How To Sidearm Cast

Fishing Report and Newsletter January 30, 2009

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

Last week finally brought some sunny and pleasant days to east central Florida. A few of the mornings were frosty but winds were light and skies were clear. That combination makes for some of the best sight fishing of the year. The redfish and drum have been forming some big schools and the large trout invaded the shallow flats. We have been seeing hundreds of fish on every recent trip.

Last Thursday, I made a solo trip to Mosquito Lagoon. It was a cold day by Florida standards and the water temperature was 47 degrees when I hooked my first fish. I used a variety of small crab and shrimp flies to fool six redfish and one nice trout. Some of the fish were lethargic and not feeding due to the cold water but there were plenty around that were. Accuracy seemed to be the dominant factor as the fish would not go out of their way to get the fly.

The following day, I was joined by Joel, a fly angler from Miami. Again, we found plenty of very shallow and spooky redfish, drum, and trout. He was able to get a holographic bendback fly in front of a redfish that followed it for quite some distance before attacking.

Saturday, Ben and Lou joined me for a half day trip. We went to one flat and never had to leave. Within five minutes of starting, Lou hooked up with his first redfish using a holographic DOA CAL. We switched over to a DOA shrimp and both guys hooked a few more redfish.

As was the case during each recent trip, there were lots of schools of redfish, trout, and drum to cast at.

Sunday, Alex made his first trip targeting redfish with the fly. We had another beautiful winter day with light winds and plenty of finning redfish and drum. Alex had consistent shots at schools of fish throughout the day. Unfortunately, his fly fell a few feet short on most occasions and he did not hook up. We worked on a few tips and drills to add some distance to his cast. With a bit of time to practice, he should have better luck his next time out.

Tuesday, I fished with my long time friend Scott. We hit only two spots before the weather turned sour but found redfish at both of them. The three inch DOA CAL was the most productive accounting for redfish to 32 inches and several trout.

Len joined me the following day for some Mosquito Lagoon sight fishing. The first half of the day had more clouds and wind than we had hoped for making spotting the fish challenging. We did, however, encounter numerous schools of both drum and redfish. By mid day the skies had cleared and the redfish began tailing aggressively. The tails could be seen from a long distance as they rooted in the mud and grass for small crabs and shrimp. Another great day of winter fishing in Florida.

Unfortunately, the weather can't be perfect every day and a front is currently passing through. The sunny and mild days after the fronts, however, will continue to offer some great fishing for both fly and spin anglers. Stealth, quickness, and accuracy are the key factors. The more you practice your casting, the more you will catch.

Mosquito Lagoon Navigation Hazards
During the recent period of low water, I have encountered numerous abandoned and unmarked crab traps, some of which are only inches below the surface. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find a government agency willing to help in legally retirieving these traps. Many of them are in or around popular running lanes and pose a navigation hazard. Use extreme caution when running in shallow water in the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River while the water is low.

The Sidearm Cast
While and overhead cast is great for throwing long distances, most of the casts we make on the flats are short and medium range. When making an overhead cast at these distances, you are directing the lure down towards the water. This causes a bigger splash and louder entry, in turn, spooking more fish. The motion of a 7ft rod help by a 6ft angler on a boat several feet off the water can be seen from a much greater distance than a low profile sidearm cast. The sidearm cast also travels parallel to the water and has a soft landing allowing you to cast closer to the fish. Just as we all could throw a ball overhand or sidearm, casting at different planes is not difficult. It does, however, require a bit of practice to get the correct release point. Practicing the sidearm cast both forehand and backhand before you go fishing will result in more hookups. Next to stealth, casting is the most important factor in sight fishing the flats. The fish will eat a variety of baits on most days. Proper presentation is the key to catching more fish.

Winter Flats Kits
Mosquito Creek Outdoors still has some Winter Flats Fishing Kits available. I had them put together an assortment of my favorite lures is a single kit. Buy the kit and save on the cost of purchasing the items separately. Visit the store or call the store at 800-250-5191 and have the Capt. Chris Myers winter fishing kit sent to your door.

Capt. Chris Myers
Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
321-229-2848