While reviewing my Face Book page last week I saw where a resent friend complained about the excessive heat and rain we've been experiencing these past few weeks in Central Florida. He wrote "I can no longer stand the heat and humidly of Central Florida in August, so I'm moving back north." My comment was simply "welcome to Florida and there's always Alaska". Mother Nature has illustrated this past week that the heat and humidity of the summertime doldrums in Central Florida can lie heavily upon us, but shouldn't stop us from enjoying the many splendors of the outdoors as long as you dress properly and plan you outdoor adventures accordingly. Yes, our heat index has reached 105 degrees by noon and we experienced moderate to severe thunderstorms every afternoon, but the fish still have to eat and can be caught if you focus on the cooler periods of the day.




View from the front porch at Kunde's Kove

This past week my outdoor adventures carried me to the Indian River Lagoon where redfish and black drum were our targets, and to the swift currents of the St Johns River where the channel catfish lay wait for an easy meal before exercise. I also was blessed to attend a three day outdoor writer's camp in Kenansville, Florida at Kunde's Kove Camp on the Adams Ranch. Yes it was hot and muggy all week, but we still managed some excellent catching and outstanding adventure.




Tyler's Black Drum

My first adventure was to the IRL where I was privileged to sight fishing with EJ Klink and his son Tyler and daughter Haley, and we managed to find a tight and hungry school of black drum. The smaller black drum have been plentiful in different areas of the lagoon, and the team managed 15 fish before building storms ran us off the water.




EJ's Respectable Blacky




Tyler and Haley's Double Hook-up


The next day I met my clients early at the CS Lee Park in Geneva, Florida and we found a good number of channel catfish in the bends of the Econ Creek near is confluence with the St Johns River. Historically, catfish have been one of my favorite fish to catch, and before the morning was over, we boated 18 channel cats up to 8 pounds on cut shrimp. To learn more about catching catfish in Central Florida, checkout Captain Ron Presley's article "River Runin In Florida" about fishing with me in Catfish Magazine.



Breakfast at Kunde's Kove

My final adventure this past week was a three day outdoor writer's camp at Kunde's Kove Camp on the Adam's Ranch in Kenansville Florida. The event was a very enjoyable escape from reality where guest could step back into the depths of natural Florida, and flush their minds of the hustle and bustle of modern life. It reminded me of my youthful day in the backwoods of Central Florida where we focused on a simple life living as one with nature, and was very refreshing.
The water quality in the Lagoon is still holding its own with some patches of alga bloom showing up, but overall it looks good, so prepare for the heat and take advantage of some great summertime fishing.

As always, if you need more information or have any questions, please contact me,

Good luck and good fishing!


Events and Seminars

August 9th - 11:30 to 4pm - Marine Swap Meet II will be held at Fish on Fire Restaurant,7937 Daetwyler Dr., Orlando, 32809. Buy, sell or trade any marineproducts.

August 14th - 6 to 8pm - Orlando Kayak Fishing Club Meetingheld at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka, Fl 32703.Special guest speaker is Captain Tom Van Horn and the topic is gearing upfor the fall mullet run.

August 23rd - 5pm NWTF Wekiva Springs Strutters 15thAnnual Hunting Heritage Banquet and Auction. The event will be held at theBahia Shrine Center, 2300 Pembroke Dr., Orlando, Florida 32810