Exploratory trip to Power Plants
Capt. John Kumiski
April 5, 2008
Titusville - Saltwater Fishing Report
Space Coast Fishing Report from Capt. John Kumiski 4/5/08
I only fished two days this week. Wednesday Shawn and Daniel Healy, father and 12 year old son, joined me for a day on the Indian River Lagoon. My thinking was that the power stations had just opened up to anglers again, and we should check them out. If they were happening Dan would catch a bunch of fish. There were a few ladyfish at the south plant, and nothing but manatees at the north plant. So that part of the experiment went somewhat awry, but we did finish there with three ladyfish that we could use for bait.
We checked a couple of spots and found some redfish but we couldn't convince them to eat anything, not even the cut ladyfish. Then, while I was running the boat to another spot, I ran over a school of big black drum. We tried tossing cut ladyfish at them. I didn't think that they would jump on this, but we got bit immediately- by catfish. Evidently the cats were swimming under the blacks. After a few of those the cut ladyfish were exchanged for DOA Shrimp.
It took quite a few casts but Shawn finally got the eat move from a big drum. He handed the rod to Daniel while I poled backwards, trying to break the fish from the school. Once that was done I jumped down and put the pole away, figuring we could just drift. Suddenly Daniel said, "He's gone." He reeled in the line and the DOA was gone. The leader had broken. BooHoo!
We found the school and tried again. Dan had one eat but didn't stick it well enough and it came off in short order. We harassed them for almost another hour without a bite, and finally gave up, leaving them there. I think a fat shrimp would have done the deed, though.
Thursday Kevin Graybeal of Mosquito Lagoon Custom Rods joined me for a day on the Mosquito Lagoon. There were a lot of boats out for a Thursday! We found a school of black drum with a few reds mixed in, and as so often happens we got one of the reds. The rest of the fish fled in panic and we couldn't find them again. We found some fish at another spot, but the clouds closed in and we couldn't see anymore, and then it started raining. We bailed at that point.
One of the fishing-related things I've been doing this week is preparing for tarpon season. I've tied up some new flies and spooled up a couple of new Shimano spinning reels. I need to clean my fly reels and lines, tie some more flies (never enough of those), and check the stretcher box. The old flies need to be tossed and the new ones rigged. I love the anticipation of going tarpon fishing! I've ordered a new RipTide trolling motor and made my docking reservations at the Tarpon Lodge. I've gotten scattered reports of a few fish being hooked, and am so looking forward to tossing some flies at those silver kings next month! There is nothing like hooking a six foot long fish in four feet of water!!!
Life is short- GO FISHING!!!
Life is great and I love my work!
John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
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