by John Kumiski
At the north end of Florida's Mosquito Lagoon lies a labyrinth of islands, channels, and shallow ponds full of wading birds, dolphins, redfish, and seatrout. This is the location of a dozen National Park Service campsites administered by Canaveral National Seashore. Accessible only by water, these are true wilderness sites. A few have a fire grate and a picnic table. The others have space for your tents, and that's about it.
I've taken my kids and their friends camping here by canoe and kayak several times over the past few years, and while the fishing hasn't always been good, we have always had a very enjoyable time. Most recently I took five high school students, with two canoes, two kayaks, fishing rods, camping gear, and three days with spectacular weather. We ended up with superb fellowship, a bunch of good friends, a learning experience for everyone involved, and a fabulous time for all, even if the fish didn't bite.
After obtaining the necessary camping permit from Canaveral National Seashore, we launched our boats at River Breeze Park in Oak Hill. We paddled south a couple of miles and camped on one of the spoil islands lining the Intracoastal Waterway in the Mosquito Lagoon. Although we fished along the way, we didn't see many fish and didn't get a bite.
We roasted marshmallows and stargazed for hours the first evening. I pointed out Orion, Gemini, and Taurus, and the planet Saturn. The highlight of the evening came when a meteor streaked across the heavens while we were all watching.
After breakfast the next morning, we packed up the boats and paddled north about three miles to Orange Island, fishing along the way. Again, we saw very few fish and didn't get a bite. But the wading birds were thick, and we saw a bald eagle and several dolphins. While we wanted a couple fish for supper, no one minded cooking hot dogs over a blazing campfire. They were as good as hot dogs can be, let me tell you!
Raccoons visited our campsite that night, trying unsuccessfully to get in our food supplies and very successfully to get in our trash. We made sure it was all picked up and stowed aboard one of the canoes before we left the next morning.
Raccoons frequently visit campsites here, so make sure to pack your food in raccoon proof containers. On one trip we left our s'more fixin's unattended on a table for less than five minutes and a raccoon tried to steal the whole bag. The chocolate and crackers fell out as he ran off, but he made a successful getaway with our marshmallows!
The most common gamefish here are redfish and seatrout. A ten pound spinning outfit is appropriate. Effective lures include soft plastic jerkbaits, weedless gold spoons, and small popping plugs. The area is shallow with a lot of grass, so weedless lures are a necessity. Popular live baits include shrimp and cut mullet. Small crabs can also be effective.
On the most recent trip we didn't catch a fish. So what! I have a hard time finding the vocabulary to describe what a rewarding trip this was for me. As a former science teacher I was able to teach these kids a variety of things they didn't know, but the knowledge certainly flowed both ways. There was a lot of laughter, and a sense of wonder that too often gets buried in the minutia of every day existence.
If you have kids, take them camping at Canaveral National Seashore. Bring their friends and get to know them. The time you invest this way will make a big difference in all of your lives.
Getting There, Permits, and Other Information
Canaveral National Seashore lies northeast of Orlando about one hour's drive. In order to camp there you must obtain a permit (fee required) from their office at Turtle Mound, on Florida route A1A south of New Smyrna Beach. They accept reservations by telephone one week in advance, and during the busy spring season reservations are recommended.
Their website URL is http://www.nps.gov/cana/. Click on the "Activities" button, then click on the "camping" button to see their camping brochure. The phone number at the Turtle Mound station for more information about camping or reservations is 386-428-3384 Ext. 10.
The Mosquito Lagoon wasn't named on a whim. The bugs can be nasty when the weather is warm (by Florida standards, that is), so the best time to camp is from about Thanksgiving through about Easter.
Have fun and enjoy your trip!
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This article was written by John Kumiski of John Kumiski Outdoors and Travel. Contact him at his website www.johnkumiski.com or via email at john@spottedtail.com. Copyright 2007 John Kumiski.
John Kumiski 's most recent fishing guidebooks are How and Where to Catch Redfish in the Indian River Lagoon System (Argonaut Publishing Company), and Fishing Florida's Space Coast (Argonaut Publishing Company).
John Kumiski's newest book is Redfish on the Fly- A Comprehensive Guide.
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