Orlando Area Fishing Report from Spotted Tail 5/1/10
May Day, 2010
There was a time (before my time) when May Day was a fairly big holiday. I wonder what happened to that? It seems like a good time to celebrate. Winter is over, mud season is over, the garden is planted, and summer is coming. Let's bring back the May Day celebration!
One small way we can celebrate May Day is with the Tarpon Poem:
an ideal world
hot sun, blue sky, clear, slick water
sweat
a graphite wand, a wisp of feathers
a flash of silver breaks the mirror
then another, and another
feathers land in water
magically, they come to life
line tightens
mirror smashed
power
water flies, gills flare, body shakes, shudders
again, and again, and again
the beast tires
arms ache
hand grasps jaw
feathers removed
great fish swims free once more
tarpon
one of God's gifts to fly fishers
Tarpon, my personal favorite in the fish world, will be seen in local waters this month. Friend Rick DePaiva tells me there are plenty down his way and I'm sure they're all over south Florida already.
One thing that we should all be in abject horror of is the destruction of the world's finest redfishery in Louisiana. I don't even live there and it's hard to explain how depressed that whole affair makes me feel. You would have to have fished there to understand just how incredible it was and what we are on (or perhaps already past) the brink of losing. But we'll still be able to drive our SUV's to work, so what's the problem, right?
Why does society place such little value on wild things, natural places?
If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.
I can't wait for the platforms to appear off the Florida coast. Heck, I want one in my back yard.
I haven't been driving much for the past six months and would really like to live in a place where an automobile was completely unnecessary. "You may say I'm a dreamer…"
Last week I asked this question: "Anyone out there know how to keep deer out of a garden without putting up an eight foot fence? " I got about a dozen answers, and would like to sincerely thank all those who responded. Some folks suggested putting up an electric fence. Some folks suggested purchasing predator urine from a hunter's supply house (I guess my wolf urine idea wasn't so far fetched). Several folks, including Gil W., Craig Fox, and Dusty Mc Lane, said to sprinkle human hair around the garden. Dick Beal suggested covering the ground surrounding the garden with corrugated metal, stating deer won't move onto the sheets of steel. Bill Gunn suggested sprinkling moth balls around the plot. Gary Griffin said, "Stock up on beer or gin & tonics and go around the garden a couple times every evening." Armed guards and shooting the offenders were also suggested, and I don't oppose that idea, but there are game laws and I'd have to worry about spent bullets hitting the neighbors.
Since it was simplest and I always have plenty, I tried using my own urine. The deer responded by returning and finishing what they started.
I guess I'll be visiting a barber shop with a black garbage bag to ask for scraps as my next move.
Fishing? Didn't do any this week.
Life is great and I love my work!
John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com