East Central, John Kumiski

Another Story Orlando Fishing Report
The shad are still strong. The Mosquto Lagoon, well that’s another story, for another story Orlando fishing report.

The Paddle Fishing Seminar at Kayaks by Bo on January 27th was a resounding success. The place was packed and I was my usual effervescent self. Tom wants to do some more fishing seminars, perhaps monthly.

The Indian River Lagoon Chronicles is now available as a paperback book!

Monday

Tammy and I went shad fishing out of Mullet Lake Park. For all of you who were wondering what an Al’s Goldfish was, I got a photo. We laughed a lot and caught a lot. It was good.

orlando fishing report
The shad love the Al’s Goldfish.

Wednesday

Rodney and I went shad fishing out of CS Lee Park. We laughed a lot and caught a lot. It was good.

orlando fishing report
Rodney and shad.

orlando fishing report
JK, shad double!

I have often heard and read that like salmon, shad don’t eat while on their spawning run. Not true! I have often seen them aggressively chasing minnows, and on Wednesday we had shad spit up wads of mosquitofish into my boat. I got a photo of one of the minnows, quite small they are…

http://www.alsgoldfish.com/Al_s_Goldfish_Great_Lure_for_all_Fish_1_4_oz_p/g200-n.htm
shad food

Thursday

Since I had a charter of Friday I used Thursday to scout the Mosquito Lagoon. I launched at Biolab, ran south, then went up the east shoreline checking most of the bars and holes, all the way to Georges Bar. I did not see a trout. I did not see a redfish. I hardly saw any seagrass. I did see a single, small (10-12 fish) school of large black drum.

On the way back south I checked several spots along the west side of the lagoon. They were equally barren. At the last spot I checked I saw four small seatrout, the first I’d seen all day. My optimism for the following day was pretty low. I stank like a skunk all the way home.

Friday

Vic and Dan Gulla, Wisconsinites (?), met me at River Breeze. We found schools of redfish at the first place we went. Unfortunately there were four other boats there. The fish were in a panic. The other boats, tossing live shrimp, managed two while we were there, which was not very long.