Big Reds Feeding in Lagoons
Capt. John Kumiski
October 3, 2010
Titusville - Saltwater Fishing Report
Orlando Area Fishing Report from Spotted Tail 10/2/10
Upcoming Events
-MINWR Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, October 23
You've heard about the Show and Tell Seminars. This is your big chance to attend. We tour the national wildlife refuge and discuss how and where to fish for reds, trout, and more in the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons. It's an all day event that costs $50. For more information see this link http://www.spottedtail.com/show&tell.htm
or sign up here: http://www.spottedtail.com/shop/index.php?cat=13&
-Mosquito Lagoon On-the-Water Show and Tell Fishing Seminar, October 24
Last time was the first time and it worked great. We tour the Mosquito Lagoon in my Mitzi as I show you exactly where and how to fish for reds, trout, and more in the Mosquito Lagoon. It's a four hour event that costs $100. For more information or to sign up see this link: http://www.spottedtail.com/shop/index.php?cat=13&
Or you could call me at 407.977.5207
Well I didn't fish the Econ this week, although I did write an article about it. Watch for it in the Orlando edition of Coastal Angler Magazine. I believe the publication date is November '10.
On Thursday after my trip to the VAMC son Maxx and I went to the Mosquito Lagoon, arriving somewhere around 1100 AM. I checked to see if the redfish were still where I had been finding them. There didn't seem to be as many but Maxx did get two blind casting with a silver Johnson Minnow, both nice, fat slot fish.
We went north of Haulover Canal and looked on both sides of the lagoon. We saw a total of six redfish on the Tiger Shoal flat, which I poled the entire way across. We didn't see any fish on the west side of the lagoon. There were shockingly few mullet for this time of year, and very little activity of any kind. We put the boat back on the trailer at about 300 PM.
On Friday after my return trip to the VAMC Dr. George Yarko and I launched the Mitzi at Kennedy Point Park at about 1130 AM. Nothing like an early start! I expected the lot to be full with crazies scouting for that stupid spot tournament this weekend but there were surprisingly few vehicles there.
George and I went looking for breaking fish while I motored down to the tarpon spot. We didn't see any breaking fish anywhere, all day. I looked, too. And it certainly is the time of year. And unlike the Mosquito Lagoon there certainly is a ton of bait around.
I pulled out of the channel and idled in to the tarpon area, wondering if there would be any there. The weather was perfect, so that shouldn't have been a factor. Holy cow, there's a roller, damned big fish, too. All we've got with us are three 10 pound spin outfits. There's another roller. There's a free jumper blasting through bait. He was only 40 pounds or so, maybe we could handle him.
I pointed the boat towards a mullet school. When we got close I shut it off and got the castnet out. I thought my throw was good but did not get a single mullet. I got about 50 lovely four to five inch menhaden though. They quickly were dropped into the livewell and then I rigged up.
We kept seeing tarpon. That 40 pound free jumper was the dwarf of the group. They were all big ones. We even had some casts to laid up fish, excellent shots. George got the only tarpon bite and the fish was on and off before it even jumped. I got one small blacktip shark.
Finally at 130 PM, tired of being rejected, we went looking for breaking fish again. When I started flushing what I thought were redfish I shut down and started poling. We saw quite a few trout. I hadn't seen any in Mosquito Lagoon since I got back from Alaska. Then, about 150 feet in from of us, a splash like a cow falling in the water happened. I turned the boat that way and poled over.
It was a school of bull reds, happy, hungry, finned out, tailing, chasing bait, a beautiful thing to see. George, using a menhaden chunk, made a few casts that missed. Finally his aim was perfect. "That one ought to work…" The bait wasn't in the water five seconds when his line came tight and the battle was on.
The rest of the fish didn't seem very disturbed so I baited up and tossed a chunk in front of one. Bam! Double! You gotta love it.
I horsed my fish too hard and busted it off. George got his to and into the boat, a piggy looking fish of at least 25 pounds. We quickly released it and went looking for his friends. We did not find them.
I had a 600 PM date with my bride so we only looked a few more minutes. The boat was back on the trailer at 330 PM.
Embrace simplicity.
Life is great and I love my work!
Life is short- go fishing!
John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
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