Northern Indian River Lagoon Photo Outing

With a cold front moving through the area, and a robust wind blowing over the swamp; it was not a very good day for fishing.

A photo outing became the agenda, and what better place to take pics but in the Wildlife Refuge around the Indian River Lagoon.

My wife and I headed east on to the Peacock Pocket road and we got a glimpse of some wild boar rooting along side the road. The group moved off, but I did luck out and got a shot of a large sow standing off the dirt road.

Moving South, around the pocket area, the water level was the lowest I've seen in years.

The wind pushed the water West towards Titusville, and where we were hoping to jump some redfish or trout, there was nothing more than mud flats.

This was ideal for the shore birds and other waterfowl in the area. They were covering the flats looking for crabs, worms and whatever else birds and ducks eat on the mud flats.

White and purple ibis, ducks, egrets, all sorts of gulls, rails, pelicans, etc. were out in force. All were feeding and huddling together to get out of the chilling wind.

The photo possibilities were endless and my trusty Nikon got a work out.

The 2 gig card was almost filled before I decided to give fishing a try.

I just had to give it a shot before heading home.

There was a nice sheltered cove, which usually produces redfish and trout, that I decided to fish.

A dead shrimp or mullet fished on the bottom usually works as a last resort. Today, however, there was nothing in the area within casting distance interested in eating either the shrimp or the lures I was trying to feed them.

The only feeding fish we spotted were far beyond casting distance in deeper water.

After about an hour, with only a small stingray to show for my efforts, we decided to head home and see how the pictures I took came out.

I have posted some here in movie format for you to check out .

I hope 2009 is as good a fishing year for you as this year was for me, regardless of where you fish.

 

Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!