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A Not Much Fishing Report, Plus…

November 20, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

A Not Much Fishing Report, Plus…

Thank you for reading this week’s Not Much Fishing report. Only fished one day this week because of the weather (winds above 10 mph every day, and some rain, too) and water level (Haulover Canal gauge hovering around 1.5, a full foot higher than I prefer). When will the water level go down? See below.
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For Sale– Orion 45 Cooler. See this link…
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Lagoon Water Level

The graph above shows the water level at Haulover Canal for the past week from the USGS gauge. Note that the 20 mph north wind on Friday blew the water out. It will be back when the wind stops or changes direction.

I prefer the gauge to read at or below 0.5. I haven’t seen that since March.
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Fishing

I didn’t expect to do well Tuesday because the water was too high. It turned out to be windier than the predicted 5-10 mph out of the northeast, too. But I hadn’t been in over a week and so went anyway, paddle fishing at Mosquito Lagoon.

I did not do well.

Four shots presented themselves. I head-shotted two fish. Whoosh, off they went! One fish never saw the fly (that breeze!). The other was an eat- I got it! Nice red, maybe ten pounds, on a purple bunny strip fly.

The day was exhilarating, and there wasn’t much in the way of competition for fishing spots. But fish were scarce and conditions are tough right now. Go if you must, but if you’re a fly-fishing sight fisherman, don’t expect a lot of fish!

An old utility trailer that needed refurbishing took up my time most of the rest of the week.

Deck removed, frame sanded. I painted the frame and put new decking on, as well as new bearings, seals, lights, wiring, and tires.

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Drop Shots

Have you ever dropped a fish while holding it for a photo?

Dropping the fish into a boat or onto land is in poor taste. One time I had a guy from Michigan drop a ten-pound snook onto three fly rods, busting all three. I told him to use a death grip. He didn’t listen. And it didn’t do the fish much good, either.

Hold any fish destined for release over the water if it might get dropped!

The worst drop I know of was by a reader who shared his horror story with me by email. He and two friends were fishing Pelican Flats, about 15 miles east of Port Canaveral, when he caught a king mackerel in the 40 pound range. While holding the fish by the tail for a photo, the fish thrashed. Fisherman lost his grip. The fish fell, mouth agape, onto one of his bare feet. The damage to that foot was tremendous, resulting in three surgeries and months of rehab, during which he was unable to work.

Not all drops are funny! And none are to the fish!

That is this week’s not much fishing report. Thank you again for reading! Life is great and I love all my readers!

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

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

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

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report and More!

October 23, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report and More!

Thank you for reading this week’s Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report and more! Got out twice this week, once by myself and once with son Alex. I also grew some mushrooms, and had that tooth pulled…

Mushrooms

Five days after I started spritzing, I had this!

I got a mushroom grow kit from northspore.com. It was fun, easy, and delicious. I was eating the tastiest fresh mushrooms only five days after opening the kit! You can read my blog about it at this link, or go directly to https://northspore.com.

Flies

A few people asked about the “new fly” I wrote about last week. If you’ve been following me a while, you’ve seen similar flies tied with different materials. But I took a picture of it.

If anyone needs tying instructions, let me know and I will make a new webpage with them.

FISHING and other…

Weather was fantastic. Water, not so much.

Tuesday
Went paddling on the Mosquito Lagoon. Weather was fantastic, water was decidedly not. High and dirty, really hard to see. I ran a few fish over, then spotted a wake coming right at me. Dropped the fly (a redfish worm) almost on his nose. He crushed it.

The fish crushed it.

 

The redfish worm, such a good fly!

 

Double spotter.

 

Releasing it back into the nasty water.

Played hide and seek with a manatee. I swear it was following me around.

Wednesday
The dentist removed part of the dental bridge I had, then Alex and I went to Mosquito Lagoon again, paddling a canoe. Lots of looking, not much catching. He did get a fine redfish while blindcasting the rubber shad, the only fish of the day.

Alex and friend.

Thursday
Dr. Campbell yanked a molar out of my lower jaw with a pair of fancy stainless steel pliers. I recommend him if you need this done, but take care of your choppers and avoid it if at all possible.

After that was not in any condition for anything else.

That’s what I got. Thank you again for reading this Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report and More. Life is great and I love all my readers!

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

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

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

Home This Week Post

March 13, 2021 by · 2 Comments

Home This Week Post

I stayed home this week. Thank you for reading this week’s Home This Week post! As the soothsayer said, Beware the Ides of March!

