up, about 15 knots from the north, making fishing more challenging. Ross got a couple shad on a green shad fly. We went up the Econ to try for bass and bluegills but the water is still too high and we did not raise a fish. Still, we had a good day. As Ross wrote, “Good fishing, excellent conversation and a splendid time. Left ’em with some sore mouths too! Thanks and we will fish again!” Thank you, Ross!

orlando fishing report

Dr. Ross with a shad. He seems happy!

Thursday’s charter was Mr. Tom Finger and Mr. Bob Trapp, both of whom live in central Florida. They had also booked me for lagoon fishing, but also agreed to try the St. Johns. The striper bite was not as hot as the previous day, but we still got ten or twelve on DOA CAL jigs on which were threaded 3″ DOA CAL shad.

orlando fishing report

Bob with a fine bass.

Again, when the striper action slowed we went shad fishing. Using 1/16th ounce crappie jigs with 1″ curly tails rigged in tandem they caught shad steadily for three hours or so. Tom got at least one double hookup on his line, and as a team they had several doubles, good, steady action. As Tom wrote, “Thanks for the pics and a GREAT day. We will be in touch.” Thank you, Tom and Bob!

orlando fishing report

Tom with one of his American shad.

Friday’s charter was set on fishing Mosquito Lagoon. My report and the weather forecast caused him to cancel the day. 🙁

Because no one signed up for the Show and Tell seminar, Thursday night I booked a charter for Saturday, Mr. Dave Phillips. We launched at Haulover Canal. The plan was to circumnavigate the lagoon, check it all out. We looked on both sides of the lagoon from Max Hoeck Creek to River Breeze. The water was low but very dirty. I managed to hit bottom numerous times because I could not see it. It was a beautiful if breezy day, but we didn’t see anything. We did manage to get a few trout on soft plastics, and one would have even held batter. Thank you, Dave!

And that is this week’s Noodled Trout Orlando Fishing report, covering the Mosquito Lagoon and the St. Johns River. Tight lines, everyone!

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.

Share
|



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

Blown Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

February 27, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Blown Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

Gee, did the wind blow this week? Every day, most days around 20 mph. We have the Blown Out Mosquito Lagoon fishing report.

Upcoming Events- Lots of ’em!
– 2/28-3/5 Wekiva Paint Out. Thirty nationally-renowned artists come here and paint our beautiful scenery for one week. They start painting on Monday, February 29th and continue through Saturday, March 5th.  The event culminates with a Gala at Wekiva Island, an event not to be missed! http://keepseminole.org/event/wekiva-paint-out/

– Ocala Outdoor Expo, 3/5 and 3/6. http://www.ocalaexpo.com/

– Mosquito Lagoon Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, March 5. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/
No one has signed up yet!

– Mosquito Lagoon On-the-Water Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, March 6. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-on-the-water-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/ -One space left in the morning session.

State Forest Update-
Two weeks ago I wrote, “I wrote letters to the manager of the state forest and the commissioner of agriculture. We’ll see what they say.” I got an answer. It’s been scanned and can be seen at this link…http://www.spottedtail.com/blog/state-forest-letter/

Fishing!
The plan for Monday was to visit the Banana River Lagoon. Tom Van Horn went Sunday. His report of nasty, dirty water and hard-to-find fish saved me the trip.

Tuesday John and Sue Burns joined me for a day’s fishing on Mosquito Lagoon. Yes, it was blowing. The sun kept peeking out from between the clouds. Fishing was not fabulous, and the nasty water moved into areas that had been clean last week. Damn algae.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Sue holds John’s trout. She’s a better model!

 

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Photographing the fishie.

John got a slot trout on a DOA Shrimp, and a nice four-pounder class fish on the RipTide Weedless Shrimp. We got several small fish on the Deadly Combo. Sue finally got a slot redfish on a DOA CAL Shad, three inch. And that was it for the day.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Sue wanted a red, and got this one.

Postponed Thursday’s trip to next week, the second time in two week’s that trip has been bounced.

Friday I got new tires for the trailer, then went to the St. Johns for some shad fishing. Bluebird sky, winds 10-15 from the north. Fly fishers, you’ll need a sinking line. The water is high, almost flooding the pastures. Two boats with fly fishers took six fish that I saw. I got three shad in four hours, using 1/16th ounce crappie jigs with one inch curly tails.

