Flag Yellowtail Hot Off Key West
Capt. John Kumiski
November 10, 2008
Titusville - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing Report from Spotted Tail 11/10/08
Upcoming Events:
11/15, Fly Tying/Book Signing, Border's Books, Red Bug Lake Road, Oviedo
11/29, Fly Tying/Book Signing, Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka. MCO is turning this into quite an event. Call them at 407-464-2000 for information.
Come on out and say hello!
Thursday 10/30 Rick Landrum joined me for a ¾ day on the Mosquito Lagoon. We found clean water and reasonable numbers of fish. We ended up with five reds to 26 inches and a 23 inch trout. Most of the fish were caught on DOA CAL jerk baits but two were taken on mullet chunks.
Friday (Happy Halloween!) Ken Shannon and I spent most of the day driving. When we stopped at Robbie's and the tarpon were almost comatose I knew that once again my impeccable sense of timing was in action. As it turned out a cold front had dropped the water temperature 18 degrees. We might have some tough fishing.
Saturday Ken and I went out with Capt. Mike Gorton (305.304.0906), searching for permit in the lower Keys. We fished both the Atlantic and bay sides. The weather was sunny but cool. We saw one permit all day. I tossed a crab fly at him. He didn't bite.
Sunday we went out yellowtailing with Capt. Jack Walker (305.395.9051), out of Key West. Although it was pretty rough out there the flag bite was ON. We got a couple dozen yellowtail to 26 inches, had several break off, and at least two were eaten by big sharks. We also got three cobia, all shorts unfortunately, and saw some dolphin that we couldn't get to bite. I'd never done that kind of fishing before and it was both entertaining and educational.
Monday I went out with Capt. Scott Yetter (305.304.6132). The lovely Jan Bond accompanied us. We fished the bay side. I saw one permit all day. Unfortunately I thought it was a barracuda and tossed a tube lure its way. It didn't bite.
The last spot we checked had lots of baby tarpon. Using fly tackle I hooked two and boated one. Not skunked, a good thing!
Tuesday morning (election day) Ken and I went out with Capt. Dexter Simmons (305.745.3304). It was cloudy and cool. We fished the Atlantic side, and didn't see a fish. I did get one three inch long snapper while casting blindly.
Tuesday afternoon Ken and I took a two seater kayak out on the Atlantic side. I got a little barracuda on a Chug Bug and kept it for shark bait. We got two bonnetheads and one small blacktip before the setting sun forced a quick retreat. Needless to say we were spin fishing for this. We didn't see any bones or permit.
Wednesday morning found us out in Mike Gorton's 23 foot Rhyde skiff/canoe, again on the bayside. We saw some fish this day, permit. I had at least a dozen good shots. Even with my raincoat on I shivered most of the afternoon, it was so cold. I had what felt like a pinfish bite but which Mike said was a permit taking and spitting the crab fly. I'm not sure I agreed with him but my experience is that the guide is usually right about this sort of thing. That's as close to catching a fish as we got.
Thursday Ken and I were again out with Mike. Ken got a nice barracuda, 38 inches or so, on a Chug Bug. He had a HUGE one blow up on it but miss. We only saw two permit and one bonefish all day, and no bites were garnered on fly.
Friday on the way home we stopped for a little wade fishing at Long Key State Park. I don't always catch fish there but I always see a few. Until this day, at least. We waded the length of the campground and didn't see a fish. Then we got back into the chariot and drove back to Chuluota.
The trip was fun but not very productive. Thanks to Ken for accompanying me, and to all the guides who took us fishing. Special thanks to Mike Gorton for the wonderful hospitality.
Yesterday I had a half day charter on the Mosquito Lagoon with Josh Pitt. The water was kind of dirty and there weren't very many fish around. In spite of lots of poling and searching he only got two small trout. Thank goodness it was a nice day.
Life is short- GO FISHING!!!
Life is great and I love my work!
If you have any questions or comments, or if you'd like to go fishing, please feel free to email me at [email protected], or call at 407 977 5207.
John Kumiski
member, Indian River Guides Association,
Florida Outdoor Writers Association
More Fishing Reports:
