Mosquito Lagoon Tarpon

After installing a new indexing valve on our sprinkler system this afternoon, Karen went to pickup a prescription and I decided to grab a couple of rods and hit Bio Lab Road to see if anyone was catching fish.

I was told that the Mosquito Lagoon Tarpon and black drum bite along Bio Lab road was pretty decent, but the rain and accompanying wind associated with the upcoming cold front might be putting down the bite.

When I drove into the Bio Lab, the wind was whipping up waves in the lagoon and the air temperature was dropping.

I tried fishing a Skitterwalk topwater bait but it was impossible with the wind, so I tied on a Creme Spoiler Shad paddletail bait and started pitching it around some "fishy" looking areas.

Despite the wind blowing across the lagoon, several groups were parked along Bio Lab fishing for black drum and reds.  

I talked with a couple of groups who said they were getting bites with shrimp but couldn't hook the fish.  The wind was making hookups difficult.  The other group of bank fishermen said all they were catching was catfish.

I moved down the road to fish a relatively sheltered area where I found snook, sea trout, and tarpon in the past.

When I got there, I was surprised to find I was the only angler in the vicinity.

The first thing I noticed was a sea manatee up close to the open culverts.  The air temperature was 66 degrees and dropping, so I guess the manatees were moving into deeper, warmer water.

I noticed an occasional fish blasting the surface apparently after baitfish, so I started pitching the Creme Shad around the area to see if I could scrounge up a hookup.

I noticed a lot of fish fry tight along the banks of the entire area trying to hide from predators so I guess that was what the fish were after.  

Anyway, after several casts I had a few hits but couldn't hook into a fish.   A large alligator was moving into the area so I opted to move past the wire rope barrier and started fishing another area a bit more sheltered.

After a couple of casts hooked into a juvenile tarpon about two feet long.

The fish jumped twice before disgorging the lure.  I continued fishing the area and was getting hookups on almost every other cast.  The problem was that I couldn't land a fish.

The tarpon were ranging in size from around two feet in length to three fish that were at least five feet long.

The big tarpon were out in the middle near some sunken tree limbs and would take the lure as it hit the water or on the drop.  

After losing the only three Storm lures I brought along, I changed baits to fish a 1/4 oz. Berkley Pogy Swim Shad Powerbait that I had lost in the center console of the truck.

The baits seemed more effective at getting hookups and after losing three or four more tarpon in the 3 foot category, I managed to land and release the fish below.

It was around 3:00 pm when the bite abruptly came to a halt.    After a dozen or more unfruitful casts, I finally decided to walk the bridge to build up my cardio and head for home.

As I walked back across the wire rope barrier, I took these videos of the manatees huddling up to the open culvert.

They are almost cuddly looking in a weird way.

Till next time,

Tight Lines.

Peacocks Pocket Road Update

Went to walk Peacocks Pocket Road this afternoon for some "jump fishing" but when I tried to drive into the easternmost entrance towards the small boat launch, I was greeted with signs and a dump truck driver who said it was closed to vehicle traffic.

He suggested I call the refuge managers to see when it would be reopened so when I got back to the house, I called the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge to get the story.

The contact I originally spoke with didn't even know that Peacocks Pocket Road had been closed, so she asked me to hold while she could get some updated info.

After a brief hold, I was informed that the road was being worked on.  When I asked if it would be opened all the way to Catfish Creek Loop Road, I was told that they expected reconstruction to be completed in about 10 to 11 months.

I asked if this was realistic and was told that to the best of their knowledge, the information was correct.

I have a good number of readers asking me about the road so I decided to write this post.

There is a lot of good fishing and birdwatching along Peacocks Pocket Road, so I hope the timeline is adhered to.

Till next time,

Tight lines. 

Shrimping On The Pier

Went down to the A. Max Brewer bridge around 7:30 pm to see if anyone was shrimping on the pier.

When I got there the upper pier was relatively crowded but the lower pier had only a half dozen or so people with dip nets and lights out.

I talked to a few guys who reported that the shrimp were running but later on in the evening.

One of the shrimpers said that a couple of guys who spent the previous evening on the pier dipped 169 extra large to jumbo size shrimp but they stayed out until about 3:30 in the morning.  

I didn't plan to stick around to see if the action was going to improve so as I was about to head out, I ran into an auto mechanic named Frank, who showed me this pic of his son Bret who landed a 50 pound black drum Saturday night while fishing with a live shrimp.

When I asked him to text me the pic, he said his son was fishing at the end of the lower fishing pier and could do it.  

I walked to the end of the pier where Bret was fishing with several rods out and spent some time socializing with him about the bite in the area.

He showed me several additional pics on his cell phone of some of his other catches around the area which ranged from black drum, big sea trout, redfish, and a snook he picked up around the docks one evening.

I spent about a half hour or so talking with him before calling it an evening.  

The wind was blowing and I was starting to get chilly, so I headed for the hacienda.

If I get a chance, I might wet a line tomorrow night if I can pick up some live blue crab for bait.   Love to hook into a fish with shoulders for a change.

Till next time,

Tight Lines

Snook on Zara

After a couple of months working in Highlands, N.C., it was definitely time to wet a line and try to catch some fish at home.

I made a couple of scouting trips the last time I was home but I didn't have time to fish the area..  This afternoon, I decided to hit several areas in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge to see if anything was interested in hitting my lures.

Armed with two spinning rods tipped with a topwater baits, I started at East Gator creek and wound up north of Haulover Canal fishing a secluded spot on the Indian River.

The water in East Gator Creek was clear as glass and there was a slight wind blowing enough to mess up topwater fishing.  

There were tons of gators and waterfowl in the area; mud hens, ibis, coots, egrets, and even a couple of lost pelicans.

I tossed a Chug Bug around for awhile and managed a followup and eventually a hookup with a medium sized ladyfish.  The fish jumped like small tarpon until I dragged him to the bank and shook it off.

Several other areas that I fished in this spot proved to be a waste of time.

I did notice that Peacocks Pocket Road was somewhat open.  The wire rope barrier was gone but someone put a tape across to let everyone know it is still impassable.

I drove around Catfish Creek Loop and headed to Haulover Canal to see what was happening around that area.

Instead of wasting time driving into the canal, I drove over the bridge, psst the entrances and took a seldom used road that meanders along the Indian River.

I tossed the Chug Bug around in several areas and missed a couple of fish so when I spotted a larger fish busting on something tight along the bank, I decided to switch baits and toss a Zara Spook to the spot.

The second cast was a charm and I hooked up with a nice snook that I almost lost along the mangrove roots.

I took a quick pic of the fish before releasing it and continued fishing the area with the Zara Spook.

After enduring some wrist pain from casting the plug into several areas without as much as a follow up, I decided to back out of the area and head for home.

I stopped at Lil Ceaser's for a pizza and passed it up when I saw a crowd through the window.

No hot and ready's today.

Till next time,

Tight Lines.