No Surprise There Department

This manatee probably wants a solid meal.

Received a press release from the Defenders of Wildlife-
“More than 400 Florida manatees have died since the start of 2021, fueling concern for the iconic and federally threatened species’ future. The 2021 mortalities are larger than the combined totals of the first two months of 2010, during a particularly cold and prolonged winter. While the current winter has not been as severe, scientists are examining the causes for the dramatic spike in deaths. So far, cold stress combined with the loss of large areas of seagrass—the manatees’ staple food—appear to be the primary causes of death in recent months for manatees along the central and south Atlantic coast of Florida.

“Due to a variety of factors, including water pollution and algal blooms exacerbated by urban and agricultural runoff, leaking septic systems and other culprits, significant areas of seagrass meadows that manatees depend on have been wiped out, causing many animals to become sick or starve.”

The Save the Manatee Club made a big newsy splash back around year 2000 by suing the state of Florida and the Federal Government for not doing enough to save manatees. The result of that was huge new slow speed zones for boaters. We must have been an easy target.

I’ve been wondering for five or six years now where the SMC was, since all the seagrass was dying and they haven’t made a peep about it. Hard to sue everyone who eats and poops.

I don’t the problem will be solved for a long time. Get used to dirty water and a lot fewer manatees. It’s sad.

Boat Class

Marker 24 Marina, a shiny new facility.

Wednesday mid-day found me at Marker 24 Marina on Merritt Island, where I joined Capt. Mike Berry for Boat Class, Intermediate BoatClass + Advanced Docking.

If you want to legally operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the United States, you must pass a written test that shows that you know what the rules are, and you must pass a road test that shows you can competently operate a motor vehicle. Here in Florida, if you want to operate a motor vessel, you just buy it, get in, and go.

Florida ranks No. 1 nationwide in both recreational boating accidents and deaths on the water, according to a United States Coast Guard report released this week. It’s an unwanted distinction that the state has earned every year since at least 2015. According to the Coast Guard’s 2019 Recreational Boating Statistics Report released Wednesday, there were 679 boat accidents in Florida that year. Of those, 55 were fatal, resulting in 62 deaths.

Might some boater education mitigate those grim statistics???

Capt. Mike teaches the three-hour class, on the water!

Brunswick Corporation has kicked off BoatClass, which I found to be very thorough. Three hours of on-the-water boat operation, led by an expert boater! The stress on safety was admirable. I don’t meet many people with more boating experience than mine, but Capt. Mike has a lot more, and taught me many things that I did not know. I recommend the class without reservation- it’s superb!

Get more information here- https://www.boatblurb.com/post/brunswick-corporation-launches-boatclass-on-water-training-program.

Fishing Friday
Friday the wind was down enough (you can understand why wind-pollinated plants like slash pines and live oaks drop their pollen this time of year) that I went kayak fishing on Mosquito Lagoon. There are plants growing on the bottom again in many places. They’re invasive, and are probably going to cause more problems. We’ll see.

I could tell it had been a while since I was out. There was rust! 🙁  I pooched a couple easy shots, not that there were lots of chances.

I showed the fly to four redfish. Two spooked off, two bit. I caught one, the other coming off after a few seconds. The day was beautiful, there was joy to be had just paddling around on a day like that. There are many fewer boats out there than there used to be. I guess that happens when the fishing goes to hell.

I’ll keep trying though. There is still the sun, and the water, and the birds, and an occasional fish…

Thank you for reading this week’s Home This Week post!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

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

Van Conversion Update, Fishing and Sunset

February 6, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

Van Conversion Update, Fishing and Sunset

Thank you for reading this week’s post. It’s certainly not exciting from a fishing standpoint, but I am excited about progress on the van conversion. Gee, that sounded exactly like last week!

Had two other posts this week-

–What’s in Your Fishing First Aid Kit?, a guest blog courtesy of Justin Walker, and

–Free and Fearless: The Amazing Impact of One Precious Life– A Book Review. This was an inspiring book about love and loss. Check them out!

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Before we do anything else, a shout-out!

Sunday my phone rang, kind of unusual these days. Ed Wasicki called me. He subscribes to this blog, so he knows I’m working on a van conversion. During our conversation he offered to give some camping gear he no longer needed, which I thought rather generous of him.

Monday morning, we met at the SR 50 St. Johns River boat ramp, where he did his best to fill the van! Here’s a photo of the boo-tay:

Ed gave me a pile of good stuff!

So, I gotta shout out, THANK YOU SO MUCH, ED!

