John Kumiski, Tarpon

Silver King Search Central Florida Fishing Report

Thank you for reading this Silver King Search Central Florida Fishing Report. A belated happy father’s day to all you dads. Last week I was so excited about the solstice I completely overlooked it!

Recently I stated I have not been in Florida at this time of year for over a decade. My goal this week, and perhaps next, is to survey the kingdom and see what I have available to me, fishing-wise. If this week is any indication, what’s available is, not much.

I put some hours on the Yamaha this week.

Monday– Launched the Mitzi at the Port at sunrise. During the drive over in the dark I got to watch a thunderhead doing its best 4th of July celebration, even though it was a bit early. It just kept going off! Fortunately for me, it was well offshore.

The plan was to run south down the beach. I want tarpon, they’ve been my primary target through all my searching. I ran into Scott Lum at the ramp. He told me his buddy found some tarpon in the bight the previous day. My plan changed immediately.

I ran to the Cape, saw nothing. So Plan A was resurrected. I ran from the cape to Patrick AFB, stopping along the way to net some pogies.

Turned out I did not need any bait. I saw nothing the entire way.

Halfway down Patrick I took a left and went east for a couple miles, then headed north. Maybe there were some fishies out deeper! Saw nothing until I got near the Disney cruise ship, where a small school of tunny was busting. I hooked two on a jig and lost them both.

By now the wind had laid down. I went back to the cape hoping the tarpon would be there. Nope! I looked for them the whole way back to the port, saw nothing, not even jacks. Tossed all the pogies back in the ocean, loaded the boat onto the trailer.

Tuesday– Launched the Mitzi at Beacon 42 shortly after sunrise. Looked for fish on the outside of the spoil islands (wind was west) while blindcasting, up to marker 25. Got a few small trout, very slow going. Went and looked along Tiger Shoal. Historically big trout were there this time of year, feeding on mullet and laying eggs. The mullet were there. The trout were not.

It looks like algae is starting to bloom. I hope I’m wrong.

One of two reds I saw.

Worked some of my favorite east side spots. Saw two reds working the shoreline. I got the first on a DOA Shrimp. My cast to the second was too good. You know that kind of cast, the one that screams “death from above” to the fish?

So for the day I got one red and maybe eight small trout.

Wednesday– launched the Mitzi at sunrise at Port St. John. Went looking for tarpon without success. Loaded the boat and trailered it to Marina Park. Looked along the shoreline, saw a few trout and black drum. No one would bite.

Ran from the railroad trestle up to Scottsmoor, across to the bombing target, and south to the ICW. I moved exactly one fish. Water on the west side looked terrible. It was fairly clear on the east side but still devoid of life, although I did not check the shoreline. I do not need to go up there again for a while.

Thursday John Berry joined me for some Mosquito Lagoon fishing. Tossing DOA Shrimp exclusively, we got five species of fish between us- trout, snook, and one each of flounder, snapper, and ladyfish. All of the fish were on the small side, but the bite was pretty steady. We were done at noon.

Friday, still looking for tarpon, I went to the Port again. I had a hot tip the fish were “way down south.” I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I hoped to find out.

You could tell that dust cloud is here. The sun rose through a veil.

The dust caused serious haze.

The sea was glassy. You could see a tarpon roll a quarter mile off. I went to Satellite Beach and saw exactly one. I’m starting to think way down south means Sebastian Inlet. The Mitzi has a six gallon fuel tank and I carry an extra two. Sebastian is a little out of range.

I turned around at Satellite Beach and looked farther out. Scattered tunny were busting, nothing readily targetable. I love tunny, but they certainly aren’t tarpon.

I spent an hour off the cape. A few fish were rolling there, but again, nothing you could really target. Tossing a pogy out and hoping for the best got me two sharks. I told Susan I’d be home around 1 PM, so quitting time came around noon.

If anyone knows where I could find some tarpon, in the lagoons, or out of the Port or Ponce Inlet, I would love to hear about it.

Life is great and I love my work!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/