Johnsfolly

It's been my experience that spanish moss is loaded with chiggers🙄

Daryl that's a possibility. I have found that some fish do not like the red worms that Walmart sells that don't need to be refrigerated. I noticed those do exude more yellow liquid when put on the hooks than other brands of redworms. Redworms are mostly of the species Eisenia fetida. So even their name implies a possible smell. I usually try worms first. I have had some luck with using micro pieces of Gulp baits and natural baits from the creek.

Would have been great to have about four or five hours to explore and fish. Maybe next time😉

Still in Orlando metro area, we left the tropical park to fish the Little Econlackhatchee River. My goal was to catch a metalic shiner, one of my target species for this trip. The Little Econlackhatchee River is a clear water tannin stained river. Wasn't a black river, but light tea colored. We were going to spend about an hour or hour and a half before going to a spot further upstream to try for ruddy bowfin. Livie was fishing a river bend pool using trout magnet jigs. I headed down past the overpass to try for the metallic shiners using a tanago with tiny worm piece. The banks were covered in live oaks. Livie wasn't able to get much love from the Florida bass and sunfish using the jig and plastic body. She added a bit of worm to the jig and then had success with redbreast sunfish and coppernose bluegills. I was fishing my bait below a float. As the float hit the water and drifted by, the shiners would avoid it. I removed the float and drifted the bait such that it was in the face of the shiners. Several would rush the bait and turn away as they got close. I had a few grab the bait but got no hook ups. The retention system below the overpass was a cloth covered concrete system. My hook got hung in a little piece of the cloth next to the water and I had to carefully get down to it without sliding or falling in the river. Once I got my rig dettached, I saw a darter and another. I then focused my attention on this lifer darter species. I spent 35 or 40 mins trying to get one on the hook. They were not too shy once I could battle the current and get the bait positioned well. I did even pull one out of the water but not to hand or into the photo bag. Once they bit the bait and I tried for a hook set they did shy away. Livie was helping to spot more. In my frustrations I handed her my rod when she saw one in a good position. Well She caught it🤔. Livie's Westfall's Darter. After her catch the others stopped playing and actively swam away from my offerings. I only ended up catching a few mosquitofish just to say that I did catch something. I did have plans to try again at this spot before heading to GA at the end of the trip. We headed next to Blanchard Park to try for Plecostomus (sailfin catfish) and ruddy bowfin. They weather turned on us. The wind picked up, the clouds got heavier and the temps that were already cool (e.g., mid 60's) dropped to the high 50's. Livie has wanted to catch a pleco since she saw one at this park a few years ago. She made up a gelatin/spinach bait. It seemed a good idea but the gelatin dissolved too quickly and the many plecos that she could see were not interested. Livie had no luck on the Plecos and I could only get one redbreast sunfish to use as cut bait for the bowfin. We set up near the outlet and fished for 40 mins until nearly dark before we left for the hotel. We did see limpkins and a swallowtail kite (one of my favorite FL birds), so not a dissapointment. Jump to the end of the trip, we did go back to the Little Econ rvr. Livie tried for some large bass that reacted as if everyone casts to them and ended up catching a few large redbreast and a couple of spotted sunfish. She also found the smallest FL softshell turtle that we had ever seen. I again wanted a chance at those darters, but never saw any on this trip. The metallic shiners were mostly gone with just a couple swimming about. I did manage to get into a fallen tree that had a school of minnows in it's branches. I lost one and caught one coastal shiner after having to extract the rod carefully without losing the fish. I also caught a few coppernose bluegill on a trout magnet jig and a few decent spotted sunfish while drifting a worm. We caught fish, not the targets that we were hoping for and Livie did end up with a cool lifer.

I would agree.

We started the trip going to a small park in the Orlando surburbs where the small clear creek has been bordered by planted tropicals. This is a known creek that contains three non-native tropical species; the convict cichlid, green swordtail, and variable platyfish. Also there is the ubiquitous eastern mosquitofish throughout the creek. If you look you can see a couple of intrepid microanglers through the tropical forest identifying their catch😉. You might also see a relative of Godzilla amongst the leaves. This was basic fishing only. No flies, plastics, cranks, etc. Just either small jigs, #16 or tanago hooks with a little bit of worm being dappled thru the brushy banks. We were all successful at catching a couple of the tropical species. Livie caught some very vibrant tropicals. Her nicest convict cichlid Her first green swordtail And one of the nicest platyfish that we saw while fishing there. Sue caught a couple of convicts with this one being the most colorful. I really liked her platyfish which shows the reason they are named VARIABLE platyfish😉😁. In the time alloted, I caught a few of the convicts and one swordtail but no platyfish. Even without fishing this was a very idyllic location. We were successful and headed to the next spot.

