Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report
The sky can be a wonderful source of entertainment, both day and night. I don't get to look at it nearly enough. I went camping Monday night to do some stargazing, thus the Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon fishing report.
The kayak got launched at River Breeze about 11 AM Monday morning. It was fairly cold, but the sky was clear. While paddling I noticed a bunch of footprints on the bottom (the water is fairly clear). "Those are fish." The boat was staked out while casts were made to those fish. They ate, and I got several reds, some in the slot, some short. A #2 olive green over white Bucktail Bouncer was the fly of choice. Man, it worked well that day!
When the action slowed the paddling recommenced. There was a skiff at the next spot, well downwind. The painter was tied around my waist as I started wading and blindcasting the Bouncer. The fish were all over it, both trout and reds, about an equal mix of slot fish and shorties. It was pretty novel getting a bite every few casts, though, quite enjoyable. I considered working the spot again but another skiff came. Back in the kayak, paddling again.
There were plenty of fish at the next spot, all trout, all short. Did not stay long. The Bouncer, about 20 fish old at this point, was starting to unravel.
Checking another spot, I saw two muds flare up as the kayak passed. I staked it out and started wading, blindcasting. Nothing, nothing, was considering giving up when the line came tight, five pound trout, yes! Worked the spot for a while longer and got two more nice trout. The mono holding the beads on the fly slipped out of the fly's head and the beads were lost. Waaahhh! I LIKED that fly!
With the shadows getting long I pointed the kayak toward the campsite http://www.recreation.gov/wildernessAreaDetails.do?page=detail&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72791. It was close to a spot where several big trout and redfish were observed last week. I worked it hard, but they were all gone.
As it got dark the stars starting winking on. It's such an awesome time of year for them. Orion. Gemini. Sirius. Aldebaran. The Pleides. I lay there just gazing at the cosmos, listening to the waves on the distant shore. Five satellites crossed my view, and two meteors did, too. It was better than the fishing.
Slept out at 5 AM, I got up to do a little more stargazing. The light from an almost-full moon blotted out many stars, but the planets! At one point Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and Venus were all visible, lined up across the heavens. My God, we live in a fantastic place!
Soon I was paddling under those planets, heading to yesterday's hot spot. It was just getting light when I started casting. Clouds diffused the sun's light into a glorious display of colors- purple, bluue, gray, orange, gold, pink. Cast cast cast cast cast cast cast. Nothing. What happened to the fish?
Then the line came tight and all was right with the world. Three nice trout were among the fish that spot produced. No other boats came, and the sun was well up when I saw what looked like tailing fish about 50 yards away. "Probably mullet." I kept watching though, and finally had to go check it out.
They were tailing redfish, at least 15 of them. I got one bite and missed it, and managed to chase them all away.
Three other spots were tried without success.
Stopping at an old favorite, I staked out the boat and started blind casting. Only one fish bit, but it was the best fish of the trip, a magnificent seatrout about 27 inches long. Another Bouncer was the fly, this one with a fox squirrel wing.
It had been an incredible trip so far, but on the way back I found some tailing reds and got a couple more. It was the best inshore fishing I'd had since coming back from Alaska, and that includes the trip to Louisiana. Red Hot!
The rains on Wednesday and Thursday may not have been Biblical but they did make our roof start leaking. Looks like another home improvement project.
Friday was cold and windy. I checked out the St. Johns River from 10 until 1, from Lake Harney to Puzzle Lake. Touched a single fish at the mouth of the Econ. It felt good but it came off quick enough I didn't know what it was. Talked to Ultra Fly at the boat ramp. He had gotten two shad near Puzzle Lake, "working his butt off" I think he said, adding that the "shad have been really slow."
The redfish and trout have been hot, though. I have lots of open days- give me a call if you want to catch some fish!
And that is the Camp-Out Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report.
Life is great and I love my work!
Life is short- Go Fishing!
John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
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