Saturday my bride brought me to the Florida Gourding Society’s Gourd Festival in Melbourne. It may sound worse than a trip to dentist, but actually it was quite fascinating, with lots of beautiful work. My shaky photos do not do it justice.

DSCN1427

Maybe I’m getting old, but it was a very worthwhile thing to do.

DSCN1428

Not a great week, but better than no cheese.

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.

Share
|



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

Mercury Rising Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

February 20, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Mercury Rising Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

Observing the heavens is one of my passions. I’ve known for years that it’s possible to see the planet Mercury with the naked eye. I could never find it- until this week. Now I’ve seen it three times. And such fishing as got done by me this week happened in the Mosquito Lagoon. Combine the two and you get the Mercury Rising Mosquito Lagoon fishing report.

For those of you who would like to observe this planet, get outside about 6-6:15 am. Look to the east and you will see a bright star above the horizon. It’s the planet Venus. Below Venus and a few degrees to the north is a much dimmer star- that’s Mercury. Check it out now while you’ve got Venus to point the way.

Upcoming Events- Lots of ’em!
– 2/28-3/5 Wekiva Paint Out. Thirty nationally-renowned artists come here and paint our beautiful scenery for one week. They start painting on Monday, February 29th and continue through Saturday, March 5th.  The event culminates with a Gala at Wekiva Island, an event not to be missed! http://keepseminole.org/event/wekiva-paint-out/
– Ocala Outdoor Expo, 3/5 and 3/6. http://www.ocalaexpo.com/
– Mosquito Lagoon Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, March 5. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/
– Mosquito Lagoon On-the-Water Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, March 6. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-on-the-water-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/

State Forest Update-
Last week I wrote, “I wrote letters to the manager of the state forest and the commissioner of agriculture. We’ll see what they say.” Nothin’, yet.

Fishing!
Not fishing, but Sunday I brought my valentine to see the Big Bugs at Leu Gardens.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

BIG bugs.

Very cool exhibit in a very cool place. You’ve got a few more weeks before the bugs march off to a different venue.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

It’s a good real ants don’t get this big or we would never have made it as a species.

$10 admission per person. http://www.leugardens.org/category/events/

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Monday it blew like snot. I don’t even remember what I did.

Tuesday, a beautiful day, I spent the morning at the car dealership getting the wife’s chariot repaired. In the afternoon I did a little local exploring. Stop one was at Riverside Park in Oviedo. Several years ago son Maxx talked me into launching a canoe there (not a hard thing to do) and paddling down to SR 419. What an obstacle course. Anyway, that’s the only time I went to that park. Turns out it’s quite lovely and the Little Econ, although little more than a drainage ditch for east Orlando, actually looks quite nice coming through here. Further investigation required.

Stop two was a little pond off of Lockwood Road. Walked around it twice, the second time with a fishing rod with a plastic worm on the line. Did not get a bite. Did not see anything other than guppies.

Stop three was the Econ River Wilderness area, off Old Lockwood Road, a rather pretentious name for a 300 acre property that is certainly not a wilderness. It’s a nice enough place to go for a walk or go running though, a valuable patch of woods in an area of crowded housing developments.

Wednesday Tom Van Horn (the fishing guide, not the comedian) met me at Haulover Canal so we could do a little Mosquito Lagoon scouting. The water south of Georges Bar looks TERRIBLE, brown and turbid. Even spots that were clean a couple weeks ago look awful now. We found nothing there.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Tom Van Horn, not the comedian one.

Up by Oak Hill we found some clean water and a few fish, and managed one redfish and one seatrout each, on (not surprisingly if you read this report very often) 3″ DOA CAL Shad. Not a great day by any means, but better than no cheese.

Thursday’s charter postponed until next week because of the wind.

Friday Mr. Ryan Houlihan, a fly fisher from Virginia, met me at River Breeze. It was a tough day, with lots of clouds and considerable wind, hard for a fly fisher. Ryan missed one bite at the first spot, but most of the fish we saw we had already run over and they ignored the fly.

