Peacocks with Zaremba
Capt. John Kumiski
October 18, 2008
Titusville - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing Report from Spotted Tail 10/18/08
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
C'mon out, we can talk fishing and trade lies. Maybe I'll toss a secret or two into the conversation!
In my last report two weeks ago, I asked this question-
"If you could take any fishing trip for any species anywhere in Florida, with money not being an object, where would you go and what would you fish for? Why? I'll share the best answers with all my readers, and send out a Spotted Tail prize pack or two."
Ah yes, we did get some responses this time! A big THANK YOU to everyone who did respond, too! Here are a few of the better ones:
"I'm a topwater madman, so I would like to get on a serious topwater bite for trout, reds, snook, and even jacks. Up home we would call that a ‘one rod day'. Or, I would love to go toe to toe with some big grouper and snapper off the ledges and wrecks. I love the idea that a good percent of the time the FISH is going to win."
-Tommy "Hoosier" Xander
"A week of backcountry camping and fishing in the
Everglades/Florida Bay!
"I love stalking reds in the Indian River Lagoon, drifting crabs in passes for silver king monsters, tossing flies at lights for snook, but nothing would compare to being in an area where you can catch all the species that excite we anglers in one day!
"Specifically, I want to catch juvenile tarpon all day on light tackle- topwater, live bait, plugs, mangroves, narrow cuts, bays, tidal pools, catching snook on greenies flicked under overhanging mangroves, stalking permit on crystal clear flats, and maybe even a shot at a bonefish or two!
"A week doing this would be my dream trip!" -Brett Ferguson
"Three and a half years ago my wife and I took our anniversary trip to South Florida. Using Florida City as our base we took excursions each day to the Keys, Miami, and of course, the Everglades. We took the Everglades Main Park Road all the way to Flamingo, at the end. The marina there rents out kayaks, canoes, and small motor skiffs.
"The water, the boats, and my everlasting fishing optimism got me dreaming about wetting lines in the coastal and backcountry waters for three days with my dad. I had about 30 minutes of dreaming while we did some bird and crocodile watching, when I saw a teenage boy hook, fight, and land a studly snook with his family looking on. That snook seared that dream in my mind.
"I'd love to go down there at the end of Flamingo Lodge Road and canoe/small boat fish those waters. I love catching fish, period, but a sleek snook is tops on my list of Florida fish still to catch these days. The real sweet spot would be doing it with my dad." -Steve Cole
"My dream is to break George W. Perry's world record for largemouth bass of 22 pounds 4 ounces. This record belongs in Florida, not Georgia!" -Rich, last name unknown
"I would like to start in Chokoloskee and have a guided paddle expedition, fishing my way south to Flamingo, targeting reds, snook, and tarpon. Once at Flamingo, I'd like to board a houseboat with some skiffs tethered to the back, and lazily motor along the keys fishing for anything that swims but looking for tarpon mostly. Don't get me wrong, I'll still throw at some bones if the opportunity presents itself. Once I made it to Key West, I'd continue on with the houseboat to the Marquesas atoll and fish it for four or five days." -Kevin R. Du Bois
"I would love to troll for dolphin, wahoo and sailfish in the Gulf Stream. Hooking up an explosive predator would be an adrenaline rush. I've never had the opportunity to do that, but would love to give it a shot sometime." -David Abbott
"Chasing American Shad from the shores of the St. Johns River by hand during the low water time is cool. I've always had a liking for fishing lily pads with plastic soft baits for bass. And sight fishing with a fly rod for anything swimming is cool. But my favorite fly fishing probably is in the surf for tailing or cruising snook." -Rodney Smith
I thought this was the best one:
"In February I would launch my kayak in the Mosquito Lagoon from the trail leading from the 12th parking area for Playalinda beach. I would work my way south toward Eddy Creek blind casting for redfish and hoping to cross paths with a feeding group.
"As I glided in the diamond-clear water my attention would be constantly diverted to the world of sea grass, mollusks, and crabs my hull would floating over. A large trout would rocket away when my paddle shadow crossed him. The low background thump and rush of the surf at Playalinda is a constant if the day is calm. Maybe an alligator would pass by lazily snaking his way through the calm water to whatever destination an alligator has.
"Looking to the shore I would again be amazed at how dense, spiky and impenetrable the vegetation is and my respect would be renewed for the early settlers and pioneers and original native peoples of the area. If it is early in the morning I might see a brown pelican gliding masterfully over the still water, its wing tip lightly touching and leaving a thin sparkling wake. And to the south, in wonderful juxtaposition, stands a spaceship being readied for launch, its stern structure softened by the morning haze.
"Then I catch a slight movement, a sudden presence off to the right forty feet away. It's a pod of feeding redfish, their bodies twisting and darting and slightly flashing in the morning sun, that odd chrome copper glare being the only sign of their presence. They make not a ripple on the surface.
"Of course my heart starts pounding, my hands are shaking, and if I've left the kayak and am wading my knees are weak. OK, don't screw-up this cast, don't line them, They're coming toward you so put your fly to one side of the group, not the center. Oh!!!
"I might even stay in a motel instead of pitching my tent at the excellent Manatee Hammock campground down the road from Titusville. I'd definitely give you a call to set up a guided trip as I did a few years ago: you let me land a very large trout you had hooked on one very cold and windy February day and then a couple days later we paddled out of River Breeze to the lagoon backcountry where we found a thirty inch red not too particular about the placement of my fly. I haven't been back since, but as with all favorite-places-on earth I still dream about it often." -Chris Ivich
Nice job Chris! If you send me a snail mail address I'll send you a prize pack. Let me know what kind of fishing you like so I can target it properly!
For this boy fishing in the lagoons has been slow, so I don't have much to report there. The last few trips have netted only jacks and ladyfish. Don't get me wrong, I like jacks and ladyfish. But the reds have been hard for me to find, and uncooperative once located. On the bright side while the water is still high it's quite clear in many places.
Wednesday last week Chris Myers and I drove to Delray Beach and hooked up with Capt. Alan Zaremba, who graciously agreed to take us fishing so I could get some photos and maybe a story. We went for Peacock Bass!
I lived in Brazil three years and never caught one, but I got ten or so that day with Alan. We got some on plugs (he likes Heddon's Baby Torpeda and the three inch Rapala in gold), on various DOA lures, and even sight fished a few on flies.
It's very different fishing than we normally do here. You mostly fish in canals, casting constantly, retrieving aggressively. It gets to be work. But the bites come fairly steadily, and there is a variety of fish, including largemouth bass and Mayan cichlids, in addition to the peacocks. Plus, the fish are beautiful. Check out the pictures!
I'll be fishing several days this week and should have a better report next week.
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
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