Ed also gave me the number of the VA COVID vaccination clinic, a place I’d already called without luck. I called while driving home, and got an appointment for Wednesday. Wednesday morning, I went and got the first shot. So, thanks again, Ed!

On Tuesday I worked on the van, doing wiring.

Thursday, while cool, had not much wind. I went kayak fishing on Mosquito Lagoon on a spectacular day. The fishing was not spectacular. It was pretty dreadful, for hours.

This was the weather I had to endure. Pretty easy!

I found a culvert with water flowing through it. Not expecting anything, I cast into the flow. BAM! After a second or two it came unbuttoned. He did get my attention, though. I continued casting to that same ten foot area for about 45 minutes, and released a half-dozen slot reds. It was shocking, although in a good way.

Yah yah, I caught da feesh!

I started with the- wait, what fly was it? That’s right! The brown slider! I had some short strikes so I took it off, for the first time in six or eight weeks, and put a smaller fly on that I tied by making dubbing from our cat’s fur (no I’m not making this up). It looks like a big nymph, the kind you would use for trout fishing. The fish seemed to like it!

That bite dried up, the way they always do, and that was it. I stopped at the Big Little Econ State Forest on the way home and photographed the sunset.

Cirrus clouds equal awesome sunsets, a simple equation.

Friday and Saturday I worked on wiring the van. Here’s a photo I took on Friday of what I’m doing.

Even though I’m a gomer, this looks fairly professional.

Here’s picture of my wiring diagram, courtesy of exploristlife.com.

Click on the diagram to see a bigger copy.

As long as I’m shouting out, Nate Yarborough, who I have never met, has, through his website and youtube channel, taught me how to do this job. Awesome information there, Nate, and thank you so much!

There’s a football game coming up, that Super Bowl thing you may have heard of. Go Bucs!

Thank you for reading this week’s blog post about the van conversion!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Sienna Van conversion · Tagged: , ,

Van Conversion Update, Fishing and Sunset

January 31, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

Van Conversion Update, Fishing and Sunset

Thank you for reading this week’s post. It’s certainly not exciting from a fishing standpoint, but I am excited about progress on the van conversion.

Since the weather forecast showed a front coming through Monday night, with cool temperatures and blustery winds Tuesday and Wednesday, I went to Mosquito Lagoon on Monday. It’s like a ghost town over there! You can always tell how the fishing’s been by the number of trailers in the lot.

A pair of my sliders.

Even though I didn’t start until noon, I had a couple shots and actually caught a redfish, still using the brown slider. I almost spent more time watching birds than fishing, though. Looking for fish gets tiring when you’re not seeing many.

The sun set, and then the colors came out.

It looked like it would be an awesome sunset, so I knocked off from fishing and got the camera out. I believe it was a smart decision…

Some kayakers came.

 

Then they went!

Tuesday through Sunday I worked on the following items on the van-

Interior view, from the rear. The mattress is not in the vehicle.

-cabinet upgrade. The camping trips we’ve taken showed us that my original idea for the cabinets was flawed. I removed the fixed doors, added shelves inside the cabinets, and added hinges to the doors. The upgrade allows way better use of the space within.

Hinged doors and a shelf allow better use of available space.

-Water box. I built a box for carrying bottles of water. It holds four one-gallon bottles and one five-gallon bottle, and fits just behind the seats.

The box will securely hold nine gallons of water containers.

-Headboard. Across the roof of the van, just behind the seats, I installed a headboard. This will be a mounting point for interior lights, clothes hooks, and interior fans.

The headboard is for fan mounts, clothes hooks, and lights.

 

Interior view from the driver side door. It’s shaping up!

-Solar panel. I’m figuring out how to attach the solar panel to the roof rack. I think I have it worked out, but that test will happen later.

If the weather is favorable this week I’ll fish a day or two. If not, there’s a lot of wiring to be done!

Thank you for reading this week’s blog post about the van conversion!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Sienna Van conversion · Tagged: , , ,

Ode to Cabbage Palms Report and photo essay

January 23, 2021 by · 4 Comments

Ode to Cabbage Palms Report and photo essay

Thank you for reading this Ode to Cabbage Palms Report. There may be a couple fishy mentions in here too!

Monday and Tuesday must have been pretty dull, for I don’t remember what was done. I did repair our clothes dryer in there. My brain must have blotted out that terrible memory! On the other hand, the dryer does get hot and dries our clothes now.