He missed another bite at the second spot, this one from a trout (we could see the action). None of the other fish we saw there cooperated.

We checked a couple other spots with few visible fish. At this point the clouds were pretty solid and we just couldn’t see. In the places we could see there was nothing to see. It ended up Mr. Houlihan did not get another bite and we went fishless. I don’t like that but hey, that’s fishing, especially with the fly rod.

And that is the Mercury Rising Mosquito Lagoon Fishing 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.

Share
|



Related articles
  • February 2016 guide to the 5 bright planets
  • Celestial show: View Saturn, Mars, Jupiter from Science Centre’s telescopes this Saturday
  • The Planets Are About to Align
Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Keep America Beautiful Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

February 6, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Keep America Beautiful Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

Rodney Smith and I attended the Keep America Beautiful national conference in Orlando on Tuesday, so we have a Keep America Beautiful Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report.

Upcoming Events- Lots of ’em!
– Wekiva Paint Out, 2/28-3/5. Thirty nationally-renowned artists come here and paint our beautiful scenery for one week. They start painting on Monday, February 29th and continue through Saturday, March 5th.  The event culminates with a Gala at Wekiva Island, an event not to be missed! http://keepseminole.org/event/wekiva-paint-out/
– Ocala Outdoor Expo, 3/5 and 3/6. http://www.ocalaexpo.com/
– Mosquito Lagoon Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, March 5. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/
– Mosquito Lagoon On-the-Water Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, March 6. http://www.spottedtail.com/mosquito-lagoon-on-the-water-show-and-tell-fishing-seminar/

Parents Must Read This
Get a tissue because there will be tears of laughter. http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/family/25-hysterical-love-notes-from-kids-who-are-just-a-little-too-honest/ss-BBoUcIt

Fishing!
Sunday, a day I usually don’t like to fish, was a lovely day, calm and cloudy, and I did fish. My angler was Dr. Dave Harden of Orlando. We went spin fishing for trout and reds and did pretty well. My lures of choice were the DOA CAL shad and the DOA 3″ Shrimp. Dr. Dave used a 1/8th ounce jig with a 4″ shad tail. A half dozen reds and about 20 trout were boated, several slot fish of each. Sight fishing was difficult due to the clouds but we did sight cast to several fish and caught a few of them. Good day.

Monday Dr. Aubrey Thompson, a fly fisher from Jacksonville, came down for some Mosquito Lagoon fly fishing. It was mostly cloudy with almost no wind and we ran over fish all day, very frustrating. Aubrey got three fish altogether, a nice trout and a couple of rat reds, on a fly he calls the neutralizer http://www.danblanton.com/blog/red-meat-neutralizer-fly-tying-instructions-by-lee-haskin/. We saw quite a few fish but almost all of them were after we ran them over- nary a tailer did we see. Stupid, uncooperative fish! That’s fishin I guess.

Tuesday Rodney and I attended the Keep America Beautiful conference. I knew almost nothing about them but it’s an amazing, important organization. Read the blog I wrote about it here… http://www.spottedtail.com/blog/keep-america-beautiful/

Wednesday- honey-dos! ’nuff said.

Thursday Tammy and I tried to go bass fishing. I say tried to because the 20 mph winds interfered with our boat handling and casting. We gave up fishless after a couple of hours. Tammy said there are shad from the Mullet Lake all the way to SR 50.

Friday’s 20 mph winds and 60 degree high temperature discouraged me from fishing. I thought about shad fishing, but ended up going walking/running through the state forest, on the Florida Trail.

Welcome to the State Forest

Welcome to the State Forest.

 

This is what it looked like before.

This is what it looked like before.

 

This is what it looks like now.

This is what it looks like now.

 

Before.

Before.

 

Now. Note the Florida Trail blaze on one of the survivor trees.

Now. Note the Florida Trail blaze on one of the survivor trees.

 

Before.

Before.

 

Now.

Now. Am I being too sensitive here?

 

Or do you find this appalling too?

Or do you find this appalling too? Someone is not keeping America beautiful!!!

Someone has clearcut a sizeable section of the woods between Snow Hill Road and Brumley Road. You walk along these nice mud bridges through some lovely woods, right into an ugly wound, a clearcut. What is up with that?
I see some letters being generated, because I’m kind of upset. The Little Big Econ state forest is NOT keeping America beautiful.