Our trip was really hectic and on the go and that didn't end when I got home to edit and compile a few phones worth of photos. I will begin the reports today 😉

I'm late to the party Pete 🤔. Great bunch of smallies! Happy Belated BDay Buddy!

Jeff they catch american and hickory shad in the St Johns river system.

I go on this website/forum every year to track shad catches from FL to CT. Fishing Log | Shad Fishing Maybe when I retire, I would like to fish for shad starting in Feb in FL and catch them all along the eastern seaboard as the spawn runs proceed northward ending up in NH or ME in June(?)

Me too😁

There is a rumor that within the next two weeks there may be a central Florida multispecies trip report. If so, I suspect that there are likely to be photos 😉😁!

Register March 17 – April 17 for 2025 Callery Pear Tree Buyback Missourians who register for the buyback with a photo of a cut-down Callery pear tree from their property will receive a free replacement native tree. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is again partnering with the Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP), Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, and Forrest Keeling Nursery to host a Callery Pear Tree Buyback event in communities around the state on April 22 from 3 – 6 p.m. Also known as Bradford pear trees, Callery pear trees’ white flowers in spring give a visual attractiveness to these non-native, invasive trees. However the trees pose problems for landowners and wildlife. Their top-heavy canopy and brittle branch structure leads to a tree that often breaks in storms. Their flowers may be appealing to the eye, but they have a foul smell and many varieties of this tree have thorns. The tree’s aggressive growth also causes problems for wildlife, native plant species, and property owners. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/invasive-plants/callery-pear-control. “As we prepare for spring, many Callery pear trees—also known as Bradford pears—will soon begin to bloom,” said MoIP Chairperson Carol Davit. “The profuse white blossoms of this highly invasive tree make their alarming spread especially apparent in spring along roadsides, in fields, parks, and on private property.” Register for the Callery Pear Buyback event from March 17 through April 17 at moinvasives.org/2025/01/31/2025-callery-pear-buyback/. The website also has information on how to identify Callery pear trees, a list of native tree species offered, and pick-up locations with specific addresses. Missourians who register for the buyback can get their replacement native trees on April 22 from 3 – 6 p.m. in the following Missouri communities with specific address information provided at registration: Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Doniphan, Hannibal, Jefferson City, Joplin, Kirksville, Lebanon, Moberly, Park Hills, Rolla, Sikeston, Springfield, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Warrensburg, and West Plains. Partnership members are grateful to the Richard King Mellon Foundation and the Missouri Community Forestry Council for their financial support of the 2025 Callery Pear Buyback event, as well as to Forrest Keeling Nursery and Forest ReLeaf of Missouri for tree donations. Financial and administrative support also come from the Missouri Prairie Foundation and MDC.

I would consider buying a Lifetime Nat'l fishing license. Spend way too much on short term out of state licenses each year.

I don't believe that I ever went to the opener for any of the trout parks. I did trout fish here in Maryland on the 1st in a small pond that is stocked two times in the spring (Feb and Apr) and again in Oct. By mid April it will be too thick with vegetation to fish it effectively. I fished a bigger lake further south of this one and then hit it on my way home. Fished it like I would with the urban trout lakes in MO with Gulp eggs suspended about 12 to 14 inches above a large split shot. No finesse but catches fish. I caught five in about an hour (which most of the time was spent retying after breaking off due to bad casts in the overhanging branches).

@rps I made the same dish last week but used spaghetti squash for the "noodles". I didn't post it since I didn't take any photos😅😉. @snagged in outlet 3

Almost not even worth talking about it😉

@Quillback this is for you buddy😉

I thought that he just didn't like spiders or snakes😅🤔

Sure looks like a brown trout. Nice Catch!

Congrats @Hamon a great variety fishing day. Did you end up catching over 50?

Those are grass pickerel a smaller cousin to the chain pickerel. The Current and 11pt rivers are great places to catch chain pickerel Missouri.

Caught a few more this afternoon from another spot.

You just haven't had it cooked right🤣

🤣🤣🤣