Mosquito Lagoon/nearshore report 3/22

I only got out twice this week.

On Monday son Maxx and Scott Radloff joined me in the Mitzi for a day on the Atlantic. Target- cobia! We ran south down the beach to Patrick AFB. There were lots of gannets diving (they are so cool!) but such baits as we saw looked quite small.

At Patrick we took a left and headed towards the sunrise. We went out four or five miles, then took another left, idled down, and began hunting. We saw nothing for a long way. Finally I saw a flash in the water and we went to check.

It was a smallish tripletail, five or six pounds. Maxx tossed a DOA Shrimp at it and the ‘tail said no. I tossed a live shrimp at it and he still said no. We bombarded it with a variety of stuff for five minutes and he just gave us the fin. Maxx said, “I never saw one do that before.” We left him and went looking for more cooperative fish.

We saw nothing for a long way. Finally, near a buoy, Maxx said, “There’s a cobia.” I tossed a big jig to him. He took. I missed. I was beside myself and had several choice words, all aimed right at me.

We hung around the buoy for a while hoping he’d reappear but no such luck. I started idling back towards the Port, since it was already pushing 2 PM. We didn’t go very far when Lo! and behold, there’s a pair of cobia, coming right at us.

Maxx tossed a live shrimp. I tossed a jig. We both hooked up. My fish broke off almost immediately. Maxx, with the little ten pound spinning outfit, kept his fish on though, and about 15 minutes later I slid the net under it. Thirty eight inches long, it weighed 20 pounds. The piece we ate that evening was quite delicious after being broiled.

It was quite delicious after being broiled.

Thursday I took the kayak to River Breeze. The water had come up some, and I was hoping that the fish had come in with it. Not really. In four hours I only saw about two dozen fish, many as I ran over them. I had one excellent shot at a small group of tailing fish and hooked up, but the hook pulled after a couple minutes.

I found a small group of fish in a sandy hole and by blind casting into it got a red about 20 inches long. Both the fish I hooked took my reliable black redfish worm.

About 1 PM I pulled the boat and went to a flat in the Indian River Lagoon that I had received a tip about. After much searching I saw a few black drum but didn’t get a shot. It was mostly run- (or wade-) overs. Finally, after 5 PM I put the boat on the roof of the van and went home.

 

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 spottedtail@spottedtail.com, or call at 407 977 5207.

John Kumiski
member, Indian River Guides Association,
Florida Outdoor Writers Association