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Indian River Lagoon & Banana River
Capt. John Kumiski
August 5, 2006
Titusville - Saltwater Fishing Report
Space Coast report 8/5/06
Space Coast fishing report from Spotted Tail, 8/5/06
Well we certainly got our fishing in this week, out every day. I had a couple of offers to go today and turned them down because I needed a rest. My hands have to heal up. The fishing was gooooood! See the photos at http://www.spottedtail.com
Monday Karl Dienst accompanied me on a scouting trip to the Banana River. We didn't have spectacular action be any means, I suspect in part at least due to the fact we had a 10 mph wind out of the southwest at dawn, kind of unusual for this time of year. We did catch one slot red on a DOA Shrimp, several ladyfish and trout, and found a few spots with snook and redfish, all good for my charter there on…
…Tuesday, when I fished Okey Tucker for a full day, his future son-in law Scott for the morning, and his son Okey Glen in the afternoon. The wind was non-existent (the way I like it) at dawn. We were looking for redfish but found a bunch of baby tarpon. The little (expletive deleted) were popping glass minnows hard, but would not look at anything we tried tossing to them. We gave up on them after an hour and changed locations.
At the next spot Okey spotted a couple of tailing reds. We didn't catch either of them, or the next few either, but Okey made a perfect cast to a cruising fish who immediately jumped on his bait, a DOA CAL Shad tail rigged Texas-style. I guessed the fish was about 30 inches long and was surprised when I had to give chase with the skiff. Okey fought it up next to the boat where I grabbed it and pulled it in. The fish was magnificent and lots bigger than I thought, a fat 38 inch red that weighed between 18 and 20 pounds, just beautiful.
Scott had to leave then, so we dropped him off and picked up Okey Glen. Dad wanted him to have lots of action. We found a bunch of diving birds and followed them for the rest of the trip, at least three hours, tossing DOA CAL jigs and streamer flies and catching catfish (yes, you read that right), trout, and literally dozens of ladyfish. We frequently had two or three fish on at a time. It was fast, furious, and fun, and Dad got the action for Okey Glen, just like he wanted.
Here's what Okey had to say about the day: " My first experience with the Banana River was great thanks to you. I never expected to really catch a Redfish my first time out (especially one that big). I would have liked to try to cast to some more Reds but I really did want Okey Glen to get into some fun action, and that's just what we had. I will definitely recommend your services to anyone I know coming to the Cocoa area."
Wednesday I took a test drive in a Heritage Kayak Redfish 14 in the no motor zone. The morning started off auspiciously when I found some big reds tailing almost immediately after entering the zone. After spooking several, one bit the grizzly Seaducer, and the battle was joined. The anchor was deployed to keep the boat from being dragged out to sea, and when I finally tailed the fish it was as big if not bigger than the fish Okey had caught the previous day. It was a great start, and enough fish that if another bite was not to be had I still had a heck of a day.
Since that fish had spooked all the other ones away, the search resumed. A zig-zag course was followed in the hunt for more fish. Finally another tail was spotted, then another, and another. Big fish were scattered across the flat, tailing casually. I cast to fish after fish, and every single one spooked off whatever fly I chose. I couldn't get another bite, and even though I already had one good fish under my belt it was still very frustrating.
There was a big commotion a couple hundred yards away that demanded investigation. A load of baby tarpon were rolling there. I cast without putting a bite tippet on, which of course was a mistake. Something big immediately slammed the fly and cut me off almost as fast. A 30 pound bite tippet was added, a new fly (a Polar Fiber minnow) tied on, another cast made. BAM! A feisty snook came to hand quickly, the first of four, all cookie cutter 15 inch fish. They were small, but cute and fun, and gave hope that a real one might be around.
Another cast, BAM! This was the first of three tarpon, this one a respectable fish of about 12 pounds. That fish cartwheeled all over the flat, it was a beautiful thing to see. And it gave me a slam, always a wonderful thing.
I never did get another bite from a redfish, and the trout needed for a grand slam eluded me, but the Heritage performed well and I had had a heck of a day.
Tom Van Horn called me that evening and asked if I wanted to go to the no motor zone with him on…
…Thursday. Of course I said yes, so off we went the next morning in the kayaks. We had a 10 mph wind out of the SSW, which somewhat messed us up. Action was not fast and furious, and at first we didn't see much. I blew my first shot at two tailing reds, striking when I thought one had taken the fly. There I go, thinking again…
Tom got our first fish, a red in the slot, on a Clouser Minnow. We ended up with four reds to about 13 pounds, two tarpon, a nice four pound trout, and a ladyfish, and I once again got a slam on fly, so it was another fine day as it turned out.
Yesterday John Yarko and his friend Elaine, Eileen, or Amy, depending upon which of my brain farts was operational at the moment, joined me for a day's fishing on the mighty Atlantic out of Ponce Inlet. After catching our bait we had some slow fishing all morning, only netting three bites, all from sharks. We ran into Keith Kalbfleisch and followed him offshore about six miles, where we started getting bites immediately, slow trolling and drifting with pogies. We ended up getting a couple of cobia and several king mackerel and several more sharks, so it turned out again to be a splendid day.
Remember- life is short. GO FISHING!
Life is great and I love my work!!
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me at [email protected], or call at 407 977 5207.
John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com
member, Indian River Guides Association,
Florida Outdoor Writers Association
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