And that is the Keep America Beautiful Mosquito Lagoon Fishing 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.

Share
|



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

Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

January 29, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

The sky can be a wonderful source of entertainment, both day and night. I don’t get to look at the night sky nearly enough. I went solo camping Monday night to do some stargazing, thus the Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon fishing report.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

File photo, Orion by moonlight.

The kayak got launched at River Breeze about 11 AM Monday morning. It was fairly cold, but the sky was clear. While paddling I noticed a bunch of footprints on the bottom (the water is fairly clear). “Those are fish.” The boat was staked out while casts were made to those fish. They ate, and I got several reds, some in the slot, some short. A #2 olive green over white Bucktail Bouncer was the fly of choice. Man, it worked well that day!

mosquito lagoon fishing report

They were all over the olive over white Bouncer.

When the action slowed the paddling recommenced. There was a skiff at the next spot, well downwind. The painter was tied around my waist as I started wading and blindcasting the Bouncer. The fish were all over it, both trout and reds, about an equal mix of slot fish and shorties. It was pretty novel getting a bite every few casts, though, quite enjoyable. I considered working the spot again but another skiff came. Back in the kayak, paddling again.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Bouncers drying on the rack.

There were plenty of fish at the next spot, all trout, all short. Did not stay long. The Bouncer, about 20 fish old at this point, was starting to unravel.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

The trout liked the fly, too.

Checking another spot, I saw two muds flare up as the kayak passed. I staked it out and started wading, blindcasting. Nothing, nothing, was considering giving up when the line came tight, five pound trout, yes!

Worked the spot for a while longer and got two more nice trout. The mono holding the beads on the fly slipped out of the fly’s head and the beads were lost. Waaahhh! I LIKED that fly!

With the shadows getting long I pointed the kayak toward the campsite http://www.recreation.gov/wildernessAreaDetails.do?page=detail&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72791. It was close to a spot where several big trout and redfish were observed last week. I worked it hard, but they were all gone.

As it got dark the stars starting winking on. It’s such an awesome time of year for them. Orion. Gemini. Sirius. Aldebaran. The Pleides. I lay there just gazing at the cosmos, listening to the waves on the distant shore. Five satellites crossed my view, and two meteors did, too. It was better than the fishing.

Done sleeping at 5 AM, I got up to do a little more stargazing. The light from an almost-full moon blotted out many stars, but the planets! At one point Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and Venus were all visible, lined up across the heavens. My God, we live in a fantastic place!

Soon I was paddling under those planets, heading to yesterday’s hot spot. It was just getting light when I started casting. Clouds diffused the sun’s light into a glorious display of colors- purple, bluue, gray, orange, gold, pink. Cast cast cast cast cast cast cast. Nothing. What happened to the fish?

mosquito lagoon fishing report

A fox squirrel Bouncer was appreciated, too.

Then the line came tight and all was right with the world. Three nice trout were among the fish that spot produced. No other boats came, and the sun was well up when I saw what looked like tailing fish about 50 yards away. “Probably mullet.” I kept watching though, and finally had to go check it out. They were tailing redfish, at least 15 of them. I got one bite and missed it, and managed to chase them all away.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

One of the reds I didn’t miss.

Three other spots were tried without success. Stopping at an old favorite, I staked out the boat and started blind casting. Only one fish bit, but it was the best fish of the trip, a magnificent seatrout about 27 inches long. Another Bouncer was the fly, this one with a fox squirrel wing.

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Ha! This was a gorgeous fish.

It had been an incredible trip so far, but on the way back I found some tailing reds and got a couple more. It was the best inshore fishing I’d had since coming back from Alaska, and that includes the trip to Louisiana. Red Hot!

mosquito lagoon fishing report

There’s that funny-looking man again.

The rains on Wednesday and Thursday may not have been Biblical but they did make our roof start leaking. Looks like another home improvement project.

Friday was cold and windy. I checked out the St. Johns River from 10 until 1, from Lake Harney to Puzzle Lake. Touched a single fish at the mouth of the Econ. It felt good but it came off quick enough I didn’t know what it was. Talked to Ultra Fly at the boat ramp. He had gotten two shad near Puzzle Lake, “working his butt off” I think he said, adding that the “shad have been really slow.”

