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Spring Equinox Fishing Report

March 22, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Spring Equinox Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Spring Equinox Fishing Report. I try to fish on all the pagan holidays- the equinoxes and solstices. This particular equinox happened just before midnight on Tuesday. I fished Wednesday and Thursday.

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On yet another glorious central Florida day, Wednesday saw me paddling solo on Mosquito Lagoon. My first fish encounter was with a small group of snook. When I cast to them, they spooked. Then they came back. I cast. They spooked. I cast and left the fly out there, waiting. They came back. I gently stripped the Clouser Minnow through them, and one ate it. The fish was cold and didn’t fight real hard, but it might have weighed four pounds. Not wanting to risk hurting the fish, it was released without a photo. Nice start to the day.

There was no one home at the next several spots. The thought came to me- If there’s no one at the next place, I’m going back to the car. Paddling is fine, but catching fish was the objective.

Approaching the next place, I spotted a red. I made a bad cast with the spin rod and spooked the fish. Before any berating could happen, there was another red. This cast was a touch too accurate, and the fish jumped. But it came right back to see what the disturbance was, and then ate the plastic shad. Aye, ’twas a handsome fish.

Put the spinner away, picked up the fly rod. There are a few fish here! Made a cast to one. It ate the Clouser Minnow! Black drum, seven or eight pounds. Nice. Release. Repeat. Release. Repeat. Release.

The blacks all looked like this one.

Say, this is some good fishing! Next fish was a fine red, even photographed it. Then, just for good measure, another black drum.

Equinox red on fly.

Looked hard for a trout all day, greedily hoping for that grand slam, but never saw one. Still, quite a satisfying outing.

Thursday, Caleb Vogl joined me for a sight-fishing mentoring session, in the Bang-O-Craft. Due to the east wind and small craft advisory, we went to the Indian River Lagoon. I honestly think it’s harder to catch fish from a motor boat than a kayak. You’re up so much higher, the fish see you coming. Caleb got three undersized trout to start the day. Then there was a long dry spell.

He’d never poled a boat before, so after a couple hours it was time for Poling 101. He picked it up fast. He was poling when I spotted a red, ridiculously far away, and made one of my best casts in a long time. The fly landed about 14 inches away from the fish, who immediately went over a took it. The fish was only four pounds or so, but still, a very satisfying catch because of the cast.

We switched places and he got a similar-sized red on a soft plastic shad, one of mine, actually. And that ended up being our tally for the day, which I was fine with.

That’s the Spring Equinox fishing report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!

 

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , ,

A Gift from God Fishing Report

February 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

A Gift from God Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Gift from God Fishing Report. The theme here is, if you learn to enjoy just being out around the water, watching Nature do her work, any fish you catch are a bonus. How much of a bonus? A gift from God, obviously. Food for thought, especially when the skunk follows you home.

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-Public Service Announcement-
IF you have a valentine, save yourself some headaches and aggravation by going and getting that card, etc., RIGHT NOW. You can thank me later.

Fishing and Other Bits

Monday it was cold. Tuesday and Wednesday we had gale warnings, small craft advisories, the whole nine yards. I worked some on the van, but Wednesday afternoon found me needing some movement. I went for a walk along the Econ, just to walk. Beautiful afternoon if a bit blustery. Spring is here. The red maples have already gone to seed, the willows are completely leafed out, and many of the other trees are breaking their buds and growing new leaves. There are wildflowers blooming. It’s gonna be new green around here for three or four weeks!

An Econ resident suns himself along the riverbank. Taken with my phone.

From a fishing perspective, the Econ is still high, with the gauge at about four feet. If it doesn’t rain, it might be fishable in a couple weeks.

A cloudy Thursday found me at the Banana River Lagoon, in a different spot than last week. It may have been wind-caused, but the water looked terrible. I paddled a long way before seeing a fish. But when they were found there were a lot of them, big black drum, tailing. Not real interested in my fly. In fairness, it was impossible for me to see what was going on. After 30 or 40 frustrating minutes I got a bite. The fish was on just long enough to stampede all the other ones. Then he came off.

This is what I was looking for. When I found some, I couldn’t seal the deal.

I waited 30 minutes, hoping. I left and came back, something I almost never do. The game was over. After tying on a DOA Shrimp and inserting a rattle into it, I made a cast. Bam! First cast, nice trout, pushing five pounds, a great skunk chaser.

Fat trout on a DOA Shrimp.