Wednesday afternoon found me in the Bang-O-Craft, launching at CS Lee Park. Target, shad! Went to the mouth of the Econ, where casting commenced. The weather was fantastic. There were some signs of life in the water, and before long I had a fat crappie. A while later I got another. Shortly after I got a little one. And finally, the first shad (for me) of 2021, a little buck, which took a pink crappie jig, right next to the boat. All fish were released.

The noble sabal palm photographs beautifully.

I had been wanting to photograph some palm trees against the setting sun. The sky was spectacular, the light was golden, and I had my cameras.

They’re so Florida!

I went to a stand of sabal palm (Sabal palmetto) trees. Out came the camera. I may have gotten carried away, even trying imitate a palm tree myself.

Silly John, you can’t photosynthesize!

Would life be easier for us if we could photosynthesize? Imagine if we were green and could stand in the sun and make sugar!

Palms at sunset.

You can eat the heart of the sabal palm tree. Only once, though, as removing it kills the tree. Sabal palms are also called cabbage palm because of this edible heart.

Reflections of palms. It’s an ode to cabbage palms!

The Bang-O-Craft lacks lights, so I left before I wanted to, but got some more shots of the sky as I made my way back to the boat ramp.

St. Johns sunset, fantastic.

 

SR 46

Thursday played out in similar fashion, except I went to Mosquito Lagoon, and the photos happened at Black Point Wildlife Drive.

Note the brown slider. Eyes are bead chain.

Two black drum ignored my flies, and a redfish did not. I’m still using the brown slider. The water was quite low, and dare I say it looked a little cleaner? Some green stuff, that exotic algae from the Pacific Ocean (I can’t find the name right now), is starting to grow on the bottom of the lagoon. When that gets established we can be sure we’ll never see manatee grass there again.

The Release!

Friday began the process of installing the solar electrical system in the Sienna, which is probably how much of next week will be spent. At the moment I’m trying to figure out where all the components will go, and how to best mount the solar panel on top of the van.

The spoonbills are still at the wildlife drive.

 

Telephoto sunset.

 

Wide angle sunset.

Thank you for reading this Ode to Cabbage Palms Report blog!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: central florida destinations, Fishing Reports, Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Photo Essays, St. Johns River Fishing Report · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Paddle Fishing and Hiking Report

January 16, 2021 by · 1 Comment

Paddle Fishing and Hiking Report

Thank you for reading this Mosquito Lagoon paddle fishing and hiking report.

For the small audience that was interested in my Sienna van conversion, I have renewed that project, since the holidays are past. I posted a link about the start of the second phase (solar power installation) here-
https://www.spottedtail.com/blog/sienna-camper-van-conversion-phase-2-starts/

FISHING

I’ve had better weeks catching.

Monday- I went fly fishing by kayak on Mosquito Lagoon on Monday. I hoped the cold would have cleared the water. It did not. But it was low, 0.4 feet on the Haulover Canal gauge, so I could see a little.

I had three shots. Got the first fish, a red, on a brown slider, was ignored by the other two. Good thing the weather was awesome. Long day getting only three shots otherwise.

Thursday I took a five mile walk on the Florida Trail, from Barr St. to Snow Hill Road. Beautiful walking day, temperatures in the 50s. Trying to keep moving, so I can keep moving.

Friday I launched the kayak at River Breeze for the first time in almost a year, I had heard that the water was clean up there, and for the most part it was. There was no grass anywhere.

I paddled pretty hard, covering ground, looking for fish. I hit many of my favorite spots. I was thinking I’d be running another picture of Pepe le Pew in this post when, to my utter surprise, I got a bite while blind casting into a hole. It was a trout, close to 20 inches. A few minutes later I got another, smaller, one. I was spin fishing, using the 3″ shad.

Not huge, but it chased the skunk.

That was it for the day from a catching standpoint.

There was very little life in the water. I ran over a single redfish. Mullet were scarce. There were no crabs, no baitfish. All my favorite holes (with that one exception) were barren.

But the water was clean in most places I passed.

I passed a gentleman in a motorboat who told me the water temperature at that spot was 59F, the warmest he’d found that day. He hadn’t see much either. Now 59 is cold, but I’ve found and caught reds in colder water than that. I think that after six years of algae, no grass, etc, the food supply is mostly gone. No food, no fishies. Sad.

So it’s not an encouraging report, but that’s life and fishing in Florida in 2021.

Thank you for reading this Mosquito Lagoon paddle fishing and hiking report.