The redfish and trout have been hot, though. I have lots of open days- give me a call if you want to catch some fish!

And that is the Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing 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.

Share |

Filed Under: Fishing Reports · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Two Days Kayaking Orlando Fishing Report

January 23, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Two Days Kayaking Orlando Fishing Report

We had two beautiful days this week, sandwiched between days that were good for web-surfing. I went kayak fly fishing on those two days- the two days kayaking Orlando fishing report.

Interesting Reads for No-Fishing Days
-Could the Internet Out-Evolve Humanity? A thought-provoking essay on our love affair with devices: http://www.iflscience.com/technology/not-so-science-fiction-after-all-internet-could-out-evolve-humanity

-Got Sunscreen? The Melanoma Foundation wants to keep you from getting skin cancer. They say, Practice Safe Skin! And to help, they are giving away sunscreen dispensers, putting their money where their mouths are. Learn more at http://mfne.org/practice-safe-skin/

-The FWC Confirming Spawning Redfish. Redfish spawn in east central Florida’s lagoons. And the FWC is collecting evidence! It’s an interesting read- http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fish/red-drum/telemetry/

Fishing!
Atrocious weather on Monday kept me home. Tuesday afternoon was cold and windy, Since I had to get out I mounted the bicycle and went for a lovely ride in the woods, flushing a flock of about a dozen turkeys. I’d never seen them all fly off before, pretty amazing stuff.

Wednesday found me launching the kayak in the Indian River Lagoon. The birds (and the day itself) were fantastic, coots and eagles and ibis and herons and egrets and more. The fish, well, not so much, but I did get a trout and a redfish using a black bucktail bendback.

Orlando Fishing report

The trout on the black bucktail bendback.

Still, days like that are worth being out fishing on even if the fish don’t bite so well. The fish were gorgeous, too.

orlando fishing report

File photo of a redfish like the one I caught. Who knows? Maybe it’s the same fish.

Thursday morning I launched at River Breeze. The water is still too high for really successful kayak fishing, but the water is clean up there for the most part!

Orlando Fishing report

Remember this? It’s seagrass, and there is still some growing near Oak Hill.

Although cloudier than the previous day it was pretty spectacular again. Between 9 AM and about 230 PM I ran over a dozen or so fish, had a couple half-baked shots, and got one rat red. Between 230 and 4, when I packed it in, I had shots at a couple tailers, got three nice reds and a half dozen trout to four pounds.

Orlando Fishing report

This was the last and nicest fish of the day.

Those cold days are always better in the afternoon. If I didn’t have to cook supper I would have stayed until dark.

Orlando Fishing report

This sweetheart took a surface fly, a white Gurgler. The gill tear was a pre-existing condition. The fish swam off apparently none the worse for our encounter.

I had been working on an article about Bouncer flies for Fly Tyer magazine. The nasty weather Friday let me finish it and get it sent off.

And that is the Two Days Kayaking Orlando Fishing 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.

Share
|



Related articles
Filed Under: Fishing Reports · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seatrout Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

January 11, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Seatrout Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

mosquito lagoon fishing report

Seatrout like this are the main subject of this week’s Mosquito Lagoon Fishing report.

Upcoming Events
-Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival- the largest birding and wildlife festival in the United States! January 20-25 at Eastern Florida State College – Titusville campus, 1311 North US 1, Titusville. http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org

Unrelated to fishing but supercool, read about the entire universe captured in a single image here…

Universe1

Fishing!
My honey-dos, although not completely finished, temporarily wrapped up Thursday about noon. FINALLY! I hitched the trailer of the Bang-O-Craft to the van and drove to the Kennedy Point ramp, cautiously optimistic.

The water looked like s–t.

I rode around the Indian RIver Lagoon for two hours looking for some reasonably clean water, without success. Places that were crystal clear a few weeks ago were horribly dirty now. I did not even pick up a fishing rod, put the boat back on the trailer, and drove home.

Friday I went to the Mosquito Lagoon for some serious scouting. The water there is still pretty dirty but way better than the IRL. That water is still unseasonably high. I guess with the ice caps melting I should get used to the new normal.