Unfortunately, that was it. The next four hours was, for the most part, casting practice. I enjoyed a few ospreys and a bald eagle. There was no bait, no grass, and very few fish. It will probably be a while before I try that spot again…

Friday morning the kayak and I visited Mosquito Lagoon. The water there is amazingly clean! A qualifier- I was north of the canal. No idea what it looks like down south. Anyway, I was just getting started when here comes a fish, right at me. I hadn’t even uncorked the fly pole yet! I threw the DOA Shrimp in front of it and got the eat, but missed it.

It was a while before another chance came.

That chance came in the form of a tail, up and down. Made my best guess and let the slider fly. That never works, but it did this time, a black drum of eight or ten pounds, decent fish. Skunk chaser!!

A skunk chaser!

The next chance had two fish tailing within 10 or 12 feet of each other, the closer clearly a redfish. After at least two handfuls of casts (that didn’t spook the fish!!!) it finally ate the slider. I even took its picture.

Now if I could get a trout I would have not just three fish, but a Mosquito Lagoon Winter Slam, which sounds way more badass than “three fish.”

That trout was hard to find. Several reliable winter trout spots were checked. None produced a fish. Running out of time, I tried one more spot.

It would be awesome to say, “They were stacked in there like cordwood!” Reality was, one bite, one seatrout, all I needed, on a black and purple Clouser Minnow. O, successo!

This fish represents slammage.

Even though I only got three fish, I got more than three fish. I got the Mosquito Lagoon Winter Slam! And got to enjoy a simply superb weather day on the water in the process, which, when you think about it, makes those three fish a gift from God. Every fishing trip should be a day of thanksgiving.

And that, folks, is a Gift from God Fishing Report. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go on a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Van Conversion and Two Days Fishing

January 20, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Van Conversion and Two Days Fishing

Thank you for reading this post on Van Conversion and Two Days Fishing. The fishing was fair at best, but let’s look to the van first…

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

I’m building a cabinet in the back of the van. It’s hard! I’m hardly a skilled woodworker, and nothing in the van is square or level. In spite of that the cabinet is mostly done. It may not be bee-you-tee-full, but it will be funk-shun-al. Once I run some wiring along the back of it, I can put the face back on, and probably cover a few of the hatches with doors. All in good time.

Once I run the wiring. Should only take a week…

OK, fishing. Thursday was the best day of the week, speaking weather. Nice day, windless. But overcast much of the day. I fished in the Indian River Lagoon.

It’s hard to see fish when it’s overcast. I got a few trout blind-casting with the shad, and a small red too.

Got a few trout on the shad.

God smiled on me in the form of a bank-crawling, ten-pound red. I got the shad in front of him and he crushed it. Pulled the kayak quite a way, a nice, fun ride!

He pulled the kayak quite a way.

I found some tailing black drum. There was no way to tell which way they were facing or moving. I’d see a tail, put the fly near it, and hope for the best. I didn’t get a bite. I don’t think that was the best, but at least I had some shots, so no complaints. But no fish on fly, second trip in a row.

Friday I picked up Tom Van Horn at noon and we went to Mullet Lake Park in search of the wily American shad. I didn’t even bring a fly rod. The river is running quite high, especially for the “dry season”. Tom quickly got the skunk off the boat with a fat crappie he got on a Road Runner. I got one a short time later on a crappie jig. Then we had a long dry spell.

Shad-a-lac!

We decided to run down to Marina Isle. I couldn’t help but notice on the way that there was rain falling to the south. We stopped, turned around, and started trolling back to the boat ramp. Tom got a bite and got an American shad! His first of the season! We got to the ramp and the rain started to fall on us at the same time. It was only about 2:30. I’d like to think we didn’t miss much in the way of fishing.

The hero and the fish.

Tom went shad fishing Thursday out of CS Lee Park. Out four hours, he got exactly no hits, a good skunking. So our three fish in two hours was, speaking comparatively, some hot fishin’!

The weather’s not looking good for the weekend, but at least we have some playoff football to watch.

And that, folks, is a Van Conversion and Two Days Fishing Report. Thanks again for reading, and thank you, Tom!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go on a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida, Sienna Van conversion · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Indian River Lagoon and Econlockhatchee Report

May 19, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Indian River Lagoon and Econlockhatchee Report

Few things in life get a fly fisher more worked up than seeing tarpon rolling all over the place. Except hooking a couple, of course! Welcome to this week’s Indian River Lagoon and Econlockhatchee Report.