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

 

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

Christmas Report from Me to You

December 25, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

Christmas Report from Me to You

Thank you for reading this Christmas Report. I trust and hope everyone is having a lovely and safe Christmas.

Blog post this week- Baggage- Confessions of a Globe-Trotting Hypochondriac, by Jeremy Leon Hance – A Review

This is an awesome book with my highest recommendation.

Monday– cold and windy, I stayed home. It was the solstice, a day I usually try to get out, too. In the evening we went out to see the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. It was cloudy.

My solstice fish.

Tuesday– went fishing by paddle at Mosquito Lagoon. Had shots at three fish, got one. The other two spooked off the slider. Then I got this from Dave Caprera-

“After three weeks of futile searching, I finally caught one. I also missed approximately 29 others. It was one of the best days I have ever had on the lagoon.

“It was ‘cold’ (48 degrees) and breezy (8-10) when I ventured out at 9am. I first stepped outside with shorts and a t-shirt, returned for a sweatshirt, went outside and returned again for a windbreaker. I wore them both all day.

“Two things were immediately apparent. The water was down about a foot from what it had been. Water level in the lagoon is not just tides but wind patterns. It had been unusually high and I would say it is back to normal. Because of the cold spell this past week, the water was so clear that you could see through the ice all the way to the bottom. The sky started out clear blue with some cirrus clouds as the morning progressed.

“I did the Cedar Island loop ending in the Roach Motel. I had been there twice previously with little success. Today there were fish everywhere. 1’s, 2’s, 3’s, 5’s and 8’s (What’s the next number in the series? What is the series called?) So, it raises an imponderable question, why?
1. They were always there. I just couldn’t see them in high dirty water.
2. The change in water level, clarity and temperature caused the fish to change location.
3. Christmas is coming and the fish wanted to be good little boys and girls so Santa will bring them presents.

“Clear visibility is a blessing and a curse. Fish were seeing me from 50 feet away. They wouldn’t blow out. They just would not eat. I had a number of follows and chases, I even saw one open its mouth, a couple of tugs, but trouble getting a hook set (size 4, laser sharpened.) I started with a Borski slider, went to a Kwan bunny, but caught my fish on a Chico’s snapping shrimp. My belief has been that pattern doesn’t matter much, it is about the presentation, but the snapping shrimp has a much smaller profile so it may have been about the size.

“The fish was 21 inches and among the smaller fish I saw.

“Happy holidays. Stay safe.” Amen to that. And David, thank you for writing most of my blog. 🙂

Two of the dozens of spoonbills we saw.

Wednesday– Took my bride to MINWR to see the wildlife along Black Point Drive. Same as last week- freaking spectacular! Saw four redfish in the ponds with the birds. They were near the “NO FISHING” signs.

A pair of reds, pushing.

Thursday– finished getting my little trolling motor ready for the Bang-O-Craft. Time to take her for a spin. I read Christmas eve that Leslie West had passed. Mississippi Queen! Life goes on for the rest of us.

Our Christmas cactus bloomed just in time!

Friday– MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Thank you for reading this Christmas Report blog!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.

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

MINWR Fishing and Hiking Report

December 18, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

MINWR Fishing and Hiking Report- with some Florida Trail, too

Thank you for reading this MINWR Fishing and Hiking Report! Tried to keep busy this week!

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!

Monday– Worked on some mini-mags for my Magma Now account. If you’re looking for something to do while you’re at work, please visit my page at https://magmanow.com/@spottedtail/

Fish on the first cast, not often a good thing.

Tuesday– Took the kayak to Mosquito Lagoon. You know, I like to think I’m all 21st century and past superstitions, but when I catch a fish on the first cast I just feel kind of jinxed, ya know what I mean? Then I didn’t see another fish until mid-afternoon. Got one more bite, pooched it. Still tossing the slider. Note to self- make some more.

I’ve been getting my fish on these sliders. I’ve been pressing the barbs down before using them.

Wednesday– A front came through, mostly stayed home.

The woods were dark, and lovely.

Thursday– Went to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Visitor Center is closed, because of COVID I suspect. Fished with a spin rod along Gator Creek road for about an hour, did not touch one.

The resurrection ferns were happy because of Wednesday’s rain.

Went hiking on the Palm and Oak Hammock trails, on which I had never been. It was cold and overcast, so there were no bugs. The woods were lovely and dark. I saw an otter, but did not get a photo.

The maple leaves have changed colors and the trees are mostly bare.

Went hiking on the Scrub Ridge trail. Did not see much there.