I saw a few reds, even a couple tailers, did not get one. Saw another boat get a couple, though, just beating the shoreline blindly.

Using my fish finder, the DOA Deadly Combo, I found trout in several places. About one in six was a legal fish, although I released everything. It was encouraging to see a few reds and to catch quite a few trout.
To flush the motor I stopped at CS Lee Park on the way home. Reid Martin was there. He had gotten five shad in the St. Johns, up near Puzzle Lake, along with a four pound largemouth that took his shad fly. Good to see some shads showing up!

Saturday I went scouting again, using the Mitzi, bringing a childhood friend along, Mr. Kevin Linehan. Kevin was never much of a fisherman, so he just went for the ride and to get out. We had some good reminisces!

Blind casting with the 3″ DOA CAL Shad I got a few reds. I wouldn’t call it hot fishing but if you work it you might get a few. The trout on the Deadly Combo was a pretty sure thing, though. We kept one for Kevin’s dinner.

Saturday night my phone rang. Qi Guojung wanted me to take him and his friends fishing the next morning. Sure thing!

So Sunday, instead of watching playoff football I had a boat full of Chinese men out on Mosquito Lagoon. Due to a language barrier we didn’t converse much, although they certainly talked a lot. But I couldn’t understand them. They LOVED the Deadly Combo. They caught a lot of trout, and ended getting eleven legal fish, no big ones, 15-18 inch trout. They had a great time, and so did I. Xia xia!

And that is the Seatrout Mosquito Lagoon Fishing 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.

Share
|



Filed Under: Fishing Reports · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Two Redfish Orlando Fishing Report

December 18, 2015 by · Leave a Comment

Two Redfish Orlando Fishing Report

Yes, we did fish this week, three days. No, we did not catch a lot of fish. We got a total of two redfish, thus the Two Redfish Orlando Fishing report.

Upcoming Events

-Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival- the largest birding and wildlife festival in the United States! January 20-25 at Eastern Florida State College – Titusville campus, 1311 North US 1, Titusville. http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org

-Brevard County Oyster Restoration- the Brevard Oyster Restoration Project has an ongoing need for volunteers. If you care about the health of the Indian River Lagoon, this is a way to show it. Nothing we can do for water quality in the lagoon will be more valuable then restoring water filtration into this ecosystem. I’m signed up for January 15, and hope to see some of you there. http://brevardoystergardens.org/volunteer/?sheet_id=24

A GREAT Idea- You know about electricity, but what about ‘hydricity?’

The new word in solar energy is “hydricity.”

An international team of scientists has come up with a way that can make solar power a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week energy source: Combining the power of the sun with clean-burning hydrogen fuel.

Hydricity combines hydrogen production with a solar thermal power plant’s utility-scale electricity production. During the day excess electricity is used to produce hydrogen by running an electric current through water.

The hydrogen that is produced during the day would be used at night to produce electricity through highly efficient fuel cells that emit water vapor. The technology would be crucial for countries looking to increase reliance on solar energy in the wake of last week’s climate deal in Paris.

The scientists, from Purdue University and Switzerland’s Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne, say the process they are pitching can produce hydrogen at an efficiency of 50 percent and electricity at an unprecedented 46 percent efficiency.

“The concept provides an exciting opportunity to envision and create a sustainable economy to meet all the human needs including food, chemicals, transportation, heating and electricity,” said Rakesh Agrawal from Purdue. “Traditionally, electricity production and hydrogen production have been studied in isolation, and what we have done is synergistically integrate these processes while also improving them.”

The group’s work has been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. I hope it works!

——————

Clean Water

It’s incredibly sad that I am the only fishing guide in Florida to have signed this letter…   Where are my colleagues on this???

—————–

Another Blogger

Not to be outdone by me, Mike Conneen has published a real nice blog about our trip to Louisiana, at this link…

—————–

Fishing!

In spite of the fact the gauge read 1.6 I tried kayak fishing again in Mosquito Lagoon on Tuesday. Within the first ten minutes I saw fin tips barely breaking the surface right against the shoreline. I dropped the fly (the same Bouncer Fly I was using last week) in front of him and twitched it once. The fish struck so hard it pulled the rod out of my hand, something that has never happened to me before.

orlando fishing report

The Bouncer Fly. Click on the image for more information!

