Scouting Trip Along Bio Lab Road

After returning from a long drive from the Moffitt Cancer Institute in Tampa today, I decided to make a scouting trip along Bio Lab Road to check out the potential.

I left the house around 5:00 pm and headed directly towards Bio Lab.

The water in the Mosquito Lagoon was surprisingly clear making sight fishing a definite possibility in most areas.  The mullet along the road were thick and holding close to the bank to avoid being eaten by predators.

I took some pics and talked to a couple people who were crabbing along the bank.  Nobody was fishing.

The air temperature was 93 degrees and dropping, and there was a slight chop on the water in the lagoon.  Not a great time to wet a line.

I took several pics of the mullet in the area as I headed down the road towards Pelican Island.

I was looking for tarpon but there were none in any of the areas I scouted out, including the Vistas along Playalinda Beach road.

I did find a heard of manatees along an open culvert and a large school of redfish tailing in another area right next to the road that a friendly fly fisherman turned me on to.

He said he was wading around the school but hadn't gotten any hookups.

When I located the fish, I tried casting several baits at the reds without any hookups.

With all the mosquitoes swarming in my face and legs, it didn't take long for me to leave the area and head home.

Till next time,

Tight Lines.