A walking, bank-fishing Econ trip with a spin rod started the week. I’d love to fish that stretch of river with a fly pole, but I lack that kind of skill. The fish were biting well, the song birds were singing, the Cooper’s hawks were shrieking, and I got some photos of otters. Fantastic day!

 

 

 

Next, Mike and River joined me for some Indian River Lagoon quality time. Redfish, black drum, and seatrout fell for our offerings. Water looked pretty good. That invasive exotic, grassy-looking stuff is taking over the bottom, though. We have a new exotic mussel, too. If they were larger, I’d eat them.

 

I returned to the scene of the crime a couple days later, hoping to cash in on what I’d learned from the day with Mike. That’s when I found the tarpon rolling! I hooked two, one on a streamer that jumped off, one on a gurgler that I unhooked and released. I got five other species (seatrout, jack crevalle, ladyfish, black drum, and redfish) for a total of six altogether. What was weird is, I got only one of each! All but the red were caught on fly.

 

Some serious jacks were showering mullet. It looked like the good old days! I love the jacks, I hope they stay around until after the mullet run.

Our governor and legislature keep passing one horrible, hateful, hurtful, and un-Christ-like law after another. It’s making me sick.

That’s the Indian River Lagoon and Econlockhatchee Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

 

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Fishing and Paddling Around Central Florida Report and Photo Essay

May 7, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Fishing and Paddling Around Central Florida Report and Photo Essay

Fortunately, I got out paddling and walking this week. The weather, so unpredictable last week, was splendid every day. And it’s officially tarpon season, not that I’ll be going. No boat 🙁

Subscribers- no photos? https://www.spottedtail.com/blog . Please bookmark the page!!!

Monday and Tuesday I went paddle fishing on Mosquito Lagoon. I could be verbose, but will let the photos do the work. The water was clean and the seagrass was thick!!!

Swarms of minnows, clean water, and seagrass. Have we turned a corner?

 

There were snook in places like this.

 

Aggressive little snapper. I got two.

 

The dark patches are seagrass.

 

 

 

A manatee vertebra?

 

One of several.

 

One of many.

Wednesday afternoon saw me walking at Orlando Wetlands Park, camera in hand-

Great blue heron.

 

Roseate spoonbills.

 

Alligator mississippiensis.

 

Alligator mississippiensis.

Friday Jorge Hidalgo accompanied me down the Econlockhatchee-

The vessel.

 

Hooked up.

 

The fish.

 

The release.

Saturday found me paddling the Juniper Springs Run with a group from the Central Florida Freethought Community –

 

 

 

 

 

It was a very cool week! That’s the Fishing and Paddling Around Central Florida report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

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

Fished Around Central Florida Report

March 10, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Fished Around Central Florida Report

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

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Saturday

 

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

Bob, average-sized Econ bass.

 

Monday

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

The fish threw saltwater all over my camera.

Tuesday

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

Thursday

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

 

Friday

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

That’s the Fished Around Central Florida Report report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida fishing report, Fishing Reports, Paddle Fishing Florida · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Home Waters Report

January 21, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

Home Waters Report

Thanks for reading this home waters report, on Mosquito Lagoon, and with a call-to-action.

“There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.”
-Dorothy, in The Wizard of Oz

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OK, on Friday I was driving southbound on I-95 in Titusville. I was fairly shocked to see a full-sized billboard that said-

“Welcome to Florida, home of bears, toxic water, and dead manatees. stopthestarve.org” Naturally, I checked the website, https://stopthestarve.org. With a come-on like that, how could I resist?

Truly, FWC does need to stop spraying herbicides.

FWC contracts hundreds of these guys to spray hundreds of gallons each of toxic herbicides daily on into our waterways. This was on Rainbow River.

After arriving home, I checked the new Florida Sportsman magazine. Blair Wickstrom used a full page of editorial space to plug a new constitutional amendment, the Right to Clean and Healthy Water. Basically what he’s saying is, the Legislature and a string of Governors have let the water quality in Florida go to hell, so the people need to get an amendment on the ballot to change the state constitution. If you’re registered voter in Florida and would like to see clean water and seagrass again in your lifetime, go to https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org RIGHT NOW and sign the petition- 223,000 signatures are needed by March 1.

Please help, and please help spread the word! Thank you!

Yes, I did fish this week, two days. Errands and home maintenance took the rest of my time.

