December 10, 2011
By Captain Tom Van Horn
Upcoming Seminars and Events
Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby Dates
Thursday December 15th, Shad and Crappie Derby Anglers Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Mosquito Creek Outdoor, 170 South Washington Avenue in Apopka.
Saturday December 17th, Shad and Crappie Derby begins at safe light.
Saturday January 14th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Crappie Rally and Seminar at Boat Tree Marina at the Port of Sanford.
Thursday January 26th 6:30 - 9:00 PM, Free Shad and Crappie Fly Tying Event at Orlando Outfitters, 2814 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL 32808, phone (407) 896-8220. Visit: www.orlandooutfitters.com. Fly tying instruction and seminar by Capt. Beau Osborne. Learn what you need to catch shad and crappie on fly in the Orlando area and see how easy it is to tie effective fly patterns for both species. These tying techniques can also be used to create your own shad and crappie jigs.
Saturday February 25th, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Shad Rally and Seminar at the Jolly Gator Fish Camp on the St. Johns River and HWY 46 east of Geneva.
Saturday March 17th, Shad and Crappie Derby ends at dusk.
February 11th and 12th, Old Florida Outdoor Festival in Apopka, Florida.
This Weeks Fishing Report
Like selecting a candy from an assorted box of Christmas chocolates, you never know what to expect while fishing during the month of December on Florida's Space Coast. Sometimes you're looking for somewhere to spit, and others reward you with unforgettable memories difficult to duplicate. Well that's the story of my life on the lagoon coast this past week, and a reflection of years past during the month of December.
In December, calm days are few and far between, so you fish when you have a chance, and on Thursday strong post frontal winds and 40 degree air temperatures almost made me call off the charter. I'm glad we didn't. We departed the dock around 8 a.m. and headed east across the lagoon. On the previous day during calm conditions we located a few large redfish while on a scouting mission and my plan was to start in that location despite being on the windward side of the flat.
As we drifted into position, heavy chop broke over the stern and the water look like chocolate milk. I was hoping for the best as I staked out the boat, thinking maybe we would get lucky and catch a few fish. Well, the fish gods must have felt sorry for the only fools on the water, blessing us with 8 redfish and a nice sea trout, with 4 of the redfish exceeding 30 pounds. About the only tactic we could use on a day like this was stake out and chunk bait, but as a guide you do what you have to do to catch fish, and on Thursday the tactic work well.
Grampa Don and Grandson Mike with a double header to start the day.
On a different note, my good friend Charlie McCullough caught his first shad on the discharge side of Lake Harney while slow trolling for speckled perch. The shad derby starts next Saturday, and on Thursday the 15th we have our anglers meeting and seminar at Mosquito Creek Outdoors and general sign up begins on Friday the 16th. For more information on the 3rd Annual Shad and Crappie Derby visit www.cfshadderby.com.
Lastly, the holiday season is upon us, so be generous this year and spend some time fishing with those close to your heart, and be obliged to those spending their time away from their families serving our country.
As always, if you need information of have any questions, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com
http://www.irl-fishing.com
(407) 416-1187
For all of your outdoor needs, visit www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begins.
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