Tag Archives: mosquito lagoon

Act Locally, Adventure, Catch & Release, Conservation, DIY, Explore, History, Lifestyle, Secrets, Space Coast, Stories, Thats Life, Travel

What Happens After Dark?

Fly Anglers are typically found outdoors when the sun is shining or about to be.

The exploits that happen before and after the sun makes its trek from east to west are the stuff that brings it full circle and creates the basis of the lifestyle.

You know you’ve shot beer out both nose holes at the campfire, thats what I’m talking about.  Unedited, raw and no volume button in sight.

You can find that fly fishing vibe here:  Fly Fishing After Dark

From stories being recount from a day on the water, to analysis of the latest fad sweeping Instagram, you’ll get a fresh new perspective that hasn’t seen the desk of an industry insider before the publish button is clicked.

 

Catch & Release, Explore, Film, flood tide, fly fishing, Hells Bay, Lifestyle, lowcountry, Mosquito Lagoon, palmetto state, redfish, Skiff, Space Coast, Stories, Tiller, Whipray 16

IFTD 2015 – Playing Hookie on Day 3

After spending two days at the Flood Tide Company booth, I ducked out to film a little with Catch 1 Films on the home water; Mosquito Lagoon.

ONE: mosquito lagoon

Its always great to spend time on the water with friends.  Being able to relive the moments in film is priceless.

 

 

 

 

 

fly fishing, traditions

Christmas Cheer, A Redfish & Beer

As jolly St. Nick prepares his sleigh and team of tiny reindeer, my thoughts move to the weather.  Just like Santa, I too plan to be active on Christmas Eve.  Now going on nine years, my tradition of spending the day outdoors on the water looks to be a tough one.

The forecast is filled with a stiff breeze and showers, but my hopes are not dashed.  I’ll be out there despite the weather.  Its going to be my last salty outing of the year, and I’m not about to pass just because its a little less than ideal in the weather department.

My Christmas Eve tradition is a day of reflection on the year past, its successes and failures (plenty of those), as well as a time to look forward to the coming year and what it might bring.

The cleansing I receive at the hands of the great outdoors and its beauty is why I fly fish, it is who I’ve become.  Just like the gifts brought by three wise men, the water delivers me a bounty that is hard to measure.

Less than a week ago, I spent the afternoon with my young son, chasing redfish in small creeks and ponds hoping to sow the same seed in him that my father nurtured in me.

On Christmas Eve I’ll be thankful for all that I’ve been able to do in the year past and look forward to more good times that will surely come.

 

Conservation, DIY, Ethics, Secrets, Social Media

Loose Lips Sink Ships

Have you ever found a special place on the water that seems to be that out of the way location which always produces days that leave you smiling?  You know, the one I’m talking about, that lonely slice of water that takes a bit of effort to reach, where you never see another soul.

The truth is, you’re not the only one that knows where it is, its just that the effort to get there limits even you and it it quickly becomes the spot reserved for special days when solitude is required and you know it can be found there, if you’re in the mood to work for it.

After a while, you’ve grown so fond of your out of the way slice of heaven that you take someone along to show them the unreal beauty and charm your little Shangri-La possesses.  Even though that little voice in the back of your head cautions you to keep it to yourself, you convince yourself it will be kept in confidence, so off you go.

The magic is in the air and the birds are chirping as you and your guest revel in the moments where your rod is bent and fish come to hand in a way that never happens on a normal day, in the usual spots.  You keep reminding them that the place you’re visiting is special and warrants secrecy, hoping that your trust won’t be betrayed.

By day’s end, you know that you’ve shared a truly special place and time and the allure of it is almost fairytale in its splendor, which makes you nervous.

As you finish a beer with your friend, they thank you for the special day and reassure you that the secret is going to be kept.  They express reverence for the location, and pour on the charm letting you know its safe.

A month or two later, it happens.  There in all of its glory, laid bare for the world to see on Instagram or Facebook is the spot you’ve cherished for so long.  That place you’ve always held dear and protected. Your pulse quickens, and in mere moments, you know its over, the secret is out.

The temptation was too great for the person who didn’t earn it.  They were given the privilege, and without the investment of sweat equity, they gave it away.

Worse yet, they begin to abuse it.  Almost weekly at first, them more and more often, until its not just the recipient of your friendly benevolence, but now others are there and posting about too.

Forgiving those who trespass against you is tough.  But truth be told, its best that you do, for they know not what they’re doing.  The  luster will fade on that place of beauty in due time, for once its been burned, the patina of overuse will erase it.

Don’t despair, but rather, channel your efforts in finding your next quiet corner and remember, Loose Lips Sink Ships.

 

Catch & Release, Mosquito Lagoon, redfish, Space Coast, Tactics

Restraint

Its on.  There is plenty of social media chatter regarding the onslaught of shoreline cruisers along the Space Coast.  The buzz is confirmed, get out there.  Light flies, natural colors; you’re welcome.

 

I’ve been putting in a good bit of time plying the Mosquito Lagoon over the past couple of weeks.  When the opportunity presented, I took a few moments to simply enjoy the view.

 

 

On one of those recent afternoons I had the pleasure of spending part of my day with T.J. Saunders doing work from the front of the skiff.  If you ever find yourself visiting Tampa and need a guide, look him up:

Lucky Fly Charters

He is a masterful fly tier, if you need some tasty crustaceans or baitfish patterns, he’s your man.

Catch & Release, DIY, flood tide, fly fishing, lessons, lowcountry, Mosquito Lagoon, redfish, Uncategorized

Flood Tide – Mosquito Lagoon Edition

The lunar influence on the tides around Mosquito Lagoon are measurable, but unlike the tides of the spartina flats to the north it is a sustained level that impacts the estuary more so than the periodic incoming and outgoing tide cycle.

Fishing the flooded spartina in St. Augustine and Jacksonville is no doubt a worthwhile experience, but there are “flood” opportunities in Mosquito Lagoon. One of the most readily accessible of these atypical high water season fishing areas is manmade.

Over past decades the quest for control of salt marsh mosquitoes lead to the digging of many ditches across the entire lagoon to reduce breeding habitat. More recently, there has been an ongoing effort to remove the unintended consequence of this work, artificial upland areas created by piling spoil adjacent to the cuts.

Use Google Maps to locate remediated ditch lines where water is now allowed to sheet along the marsh and on high tides you will find redfish meandering along in the mangrove shoots looking for an unsuspecting crab or mosquito fish.

fly casting, fly fishing, lessons, Mosquito Lagoon, redfish, Space Coast, Uncategorized

A Differing Approach

Tailing redfish are extremely fun to target when sight fishing. Depending on the type of bottom they are feeding over, they can also be frustrating beyond belief to feed successfully.

One of the reasons for it in thick grass is the fact that their vision is impaired by the grass itself.

The next time you’re experiencing apparent refusals, keep in mind it may simply be that the fly is not being seen.

Switching to a top water fly may be contrary to conventional wisdom, but it works.

Cast a foot or two ahead of the direction the fish is feeding and wait for it to move. A couple of subtle strips is usually all it takes to get their immediate attention and you find yourself clearing line and getting on the reel.

The fall lunar cycle is piling water up inshore, now more than ever, you might consider this different approach to tailers. It could spell the difference between success and failure.

Catch & Release, fly fishing, Instruction, lessons, Mosquito Lagoon, redfish, Space Coast, Uncategorized

Slow Down & Pole

I’m astonished nearly ever time I spend time on the water in Mosquito Lagoon at the pace other anglers move through an area. Their arrival under power to a flat disrupts the natural flow of its inhabitants and rarely do they stick around long enough to see the true personality of the place before firing up the outboard and departing for the next stop on the milk run.

I’m certainly not complaining, this frenetic pace often leaves the best areas I frequent a veritable ghost town. The less human impact on the areas the better for my experience.

I was sitting at the end of a long dock alongside the intracoastal waterway a few weeks ago waiting on friend to arrive in his skiff when I had the chance to talk to a neighbor who was lamenting on his lack of success on the water. He was frustrated and seemed surprised when I said that there were lots of redfish in the areas he was getting skunked. As we talked more it became apparent to me that he was taking a random run and gun approach to his fishing and the lack of success was self imposed.

IMG_6397

I’m no expert, but I do spend a good bit of time on the water, so I shared with him what I felt were keys to my success.

1. Fish only three places that are in close proximity until you are confident that you understand when they are productive and why and have the track record to prove it.

2. Become intimate with the area, pole it, go slow and learn the nooks and crannies and what you should expect to find on low or high water. Dedicate time to simply sit back and observe, leave the rods stowed and observe the fish and their movements without pressure.

3. Write it down. Make note of conditions and what you found worked in those situations. I often refer to data from years past when I want a change of venue. I’m always surprised at how well I do when I go somewhere based on past notes vs. flying by the seat of my pants and hoping.

Time on the water is meant to be enjoyed. Slow down your roll and soak it all in, just don’t soak bait.

Conservation, Mosquito Lagoon, NASA, Space Coast, Uncategorized

Nomadic Drum

The Kennedy Space Center occupies only a small part of NASA’s property along the Space Coast in East Central Florida.  Much of the land is also managed as a National Seashore and Wildlife Refuge.  There are areas of the Mosquito Lagoon estuary that are widely considered the oldest marine preserve in the nation due to having been included within the security buffer zone that has protected America’s space program for decades.

A unique by product of the space mission has been the opportunity to study relatively unchanged habitat that rarely sees influence from man made craft or pressure.  The results of one of the programs, a tagging study, was recently included in an article in Spaceport Magazine , a NASA publication.

Take a look at the article on pages 32 – 35  in the June 2014 Volume 1 No. 3 issue by clicking here.

 

Catch & Release, Conservation, Mosquito Lagoon

Catch & Release Is The Rule For Mosquito Lagoon

There is a burgeoning movement afoot amongst those who spend time on the waters of Mosquito Lagoon in Central Florida chasing redfish and speckled sea trout.  Its a quiet, but sustained, call for a change in guiding practices.  Its being brought about by the heightened awareness of most anglers to the estuary’s troubles with extreme angling pressure and degraded water quality.  Armed with the knowledge that the resource needs a helping hand, more and more anglers are becoming vocal on social media calling for charter captains and others to make Catch & Release the standard practice rule, rather than the exception.

The angling community is changing its attitude towards the long held idea that the Mosquito Lagoon is a place to go fill your cooler.  While anecdotal, there is a wealth of evidence that points towards shrinking numbers of large breeder redfish, as well as a decline in juvenile redfish.  Despite a majority of anglers recognizing the state of the fishery as one that is in decline, some guides see the change to C&R as potentially harmful to their business and have taken to social media to promote how splendid the fishing has been and that the resource is bountiful. Their hype is not true.

The joys of angling are many.  Lowest on most anglers list is the consumption of their catch.  The beauty of the environment, the thrill of the hunt and the excitement of the fight are more truly the reasons than most anglers will spend countless hours on the water in search of fish.  Recreation is the goal.

The Catch & Release movement is shaping what is considered ethical and reasonable within the guide community whether the guides sign on or not.  Why?  Because their clients get it.  They’re out for a great day  catching lots of fish.  C&R will lead to better opportunities for fish filled days, which of late have been the exception throughout the estuary.

Their clients get it because they want their children and grandchildren to have the same opportunities they’ve had, if not better.  They’re buying in because its the only way it will happen.

The C&R movement is not saying to guides, don’t take a single fish; the angling community is calling for a more responsible approach that educates charter clients on the current state of the resource and encourages Catch & Release.  The community is asking guides to forgo the practice of adding “their” fish to the clients limit.

Its always tough to change.  Resistance to change is expected.  The guides that are early adopters of the Catch and Release movement will be the ones who benefit the most.  Word will spread and the guides will be rewarded with praise and referrals.

Catch & Release is the rule in Mosquito Lagoon and its here to stay.