Tuesday, on an absolutely stunning day, Rodney Smith and I took the Bang-O-Craft out onto Mosquito Lagoon. The water was clean and beautiful, Rodney and I maybe not so much. We’re getting old and decrepit looking. Better than dead and decaying! Anyhow, the trout were biting well. We didn’t get any big (or small) ones, all slot fish. We took one for Mr. Smith’s dinner. We hooked a couple reds, Rodney got his, mine broke off. Check those knots, John. All the action was on the 3-inch plastic shad.

Rodney and his dinner fish.

Friday I took the kayak out, same place, on another stunning day. The trout weren’t biting quite as well, but I still got a dozen, all but two on Clouser Minnows. I also got two beautiful fat reds on the same fly.

John and the day’s first red.

Both days I really enjoyed the company!

For those looking for shad information, I don’t have any. Haven’t been. Sorry.

That’s the home waters report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2023. All rights are reserved.

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

An Ode to Redfish

December 17, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

The Copper Coated Crab Cruncher

By John Kumiski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Scott Radloff, off Cape Canaveral.

 

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

 

The late Lefty Kreh, Indian River Lagoon.

 

River and Mike Conneen, St. George Sound.

 

Mark Marsh with a fatty, Indian River Lagoon.

 

Mosquito Lagoon tailers.

 

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

 

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

 

The inimitable Tamazon, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

George Allen, early morning Mosquito Lagoon.

 

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

 

Laurel Boylen, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Maxx and Alex, Indian River Lagoon.

 

Redfish portrait, Banana River Lagoon.

 

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

 

Austin Warmus, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Bob Duport and Terri, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Tom Van Horn, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Alex and Maxx, Banana River Lagoon.

 

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

 

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

 

Susan, Little Talbot Island.

 

Redfish school, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Valentine redfish, East Bay.

 

The late Steve Baker, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

A deformed redfish, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Charlie Chapman, Banana River Lagoon.

 

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

 

Redfish portrait, Mosquito Lagoon.

 

Redfish portrait, Indian River Lagoon.

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

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, Uncategorized · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Skonker Paloozer

December 9, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

Skonker Paloozer Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Skonker Paloozer. Mike Conneen came up with the name, ‘though I doubt that’s how he’d spell it.

Mike and I just finished a fishing road trip. Although the trip was great, fishing was WAY less than stellar, thus the name.

We started at Raysville Campground, on Clarks Hill Reservoir in Thompson, Georgia.

 

Nice place, nearly deserted when we were there. The first evening, fish were breaking in the lake. I went down with a Clouser Minnow and got a 10-inch bass almost immediately. I took this as a good omen. It was not.

My tent on our site.

 

Lake at dusk.

 

Launch sequence initiated!

 

Mike and River, on the lake.

We launched our vessels the next morning. I got a 12-inch bass at my first stop on the same fly. I took this as a good omen. It was not. Neither of us had another strike all day. And, I lost my favorite pocketknife besides.

How River goes fishing.

 

 

Dawn, Hunting Beach.

Our next stop was Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina, a beautiful place. I went fishing just as a cold front arrived. I later had to use a dryer to get the water out of my clothes, including my raincoat. I did get a redfish and a flounder while fishing through the deluge, the only ones I would get the entire trip. Mike stayed ashore during the rain and launched after it stopped. His luck was identical to mine, minus getting soaking wet.

The Lone Redfish, Kimosabe.

 

Night sky from the beach. Mars is the brightest “star”, and you can see Taurus and the Pleiades as well as Orion.

 

Boardwalk through the Marsh at HISP.

 

Bridge to Hunting Island. The marsh is tremendous. You know there are fish there somewhere!

We tried a creek through the marsh the next day, launching on a low rising tide. Neither of us touched a fish all day.

Marsh dusk, HISP.

 

Fort McAllister.

 

River and Mike get silly.

Another day, another move. Next was Fort McAllister State Park. The fort is a well-preserved Civil War earthworks fort, with a museum, very well presented. We launched on a salt creek on a high, outgoing tide and hit it hard all day. Neither of us touched a fish, on anything we tried. We did not try bait, however.

We were camped on an island.

 

There was lots of wildlife!

 

Mike is amazing!

 

Dawn, Fort McAllister State Park.

 

Sunset, Fort McAllister State Park.

 

Our final stop was Crooked River State Park. We launched on the Crooked River on a high, outgoing tide and hit it hard all day. Mike got a few reds and trout at a single spot he lucked into. I got a small trout and hooked and lost one other one. The redfish habitat here looked superb- mud flats interspersed with large and plentiful oyster mounds (featuring live oysters), surrounded by thousands of acres of Spartina grass. But I did not see or touch a red all day.

