Orlando Area Fishing Report from Spotted Tail 4/4/10
First of all, a blessed Easter to all. For me as an angler, this day signifies the start of the summer fishing season. My good friend Rick DePaiva called me this week to tell me big tarpon have already started showing in Pine Island Sound.
I hate to sound like a geezer, but what the heck. Even if I don't yet think of myself that way, it's getting close and I'm sure that to the young whipper-snappers, I am one. Here goes…
My first fishing trip in the Mosquito Lagoon was in May or June of 1985. I was with Rob Ryerson, who I haven't seen or talked to in 15 years or so. We were fishing from my Old Town canoe. It was a breathtaking day, a Saturday. We saw maybe three other boats all day. Need I say there were fish everyplace and even though I hardly knew diddlysquat about flats fishing then we caught quite a few fish.
I had a charter on Friday. At one point there were 23 boats poling around on the flat inside of Tiger Shoal. There were plenty of fish up there but we didn't see anyone hook up. We had shots at fish all day long, but only had one bite. More on that in the actual report, when I finish my whining here.
I'm glad it's the time of year to start fishing in the ocean, because flats fishing here has just gotten ridiculous. Fishing is not a group activity, but you wouldn't know that when you see 20 boats all fishing the same spot. It's no wonder the fish are majorly spazzed out.
Years ago I complained to Mel Schubert that redfishing in the ML wasn't fun any more, because it was just too easy. God is punishing me for that one. Easyness is no longer a problem around these parts. Quite the contrary.
On Monday last week Steve Smith and his father-in-law Bob joined me for a day of spin fishing on the Mosquito Lagoon. We saw good numbers of fish, even some tailers. Steve got a 26 inch redfish on a Johnson Minnow, and Bob got a 23 inch redfish on a DOA Shrimp. Those were the two bites we got all day.
On Thursday Todd Sievers, a fly fisher from Colorado, joined me for a half day on the Mosquito Lagoon. We had some decent shots but did not get a bite. I thought Todd should have gotten two or three fish, based on the perfection of his presentations. But no sir, no cee-gar.
On Friday Bob and Ed Straker, a father-son team, joined me for a full day on the ML. I've already stated that there were a lot of boats out. Bob was a fly caster, and had some great shots. I thought he should have gotten three or four fish, based on the perfection of his presentations. But no sir, no cee-gar. Ed got one red on a shrimp. He also got a couple of feisty catfish. But even though the weather was perfect and there were plenty of fish around, that was it for the day.
I hope to get out on the Atlantic this week, to look for cobia.
It was a tough week on the home front. My wife lost her youngest brother to a heart attack. Bobby was only 50 years old. When I tell you life is short I'm not kidding. Make time for yourself and your loved ones! Consider making your own final arrangements now so that those loved ones won't have to in a time of distress. See this link for information about how to start this process: www.funerals.org.
Life is short- do something fun outside, maybe even fishing.
Life is great and while I have to admit to being frustrated, I still love my work!
John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com