Orlando Area Fishing Report from Spotted Tail 10/12/10
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
Let us go back to last week.
On Monday Doug Murrell and his friends Robert and Charles joined me for a day's fishing. I wanted to go to the Indian River Lagoon but the north wind pushing 15 knots convinced me not to. We went to the Mosquito Lagoon instead. Fishing was tough.
At he first spot we went to there were clearly fish present. But casting blindly with Johnson Minnows produced only one strike from a diminutive ladyfish. So we went looking elsewhere. That didn't work, as we didn't see any fish anywhere else.
We went back to spot #1, where we got a slot red on a chunk of mullet. OK, skunk off boat. The spot failed to produce any more fish. Once again we went on a search mission.
No more reds made their presence known. I motored the boat through the Haulover Canal and went looking in the Indian River Lagoon. We did not see a redfish there. However, we cast jigs and Bait Busters over deeper grassflats for trout and caught a few. Some were even legal size. It was a long, tough day and we worked hard for every fish we caught.
On Friday Shawn Healy joined me for a day on the Indian River Lagoon. We went looking for tarpon. We were almost through with a fruitless search when my phone rang. A friend who shall remain nameless was on the other end. "John, I'm along the beach outside the Port. It's going off!"
Shawn and I pulled the boat and drove to the Port. We went out along the beach. It was definitely not going off. We didn't see a fish out there. Heading back to the dock we saw some fish crashing baits around one of the docks. We investigated and caught four pound crevalle and one mangrove snapper, using Bait Busters and a Chug Bug. We probably got 20 or so of the jacks, great fun and better than no fish!
On Sunday Makoto Enotomo, a fly caster from Tokyo, joined me. We went out on the Indian River Lagoon. We found a school of big reds and after many, many shots one finally ate Makoto's crab fly. He battled the fish for about 20 minutes.
I had trouble lifting it into the boat, it was that big. My tape is 36 inches long. The fish had at least six inches on it. Makoto's first redfish ever probably spoiled him for life.
There were quite a few boats around the reds, and I have a marked aversion to crowds. Also, Makoto wanted a tarpon, so we went looking. I didn't think we'd find any, but I also know if you don't look then you never find. So we looked. And we did not find.
We did find some trout and slot reds but all Makoto caught was a pinfish. So eventually we ended up very close to where we started. All the boats were gone, and so was the school of fish. However, there were a few smaller reds and some black drum there. Makoto got a beautiful cast to a cruising red, who turned, followed, and ate Makoto's crab fly. The thirty inch, 10 pound fish would be the last of the day.
Monday morning found Makoto and I back I the big red area. It took me about 30 minutes but I found a school of big reds, happy, finned out, feeding. Makoto got some great shots and a fish ate. He fought this one pretty hard and got it to the boat in fine fashion, a handsome fish of over 20 pounds. I took out my camera and started taking pictures. I finally noticed that Makoto's fish was definitely a male. It was unloading milt all over him. Nice!
We released the fish, cleaned up the mess, and got back on the school. After an hour or so, and many great shots, another one finally ate. This one was a much larger fish, at least 40 inches long. Makoto stayed with it, fought it hard, and got it to the boat. I lifted it in with difficulty and again got some photos. This one just had the usual slime, no milt. Thank you Mr. Fish!
After releasing the fish Makoto wanted to try something else. Since the weather was stunning I suggested we try the ocean. We went to Port Canaveral.
On the way out we saw Capt. Fred Cisneros coming in. Fred is one of the finest anglers and people with whom I am acquainted. He said he'd seen nothing out there, nor had he for the past month. Not an encouraging report, especially coming from him.
We went out anyway. With the exception of some barracudas we found on a buoy (and they wouldn't take Makoto's fly) Fred was absolutely right. There was bait everywhere but no fish did we find. The Mitzi was back on the trailer at about 330 PM.
Embrace simplicity.
Life is great and I love my work!
Life is short- go fishing!
John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com