 

Local wildlife.

 

There were lots of oysters.

 

This guy is still waiting for his first Crooked River bite.

So, in ten days, I got five small fish. Skunkapallooza, indeed! As frustrating as the fishing was, we had wonderful if chilly weather most days. The stargazing was tremendous. Sunrises and sunsets likewise, awesome. We saw plenty of wildlife. The company was awesome. And we didn’t need the first aid kit! It certainly could have gone worse.

As some clever shmuck (me) once said, “I usually have to pay a lot of money to get fishing like this!”

We got home Tuesday. Thursday I launched the kayak in Mosquito Lagoon- one snooklet, two redfish, including one about 20 pounds, and three solid trout, one on fly. And a fly-caught puffer, as a bonus I guess. It helps to know the spots, since none of them were sight-fished.

First fish. Took about 20 minutes.

 

A couple trout in, this red took the lure.

 

Attack of the snooklet!

 

This beast decided to play, too.

 

That’s the Skonker Paloozer report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

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Three Mosquito Lagoon Days Fishing Report

November 5, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

Three Mosquito Lagoon Days Fishing Report

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Three Mosquito Lagoon Days Fishing Report. Fished four days this week, all with spectacular (if a little breezy) weather.

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Monday

Met Dave Caprera at Spruce Creek. Tide was low falling when we started. We paddled around Strickland Bay. It was real quiet as far as the fish went. I saw two redfish, got a shot at neither. No fish breaking. No jacks. No rolling tarpon. The tide turned, but nothing else changed. Blindcasting with a plastic shad, I got a bite near the island cluster, a seatrout about 18 inches long, chasing the skunk. Spruce Creek has been good to me through the years, but it will be a while before I go back.

One of the several colors of the plastic/rubber shad that I use.

Tuesday

Having heard about seagrass growing and some clean water in Mosquito Lagoon, I towed the Bang-O-Craft over and went on a search mission. The Haulover gauge was at 1.8 feet, so I could go anywhere I wanted to. The wind was out of the east. Tin boats are noisy, so I stayed in lees as much as I could.

I did find some seagrass, and some clean water. As always, there was no logical pattern to why one place was clear and another murky. I saw some dolphins, and some manatees, and two bald eagles, and a sea turtle, and two sizable sharks, and a single redfish (no shot). I got a single redfish that may have been a slot fish by blindcasting the plastic shad. Seeing the grass was very encouraging.

Wednesday

This is a file photo that in no way implies that this is what the fishing was like on Wednesday.

Tom Van Horn picked me up. We went to Mosquito Lagoon to further the search for seagrass and clean water. We went to the north end of the lagoon and started blindcasting, using the Deadly Combo. Tom released a half-dozen trout before I got a bite. Unfortunately they were all running pretty small. Then I started catching them, too. We did manage to get a few decent trout.

The Deadly Combo. It is not illegal to replace the shrimp with a jig.

Cruising along with the trolling motor in the lee of an island, I spotted a redfish right against the bank. I got a shot at it, and, using the plastic shad, actually caught it! I figured it was about 32 inches long, but the ruler on Tom’s boat said it was 21. I think the ruler was defective!

This is what I thought I had, but really? It was only 21″.

I followed that up with a snooklet, finishing up a pretty weak slam, but these days you’d best be happy with what you get.

For anyone who might be wondering, a snooklet is merely a very juvenile snook.

Thursday

Twenty knot winds forecast. Didn’t fish.

Friday

The forecast was for fifteen knots out of the east. After looking at next week’s forecast, I went anyway. Fifteen beats 20!

This is a file photo that in no way implies that this is what the fishing was like on Wednesday. Mine was about a pound-and-a-half.

My first fish on the fly this week was a jack crevalle. I haven’t gotten one of those in the Mosquito Lagoon in at least five years, it was pretty awesome. Then I got a mangrove snapper! Fly was a Polar Fiber Minnow. Then I put the fly rod away- fighting the wind got to be too much.

On the spin rod I got several trout and hooked and lost two snook. Saw a few reds, either didn’t get a shot or pooched it if I did.

Saturday

Volunteered at Secret Lake Park’s Hook Kids on Fishing event. The kids were excited, but fishing is more fun if the fish participate. Great event, though!

That’s the Three Mosquito Lagoon Days Fishing Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

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