Author: John Kumiski
Panfish Paradise
By John Kumiski Like so many outdoor adventures, this one starts with a phone call. “Jonnie- Walt Jennings. Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers are running an outing to the Everglades. Would you like to join us?” Well, yeah, but I need more information. The Everglades are huge, with everything from diminutive mosquitofish to monster...
Is This the Future of Fishing?
Jumping Barramundi. Photo courtesy Osceola Outback Adventures. By John Kumiski An outfit called Osceola Outback Adventures (https://osceolaoutback.com/barramundi-fishing/) offers fishing opportunities for great barramundi, and I’m talking Holopaw, Florida here, not Australia. They say with pride, “This is the only place in...
Superstition
By John Kumiski The great Stevie Wonder wrote a well-known song, Superstition. The chorus- When you believe in thingsThat you don’t understandThen you sufferSuperstition ain’t the way These lyrics could apply to lots of things in life, but in this piece, we’re sticking to fishing. And fishermen are a superstitious lot,...
Fly Fishing for Bass in Orlando
This slob bass from a small pond took a small popper. By John Kumiski Some of the most fun and exciting fly fishing in central Florida involves chasing largemouth bass. Almost every body of water larger than a couple acres holds bass. They’re not the only species in that water, either. Spotted gar, bowfin, various …...
The World’s Worst Fly Caster
By John Kumiski Bob and Dave were father and son, visiting the Goodnews River Lodge for a week during my first season working there. They were fly fishers, wanting to catch silver (coho) salmon. Bob was a financial planner, and Dave was a college student. I had the pleasure of fishing with them for two …...
Dragonflies for Bass Fishermen
by John Kumiski Bass everywhere eat dragonflies. Any observant person who spends time around the water has seen them do it. I’ve watched bass free-jump nearly three feet out of the water, trying to catch these amazing flying insects. A typical adult dragonfly. This one is an eastern pondhawk male, found all along the East...
Striking Silver in the Sound
by John Kumiski Of all the things you can do with a fly rod, few match the excitement of casting to and hooking a large tarpon in shallow water. You’ll find fighting one another matter, and bringing one to hand a significantly more difficult proposition. But the entire exercise possesses an extremely high entertainment value …...
They Call It the Trinity
Slick rocks rolled underfoot, throwing off what balance I still possess. Muttering, I wished for a wading staff. The water, beautifully clear, was cold, cold, cold. My son Alex had elected to wet wade- I thought he was nuts. I was cold through the waders. It’s good to be young. Alex, on the Trinity River …...
Embrace the Cichlid!
We all fill with anticipation before a trip. It’s human nature. It starts at the vise, when you’re making those creations that will hopefully fool the lunkers. Then, as you pack your gear, you dream about the fish you’re going to catch. For me, when I head to south Florida, I’m fantasizing about snook and …...
The House at the End of the Earth
My tent squats low on a gravel bar. Its green nylon contrasts sharply with the surrounding vegetation. The tent fly flaps gently while I tie a new fly on. I consider how hard it’s been to reach this spot. It had taken days, including rides on two airplanes, two busses, and a boat, two overnight …...