I got it anyway! Never panic! It was a handsome redfish, seven or eight pounds. No photos- the world does not need more selfies of me with a redfish, at least not this week.

I got to the spot I wanted to check. The water was the color of butterscotch. It was a short check.

I went back where I got the first fish and explored around. I had three good shots. One fish spooked off the fly. One fish either didn’t see it or was completely disinterested, as there was no response whatsoever. The last one ate the fly and I got him too, a clone of the first one. Did not photograph him either. So I got two fine redfish on a Bouncer Fly, not bad for a cloudy, windy day with high, dirty water.

Wednesday about noon found me launching the kayak in the Econlockhatchee. Someone, probably the river itself, dropped a gum tree all the way across the river just downstream of the bridge. How inconvenient.

I tossed that Bouncer Fly for two hours without a touch. Nothing was moving. The whole place just looked dead. I thought about it a while, and decided to bag it. No sooner had I started back then I ran over a bass.

I cut the streamer off and tied on a gurgler. Five seperate fish made attempts to eat the counterfeit. This reporter missed all of them, although I believe four of them were sunfish. Since I had to cook dinner, the ‘yak was back on the chariot at 4 PM. The whole episode reeked skunkily, I say.

Thursday morning found me and Tammy launching the Mitzi at Mullet Lake Park, Tammy’s favorite early season shad spot. Whether we were too early or too late I don’t know, but there were no shad there. There was not much else that was biting either, although we saw quite a few big gar. In four hours we got one redbelly between us. Tammy got it on a white crappie jig. I was skunked again, second straight day. Ouch.

orlando fishing report

This noble fish kept the skunk off of Tammy. I, however, reeked again.

And that is the Two Redfish Orlando Fishing 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 2015. All rights are reserved.

Share
|Related articles
Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Flies and Fly Tying, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Two Bites Orlando Fishing Report

December 13, 2015 by · Leave a Comment

Two Bites Orlando Fishing Report

Kayak fishing two days this week I managed two bites, thus the Two Bites Orlando FIshing Report.

Those readers who do not subscribe and have wondered where I’ve been, my last two reports came from Louisiana and can be accessed here: –http://www.spottedtail.com/blog/venice-la-fishing-report-and-photo-essay/

–http://www.spottedtail.com/blog/the-rest-of-the-kayaking-louisiana-fishing-report-a-photo-essay/

Lots of photos, not much text.

Upcoming Events

-Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival- the largest birding and wildlife festival in the United States! January 20-25 at Eastern Florida State College – Titusville campus, 1311 North US 1, Titusville. http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org

Fishing!

Mike Conneen and I got back from Louisiana Sunday night. Unpacking etc. took place Monday. Photo work and thank yous took place Tuesday. Errands happened Wednesday. There were more errandy things to do Thursday, but it was so nice out I tossed a kayak on the roof of the van and went to the Indian River Lagoon.

Fishing was not hot. I saw a handful of fish. Incredibly, one was tailing and rooting around. Using advanced hoping-for-the-best skills, I tossed a black bendback out where I guessed the fish would be. It was quite a surprise when the line came tight!

A bigger surprise was the size of the fish. It was pushing 20 pounds, a real nice fish. Welcome home!

orlando fishing report

A nice result for one cast.

After a couple photos the fish swam off.

I made one cast, and got one fish. A good afternoon’s work!

After more errands on Friday I decided to try fishing out of River Breeze on Saturday. The water is still a foot higher than I like it, and it’s still real dirty. Expectations were low.

A total of seven redfish were seen, most close enough to be touched by the paddle. I got one shot and hooked and caught the fish. The fly was a Bouncer Fly, shown to me last summer in Alaska by the developer, Steve Duckett. This red was much more modest size-wise than Thursday’s fish but almost as satisfying emotionally. Again, a couple photos and off it went.

orlando fishing report

Battling the beast.

I made one cast, and got one fish. A good afternoon’s work!

orlando fishing report

The Bouncer Fly, a great idea I did not think of.