Lots of birds on the Black Point Wildlife Drive!

Drove the Black Point Wildlife Drive. There were SO MANY birds there, just awesome. All kinds, even pink ones. Very worth going.

FT trail head.

Friday– Took a hike on the section of the Florida Trail from the Flagler Trail head on Snow Hill Road to Brumley Road. It was chilly and nice for hiking! Started about 0900, got home 1330. A lovely walk it was!

The trail looked great!

 

Got to cross this bridge.

 

Found some pitcher plants, in bloom no less.

Thank you for reading this MINWR Fishing and Hiking Report blog!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.

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

Part Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Part Information

November 28, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

Part Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report, Part Information

Thank you for reading this part Mosquito Lagoon fishing report, part information. I did not intend to post a blog this week, but surprised myself with my industriousness.

FISHING

Sunday I took my bride for lunch (Sunrise Bread Company) and a drive on Biolab Road. There were quite a few truck fishermen soaking shrimp there. They were all catching fish, black drum, trout, catfish. So there’s that. Not my cup of java, but if it works for you there are fish there.

Alfred Hitchcock would love this.

Tuesday I went kayak fishing with a fly rod in Mosquito Lagoon, in spite of high, dirty water and a fairly stiff wind. I figured it would be tough fishing. It was cool enough that I wore my chest waders, quite a delightful day actually.

Nice tail.

In six hours of hunting I saw a handful of fish. Managed two bites, both on the redfish worm, the last coming right before I left. I caught, photographed, and released that fish, and went home happy.

The release.

Information

Florida butterflies are in danger. The fluttering species that inspire wonder, pique curiosity and support our natural environment need protection. More than any other state on the east coast, Florida is home to 178 different species of native butterflies. Sadly, many of these species are imperiled, with some already now gone.

You can help! Click this link for more information on how!

The US Department of the Interior, which has crapped all over the country the last four years, has loosened up some money for Florida finally. Read about it here…

Have you ever seen an exploding whale? This is laugh-out-loud…

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OK, it’s black Friday weekend. Books make wonderful gifts! Here are a few suggestions!

Fishing Florida by Paddle– Sprinkling colorful history throughout, author John Kumiski highlights the state’s best paddle fishing destinations, both freshwater and saltwater, including the bass of Farm 13, the redfish and trout along the Big Bend Paddling Trail and the snook and tarpon of the Everglades. Learn the locales and what to do when you get there, including launch points, shuttles, rentals, tackle, techniques and more.

The Indian River Lagoon Chronicles- On December 1, 2013, five intrepid paddlers launched their vessels at JB’s Fish Camp in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Their destination? Jupiter, Florida, 160 miles distant. During their nineteen-day voyage of discovery they travel the length of the Indian River Lagoon, meeting birds, snails, manatees, and mangroves, dolphins, scientists, restaurateurs, and seagrasses, other paddlers, the ghost of Henry Flagler, and much more.

Into the tale of their journey is woven the forgotten history of the people who lived along the lagoon’s banks- Indians, soldiers, settlers, agriculturalists, fishermen, treasure hunters, entrepreneurs, dredgers and many others.

What They’re Saying About This Book-
“Found a copy of the Indian River chronicles…couldn’t put it down, well done sir…thank you!” -Steve Betts

“Wow! really enjoyed the read. You did a fantastic job of catching the spirit and adventure of the trip. I especially enjoyed the historical notes along the way. At the end I had tears in my eyes…” – Darryl “Bones” Benton

Pura Agua, by Rodney Smith- Smith’s passion for clean water, for a healthy planet, shines on every page, as does his love of surfing.

Proceeds from the book go to the Marine Resources Council of Central Florida and to Anglers for Conservation, making a purchase of Pura Agua a donation to two important, water-centric charities.

If you’re aware of your surroundings and you’ve been in Florida more than 10 years, you don’t need Pura Agua to tell you there are water quality problems here. For those who have been here five years or less, though, Pura Agua should be required reading.

Get a copy of Pura Agua. It just may change your life.

NOTE TO READER- I could not find a way to order this title today. When I get that information I will include it an another post.

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In my last post I asked that readers follow me on Instagram. I’m @spottedtailflyfish and would still appreciate it if you would follow me.

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As soon as this is posted I’m leaving for a week-long paddle-fly-fishing trip to Everglades National Park. Even with a cold front coming through, there should be a decent report next week.

I hope everyone had a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!

Thank you for reading this Part Fishing Report, Part information blog!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or paddle!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.

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