Cold Day At The Beach

It was a windy, cold day at the beach at Playalinda but it was worth the trip to see what was being caught.

Karen and I decided to take Elmo and Odie for a scouting trip around the refuge yesterday, before the cold front moved into our area.

The weather was chilly and windy, but not as cold as was this afternoon.

We drove down Bio Lab road to see if anyone was wade fishing on the flats and saw only one other vehicle that was coming in from the other direction, close to the exit at  Playalinda beach road,

I later learned from the ranger at the pay station entrance that Bio Lab road is one way from the boat launch up to about 3/4 of a mile from the beach road where it then turns into a two lane dirt road.

It would be nice if it was marked, but what the hey.

I briefly thought about fishing a couple of places on the flats but the wind was coming across the Mosquito Lagoon too strong to bother fishing.   There were actually whitecaps on the water.

When we got to Playalinda Beach road, we decided to check out the beach and see if anybody was surf fishing.

There were a lot more vehicles than I expected in the area, but it nobody seemed to be interested in fishing the surf except for three guys at lot #8 at Eddy Creek.

We walked to the beach and checked out a few spots and I was genuinely surprised that no one else was fishing.   Karen thought that most people still believed that the beach was still closed due to the government shutdown, which is likely.

I expected the surf to be rough, but the tide was on the way out and the surf was relatively calm.  I watched a rip at lot #8 for a while and took a few pics of the three guys fishing before heading out to check out some of the other areas.  They had the entire beach to themselves.

It would have been a good day to surf fish but all I had with me was a couple of river rods with topwater lures and no live bait.

We ran up to #13, turned around and decided to run up to Haulover Canal and then Patillo Creek.

There were a few fishermen close to the bridge at Haulover fishing for black drum but they were packing up their gear to leave when we got there.

We left Haulover and drove over to Patillo Creek and found a group dunking baits for redfish.

I shot a few casts around several areas with a Chug Bug and a DOA Jerkbait without any luck and let the dogs run around the area for a bit before we decided to head for the house.

The wind had died down and the water was like glass by the time we decided to head out.

It was getting late and Karen and I were both getting cold and  ready for dinner so we decided to head home.

The cold front is supposed to pass by us by the weekend and I plan to wet a line as soon as my bones thaw out from this weather.

Till next time,
Tight Liens

Titusville Fishing Piers

Although the two Titusville fishing piers this evening were virtually devoid of sport shrimpers and fishermen, I decided to stop and see what was being caught.

The weather today was pretty windy and a cold front was in the works but after catching up on some paperwork for work, I decided to make a quick run around East Gator Creek Road to see if anybody was out fishing.

I left the house as it was getting dark and as I crossed the bridge across the Indian River, it was obvious that very few anglers were dunking baits.

The air temperature was 54 degrees F and there was a North wind blowing across the water when I got to my first spot.

I stopped and made several fan casts around the area with a gold Johnson Sprite spoon and a "baby bass" pattern Chug Bug without even one followup.

As it got dark I drove up to the barriers at Peacocks Pocket Road and Catfish Creek Loop to turn around.   I planned to shoot a few casts around the area, but the wind made it too problematic.

I slowly drove back to the main road and as I drove towards the A. Max Brewer bridge, I decided to check on the progress being made at the boat launch.

Canaveral Construction is doing the job and the sign says should be completed by May.

I took a couple of pics and decided to check out the two Titusville fishing piers before heading home.

As I pulled into a parking spot I noticed that very few anglers or shrimpers were on the piers.  Most everyone was enjoying a cold brew or a nice dinner at the Pier 220 Seafood & Grill restaurant.

The four groups of people that I spoke with at the lower pier were setting out their shrimp lights and all reported less than stellar luck with the shrimping. 

The wind was making waves and the waves were making it difficult spotting shrimp this evening.

I made my way to the upper fishing pier and took a short video of the area.

Just as I got to where a gentleman was fighting a nice fish, my cell phone battery went dead and I was unable to get a picture of his catch, a nice black drum of at least 20 pounds or so.  

The drum looked looked like it was around 34 inches or so long, but it had a nice pot belly.

He caught the fish one a piece of shrimp and didn't even know the fish was on until it got tangled in his shrimp lights.

After landing the fish, an onlooker was kind enough to text me the above picture he took of the guy's fish.

It was getting too cold for me to stick around and no one was netting large amounts of shrimp, so I decided to head home for a cup of java and snuggle up the the television.

I may get out tomorrow to wet a line around Shiloh Road.

Till next time,
Tight Lines.

Super Blood Wolf Moon

My unproductive fishing trip earlier today could be blamed on the Super Blood Wolf Moon and partial eclipse we will be experiencing this evening; at least that's my excuse!

We know that the moon directly effects fishing and this once in a decade event probably has some effect on why fish act like they do.  Anyway, I am hoping to get some pics of the event this evening.

The Super Blood Wolf Moon Lunar Eclipse should start to be visible around 8:00 pm January 20 through the wee hours of Monday morning January 21.

In our area of East Central Florida, we will be able to view it in it's entirety if you care to stay awake until 4:48 am.  

The outer part of the Earth's shadow will begin to cross the face of the Moon at 11.36pm local time.

The Moon should start to turn red when the partial eclipse starts at 12.33 am.

The total lunar eclipse (when the Moon is completely in the shadow of the Sun) lasts from 1:41 pm to 2:43 am Monday morning, January 21, 2019.

Barring any clouds, the Moon should turn a red to reddish orange color, which is why it is named a Super Blood Wolf Moon.

At around 6:00 pm it looked like this as we headed home from Haulover Canal.

The Moon is as closest to Earth this evening which makes it look so much larger, i.e. the name Super Moon.

The Blood Moon part is because of the color during the lunar eclipse.

I was told that the Wolf Moon part of the name was given because Wolves mate during January and become more vocal at this time.  Sounds reasonable, but I don't know for sure.  

I haven't heard any wolves around here lately.

The moon at 12:27 am to 12:30 am.

The moon from 6:00 pm on 1/20/2019 till 1:48 am 1/21/2019

At 2:00 am I had to hit the sac but I managed to add these videos of the eclipse.

A bit shaky, but what the heck.

Till next time

Tight Lines

Super Blood Moon Fishing

As I expected, the fishing prior to the super blood moon today hasn't been that great.

Today was the first time I had a chance to get out and at least try to wet a line, but the cold, windy conditions made artificial lure presentations almost impossible and the so called "Super Blood Wolf Moon" and total eclipse we will have this evening through the wee hours of tomorrow morning has not been conducive to good fishing.

I took Elmo and Odie with me to check out Haulover Canal, the Bio Lab boat launch, and an area just north of Haulover where I have caught redfish in the past on the shallow muddy flats during cold weather.

There were a few hardy fishermen along the banks of Haulover Canal but nobody seemed to be catching anything.  A couple of boats were at the mouth fishing for redfish (I presume) but other than that the area was pretty devoid of anglers.

I stopped at two spots to fish but never got a hit or a follow on the topwater Chug Bug or the gold Johnson Sprite spoon that I was tossing around.

The wind on the flat I intended to fish on the Indian River north of Haulover was coming in so strong that I didn't even bother to break out my rods.

There was a gaggle of birds honkering down for the night on a bar that I took a short video of before leaving the area.

The air temperature was 50 degrees F. and dropping when we finally decided to head home.  If the cold front continues for a few days, the big gator trout should be moving into their winter haunts along the deeper docks and dark bottom shallow flats during the late morning hours.

Hopefully, before my vacations is over I can get in some decent fishing for these guys.

Till next time,
Tight Lines.