And that is the Two Bites Orlando Fishing 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 2015. All rights are reserved.

Share
|



Related articles
  • Fish Pop in Ocean Drop 50% from 1970
Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Orlando Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Blown Out Indian River Lagoon Fishing Report

November 21, 2015 by · Leave a Comment

Blown Out Indian River Lagoon Fishing Report

This is the Blown Out Indian River Lagoon Fishing Report. Winds in excess of 20 mph were a persistent weather feature this week.

Best wishes to all for a fantastic Thanksgiving. In spite of all the craziness in the world, we all have so much to be thankful for. Make some time to think about it. You’ll feel better afterwards.

Upcoming Events

-Ocean Reef Beach Festival- December 5. The ORB returns to Pelican Beach Park, Satellite Beach. Celebrate the ocean lifestyle with exciting conservation and recreation displays, activities and hands on learning!  Food trucks, local ocean artists, live music and more! The event is free and will be held from 10am-5pm. Proceeds to benefit Surfrider Foundation and Anglers For Conservation.

-Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival- the largest birding and wildlife festival in the United States! January 20-25 at Eastern Florida State College – Titusville campus, 1311 North US 1, Titusville. http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org

The Contest from Two Weeks Ago

Two weeks ago I asked what a Button Trout was. Because no one responded I forgot to address it last week. I got this information

orlando fishing report

A solid trout at 26 inches. It could be a button trout!

from a Mosquito Beaters book at the Florida Historical Society:  In 1951 Field and Stream magazine offered as a prize a lapel button which was a replica of a spotted sea trout. To get one you had to land a trout in excess of six pounds and have it weighed at an official weigh station, which in Cocoa was Gary Bennett’s Bait and Tackle. So many of the “button” trout were caught here that Cocoa became known as  “Saltwater Trout Capital of the World.”

So the Button Trout is any in excess of six pounds. I get a free copy of my book!

The Weatherman Strikes Again-

A section of the Pacific Ocean has recorded its highest temperatures ever, raising fears of prolonged droughts and flooding as a result of what may be the strongest El Niño in 15 years.

A band of water in the central Pacific registered at 85.5°F (29.7°C) over the course of one week — over 5 degrees warmer than usual and higher than ever previously recorded, USA Today reported on Tuesday.

Temperature readings suggest this year’s El Niño — a weather phenomenon caused by unusually warm water in the Pacific and that results in extreme weather patterns across the tropics and sub-tropics — could become among the strongest in recorded history. The phenomenon is expected to strengthen through to the end of the year and could have devastating consequences around the world.

Fishing!

On Monday Koji and Hiro, fly fishers from Japan, joined me for some fly fishing on the Indian River Lagoon. They told me the previous day they had gone wading out of Parking Lot 5 at the New Smyrna end of Canaveral National Seashore and had caught several seatrout and redfish, blind casting in the dirty water.

I should have gone there.

An east wind in the 15 mph range pretty much kept us pinned to the east shoreline. The first few spots we went to had very dirty water. Places that last week had been moderately clean were dirty enough now you couldn’t see the bottom. We did, however, see the alligator that follows you around, and a lot of manatees. But any fish we saw we had almost run over and they were already on their way out of Dodge.

Across from Port St. John the water looks beautiful, the way it should look. Sadly there are very few fish there.

We only had a handful of shots all day, none of which converted. Koji got two redfish by blindcasting. Placed end-to-end, they may have made one legal fish. That was it for the day.

The condition of that lagoon breaks my heart. It’s such a fantastic place and we are just destroying it.

Tuesday it was blowing 20+.

Wednesday it was blowing 20+.

Thursday it was blowing 20+.

I did not fish those days, but did do quite a bit of research and writing. I need to go fishing soon!

Friday I had an appointment at the (drum roll, please) offices of the Social Security Administration in Longwood. Typically depressing government office and waiting room. I won’t be retiring any time soon, if ever.

Did more writing and research in the afternoon.

I’ll spend the weekend getting ready for Turkey Day.

And that is this week’s Blown Out Indian River Lagoon Fishing 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 2015. All rights are reserved.

Share |



Related articles
  • Are You Ready for El Nino? Prepare Your House and Save
Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Orlando Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »