Fish report Mosquito Creek Florida January

Fish report Mosquito Creek Florida 

January 14, 2013

Capt. John Kumiski with his respectable Mosquito Lagoon Sea Trout


Thursday January 17th - 6:30 to 8:30 pm, free Seminar, Crappie and American Shad on Fly instructed by FFF certified casting instructor Captain Chris Myers. The event is located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave in Apopka Florida. Come enjoy an evening learning the tackle and techniques essential for catching both crappie and American shad on fly.

Saturday January 19th - 10:00 to Noon, free Seminar, Successful American Shad and Crappie Tactics instructed by Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn. The event is located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave in Apopka Florida. Come learn the tactics and strategies essential for catching both crappie and American shad from two of Central Florida's most experienced and successful professional captains. 

Thursday January 24th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, free Seminar, Rigging Workshop on Catching Bass during the Winter Months, instructed by Coastal Angler Magazine's Phil Wolf. The event is located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave in Apopka Florida. Come enjoy an evening learning the rigging techniques essential for catching spawning largemouth bass during the winter months. 
This Week's Fishing Report

This past week the weather and the fishing were as good as it gets, with excellent fishing days spent enjoying life on both the Mosquito Lagoon and the St Johns River. Fishing both areas on several occasions this past week with friends and clients, and I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story.



Sea Trout caught on a DOA CAL Tail
photo by John Kumiski



Mosquito Lagoon Flounder caught on a DOA CAL Tail, photo by John Kumiski

On the Lagoon, warm sunny conditions had the sea trout up in the shallow water laying in the potholes, and they were eager to take a well presented DOA CAL Shad Tail or fly. As always these fish were very spooky, so a slow and quit approach and an accurate cast was required. We also found plenty of redfish and some black drum up on the flats, and they were spooky as well.



The Battle Rages on!



Fred Rambo III with his Barbi Rod Catfish

On the St. Johns River, the bait (ditch minnows) has moved out of the marshes into the main river channels and the predators have arrived in full force. We had several successful trips this past week catching a mixed bag of American and hickory shad, largemouth and sunshine bass, brim, specks and catfish. On fly we had better success with small minnow imitations flies on floating line. Other successful lures were small TTI Blakemore Road Runners and 1 inch Creme swim baits on a micro jig and shad rigs.



Captain John Kumiski with a Speck on Fly



St Johns River Bass, photo by John Kumiski

If you haven't had the chance to get out on the water, you need to go. There's no telling how long the gorgeous weather and the bite will hold out. If you are not sure how and where to go, book and charter with me or come to one of our free seminars listed at the beginning of this report.

Visit www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!







Tuesday January 8th - 7pm to 8:45pm - Orlando Kayak Fishing Club meeting located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave in Apopka Florida. Special rod crafting seminar instructed by Mike Kosiba.

Thursday January 10th - 6:30 to 8pm - Dick Sporting Goods Seminar Night located in the Seminole Town Center in Sanford, Florida. Free American shad and crappie seminars instructed by Captain Tom Van Horn and Coastal Angler Magazine's Charlie McCullough. Topics cover tactics and techniques for catching both crappie and shad. Door prizes, raffle and giveaways benefit the Orlando chapter of Anglers for Conservation.

Saturday January 12th- 10:00 to Noon, free Seminar, Discover Fly Fishing instructed by FFF certified casting instructor Captain Chris Myers. The event is located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave in Apopka Florida.

Thursday January 17th- 6:30 to 8:30pm, free Seminar, Crappie and American Shad on Fly instructed by FFF certified casting instructor Captain Chris Myers. The event is located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave in Apopka Florida. Come enjoy an evening learning the tackle and techniques essential for catching both crappie and American shad on fly.

Saturday January 19th- 10:00 to Noon, free Seminar, Successful American Shad and Crappie Tactics instructed by Captains Chris Myers and Tom Van Horn. The event is located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave in Apopka Florida. Come learn the tactics and strategies essential for catching both crappie and American shad from two of Central Florida's most experienced and successful professional captains.

Thursday January 24th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, free Seminar, Rigging Workshop on Catching Bass during the Winter Months, instructed by Coastal Angler Magazine's Phil Wolf. The event is located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave in Apopka Florida. Come enjoy an evening learning the rigging techniques essential for catching spawning largemouth bass during the winter months.

January's Fishing Outlook

I would like to begin this report by wishing all of you a happy and prosperous New Year. I know 2012 was a challenging year for all of us, but I still managed to escape the hustle of my fast paced life by spending as much time as I can on the water with friends and family, and this year I plan on sharing more of these experiences with others.

January and February are key months for targeting tailing black drum on the exclusive Banana River No-Motor Zone. For the past several years the black drum populations have expanded on our lagoons, so I'm eager to see how they show up in the NMZ and to catch a few nice ones on fly.

As water levels and temperatures drop, clear and shallow conditions on the inshore flats will make sight fishing the best we will see all year. Mullet and other finfish have migrated out of the area for the winter, so anglers should switch to smaller shrimp and crabs and a slower presentation. When targeting inshore species during the colder months, I like to downsize my lures and fish with a shrimp or crab imitation baits like the DOA Shrimp and Crab combined with a Woodie's Rattle Hook or Rattle Jig.

Now is also the time for surf anglers to target pompano, bluefish, weakfish, small black drum, sheepshead, Spanish mackerel and whiting off of the beaches and larger redfish and flounder around the inlets of Ponce De Leon, Port Canaveral and Sebastian.

Lastly and my all-time favorite, the American shad run on the upper St. Johns River should be swinging into full gear by mid January. And if this year's run is anything close to what we had last year, look out for Captain Tom and Three Quarter Time when you are passing through shad alley. Also, if you enjoy a fresh fish dinner once in a while, the specked perch (crappie) bite has been and will continue to improve in all of the big lakes, rivers and creeks in Central Florida.
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Captain Tom Van Horn